SHAKING AND QUAKING 
More MYSTERY BOOMS rattlenerves, light up phone lines 

At 1:15 p.m., Thursday May 15, 1997,an explosive sound described as a �heavy jolt sounding like thunder� rolledacross a wide area of Southern Ohio and Northern Kentucky. This makes thethird such event since April 19, 1997 involving unexplainable explosivesounds heard in the Cincinnati area. Unlike the first two events, the May15 happening was widely reported from a broad area encompassing at least104 miles from as far away as Aurora, Indiana to West Union, Ohio, andinvolved multiple blasts. 

Mr. Charles Stuart heard the soundsfrom his vantage point in West Chester, where he first thought it was thunder.He described the blasts as 6 separate jolts happening over a 10-minuteduration. 

An Adams County resident contacted thiswriter to report a �sonic boom� heard around 2:00 p.m. The boom greatlystartled her and, she said, �shook her teeth.� 

Like the first two events from Milfordand Newtown, the Clermont County area was the locality from which mostcomplaints originated. The Clermont County Sheriffs Department (513-732-2231)advised that they had been �kept in a void with a black shroud over ourhead� because they had no explanation for the sound. The calls originatedat 3:45 p.m. from Tate Township, 3:52 p.m. from Monroe Township, 3:55 p.m.from Washington Township, 4:00 p.m. from Miami Township police departments. 

�We started getting calls from all overthe county, we were swamped. They started out coming from Tate Township,and then they gradually spread out, the reports came from the far southand the far north parts of the county,� the dispatcher stated. 

A police dispatcher from Delhi Townshipalso said that reports were generated from the entire �west side of town�including parts of Zion Road, Whitewater Township and Anderson. The Delhidispatcher stated that a second spate of booms were reported at 3:45 p.m. 

According to Mr. Terry Donald of WKRCChannel 12, the news department had received calls from Aurora, Indiana,Delhi, Clermont County and Boone County, Kentucky. The general suspicionis that something was travelling from west to east. WKRC Ch. 12 News hadcontacted Wright Patterson Air Force Base, and the base official statedthat no super- sonic aircraft were stationed there, only transport planes.At about that time, stated the reporter, an F-16 jet (which can go supersonic)out of Springfield A.N.G. base did perform �touch and go� maneuvers atWright-Pat, but did not attribute the boom to this aircraft. WKRC Ch. 12also confirmed that multiple booms were reported, and added that a Delhiresident called the news station to complain that her �little glass knick-nacks�shattered, and also received a call from a resident from Butler, Kentucky,whose front door had exploded from the blast. 

700 WLW news reported that DELTA AIRLINEStalked to the FAA tower, where the tower said the sound was due to an �aircraftengine backdraft.� They did not explain how this explanation would accountfor a sound that was heard as far out as Adams County or described as �booms�which happened at least 6 times over an estimated 1-hour time period. 

A phone call was made to Delta Airlines(606-767-3427) where they denied the explanation. �I have no idea whatthat sound was,� said the telephone receptionist who said he had fieldeda number of previous inquiries. �I�m trying to find out where 700 WLW cameup with the explanation of an air-craft backdraft, because nobody out hereknows anything about that phenomenon whatsoever.� 

The suspected sonic booms remain unexplainedat this time until military agencies flying supersonic aircraft claim responsibility.At 12:08 a.m., Friday morning May 9, 1997, a mysterious "BOOM" shook alarge area in the vicinities of Debolt and Main Street (S.R. 32) in thecommunity of Newtown, Ohio, which is in the eastern section of HamiltonCounty. 

Another unexplained disturbance on April19th was reported to the Clermont County and Miami Township police andfire services by residents of Thielmans Mobile Home Park on State Route28 near Interstate 275. This explosive sound was accompanied by a flashof light. 

Report filed: 
May 9, 1997 
Kenny Young