Case file · Sighting
Portland flying discs, 4 July 1947
On Independence Day 1947, in the middle of the national 'flying disc' craze, police officers, harbour patrolmen and other people in Portland, Oregon, reported fast discs over the city.
1947 CE · 45.52, -122.68 · status: account
The account
The reports came a week after Kenneth Arnold's sighting made headlines, as hundreds of similar accounts poured in from around the country. The Portland reports stood out because several came from police and harbour staff watching at different points.
The sceptical view
The 1947 wave grew out of the press coverage, and many of its reports turned out to be balloons, aircraft, birds or reflections.