UFO. United States

Several US Navy servicemen who served aboard the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) claim that in 2004, while serving off the east coast of the United States, they encountered a mysterious flying object in the shape of a ball. Almost two decades later, this incident still defies explanation.

Witnesses who were on the Nimitz-class nuclear supership on the night of the incident say that they saw a glowing round object with a width of 20 to 40 feet, which suddenly appeared and began to hover over the flight deck of the ship.

What makes this event even more strange is that the sailors who witnessed it say that their Navy commanders did not seem to be interested in the fact that a large glowing ball flew over the ship, and continued normal operations without giving any orders to take protective measures.

Now the journalists have talked with almost a dozen witnesses of the 2004 incident, which finally allowed us to provide documentary evidence of this remarkable observation of unidentified aerial phenomena by several US Navy servicemen.

During the ongoing investigation, journalists interviewed five witnesses who were on board the USS Reagan at the time of the incident and were able to tell that they were eyewitnesses of the UAP first-hand. As part of this process, a military service check was carried out using DD-214 army discharge documents, the official 2004 USS Ronald Reagan cruise book and corroborating witness statements.

WITNESS 1

Karol Olesyak was a petty officer of the 3rd class and quartermaster on the ship "Ronald Reagan" at the time of the incident. His job was to control the ship, he worked from the main bridge at the navigation table. He was also responsible for maintaining the official log of the USS Reagan during the incident.

On the day of the incident, Karol was the watch commander in the period from 20:00 pm to 12:00 am. This duty required him to report to the navigation table of the main bridge and coordinate the maneuvering of the vessel.

Olesyak said that when he arrived in the evening to change the previous watch, the outgoing watch chief indicated that something was already happening at that time, although this person did not offer any additional information. However, it soon became clear to Olesyak that something was happening outside over the flight deck.

"I'm pretty sure that 'it' was there," Olesyak said. "And they said, 'I do not know what it is. I don't care." You know what I mean? As if they had that attitude: "I'm going to my counter. I don't care. ... don't even bother me about this shit.".. So this "thing" is there, throughout my entire duty, and since the officers ignore it, I have to ignore it."

Olesyak stressed that everyone works in 16-hour shifts and, unless the problem is life-threatening, most problems are a priority. He stated that his previous training in a military camp had taught him not to challenge orders. According to him, the officer of the watch continued the normal operation of the bridge. Olesyak said he saw a large round glowing orange object with a fiery surface hovering about 100 feet above the flight deck. He said he saw this object right through the windows on the bridge at eye level. Olesyak says that the surface of the object reminded him of the biblical descriptions of the "burning bush".

"In the Eastern Orthodox Church, a burning bush is explained as unburned energy," Olesyak reflects. "When you see it, you are fascinated by its novelty. You've never seen this before. Right? You have never seen negative energy... but it is there. You don't know what it is - the experience of seeing something you haven't seen before."

Olesyak noted that the Officer of the watch (OOW) and the conning officer on the bridge were not alarmed by the object. They continued to work as if nothing unusual was happening. When asked to explain why he did not report the surveillance, Olesyak stated that his training required him to obey senior officers. Since they observed it and did not react, then it was his duty not to be distracted from work.

"It's a problem when someone says it's a problem. The problem is when someone tells you that this is a problem," he said.

Karol said he was surprised that aviation work was continuing.

"And this is aircraft surveillance, this is aircraft launch surveillance," he said. "For me, even though I've never seen it before, I thought it was natural and that, you know, it's an organic thing that we might be another form of life, maybe, but something that we'll figure out in the future."

Karol saw the object only from his place on the bridge. He does not remember seeing the object approaching or moving in any way other than in accordance with the speed of the ship, which, according to him, was going ahead at a speed of 22 knots, based on operational data. He believes that the object was in the same place throughout his four-hour watch.

Olesyak first wrote about this observation on his website in October 2021 (UAP investigator Keith Basterfield drew Dave Beaty's attention to this article for this report). You can also learn more from Karol Olesyak in this video interview with Dave Beaty (below):

WITNESS 2

Derek Smith joined the Navy in February 2002 as a Sailor (SN) in the Deck department responsible for the maintenance and operation of ships. Smith was also trained as an observer. Caretakers are trained in visual recognition of aircraft, ships and marine mammals. According to Smith, at the time of the observation, he was outside on the upper level of the podium, which surrounded the island superstructure of the ship. This starboard view point is approximately 50-75 feet above the deck.

