Project Blue Book Case #2142. On October 1, 1952, an unidentified object was observed over Shaw Air Force Base near Sumter, South Carolina. Shaw was a Tactical Air Command installation home to tactical reconnaissance and fighter-bomber units — the squadrons that would deploy to combat zones for close air support and battlefield intelligence gathering.
Shaw's reconnaissance mission meant its personnel were specifically trained in aerial observation and image interpretation. RF-84 Thunderflash reconnaissance aircraft operated from the base, their crews expert at identifying objects from aircraft and at interpreting what they saw from unusual angles and distances.
October 1952 was in the late phase of the great wave. Shaw's contribution added to the steady stream of cases from military installations that had characterized the entire year. The tactical reconnaissance expertise of the base's personnel gave their report additional weight.
The object did not match any aircraft operating from Shaw or transiting the South Carolina airspace. The case was classified "Unknown."