F-89 Merged With Nothing

This account of the disappearance of the F-89 is contained within UFO investigator, Donald Keyhoe's book "The Flying Saucer Conspiracy".  During his investigation of the Kinross F-89 disappearance, Donald Keyhoe made several telephone calls to First Lt. Robert C. White, a Public Information Officer, at the Pentagon's Air Force Press Desk.

When Donald Keyhoe asked Lt. White about the official statement made by Truax Field, that the F-89 had merged with an object 70 miles off KeWeenaw Point, Lt. White was reported as replying, "Thats no true." When Keyhoe asked if the AP story was wrong, White is reported to have replied:

"Well ... no. Truax made the statement. But the 'merging' part was a mistake. That second blip was from some object actually miles from the F-89."

When Keyhoe asked why the GCI had stated they had merged, Lt White responded "They just read the scope wrong."

It is important to note that the merging of the returns on the scope, does not necessarily imply actual physical contact. Firstly, the F-89 could be flying at a different altitude and could pass above or below its target. Secondly the resolution of the radar screen is such that the returns are displayed larger than actual scale size, otherwise, the returns would be impossible to represent on the screen. However, it is quite a leap to suggest that the GCI operators would state the returns had merged when the targets were "miles apart". If the equipment and operators were that unreliable, it would be impossible for the radar system to be of much practical use in guiding the pilot's to intercept an unknown.

Lt. White's statement may indicate that Air Force officials at the Pentagon were worried about the implications of an intercept with a UFO which resulted in the disappearance of their aircraft. Whether the disappearance was from the capture of the aircraft, or a collision and crash of the F-89, it would imply an inability to prevent penetration of the air space by an intruder. It might also suggest a hostile intent by the unknown intruders flying the UFOs. The Air Force was already worried about public alarm over the possibility that the UFOs might be vehicles from a technologically superior civilization from another planet. Clearly, they would not want the public to be alarmed by  awareness that the USAF was vulnerable in its sorties of UFOs in US air space.