August 14, 1975🇺🇸Military Encounter

Stockton, California: Helicopter Pilot and Air Controllers Track Diamond-Shaped UFO

Major Claude Riddle flying helicopter at 900 feet approaching Stockton Metropolitan Airport at 9:35 p.m. Air traffic controller Joe Savage sees flashing lights on collision course. Object turns orange, shoots up to 5,000 feet, hovers. Riddle sees 'shimmering diamond,' oval-shaped, jetliner-sized, with bright orange glow and two blue beams from sides. Controller Dan Long confirms through binoculars — 'looked like a flying saucer.' Object hovers over airport for five minutes. Suddenly turns bright red and departs. Controller John Paul Ammirata watches through binoculars as object ascends to 260,000 feet in five to six seconds (~30,000 mph). Reported by MUFON.

Date

August 14, 1975

Location

Stockton, California

Type

Military Encounter

Country

🇺🇸 United States

Map

Background

1. On August 14, 1975, a helicopter pilot and air traffic controllers near Stockton, California, observed a diamond-shaped UFO. The object exhibited unusual flight characteristics and was tracked by multiple witnesses. This event occurred during a period of increased UFO sightings in northern California.

The Incident

At 9:35 p.m., Major Claude Riddle was flying a helicopter at 900 feet, approaching Stockton Metropolitan Airport. Air traffic controller Joe Savage observed flashing lights on a collision course with the helicopter. Savage advised Riddle to take evasive action.

The object then turned orange and rapidly ascended to 5,000 feet, where it hovered. Riddle, looking behind him, saw a light trailing his helicopter about a mile away. When he turned towards the light, he saw an object "shimmering like a diamond."

Riddle described the object as oval-shaped, jetliner-sized, and radiating a bright orange glow from the top. He also noted two blue beams emanating from the sides of the object. Another air traffic controller, Dan Long, also witnessed the glowing object through field glasses.

Investigation

The event was investigated by MUFON (Mutual UFO Network). The source text does not provide further details about the findings of the MUFON investigation.

Significance

This incident is significant because it involves multiple witnesses, including a trained pilot and air traffic controllers. The object's unusual flight characteristics and appearance, including its rapid ascent and diamond-like shimmer, contribute to its anomalous nature. The event occurred during a spate of UFO sightings in northern California, suggesting a potential cluster of activity.