Since my first observation and report of the so-called 'flying disks' I have spent a great deal of money and time thoroughly investigating this subje… - Kenneth Arnold

... a chain [at least five miles long] of nine peculiar looking aircraft ... were approaching Mt. Rainier very rapidly, and I merely assumed they were jet planes. ... I watched these objects with great interest as I had never before observed airplanes flying so close to the mountain tops ... Their speed at the time did not impress me particularly, because I knew that our army and air forces had planes that went very fast. ... What kept bothering me [however,] was the fact that I couldn't make out any tail on them, ... The more I observed these objects the more upset I became, as I am accustomed and familiar with most all objects flying ... Even at the time this timing [of 1 min 42 s] did not upset me as I felt confident after I would land there would be some explanation of what I saw. ... I look at this whole ordeal as not something funny as some people have made it out to be. To me it is mighty serious and since I evidently did observe something[, there] is no reason that it does not exist. Even though I openly invited an investigation by the Army and the FBI as to the authenticity of my story ..., I have received no interest from these two important protective forces of our country ...

[They were flying at incredible speed. I cannot hazard a guess as to what they were. My inquiries at Yakima last night brought only blank stares, but I spoke today with a man from Ukiah, south of here, who said he had seen similar objects over the mountains near Ukiah yesterday.] It seems impossible, but there it is.

... I looked at my watch and it showed one minute and 42 seconds. Well, I felt that was pretty fast and I didn't stop to think what the distance was between the two mountains. ... they sure must have had a tailwind, but it didn't seem to help me much. But to the best of my knowledge, and the best of my description, that is what I actually saw, [and,] like I told the Associated Press, [I'd] be glad to confirm it with my hands on a Bible because I did see it, and whether it has anything to do with our army or our intelligence or whether it has to do with some foreign country, I don't know. But I did see it and I did clock it and I just happened to be in a beautiful position to do it and it's just as much a mystery to me as it is to everyone else who's been calling me the last 24 hours, wondering what it was.