Triangle UFO over Spokane in 1950

Summary

In September 1950, Major Gardinier, a U.S. Air Force officer, observed three strange objects over Spokane, Washington. Initially, he thought they were just large pieces of cardboard or wrapping paper tumbling in an oversized "dust devil," but soon realized they were behaving in an unusual way. The objects appeared to have their own power source, moving independently and erratically—one rising, another descending, and the third moving sideways. Gardinier even used a monocular to observe them more closely, describing them as flat, pancake-shaped objects 20 to 30 feet wide. Despite prolonged observation, no physical evidence or sound was associated with them, and their nature remained unexplained.

The official report concluded the objects were "unidentified." Additionally, other witnesses, including a neighbor and an officer named Fortney, also reported sightings of bright lights and mysterious objects in the same area. Although conventional explanations like aircraft, landing lights, or meteors were ruled out, the phenomenon remained unexplained. This case is part of a series of UFO sightings recorded during the Cold War, when the U.S. Air Force was particularly attentive to any unusual aerial activity.