Smith reported that at the time of the observation he was with a female intern (hereinafter referred to as "Witness 3"). Shortly after arriving on watch, their attention was attracted by a large glowing orange object hovering over the flight deck a few hundred feet in front of them, right above the centerline of the ship ahead of the island.

"I was sitting here looking at this thing and I couldn't figure out what it was," Smith said in an interview. "He had some form. It was oval in shape... it didn't look solid, but it had a shape."

Derek said he reported the surveillance to the carrier's Tactical Operations Center (TOP), as required, using a microphone and a sound-powered headset used by the observers. He also stated that he had examined the object with "big eyes" binoculars installed on the deck. He said the object looked like a "glowing, gaseous" self-luminous object.

It also appeared to have a "moving" vortex surface, but he was unable to identify it as an airplane or helicopter. Smith recalls observing the object for several minutes.

"From the starboard side forward in front of you was, I would say, about 70% of the flight deck. I remember we were looking down at the flight deck, there were pilots there, and she and I were just looking at each other. Then we looked down at the flight deck, and all the people on the flight deck were looking up at (the object)."

WITNESS 3

During this event with BMSN Derek Smith, there was a female trainee or "UI" (undergoing training) at the observation post, who is referred to here as "Witness 3" and who wished to remain anonymous. The journalist spoke with Witness 3 in April 2022 about the surveillance, and then she was able to confirm some of the details reported by Smith and Olesyak.

Witness 3 claims that over the past 19 years she has not communicated with any of the other witnesses and has never read Olesyak's article about surveillance. According to Witness 3, she arrived on the ship only in November or December 2003, at the naval shipyard in Newport News. During the meeting, according to Witness 3, she was training with Smith, whom she calls "Smith D." At some point, they both noticed a large, "round, glowing object hovering over the flight deck" several hundred feet above them and cruising around the ship, which was on the move at that moment.

Witness 3 said that Smith told her to call the operations center and report the air contact, and that when she reported it, she was greeted skeptically on the radio and asked if she "smoked crack."

In contrast to the testimony of Olesyak and Smith, Witness 3 stated that she remembers that the first observation took place before sunset, around dusk, and that it was cloudy at that time. Then she remembered that she had seen an object going into the clouds. Witness 3 said she remembers that tactical operations also reported contact with the air search radar during this event.

"After I reported it, they said: "Let us know what's going on. And then he stayed with us. I don't remember how long he stayed with the ship, but he stayed with the ship for a while. ...It just followed us. And they asked, "How do you feel about the sun?". I said: "It's not the sun.""

Witness 3 also said that people working on the flight deck were watching the object, some of them with growing concern.

"There was a group of people," recalls witness 3, "who saw them down there, they looked up and pointed up, and they all flew away... They just ran away from the airfield. They dropped their stuff and flew away, and then we looked up and said, "What is this?"... there was a huge ball over their heads, you know?... they all flew away."

Witness 3 described the object as a large "round object with a glowing orange color and fuzzy edges," solid but not defined edges. According to her, the inner color was swirling, like in a "scientific video about the sun up close." She described a sudden series of maneuvers, similar to a semicircle, just before he "flew into the clouds" at great speed.

Witness 3 said that during the observation they did not participate in flight operations. These exercises were completed earlier, and the aviation department was busy guarding equipment when the surveillance occurred. According to her, her watch ended after dark, and she remembers that she was on the bridge at the helm duty with Derek Smith and heard other watchmen commenting on UFOs. She also remembers the instructions that no log entries should be made about this event.

WITNESS 4

Patrick Gokey joined the Navy in August 2003 and after basic training and "School A" in November 2003 was sent to the USS Ronald Regan. He boarded the ship at the Newport News Navy Yard as a sailor. Goki reports that, in his opinion, the observations occurred during sea trials, when the aircraft carrier went to sea for 1-2 weeks to conduct qualification tests in the period from December 2003 to May 2004. He remembers what he was told:

"We are in the Bermuda Triangle."

On the night of the meeting with the UAP, according to him, he was on watch from 20:00 pm to 12:00 am, and for the first time he observed the object from the starboard bow observation post on the podium of the island. According to him, during this period there were up to 10 people at the observation posts, and they replaced each other every hour.

"I just saw this orange, bright orange ball, it was wavy, but somehow remained solid, like plasma," Goki said. "And he just appeared over the airfield. Maybe 200 feet from the airfield. He sat there for about 30 seconds."

