Many people who are aware of UFO history have heard about or read of the “Lubbock Lights” one of many legendary tales of unidentified aerial objects reported by numerous witnesses in the Texas skies. Although this particular sighting remains unexplained, there are aspects of this series of reported sightings that are not widely known and may prove to be even more provocative than the Lubbock Lights themselves.
At a time of war
It began in 1951. During this time few people remember that the Korean War was in full swing and US forces along with the South Korean army were in a desperate struggle against an invading North Korean Communist army heavily supported by Russian advisors, aircraft, and pilots. The United States Marines, US Army, and US Air Force got some support from a small contingent of United Nations troops such as the Australians, but were often heavily outnumbered and were forced to fight in a protracted conflict where objectives were constantly overrun and retaken over and over again. The mountainous terrain was arid during the summer and bitterly cold during the winter to make matters worse for the American and South Korean cause.
On a typical evening
Yet, on the other side of the earth far from the desperate battles being waged in Korea was Lubbock, Texas comparatively peaceful and the host to Texas Tech University where engineering and petroleum exploration were being taught. It was here that the unknown took its place in history and left many an observer spellbound in its wake. When three Professors from the Engineering Department of Texas Tech stood outside enjoying a quiet evening on their colleague's lawn a strange sight caught their attention from the darkened sky above. A formation of lighted objects flew across their field of view from above.
More than an isolated occurrence
Little did they know that a number of people through out the area had been seeing this same manifestation at around the same time of the night. Local townfolk often depicted a V or U shaped formation of 9 to 20 objects passing overhead at tremendous speed yet with no engine roar or conventional aircraft propulsion sounds though some did note an audible wooshing sound from time to time. From August of that year to November many observers made known their sightings to the authorities. Finally the US Air Force under the investigation of Project Blue Book began an investigation.
Project Blue Book weighs in
Captain Edward J. Ruppelt did make several comments about the Lubbock Lights in his famous book released in 1956 known as “The Report on UFO's”. Initial explanations ranged from Plovers, a water bird with oily white feathers to migrating ducks, but wildlife experts pointed out that Plovers did not fly in formations larger than threes. Ducks did not have self luminous characteristics either as many witnesses reported the Lubbock Lights to be brighter than the stars around them and even as bright as the planet Venus!
Visual evidence
A high school student who resided with his parents in Lubbock took several photos of the nocturnal visitations that were published in the local newspaper. Project Blue Book officers requested to see the original photos which were handed over. After analysis by not only the US Air Force but professors at Texas Tech it was announced that no conventional explanation or evidence of hoax could be determined. The sightings remained a mystery.
Something else emerges
However, this was not the only odd or inexplicable event going on at the time near Lubbock. According to Captain Ruppelt, sightings of strange aerial machines were made in broad daylight. Described as the approximate size of a B-29 fuselage without wings several of these objects were observed hovering at crossroads in and around the Lubbock area! Where did they come from and who was flying them? Some of the local people reported being stunned at the appearance of these unconventional flying machines being observed at various intersections in the countryside surrounding Lubbock. For farmers and ranchers who had observed typical single engine planes, airliners, or Air Force airborne traffic the appearance of these bizarre daytime encounters must have been very disconcerting.
Unknown
Captain Ruppelt hinted when speaking of the Lubbock Lights that there was another explanation that he was not at liberty to discuss, but that he felt adequately explained the cause of the sightings, but did not make any attempt to address the bizarre daytime sightings of the B-29 sized unknown objects! It seems that there was no clear explanation nor did Ruppelt even attempt to tackle this aspect of the sightings being reported at the time.
Beyond other references
One might recall that when reviewing the Kenneth Arnold Sigfhting of 9 silvery saucer shaped objects near Mt. Rainier in 1947 that he had contacted several facilities about the new delta winged aircraft that were being tested at the time and secretly being flown from coast to coast, which in itself was an admission of a highly advanced classified program. Were these captured German aircraft from Peenemunde? One can only speculate.
Impossible to ignore
Yet, for an unknown flying object the size of a B-29 fuselage and being wingless, there seems to be no attempt what so ever to address who or what could have been responsible for such a flying craft which makes this even more mysterious than the nocturnal sightings of the Lubbock Lights that were going on simultaneously during that time! Still that vaguely referenced admission on the part of Captain Ruppelt and lack of elaboration about who or what might have been responsible leaves an even bigger mystery untouched, unexplored, and unexplained to this day. Were these strange arborne machinations experimental craft? If they were, was Lubbock really the place to be tesing them when places such as White Sands, Ft. Bliss, or Dreamland were within reasonable proximity to be conducting flights without the prying eyes of the public so numerous?
Conclusion
Did the Lubbock Lights if explained as Captain Ruppelt seems to have indicated, were a distraction then why were these strange vessels being deployed in broad daylight in plain sight of local drivers? It seems that beginning in 1947 an undeclared emergency had existed. The rise of the police state had emerged, the Roswell Crash had been widely reported among other alarming and well documented incidents, and it seems this odd twist to the Lubbock Lights sightings is apparently just one more anecdote into the shadowy world of UFO history defying conventional explanation as well.
