File: The Coming of the Saucers

It's been a while (credit: Staind) since I read this, but I don't remember much of it, if that tells you anything. This is the firsthand account of Kenneth Arnold's June 24, 1947 sighting that is said to have given us the term "flying saucer." Arnold, a respected businessman and pilot, observed nine crescent-shaped objects flying in formation near Mount Rainier at speeds he estimated at over 1,200 mph—technology that didn't exist. The book details not just the initial sighting but the subsequent harassment Arnold faced from both debunkers and mysterious government agents. Ray Palmer, the editor of Amazing Stories magazine, co-authored the work and added context about the emerging UFO phenomenon. Arnold's meticulous nature is documented as he is noted to have (roughly) triangulated the objects' speed using known landmarks and his aircraft instruments. His calculations were verified by Army Air Force investigators who initially investigated. The book also covers the Maury Island incident, which Arnold investigated shortly after his own sighting. Two men claimed to have witnessed debris falling from a damaged UFO—debris that was later analyzed and allegedly showed unusual metallurgical properties. Critics have pointed out inconsistencies in the Maury Island portion, and some have suggested the witnesses were unreliable. However, Arnold's original Mount Rainier sighting remains one of the most credible in UFO history, corroborated by multiple other witnesses who came forward after his account was published. That said, wouldn't the military also want to talk to Arnold to see what he knew about the secret government tech he saw that he thinks are alien craft? That angle is not objectively seen in this book. Craft flying in formation in the hidden, sparsely-populated northwest United States. . . just saying. Believability note: I don't think Arnold is a hoaxer. I think he saw. . . something (95%). Just not sure what, and I don't think he was either (35%). Believability tip: secret government craft are still risqué - you don't always have to force the aliens inside them.