USS Fort Mandan LSD 21 - 1952 UFO Sighting

Posted: December 26, 2007

First email:

Hooray I am not blind as my CO called me in circa Feb 1952. I was on air watch aboard USS Fort Mandan LSD 21. We were located approxamatly 400 miles east of New Jersey on Maneuvers. I spotted exactly what Chester saw. I reported it as the Gondola of a Blimp. The CO said there were no Blimps within 500 miles. Then I heard him whisper Blind SOB!

(name deleted by HBCC UFO) USN Retired

Second email:

As far as I can remember, and I do remember it well, it was a partly cloudy day, cold and windy. The surface was usual for the N. Atlantic, a little rough but not bad. I remember the clouds as I thought maybe I saw some weird kind of reflection of a Blimp from over the horizon, especially since they told me there was nothing on Radar and not a Blimp around.

I still distinctly remember that it looked like a long Blimp Gondola and it had windows. I dis not see the Gas Bag, I figured a cloud covered it. I would estimate it at 1/2 to 3/4 miles away. I followed it a bit and then reported aircraft off the Port Beam. When I reported, I took my Binoculars off my eyes, After the report, I could no longer find the object. I figured it went into the clouds.

I was on the bridge about 15 feet from the Captain about 65 feet above the water.

Ten years ago I was stationed aboard USS Shadwell LSD 15 the same class and age ship and stood on the same spot and remembered that day.

I never heard of a UFO so at the time,I merely believed that I had seen a blimp. I don't know of anyone else that saw it, however, This month I am going to a reunion of that ships crew so I will ask around.

(name deleted by HBCC UFO) USN Retired

A Little About The USS Fort Mandan LSD 21

USS Fort Mandan LSD 21

CASA GRANDE CLASS - (Sometimes referenced as CABILDO CLASS)

KEEL LAID: 02 JAN 1945 BOSTON NAVY YARD

COMMISSIONED: 31 OCT 1945

DISPLACMENT: 4790Lt / 9357Full

DIM: 457.8x72.2x18 Feet.

GUNS (at last decommissioning): (8) 40MM (2 Quad Mts)at other times She carried (1)5"38 Gun and an unknown number of 20MM Guns

Geared Turbines 2 Shafts 15.4 Knts

Transfered to Hellenic (Greek) Navy in 1971

Renamed: NAFKRATOUSSA L-153

LSD-21 update recieved on 2/20/00 The following information was received from a Greek sailor serving onboard the Fort Mandan: Regretfully I announce you the decommisioning of HNS (Hellenic Navy Ship) NAFKRATOUSSA, LSD of the Cabildo Class, on the end of February 2000. I cannot recall right now what the ship's name originally was, Ill look in my books, but it was built in 1945, and until today on active duty. After having completed nearly 50 years of service life, the ship was the last 2 years in a desolate condition with no spare parts for most of its devices and corrosion as much as 2/3 of wall thickness. The ship is to be stored either in Salamis or Crete naval stations and sold as scrap later on. I am searching for other witnesses for both these time frames ( 1952 -1958 ) and would like to discuss if they had seen anything unusual at these times. If anyone can help, please contact me (Brian) at: hbccufo@telus.net Thank you very much.

Brian Vike, Director HBCC UFO Research. email: hbccufo@telus.net Website: http://www.hbccufo.org http://www.brianvike.com, http://www.hbccufo.com, http://www.hbccufo.net HBCC UFO Research International: http://www.hbccufointernational.org/

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