The Hidden Truth Behind a 1960s Nuclear Test: A Non-Human Craft Fell Down To Earth
Liberation Times Opinion & Insight
Written by Geoff Cruickshank - 21 December 2024
Something crashed from the sky - sparking an urgent retrieval mission - after that, the world changed.
On October 26, 1962, the United States conducted the Bluegill Triple Prime nuclear test as part of Operation Fishbowl, a subset of Operation Dominic.
The Bluegill Triple Prime test detonated a nuclear warhead 48 kilometers above Earth to study how high-altitude explosions affect ballistic missile systems.
Decades later, newly declassified evidence suggests something far more extraordinary—a possible collision with an unidentified object, which I believe was a craft advanced non-human origin.
Footage, scientific reports, and naval recovery logs hint at a dramatic event where nuclear weapons technology intersected with the unknown.
This test was a key Cold War experiment.
The XW-50-X1 warhead was built to emit high-energy X-rays, designed to disable missile re-entry vehicles by causing intense heat and internal damage, a process called thermo-mechanical spall.
While the test aimed to push missile defense technology, the evidence shows it may have done much more.
A mysterious object following the Avco Mark 4 re-entry vehicle appears to have been destroyed, raising questions about what really happened that day—and what was in the sky with us.
Above - AVCO Mark IV Re-entry Vehicle, used in the Atlas 8F and Bluegill Triple Prime tests
The most compelling evidence supporting the presence of a mysterious craft during the Bluegill Triple Prime test comes from two separate pieces of high-speed footage, known as KETTLE 1 and KETTLE 2.
Captured by modified KC-135 aircraft equipped with specialized cameras, these films were produced by the renowned Edgerton, Germeshausen, and Grier, Inc. (EG&G), under contract with the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory and the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory at Livermore, CA.
The level of expertise and precision involved in this operation underscores the significance of what was recorded.
The KETTLE 1 footage reveals an extraordinary anomaly: an object visibly tumbling out of the nuclear fireball.
This sight was so unexpected that the camera operator instinctively shifted focus from the fireball’s expansion to track the object, a decision that inadvertently resulted in the loss of critical data on fireball growth.
The very act of shifting focus underscores the anomaly's importance—something so unusual that it demanded immediate attention, even at the cost of the primary test objectives.
In contrast, the KETTLE 2 footage primarily captured the X-ray effects of the detonation but features a conspicuous white triangular sanitization mark, applied during a later declassification review.
This mark obscures the same region where the anomalous object appears in KETTLE 1.
The inconsistency between the two films suggests a divergence in classification judgments between the laboratories responsible for analyzing the footage, raising further questions about what was seen—and why it was partially hidden from public view.
Together, these pieces of footage offer a rare and tantalizing glimpse into an event that defies conventional explanations, leaving behind more questions than answers and hinting at the presence of something extraordinary during the test.
Above - aircraft array during the Bluegill Triple Prime test, showing positions of KETTLE 1 and KETTLE 2 KC-135s
Above - screenshots of footage taken from KETTLE 2 showing redaction of object.
https://archive.org/details/StarfishPrimeInterimReportByCommanderJTF8 - timestamps 00:19:25, 00:49:00 to 00:50:41, 00:50:41 to 00:50:50, 00:51:42, 00:51:47
The discrepancies between KETTLE 1 and KETTLE 2 are more than technical anomalies—they are vital clues to the true nature of what transpired.
These inconsistencies, likely stemming from independent reviews by separate entities such as the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL), Lawrence Radiation Laboratory (LRL), and the Defense Atomic Support Agency (DASA), hint at deeper divisions.
When the footage was analyzed in 1998, these organizations reportedly reached differing conclusions about its sensitivity.
The significance of this event becomes even more compelling when considered alongside the Atlas 8F missile test conducted just weeks earlier, on September 19, 1962.
During that test, an unidentified object was observed closely following the Avco Mark 4 re-entry vehicle for an extraordinary 90 seconds.
The post-flight report acknowledged the object's presence but admitted its origin or identity could not be determined.
The parallels between the Atlas 8F test and the events during the Bluegill test are striking, particularly since both involved the same re-entry vehicle design.