Goki said that, according to his recollections, flight operations took place, and dozens of flight personnel were on the airfield under him. According to him, after a while he watched the object, which was quickly moving away.

"He didn't seem to move at all, we were moving during the flight, and he seemed to stay with us. But without any movement that could be noticed. After that, he just made three semicircles, just 1, 2, 3, and disappeared. That is, it just disappeared in the blink of an eye. And it was pretty weird and, you know." "I reported it," Goki said, noting that "other people have already reported it."

During one of his rotations, Goki said that he was put in a viewing position on fantail. This place is a podium at the very rear of the aircraft carrier, below the flight deck, and provides an unobstructed view behind the ship. It was during this watch that he noticed the object again.

"I was alone on Fantail, and the same thing," Goki said. "He came back on our tail and hovered, you know, maybe a hundred or two hundred feet in the air at the same, you know, maybe the same distance behind, made three semicircles and flew away."

Goki stated that, in his opinion, this time the object was closer and had the same characteristics and description as the first object. Based on his description of the object that walked behind the ship and made three identical semicircular movements just before the object quickly "shot back", he believes that the object was under reasonable control.

"Yes. It was somehow managed," Goki said. "It just couldn't have been an accident."

WITNESS 5

During the observation, the person listed here as "Witness 5" (who also wished to remain anonymous) was the Boatswain's Mate on watch (BMOW). His duties included supervising all observation devices and keeping the logbook of the boatswain at his post inside the bridge, and he reported to the Officer of the Watch (OOW).

Witness 5 said he was in touch with all the observers, including Derek Smith, Witness 3 and Patrick Gokey, as well as with other observers on duty. In his testimony, Witness 5 says that when he took over the watch that evening, he was approached by his boss, who told him to go outside and see why the observers were "chatting on the intercom about UFOs." Witness 5 said he immediately went outside, ready to "scold" the observers.

As he approached the starboard bow observation post, he said he immediately noticed a large circular object about 200 feet above the airfield in front of him. He reported that the object "glowed orange" and seemed somehow "blurry" and looked like a "clot". It did not illuminate the flight deck of the ship, and in color it was similar to the orange work lights used on the ship at night. He noticed that the pilots working below on the flight deck were looking up at this object, but said that no air operations were carried out at that time. According to him, he did not see the UAP arrive, fly away or make any movements during the few minutes when he was watching him.

"It was like a translucent blob, very translucent," he said. "You could see through him, and he was... like a lava lamp. He had such a movement... It seemed almost viscous, but it was in the air, and it was moving."

Witness 5 said that although it may seem unusual to most civilians that the officers were not alarmed by the sight of this object, he said that everyone was working due to lack of sleep and a lot of physically stressful work. Witness 5 said that at the time he was surprised at the officers' inaction, but came to the conclusion that it "was beyond my strength."

However, even more disturbing was that when Witness 5 returned to his watch post on the bridge and began recording the observation in his log, his supervisor told him to "rip it out." (Editor's note: "Debrief" contacted the Navy Public Relations office of Witness 5, requesting permission for the serviceman to speak on duty, but still has not received any response).

DATE SEARCH

Establishing the exact date of the incident, which occurred almost two decades ago, is fraught with certain difficulties. Karl Olesyak initially believed that this event could have occurred during the prevention of Hurricane Isabel in September 2003. When a strong hurricane threatened the east coast, the USS Ronald Reagan and 40 other ships left Naval Station Norfolk to wait out the hurricane.

However, two other key witnesses stated that they boarded the ship only in November 2003. Based on the testimony of these witnesses, it can be assumed that the event occurred between December 03 and May 04, when Reagan left Norfolk and headed for San Diego.

WHAT DID THE UFO LOOK LIKE?

The various descriptions of the object made by the primary witnesses mostly coincided. If we assume that the witnesses accurately described the object they witnessed, then it had the following visible characteristics:

— About the size of a jet fighter (10-40 feet wide).

— Hovered at an altitude of 100-200 above the airfield in the bow of the island

— Yellow, orange, reddish, fiery color

— Round or lateral oval, "clot".

— Gaseous appearance of the surface with movement on the surface

— Gorenje-like surface view - like on "scientific videos about the sun"

— The edges are not even and not symmetrical. Uneven edges. fuzzy edges

— Translucency is possible

— Self-luminous - not reflected light

— The object does not illuminate the airfield

— No sound or smell from the object was reported

— Two witnesses observed hovering and semicircular movements during the departure of the object

— Two witnesses watched as the object was moving away at high speed