The Maury Island Incident: Six Doughnut-Shaped Craft, a Man in Black, and a Hoax That Changed UFO History

Maury Island in Puget Sound, Washington, seen from the air in January 2022 with a light dusting of snow, Vashon Island beyond

About 4 min readThree days before Kenneth Arnold’s famous sighting, a Tacoma harbour patrolman reported six doughnut-shaped objects over Puget Sound, falling debris, and a visit from a man in a black suit. The FBI called it a hoax — but the story created the Men in Black.

Kenneth Arnold, 1947: The Nine Objects Over Mount Rainier That Gave Us ‘Flying Saucers’

Mount Rainier seen from the air

About 4 min readOn 24 June 1947, private pilot Kenneth Arnold reported nine shiny objects racing past Mount Rainier at extraordinary speed. His description gave the world the phrase ‘flying saucer’ — and opened the modern era of UFO sightings.