In the case of the Bluegill test, the theory suggests that the nuclear detonation disrupted an unidentified craft that had been tracking the re-entry vehicle as it descended toward its terminal phase.
The immense energy released during the detonation—specifically the high-energy X-rays—may have critically damaged the craft’s propulsion systems or internal structure, leading to its uncontrolled descent into the Pacific Ocean.
When viewed together, these incidents paint a picture of something far more profound than a test.
Above - Screenshot of footage uploaded to the National Archives by the U.S. Secretary of Defense Office showing a UFO “tagging along” with a ICBM Re-entry Vehicle travelling at Mach 18 https://catalog.archives.gov/id/614788 - taken between 4:40 and 6:00 mark
The underlying mechanism for the object’s flight disruption aligns with the scientific principles being tested during Bluegill Triple Prime.
Thermo-mechanical spallation, as described by Dr. Byron Ristvet of the Defense Special Weapons Agency (1998), is a well-documented effect of high-energy X-rays on materials.
This process involves the rapid heating of a material’s surface by X-rays, creating an internal shockwave that can cause catastrophic damage.
In the context of the Bluegill detonation, the enhanced X-ray flux from the XW-50-X1 warhead may have interfered with the object’s propulsion system or internal electronics, leading to its apparent failure.
Above: diagram of the thermo-mechanical spallation effect used to destroy incoming ICBM Re-entry Vehicles
Additional supporting evidence comes from the U.S. Navy recovery operations conducted in the aftermath of the test.
Several ships, including the USS Safeguard, USS Engage, and USNS Point Barrow, were tasked with retrieving debris from the surface zero area where the detonation occurred.
Official deck logs document the recovery of various pieces of debris, some of which were described as “anomalous.”
The USNS Point Barrow, in particular, played a unique role in these operations.
Although its crew had no officially recorded duties involving radioactive materials, they reported unusually high radiation exposure levels following the recovery mission.
This anomaly suggests the retrieval of unconventional debris, potentially linked to the unidentified object observed in the KETTLE 1 footage.
Above: U.S. Navy ship array during the Bluegill Triple Prime test on 26 October 1962.
Above: deck logs of USS Safeguard during recovery operations, noting mention of USNS Point Barrow
The USNS Point Barrow’s involvement is further complicated by the loss of its deck logs for the period surrounding the test.
In 1983, the Kaman Tempo Group, commissioned to investigate radiation exposure among Operation Dominic participants, discovered that the logs for the Point Barrow were missing.
This lack of documentation raises serious questions.
What was the nature of the debris recovered?
Were efforts made to hide its significance?
These concerns deepen when considering the crew of the Point Barrow.
Despite having no official duties near radioactive areas, they had the second-highest radiation exposure of all 70 Navy ships involved in the operation.
Adding to the mystery, civilian and military personnel from Joint Task Force 8 were aboard the USS Safeguard on October 31, 1962.
Their presence strongly suggests a classified debriefing about the Bluegill test and the recovery operations that followed.
The significance of these events lies not just in their historical context, but in their profound implications for our understanding of advanced technology and nuclear effects.
U.S. nuclear weapons testing during the Cold War, including Operation Fishbowl and the Bluegill Triple Prime test, was driven by urgent concerns over the vulnerability of ballistic missile systems to high-altitude nuclear detonations.
The RAND Corporation’s 1961 report highlighting the susceptibility of re-entry vehicles to X-ray damage catalyzed the development of enhanced X-ray warheads like the XW-50-X1.
These warheads were meticulously designed to produce intense X-ray fluxes capable of inflicting thermal and mechanical damage on missile components, with the Bluegill test providing a rare opportunity to assess these effects in real-world conditions.
What makes the Bluegill Triple Prime incident particularly compelling is the possibility that the same effects designed to test U.S. missile defenses may have unintentionally disrupted an unidentified craft.
If the tumbling object captured in the KETTLE 1 footage was indeed a non-human vehicle, its response to X-ray flux offers critical insight into its construction and vulnerabilities.
