Horace P. Wenyon Rehoboth Beach Delaware Sightings, September 1946—June 1947 (Professional Pilot, Pre-Roswell, FBI Dismissal and Eastern Airlines/CAA Routing)

Summary

A 30-year veteran aircraft pilot, Horace P. Wenyon of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, reported two separate sightings of high-speed projectile-like objects in September 1946 and June 1947. Each sighting lasted 2-3 seconds; both objects were observed traveling west-to-east at speeds between 1,000 and 1,200 mph, with visible flame signature consistent with rocket propulsion. The first sighting occurred on the ground but the second was observed by Wenyon while piloting at 1,400 feet. When Wenyon contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigation with his report, he was told the Bureau “was not interested.” He subsequently reported to Eastern Airlines and the Civil Aeronautic Authority, both of which acknowledged his report and promised investigation. No responses were received from either agency. Wenyon theorized that one of the objects he observed was responsible for the May 1947 Eastern Airlines crash at Port Deposit, Maryland, which killed 53 persons and was witnessed by multiple observers to include a mid-air explosion. The case was documented in a Baltimore SAC memo dated 9/4/1947 (four months after the first sighting, two months after the second) and in a Wilmington Morning News article dated July 8, 1947, which reported the “flying mayonnaise jars” description now associated with the case—a description Wenyon himself stated was “concocted by the newspaper reporter” rather than his own language.

What the Bureau Documents Show

The Initial Newspaper Report and FBI Interview Direction

On July 8, 1947, the Wilmington Morning News published an article reporting Wenyon’s disclosures to newspaper staff. The SAC Baltimore memo, dated September 4, 1947, indicates the article was initially submitted to the resident agents’ office at Wilmington, Delaware, with a recommendation that Wenyon be interviewed. The SAC directed the interview, and on that contact Wenyon provided a detailed statement to FBI agents regarding both his sightings.

Wenyon confirmed to the Bureau his experience as a professional pilot with approximately thirty years in the cockpit.

First Sighting, September 1946

Wenyon stated that while flying at an altitude of 1,000 feet, two or three miles south of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, he observed a projectile approximately fifteen inches in diameter crossing his course at right angles. The object was moving in a west-to-east direction and was traveling at a high rate of speed—estimated by Wenyon at 1,000 to 1,200 miles per hour. Most significantly, the object was emitting visible flame signature:

“According to Mr. WENYON, several jets of flame were spurting from the object.”

The sighting was brief; the object crossed his course and disappeared over and past Fort Miles. Wenyon did not observe it land.

Second Sighting, June 2, 1947

On June 2, 1947 (four months after the first sighting, coincident with the broader “flying saucer” wave in the Pacific Northwest), Wenyon observed a similar projectile while flying over Rehoboth Beach at 1,400 feet, this time piloting a Stinson four-passenger aircraft. The second object was also traveling from west to east. Wenyon mentioned this sighting to airport personnel at Rehoboth but did not file a formal report at that time.

The FBI Response: Dismissal and Routing to Commercial Carriers

The Bureau’s response to Wenyon’s report was categorical: the FBI was “not interested” and told him so directly. Wenyon, undeterred, then notified Eastern Airlines and the Civil Aeronautic Authority (CAA) of the objects he had seen. According to the newspaper report, “Both agencies are reported to have accepted the information stating they would investigate.” However, to the date of the newspaper’s publication in July 1947, “Mr. WENYON had received no answer to date from either agency.”

The SAC Baltimore memo states:

“This information has not been brought to the attention of any Army sources in view of the fact that only a preliminary inquiry was conducted on the basis of a news article which sets forth essentially the facts obtained from Mr. WENYON. No further action in this matter is contemplated by this office unless advised otherwise by the Bureau.”

The “Flying Mayonnaise Jars” Description

The Wilmington Morning News headline and the broader newspaper narrative gave the phenomenon the name “flying mayonnaise jars,” a visual metaphor describing the object’s apparent shape (rounded body with a “lid” that Wenyon compared to a perforated jar lid through which flames escaped). Wenyon was precise about this: when interviewed by the FBI, he clarified that

“the description ‘flying mayonnaise jars’ was concocted by the newspaper reporter.”

Wenyon’s own characterization was consistent: a projectile 15 inches in diameter, with a perforated tail section through which silver flame escaped, suggesting controlled propulsion.

Wenyon’s Rocket Theory and the Port Deposit Connection

In the newspaper account, Wenyon advanced a hypothesis that would remain unresolved: that one of the objects he had observed was responsible for the Eastern Airlines crash at Port Deposit, Maryland, on Memorial Day 1947, which killed 53 persons. The crash was witnessed by multiple observers, and contemporary accounts documented a mid-air explosion. Wenyon theorized that a guided or controlled missile—consistent with what he had observed—had caused the disaster. The newspaper summarized his position:

“Mr. Wenyon’s theory is that one of these ‘jars’ was responsible for the crash of the Eastern Airlines plane at Port Deposit, Md., on Memorial Day which killed 53 persons.”

The Port Deposit crash became the subject of extensive speculation in the press in 1947 and remains a point of historical controversy. Wenyon’s theory was never investigated by the FBI or other federal agencies, as documented in the dismissal memo.

