James McDivitt
| James McDivitt | |
| Born | June 10, 1929, Chicago, Illinois |
|---|---|
| Died | October 13, 2022 |
| Nationality | American |
| Category | Astronaut |
| Roles | Gemini 4 and Apollo 9 commander |
| Notable claim | Saw and photographed a cylindrical object with a protrusion on Gemini 4 (1965) |
| Status | Historical |
| Historical | |
James Alton McDivitt (1929–2022) was an Air Force pilot who commanded Gemini 4 in June 1965, the mission of the first American spacewalk by Ed White, and Apollo 9 in 1969.[1]
On Gemini 4 he saw a white, cylindrical object with what looked like an arm sticking out and took photographs. The “Visual Sightings” section of the crew debriefing, released in PURSUE Release 03, records his and White’s observations.[2]
Assessment
The Air Force and the 1969 Condon Report looked at the case; NORAD suggested the Pegasus 2 satellite, though McDivitt doubted it was that close. The frames often published as “McDivitt’s UFO” were shown to be sun glare on the window. McDivitt later said he believed he saw something ordinary he could not identify, perhaps another satellite or part of his booster, and objected to the case being used as evidence of alien craft.
See also
References
- ^ Scientific Study of Unidentified Flying Objects (Condon Report, 1969), Section VI, Chapter 6.
- ^ U.S. Department of War (2026). PURSUE Release 03, NASA-UAP-D016 to D018.