Apparent non-human craft, which were often termed as UFOs, are often described as having smooth, seamless designs without openings, which are believed to protect them from electromagnetic pulses (EMP).
However, experts like Dr. Conrad Longmire and Charles S. Grace have explained that certain types of EMPs, known as System-Generated Electromagnetic Pulses (SGEMP), can penetrate this shielding and potentially damage the electronics inside.
The combined effects of X-ray-induced thermo-mechanical spall and secondary EMP could plausibly account for the catastrophic failure observed in the object’s flight.
Adding another layer of intrigue is the broader scientific context of high-altitude nuclear detonations.
Research by Dr. Palmer Dyal on the Starfish Prime test revealed the formation of a diamagnetic “bubble,” a phenomenon that briefly disrupted Earth’s magnetic field.
Although Starfish Prime occurred at a much higher altitude, a similar but smaller effect could have been generated during the Bluegill test.
The temporary magnetic disruption may have added to the instability of the unidentified object.
However, the test’s lower altitude and denser atmosphere make it more likely that the primary cause of failure was the combined impact of X-rays and EMP, rather than magnetic interference alone.
Above: the extent of the “diamagnetic bubble” that formed in the ionosphere after the Starfish Prime test on 8 July 1962. The Bluegill Triple Prime test would have caused a much smaller “bubble” to form due to the different type of weapon used.
The broader implications of the Bluegill Triple Prime incident extend beyond its immediate context.
If the object observed during the test was indeed a of non-human origin, its disruption by the nuclear explosion suggests that advanced technologies may still be vulnerable to certain human technology.
The deliberate sanitization of the KETTLE 2 footage and the loss of critical documentation, such as the USNS Point Barrow’s deck logs, point to an effort to manage or obscure information about the incident.
The role of key figures involved in the Operation Fishbowl series further highlights the importance of the Bluegill test.
Lawrence Preston Gise, Assistant Director of the Atomic Energy Commission’s Division of Military Application at the Albuquerque Operations Office, oversaw the coordination of nuclear test data and likely had direct knowledge of the recovered debris.
Gise’s connections to classified research and his later involvement in nuclear weapons development raise questions about the ultimate destination of the recovered material.
Gise, the grandfather of Jeff Bezos—founder of Blue Origin—adds a modern connection to this historical narrative.
His link is especially relevant given the growing focus on aerospace innovation and the study of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP).
Dr. Harald Malmgren, a former advisor to President John F. Kennedy, recently spoke about connections surrounding the Bluegill Triple Prime test.
He highlighted ties to Lawrence Preston Gise and Richard Bissell, the CIA’s Deputy Director of Plans, linking these figures and events to the broader topic of UAP and advanced non-human intelligence.
Above - recent tweets from Dr. Harald Malmgren
Above - the santization device used in the KETTLE 2 footage to obscure the unidentified object was applied by the Albuquerque Operations Office, NM where Lawrence Preston Gise was once the Director.
Ten days before the September 2016 WikiLeaks hack of the Democratic National Committee, a major revelation came to light.
The leaked emails showed that Blink-182 frontman Tom DeLonge had been in extensive communication with USAF Generals Mike Carey and Neil McCasland about UAP.
Around this time, DeLonge made a striking statement whilst appearing on Jimmy Church’s radio show Fade to Black, at the 1-hour and 58-minute mark.
Church: Here on fade to black but right now it's about Tom and so Operation Starfish Prime I can't believe you went there okay go ahead and tell everybody about it.
DeLonge: Well, for people who don't know, that was a nuclear test - quote-unquote “test” in space - and we learned quite a lot from that test. It was the main test where we really were able to study and learn about EMP. This was also happening during (oddly enough) the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Church: That's right 1962 ..
