Lt. Cmdr. Alex Dietrich:
Lt. Cmdr. Alex Dietrich is a former U.S. Navy F/A-18F strike fighter pilot who was involved in the 2004 UAP (unidentified aerial phenomenon) incident that occurred off the Southern California coast while assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 41, attached to Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 11 aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). During a routine training mission, Dietrich and her then-commanding officer, Cmdr. Dave Fravor, were dispatched to investigate unidentified radar contacts in the area. As they approached the location, they observed a “churning” of the ocean surface before seeing a smooth, white oblong object resembling a large Tic Tac breath mint flying at high speed over the water. The object ascended and mirrored the trajectory of their airplane as they tried to get closer. The object eventually disappeared, leaving the pilots baffled by what they had witnessed. Dietrich has since spoken about her UFO encounter in various interviews, describing the unsettling nature of the event and her feeling of vulnerability during the encounter.
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Commander David Fravor is a retired U.S. Navy pilot who gained widespread attention for his encounter with an unidentified aerial phenomenon (UAP) during a routine training mission off the coast of Southern California in 2004. Fravor has over 18 years of flying experience and has seen a wide range of aerial phenomena throughout his career. However, the encounter in 2004 was unlike anything he had ever witnessed before.
On November 14, 2004, Fravor and his wingman, Lt. Cmdr. Alex Dietrich, were dispatched to investigate unidentified radar contacts in the area. As they approached the location, they observed a “churning” of the ocean surface before seeing a smooth, white oblong object resembling a large Tic Tac breath mint flying at high speed over the water. The object ascended and mirrored the trajectory of their airplane as they tried to get closer. The object eventually disappeared, leaving the pilots baffled by what they had witnessed.
In a recent interview with The New York Times, Fravor recalled the encounter, stating, “It accelerated like nothing I’ve ever seen.” He also mentioned that the object seemed to come to meet him halfway as he descended to get a closer look, but then it peeled away as he approached.
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Fravor has since spoken about his UAP encounter in various interviews, describing the unsettling nature of the event and his feeling of vulnerability during the encounter. In an interview with ABC News, he stated, “I can tell you, I think it was not from this world. I’m not crazy, haven’t been drinking. It was — after 18 years of flying, I’ve seen pretty much about everything that I can see in that realm, and this was nothing close.
“The 2004 UAP encounter involving Fravor and Dietrich has sparked renewed interest in the phenomenon of unidentified aerial phenomena and UFOs. While some sightings can be explained as natural phenomena or human-made objects, the encounter in 2004 remains unexplained, fueling ongoing speculation about the possibility of extraterrestrial life and advanced technology.
Senior Chief Kevin Day
Senior Chief Kevin Day is a retired U.S. Navy Operations Specialist who served aboard the USS Princeton, a missile cruiser that was part of the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group during the 2004 unidentified aerial phenomenon (UAP) incident. Day was responsible for manning the radars and identifying everything that flew in the skies around the strike group.
During the 2004 UAP incident, Day detected multiple anomalous aerial vehicles on the radar and reported the sightings, which led to the dispatch of fighter pilots, including Cmdr. David Fravor and Lt. Cmdr. Alex Dietrich, to investigate the unidentified radar contacts. The pilots encountered a smooth, white oblong object resembling a large Tic Tac breath mint flying at high speed over the water. The object ascended and mirrored the trajectory of their airplane as they tried to get closer. The object eventually disappeared, leaving the pilots baffled by what they had witnessed.
Since retiring from the Navy, Day has shared his experiences and observations from the incident in various interviews and documentaries. In an interview with The Nimitz Encounters, Day recalled the moment he first detected the anomalous aerial vehicles on the radar, stating, “I was just doing my job, and I saw these objects on the radar screen. I knew they were not normal aircraft because of the way they were behaving.
“Day has also expressed his frustration with the lack of answers and the government’s handling of the incident. In an interview with The Drive, he said, “I just want to know what those things were. I think we all deserve to know. I mean, it’s been over a decade, and we still don’t have any answers.
“Senior Chief Kevin Day’s firsthand experience as a radar operator during the 2004 UAP incident has contributed to the ongoing debate surrounding the existence of unidentified aerial phenomena and the government’s role in investigating these mysterious occurrences. His testimony, along with those of the pilots involved, has fueled public interest and speculation about the possibility of extraterrestrial life and advanced technology.
