On June 24 1947 private pilot Kenneth Arnold was flying his CallAir A 2 near Mount Rainier in Washington state when he encountered a formation of nine unusual objects.

Arnold was en route from Chehalis to Yakima when he spotted the craft reflecting sunlight as they moved between him and the mountain.

He estimated their speed at over 1700 miles per hour far exceeding any known aircraft of the era.

The objects appeared crescent or disc shaped and flew in a diagonal chain like motion that Arnold later compared to saucers skipping across water.

No sound emanated from the formation despite the extreme velocity.

Arnold landed at Yakima and reported the sighting to local authorities and the press.

His detailed account published nationwide popularized the phrase flying saucers and sparked widespread public interest in unidentified flying objects.

The incident remains one of the most credible early UFO reports supported by an experienced aviator with no apparent motive for fabrication.