Kenneth Arnold
Businessman and pilot whose 1947 sighting coined the term ‘flying saucer’ and launched the modern UFO era
| Kenneth Arnold | |
|
[ IMAGE PLACEHOLDER ]
portrait, illustrative placeholder | |
| Born | 1915 |
|---|---|
| Died | 1984 |
| Nationality | United States |
| Category | Witness |
| Known for | |
| Roles | Private pilot, businessman |
| Notable claim | First widely publicized modern UFO sighting, June 1947 |
| Status | Credible witnessUnresolved sighting |
Kenneth Arnold was an American businessman and private pilot whose June 1947 report of nine crescent-shaped objects flying in formation near Mount Rainier, Washington, became the first widely publicized sighting of the modern UFO era, directly priming public and press attention just weeks before the Roswell incident.
Assessment
Arnold’s description of the objects’ motion — “like a saucer if you skip it across water” — was misquoted by the press as describing their shape, giving rise to the enduring term “flying saucer” despite Arnold’s later clarifications. He remained a credible, consistent witness throughout his life and the Kenneth Arnold Sighting itself remains formally unexplained.
[1]See also
References
- ^ Arnold, K.; Palmer, R. (1952). The Coming of the Saucers.