The Trumbull County Disturbance

Trumbull County Investigation:
Interview with
Howland Township police officer

I attempted to get more details regarding the Howland officer who traveled to the airbase to confer with a security guard regarding the December 14, 1994 UFO disturbance in Trumbull County, Ohio. I called the Howland Township Police Department earlier in the week (169 Niles Cortland RD NE, Warren, OH 44484 - phone: 330-856-5555) and was told to call during the day (before 4:00 p.m.) and ask for Pat from records.

This afternoon I placed another call to the Howland Township Police Department and talked with Pat, but she transferred my call to Sergeant Compton when I explained the nature of my call.

Sgt. Compton, who spoke with me next, could not locate any records relevant to this event, and said that he had no knowledge of this incident. He did have familiarity with the layout of the airbase, and said that the security staff there are employees of The Department Of Defense. He further advised that the Air Force operates at the base, and maintains the 910th Tactical Air Wing.

Sgt. Compton informed that the facility is commonly called The Vienna Airbase, which is an Air Force Reserve facility. C-130 transport planes fly in and out of the base routinely. Two separate entities use the same runway, the Youngstown/Warren Regional Airport and the Vienna/U.S.A.F. Reserves. After midnight, there is 'no air traffic' until morning. Usually, the facility is basically 'shut down' during the over-night/early-morning hours.

He expressed interest in the UFO incident and I informed him of the unit number for the gentleman who, on the tape, travelled to the airbase. He said he would look into the story and call me back.

After 2:00 p.m., Sgt. Compton telephoned me to inform that I was on a 3-way speakerphone-conversation with the actual officer who traveled to the airbase. Patrolman Hray discussed the incident, and declared that the event was real, and the object in question was something he could not identify.

On the speakerphone with Patrolman Hray and Sgt. Compton, I was asked to play a portion of the tape back to them so they could hear the radio traffic. Hray confirmed that the voice on the tape was his.

Hray then gave some more information on the incident. He said the object was definitely visible from the airbase, at times appearing very low.

The Howland Officer stressed that he saw only one object, and didn't recall the event lasting a six-hour duration as initially related. He said the duration of the incident was 'around a half-hour or so.'

The officer told of how he was pursuing the UFO, which he described as a bright light with no structure visible. He could never seem to get near to the object, as it always moved away when he approached. His pursuit of the object led him slightly out of his jurisdiction, but he still proceeded to the airbase, where the UFO was 'close by.'

Upon driving his police car up to the airbase, the Howland police officer summoned the security guard from his post and indicated the UFO to him. They both stood and viewed the object for nearly five minutes. The object would appear rather close at times, and would occasionally drop behind the trees.

As relayed on the 9-1-1 tape, the security guard could also not identify the strange object.

The Howland police officer is unaware if the security guard, a DOD employee, made a report on the incident, and does not know the identity of the security guard.

The Howland police officer felt that the object, which was visible from the security post at the entrance to the facility, should have been visible from the vantage point of the FAA tower operator at his 70-foot elevation. When asked about the positioning and visual capabilities of the FAA tower operator relevant to the UFO, he said: "I assume that he (the FAA tower operator) would have seen it."

The object was described as an extremely bright, blue object. Other officers reported a structure or attachment seen on the UFO, but the Howland officer informed of no structure or protruding element seen on the object from his vantage point, and described the phenomenon as 'good sized' and fairly bright, sometimes appearing pretty close to his position.

The officer stated that he had read my report on the internet about one year earlier, and knew that I had investigated the case.

After the conversation, another phone call from Sgt. Compton was received, and he asked that I send him a copy of the tape. I told him that I would put it in the mail for him tomorrow. When I asked if Patrolman Hray had reservations about discussing the strange incident, he said that the officer did not mind speaking to me about the Trumbull County UFO Disturbance.

Filed:
June 17, 1998
Kenny Young