Korea: Naval radar tracks unidentified object circling fleet

Incident Overview During fall 1951, Lt. Cmdr. Marvin C. Davies piloted an aircraft from a CVE-class carrier operating near Korea. The crew detected a radar target positioned 3 miles astern of their position.

Radar Tracking The unidentified object had been tracked simultaneously on 14 ship radars for approximately 7 hours. It demonstrated unusual flight characteristics, circling the naval fleet at an altitude of 5,000 feet with variable speeds ranging from slow movement to 1,000 mph.

Close Encounter The object ceased its circular pattern and maneuvered to a position directly behind the wingman's aircraft, maintaining this proximity for 5 minutes before accelerating to high speed and departing the area.

Significance This incident represents a significant military encounter involving multiple radar confirmations and direct observation by trained naval personnel, demonstrating coordinated tracking across numerous vessels.