December 31, 1956 [Jan. 1, 1957?] — Guam
At 2:10 a.m., USAF 1st Lt. Ted Brunson is piloting an F-86D jet interceptor when he observes a round, white object flying beneath his aircraft. As Brunson attempts to close with it, the object keeps turning with him—always staying on the outside of his turn.
The object passes between his interceptor and the city of Agana, Guam, but he sees no silhouette—only the strange, maneuvering light. It then heads south for about 10 miles at his altitude, roughly 20,000 feet MSL, before climbing to about 30,000 feet and moving directly over his aircraft. Brunson turns to keep it in sight, and the object begins circling him.
He engages afterburner and turns into the object in an attempt to head it off, but it continues circling his aircraft, and he cannot gain on it or close the distance. The object then moves west at his altitude, doubles back, and passes over the fighter again—this time 10,000 to 15,000 feet above him. Brunson turns again to maintain visual contact, but the object circles him once more.
With fuel running low, Brunson is finally forced to break off the encounter and return to Andersen Air Force Base.
Record Card:
AFOIN:
Brunson Military Record [from his Obit]:
Sources:
Don Berliner, The Blue Book Unknowns, Compiled for the Fund For UFO Research.
Brad Sparks, Blue Books Unknowns Catalogue, Case 1217, p. 240;
Loren E. Gross, The Fifth Horseman of the Apocalypse: UFOs, a History: 1956 November–December, The Author, 1994, pp. 64–65;
Guam’s skies have a history of UFOs
[Lt. Col. Ted Brunson’s son Ty provides some comments]
CJ Urquico, “Guam residents recall past encounters with the unknown,” Pacific Island Times, February 5, 2021;
