The Day Project Magnet Detected a Flying Saucer

Wilbert Smith

August 8, 1954 started out as a rather typical day at Project Magnet. Since the project had started it was hoped that the instruments on hand would sooner or later pick up an unidentified flying object and track and analyze its movements.

For months I and my tiny group of likeminded associates had watched the sensitive gravimeter in vain. On occasions when large commercial airlines would pass over, our hearts would skip a beat, as the instruments would register aerial activities.

But on August 8 at 3:01 P.M. the gravimeter began acting strangely. First it waved, drawing a thin dark line on the graph paper being used to measure the movements of the instruments. Without further warning the gravimeter went wild. All evidence indicated that a real unidentified flying object had flown within feet of the station.

Alarm systems connected to the instrument panel began to ring, alerting us to the UFO. After watching the instruments a few seconds, we ran outside to see what was causing the odd reaction.

Unfortunately our area was completely fogged in, and whatever was up there could not be seen visually.