Date: October 1, 1948 Location: Fargo, North Dakota, USA Protagonist: Lieutenant George Gorman, a World War II pilot flying an F-51 Mustang
The Incident:
- After a cross-country flight, Gorman decided to do some solo night flying over Fargo.
- He spotted a bright, disc-shaped object circling the city.
- Gorman pursued the object, engaging in a series of aerial maneuvers for 27 minutes.
- The object performed incredible feats of speed and agility, easily outmaneuvering Gorman's fighter plane.
- Gorman reported the object emitted pulsating light and appeared to "tilt" on its edge.
- Ultimately, the object disappeared from sight as quickly as it appeared.
Aftermath:
- Gorman reported the encounter to his superiors and the Air Force, sparking a major investigation.
- The incident became known as the "Gorman Dogfight" and received widespread media coverage.
- The Air Force officially classified the encounter as "unidentified" and included it in the infamous Project Blue Book files.
Controversies and Significance:
- The Gorman Dogfight remains one of the most famous and well-documented UFO encounters in history.
- It fueled public interest in extraterrestrial life and sparked debate about the Air Force's handling of UFO reports.
- While various explanations have been proposed, ranging from experimental aircraft to natural phenomena, the true nature of the object Gorman encountered remains a mystery.
Additional Notes:
- The Gorman Dogfight was investigated by Dr. J. Allen Hynek, a leading UFO researcher who worked for Project Blue Book.
- Hynek remained skeptical of the extraterrestrial hypothesis but acknowledged the encounter's "puzzling" nature.
- The Gorman Dogfight continues to be a subject of fascination for UFO enthusiasts and researchers.