DeLonge: So when the whole world was focused on the Cuban Missile Crisis - something else was going on. And that “something else” may have brought something down. And that “something” that it brought down may have may have… we may have learned a lot about that about EMP (specifically) and its ability to catch things that are “hiding” ….if that makes sense…
Church: Yes it does… you have to be deep in in your research to get to what Tom is talking about here. Now the tests were done- they're a high-altitude tests that were done out over the Pacific and could you imagine Tom - like living in Hawaii and watching that thing go off in the atmosphere like that…
DeLonge : Oh my god it's like you would think that like Jupiter was like crashing into our sky - you know it's like it's a big deal and… and it's just it's just unreal I think one of the the - you know everyone has to remember what happened once we started playing with nuclear weapons - UFOs showed up everywhere every time… and every time… and you got to think why. Well, there's a big reason why - because nuclear weapons will “eff up” those little those little “ankle-biters” - that's bad and they know it and…. and even they as advanced as they are they can't get away from it. And makes you really wonder why we did so many nuclear tests… it makes you really wonder why we did like thirty thousand tests all over the world and oceans underground up in the sky and why we all have so many nuclear weapons - it's a …it's a big deal you know..
DeLonge: I'm not going to say it's all for this but I was told something really, really, really important - the entire Cold War we were working with the Soviet Union. We were together with them and it was the one thing that kept the Cold War from going hot was our relationship together on this issue. We weren't dumb and just went and lit up a nuke when we were in a standoff with Russia… you know the Cuban Missile Crisis wherever…like, “Oh my God, we're all gonna die” and we said “Well then we might as well do a nuke test”… you know it's like…NO, it didn't work that way. They knew we did the nuke test… they were probably in the room with us when we did that test because there was a small group of people on both sides that were trying to do exactly what they did…. which was “fly swat those “bugs” out of the sky”…
It’s worth noting that in the above discussion, DeLonge mistakenly conflates the Bluegill Triple Prime test with the Starfish Prime test, which occurred in July, 1962—several months before the Cuban Missile Crisis began.
The 2022 release of JFK assassination files offers an intriguing possibility.
It suggests that two Soviet double agents, stationed at the United Nations headquarters in 1962, may have served as back-channel communicators between President John F. Kennedy and Premier Nikita Khrushchev.
This connection could relate to the alleged shootdown event referenced by Tom DeLonge.
These agents were codenamed "TOP HAT" and "FEDORA" by the FBI.
Curiously, this release was packaged alongside a record of an interview conducted on December 23, 1963, between FBI Special Agent Sam Papich and Director of Central Intelligence, John McCone.
In the interview, Papich accuses the CIA of lying about JFK assassin Lee Harvey Oswald.
Included in the same bundle is the infamous "Monroe UFO document," a transcript of an alleged intercepted conversation between Marilyn Monroe and reporter Dorothy Kilgallen.
In the transcript, Monroe alleges that JFK disclosed information about UFOs to her and that she was planning to “reveal all” to the world press.
Monroe was found dead the following day.
Above - 2022 JFK Assassination Records release regarding TOPHAT and FEDORA https://www.archives.gov/files/research/jfk/releases/2022/104-10338-10005.pdf
This is the Mandatory Declassification Review request I made in October 2023 to the Department of Energy regarding having the KETTLE 2 footage fully declassified:
Ab0ve - evidence for the MDR request showing the other nuclear test of Operation FISHBOWL have been declassified in full.
This is the response I received nine months later in late June 2024:
Above - response from The U.S. Department of Energy regarding my MDR review.
The Bluegill Triple Prime test stands as a pivotal moment in the Cold War era.
Evidence from declassified footage, scientific reports, and naval recovery operations suggests that an object was disrupted or destroyed by the nuclear detonation.
The scientific principles at play—thermo-mechanical spall and X-ray flux effects—align with the test’s objectives but take on an extraordinary new dimension when considering the possibility that the object was not of human origin.
If this hypothesis holds true, the implications are staggering.
The deliberate obfuscation of data, combined with the questions surrounding the recovered debris, hints at a story that transcends the official record.
The destruction of what I believe was a non-human craft during the test could represent one of the most profound intersections of human and otherworldly technology ever recorded, with consequences that ripple through history.
Such an event would not only redefine our understanding of aerospace phenomena but also raise profound questions about humanity’s role in a universe that may be far more populated than previously imagined.
As interest in UAP grows, the Bluegill Triple Prime test emerges as more than a footnote in Cold War history—it is a potential turning point, one that challenges us to reconsider our world and the forces that may influence it.
