Harry Allen Jordan

Military Service

Harry Allen Jordan spent 6½ years in the U.S. Navy and served as a radar operator aboard the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CV-42), a Forrestal-class aircraft carrier. Trained in operations intelligence and electronic countermeasures, Jordan held a classified security clearance and possessed advanced technical expertise in radar systems and their interpretation. He achieved the rank of Seaman 1st Class and received an honorable discharge from the Navy in December 1967.

The 1962 USS Roosevelt Incident

In 1962, while the USS Roosevelt was positioned near Sardinia in the Mediterranean Sea, Jordan was monitoring his radar display when he detected an unusual contact. The object registered at an altitude of 65,000 to 80,000 feet, traveling at approximately 1,000 knots—speeds far beyond the capability of conventional aircraft of that era. The contact was monitored long enough to rule out radar artifacts or instrumentation malfunction. In response to Jordan's report, the USS Roosevelt launched two jet interceptor aircraft to investigate the radar target visually.

Jordan submitted a formal report on the incident through proper Naval channels. However, he was informed by his commanding officer that the report would be omitted from the ship's official logs. This suppression—despite multiple Navy personnel witnessing the radar contact and the scramble response—suggests the incident was deemed sensitive by the chain of command. For decades afterward, Jordan remained silent about his experience, not discussing it publicly until well after his discharge.

Later Testimony and Public Disclosure

Many years into civilian life, Jordan reported hearing communications on his personal HAM radio in which Space Shuttle STS 48 astronauts discussed observing an alien spacecraft. This experience, combined with growing public interest in UFO disclosure, prompted him to come forward with his Navy testimony. In 2000–2001, Jordan participated in the Disclosure Project, Dr. Steven Greer's comprehensive compilation of witness testimony from government, military, and intelligence officials. His account was documented in video interview format and archived in the project's witness testimony library.

Jordan's experience gained further visibility when he was featured in the television documentary series "UFO Files," which aired episodic investigations into declassified and anecdotal UFO encounters. His testimony has been referenced across multiple platforms, including the Majestic Documents archive, UFO research websites, and documentary compilations, with his account consistently presented as a credible military eyewitness to a significant radar-visual incident.

Credibility Assessment

Jordan's testimony carries several hallmarks of credibility within UFO research circles. His military training in operations intelligence and electronic countermeasures provided him with the technical expertise necessary to interpret radar contacts accurately. His service record is verifiable, and his willingness to identify himself publicly with a specific unit, rank, and event creates accountability. Unlike contactees or channelers, Jordan did not claim direct alien contact, describe religious revelations, or seek financial gain from his testimony. Instead, he reported a straightforward technical observation made during his military duties.

The fact that the incident prompted an official military response—the launch of jet interceptors—indicates the object was taken seriously by the ship's command at the time, lending external corroboration to Jordan's account. The subsequent suppression of the report from official logs suggests institutional awareness of the event's significance.

Jordan's consistency across multiple interviews conducted over decades, combined with the absence of embellishment or sensationalism in his narrative, further supports the assessment that he is a straightforward, reliable witness recounting a genuine encounter with an unidentified radar target.