George F. Gorman spotted the UFO around 9 PM while conducting training missions for the North Dakota National Guard (USA).
The 27-Minute “Dogfight”
Lieutenant George F. Gorman was a seasoned pilot with extensive experience from World War II, but he was utterly stunned when he encountered an unidentified object in the skies over Fargo, North Dakota (USA) on October 1, 1948.
This incident has been likened to a “dogfight” between Gorman and the Unidentified Flying Object (UFO) controlled by extraterrestrials. It is one of the most mysterious encounters since the early days of UFO discussions.
Gorman reportedly witnessed a bright white sphere emanating from an object that seemed to have a speed far superior to that of the P-51 Mustang he was piloting at the time.
George F. Gorman discovered the strange object at around 9 PM while on a training mission for the North Dakota National Guard.
The object was also seen by those on the ground, but when Gorman flew in to intercept, he faced a high-speed chase that resembled a “cat-and-mouse” game lasting 27 minutes.
The official narrative later propagated was that the experienced pilot Gorman had simply encountered a glowing weather balloon or became confused by a particularly bright phenomenon of Jupiter.
However, that argument never convinced Gorman. He bluntly told friends: “I never believed I was dogfighting a glowing ball for 27 minutes.”
Gorman passed away in 1982, but his story remains an unsolved mystery to this day. The unusual encounter continues to cause a stir as UFOs have now become a central topic of discussion in Washington, D.C., linked to fringe conspiracy theories.
Three P-51 Mustangs in 1945, the type of aircraft that George Gorman flew during the encounter with the UFO.
An Enveloping Mystery
According to Chris Lehto, an experienced F-16 pilot who also investigated Gorman’s case, the incident began when Gorman and fellow pilots were returning to Hector Airport.
When the other pilots separated from the group, Gorman decided to stay airborne to practice night flying in the clear sky.
As he flew low over a packed stadium, where a game between the North Dakota Bison and Augustana Vikings was taking place, Gorman noticed something in the sky that he couldn’t explain: a flashing white sphere.
Gorman decided to contact air traffic control, but they reported that he was the only aircraft in the vicinity, aside from a nearby civilian Piper Cub.
Climbing with his P-51, Gorman began his investigation, but the object suddenly darted away from him, accelerating to about 600 miles per hour (965 km/h).
Gorman (left) with his P-51 from the 178th Fighter Squadron at Hector Airport.
What followed was a nearly half-hour pursuit where Gorman charged at the object with maximum speed. The shadow of the UFO loomed over his aircraft, and its speed seemed to vastly outpace that of the P-51.
Gorman described it as a “translucent white object with no fuzz on the edges.” The object performed maneuvers such as 180-degree turns, sudden climbs, and diving directly into his flight path.
“It flashed and faded continuously. However, as I got closer, the light suddenly stabilized and became a sharp streak,” Gorman recounted to investigators.
During the “dogfight,” air traffic control personnel at the tower in Hector Airport also detected those light streams. The pilot and passengers on the civilian Piper Cub also witnessed a similar phenomenon.
Gorman pushed his aircraft to the limits but still could not match the UFO’s capabilities.
After 27 minutes of the encounter, the UFO shot away vertically, moving too far and too quickly for Gorman to keep up and lost track of it.
In a state of turmoil from the bizarre event, Gorman landed his fighter. In the hours that followed, he had to testify before the first official U.S. investigation into UFOs called “Project Sign.”
Using a Geiger counter, investigators found that Gorman’s P-51 Mustang was significantly radioactive, but the cause was attributed to the altitude at which he was flying.
Gorman told investigators: “I am certain that maneuvers of a UFO took place. I also believe that the object was influenced by inertia laws because its acceleration was quick but not abrupt, and although it could turn fairly fast at considerable speed, it still occurred along a natural arc.”
“I was in reasonably good physical condition, and I believe that not many pilots could withstand the g-forces and speed affected by the object and still remain coherent.”
“The object not only could turn and accelerate faster than my aircraft but could also climb better and maintain an upward trajectory continuously, far exceeding my plane.”
Project Sign assessed Gorman as a “sincere and serious individual,” who “was quite bewildered by his experience and did not attempt to embellish the story.”
Meanwhile, air traffic controller Lloyd D. Jensen was also deemed “reliable, thoughtful, and cautious with his observations.” His colleague, H.E. Johnson, was described as “stern, taciturn, and not prone to exaggeration.”
Project Grudge
The pilot of the civilian Piper Cub, Dr. L.N. Cannon, was considered “highly alert, quick-witted, and very capable,” but he was said to have “not been impressed by the incident.” Instead, he believed the object was simply a Canadian fighter jet.
Investigators from Project Sign initially believed that “something noteworthy” had occurred that night in the skies over Fargo. However, subsequent UFO investigations under Project Grudge and Project Blue Book reassessed the incident and categorized it simply as “just a weather balloon.”
Mustang P-51 – a type of aircraft similar to the one Gorman flew that night in 1948 at Hector Airport.
Nonetheless, for many, the explanations provided remain unsatisfactory. They believe that Gorman’s story must represent an unusual early confrontation with a UFO.
Gorman never publicly recounted the “encounter” in the skies that day after the initial uproar. He was reportedly threatened with court-martial if he did so.
Yet, Gorman’s story is another piece in the puzzle of UFOs.
U.S. officials debunked the existence of UFOs when they concluded Project Blue Book in the 1960s, asserting that “nothing was seen.”
However, even after five decades, the debate has returned and is now regarded as a serious national security issue for the United States.
A topic that was considered harmful and eccentric for decades is now being publicly discussed by high-profile figures, including former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.
U.S. lawmakers have allowed the Pentagon to report on UFOs following a series of stunning leaked videos showing military encounters with unidentified objects in recent times.
Washington is also pushing discussions related to UFOs, proposing new legislation aimed at protecting witnesses.