Why This Matters

1. Pre-Roswell Professional Witness — Wenyon’s September 1946 sighting predates Kenneth Arnold’s June 1947 sighting (conventionally dated as the beginning of the modern UFO era) and predates the Roswell incident (July 1947) by ten months. He was a 30-year professional pilot with documented expertise in aircraft observation.

2. Earliest FBI Dismissal on Record — The Wenyon case documents the FBI’s response to civilian UFO reporting before the Bureau had a formal posture or policy. The “not interested” statement was categorical and absolute, with no promise of further investigation.

3. Routing Pattern: FBI → Commercial Carriers — When the FBI declined to investigate, Wenyon routed his report to Eastern Airlines and the CAA. This pattern—civilian dismissal by federal authorities, escalation to commercial aviation stakeholders—would become recurring in early UFO history and points to the aviation industry as a secondary channel for UAP reporting when the government refused it.

4. Connection to the May 1947 Port Deposit Crash — Wenyon’s theory linking the objects to the Eastern Airlines Memorial Day crash is supported by his observation of guided/controlled behavior (described as “traveling true course” in newspaper language) distinct from the erratic movement reported in other sightings. If pursued, the connection would require investigation of Port Deposit witness testimony and aircraft debris analysis. Neither investigation occurred.

5. Flame Signature and Propulsion Hypothesis — Wenyon’s detailed observation of “jets of flame” and “spurts of silver flame” emerging from a “perforated tail” is consistent with his own working hypothesis (rocket testing). The object’s speed (1,000-1,200 mph), altitude (1,000-1,400 feet), and vector (steady west-to-east) are documented and specific.

6. Four-Month Investigation Delay — The newspaper article was published July 8, 1947, but the FBI SAC Baltimore memo was dated September 4, 1947. The Bureau’s interview did not occur until after the sighting was already in the press, and the investigation was closed (with no further action) four months after the first sighting.

7. Pre-Project Sign Context — This case occurred before Project Sign was formally established (December 1947), before any formal USAF or Navy investigation, and before the institutional machinery for UFO investigation existed. It documents the threshold moment when civilian witnesses confronted an indifferent federal government.

8. Newspaper-Phrase Etymology — The “flying mayonnaise jars” phrase, now associated with 1947 UFO discourse, originated in a newspaper headline, not in Wenyon’s own language. This case documents the media’s role in naming and shaping early UFO terminology.

Connections

• PURSUE full inventory
• Entity: Horace P. Wenyon
• Entity: Eastern Airlines
• Entity: Port Deposit May 1947 Crash
• Concept: Pre-Roswell UAP Reports
• Concept: FBI Dismissal of Early Witnesses

Open Questions

1. Port Deposit Crash Investigation — Did any federal agency (USAF, Navy, Civil Aeronautics Board, FBI) investigate the connection between Wenyon’s observations and the Port Deposit crash? The witness accounts of the “explosion in mid-air” are documented; comparison to Wenyon’s observed behavior and vector could determine whether his theory warrants resurrection.

2. Eastern Airlines Response — What did Eastern Airlines do with Wenyon’s report? Did they share it with their own accident investigation team? Did they forward it to the CAA, or did both agencies receive independent reports from Wenyon?

3. September 1946 Object Identity — Wenyon believed the object to be a rocket being tested. No U.S. military rocket program in September 1946 is known to have tested in the Delaware area. Could records from Aberdeen Proving Ground (MD), Fort Miles (DE), or USAF test ranges clarify the object’s origin?

4. June 2, 1947 Sighting Timeline — The June 2 sighting occurred while the broader “flying saucer” wave was unfolding on the Pacific Coast. Were reports of similar west-to-east objects recorded in other locations on that date that could corroborate or contextualize Wenyon’s sighting?

5. Name Discrepancy — The newspaper refers to “Forrest Wenyon” while the FBI memo consistently uses “Horace P. Wenyon.” Was this a newspaper error, or did Wenyon have multiple names? The address (123 Rehoboth Avenue, Rehoboth Beach) is consistent across both sources, suggesting a single individual.

Quotes Worth Keeping

“Mr. WENYON advised that he had been an airplane pilot approximately thirty years. He stated that in September of 1946, while flying at an altitude of 1,000 feet, two or three miles south of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, he noticed a projectile approximately fifteen inches in diameter which crossed his course at right angles and was moving in a west-to-east direction. According to Mr. WENYON, several jets of flame were spurting from the object and it was traveling at a very high rate of speed, 1,000 to 1,200 miles per hour.” — SAC Baltimore memo, 9/4/1947, documenting Wenyon’s first sighting. Section 2 page 192.

“the description ‘flying mayonnaise jars’ was concocted by the newspaper reporter.” — Wenyon’s clarification to FBI agents, 9/4/1947. Section 2 page 193.

“Mr. Wenyon’s theory is that one of these ‘jars’ was responsible for the crash of the Eastern Airlines plane at Port Deposit, Md., on Memorial Day which killed 53 persons. He knows the stories of that accident and believes now that the explosion in mid-air, witnessed by a number of witnesses, was caused by one of these jars.” — Wilmington Morning News, 7/8/1947, reporting Wenyon’s hypothesis. Section 2 page 194.

“No further action in this matter is contemplated by this office unless advised otherwise by the Bureau.” — SAC Baltimore closing statement, 9/4/1947. Section 2 page 193. Final disposition of the Wenyon case.