The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1940-07-19
MYSTERY BALLOON
SCARES new YORK

But when the facts came out
after the Milford landing, 1t devel-
oped that Lieut.. Hanger and three
young pilots In their first long
distance training flight-Lieut. j.
Baronowski, ensign E. D. jackson
and Ensign Frank Buckley-had
merely been carrying out q routine
assignment. They packed the de-
flated balloon In q basket and
shipped it back to Lakehurst.
The naval air station said the
balloon was comparatively small, its
capacity only $4,000 cubic feet.
The first report on the balloon
came from Gus Durham, owner of
a public garage and wrecking plant
at Briarcliffe Manor, IS miles north
of New York. The last report be-
fore the landing at Milford said it
was headed in the general direction
of Croton Dam which controls a.
839, 100000 gallons Of New York
city's water supply.
Durham had Just locked the doors
of his garage and was strolling
down the Main street when he
heard a rushing sound above his
head.
He IRAN Like Help
He looked up and saw a round,
shadowy object floating 40 feet
above" him. A basket swung lazily
from the round object and from
the basket came sounds Of men in
light conversation.
Durham iran like hell" to the
police station, he said. He told his
story to Fred Borho, night patrol
man, the other resident still awake.
Borho took Durham at his word
and started burning up the wires.
A few minutes later the West
chester County police teletype sys-
tenn flashed out to SO police depart
ments that "a balloon Is floating
40 feet above the ground without
running lights. It was in CONVEX
sation with a citizen"
The citizen was Durham. He had
supplied Borho with these addi-
tional details:
II knew right away 1t was bal
loon and I yelled at 1t: Hey, are
you in any trouble?" Then guys
head appeared over the edge Of the
basket and said, oh, no, were's just
floating around; just the three Of
u.s.
zone Of them gave a loud laugh
and waved and they floated away"
The Westminster County police
headquarters, first to receive Bor-
hos call, not only relayed the alarm
over its own system but sent it over
the state system, to which 1t is con.
11ected.
New York city police picked It up
and messaged LaGuardia airport Of
ficials to try to communicate with
the balloon over its radio system. |
The airport accommodated, al
though police said the balloon prob
ably didn't have a radio.
Calls 1t Suspicious |
Patrolma11 Borho decided it was a
suspicious balloon"
He said that a few minutes after
Durham had made his report, a
cruising radio police car had flash
ed q corroborative message.
A balloon, the radio patrolmen
said, had lowered over their heads
several minutes before disappearing
in the direction Of Mt. Kisco, and
Croton Dam. |
Meantime, White Plains police
received another report OF the bal
loon from Patrolmai1 Bell Of the
Ossinning town police.
Patrolman Borho insisted that
something be done.
"You can't tell what's happening
these days." he said, land that bal
loon was heading for Croton Dam"
At North Castle, police stationed
two patrol cars at the Westchester
airport, headlights hsaming, to
guide the balloon in case it wanted
to land. LaGuardia field was asked
to direct the balloon to that field,
when and If 1t is contacted.