Union, Oregon: Arnold encounters small disc cluster en route to Maury Island

Sighting Details Kenneth Arnold was piloting an aircraft toward Tacoma, Washington on July 29, 1947 at approximately 6:55 a.m. to investigate the Maury Island mystery. While positioned over Union, Oregon and preparing to land at La Grande for refueling, he observed a formation of approximately 25 small objects.

Object Characteristics The objects were described as brass-colored discs measuring 24–30 inches in diameter, each featuring a distinctive spot in the center. They traveled at extremely high velocity and approached Arnold's aircraft to within 1,200 feet before abruptly changing course and departing.

Subsequent Actions After landing at La Grande, Arnold contacted aviation editor David N. Johnson to report the encounter. He continued to Tacoma, where he checked into room 502 at the Winthrop Hotel. That evening, Harold A. Dahl visited Arnold and subsequently transported him to Fred Crisman's residence to examine fragments allegedly from the Maury Island incident, which Arnold assessed as resembling lava.