The Philadelphia Experiment: WWII's Invisibility Hoax

On October 28, 1943, conspiracy theorists claim the US Navy made a destroyer vanish into thin air at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. According to the legend, the USS Eldridge disappeared in a green fog, teleported to Norfolk Virginia 200 miles away, and crew members were fused into the ship's metal walls. This was allegedly the Philadelphia Experiment—Project Invisibility using Einstein's unified field theory to win World War II.The truth? The Navy was conducting "degaussing"—making ships undetectable to German magnetic torpedoes, not literally invisible. The entire conspiracy traces back to Carl Allen, a man with documented psychiatric illness who wrote elaborate letters to a ufologist. Yet the story captivated America, inspiring books, movies, and decades of speculation.What happens when wartime whispers of "invisible ships" transform practical military strategy into paranormal legend? Join us as we investigate America's most persistent conspiracy theory and discover why we're so drawn to the impossible. This is the Philadelphia Experiment.Discover the truth behind the conspiracy. New episodes every Tuesday.Show Notes:On an October night in 1943, witnesses at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard claimed to see the impossible: a US Navy destroyer enveloped in green fog, vanishing from sight before reappearing miles away. Crew members were allegedly fused into the ship's metal walls. The government was experimenting with invisibility to win World War II. Or so the story goes.This is the Philadelphia Experiment—one of America's most enduring conspiracy theories, and a perfect case study in how wartime secrecy, mental illness, and our fascination with the impossible can create legends that outlive the truth.Timeline:1943 (October 28): Alleged date of the Philadelphia Experiment at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard1943 (Actual): US Navy conducting degaussing experiments to protect ships from German magnetic torpedoes1955: Carlos Miguel Allende (Carl Allen) begins writing letters to ufologist Morris Jessup describing the "experiment"1957: US Navy Office of Naval Research receives annotated copy of Jessup's book with bizarre notes about extraterrestrial technology1959: Morris Jessup found dead in apparent suicide, fueling conspiracy theories of government cover-up1965: Vincent Gaddis publishes "Invisible Horizons," documenting the conspiracy theory1978: "Thin Air" novel published by Simpson and Burger1979: Charles Berlitz publishes "The Philadelphia Experiment: Project Invisibility," presenting story as fact1984: Hollywood film "The Philadelphia Experiment" dramatizes the story1994: Astrophysicist Jacques Vallée publishes "Anatomy of a Hoax" in Journal of Scientific Exploration1994: Edward Duggan, Navy veteran (1942-1945), writes clarifying letter explaining degaussing1999: USS Eldridge veterans reunion confirms ship never made port in Philadelphia2012: Second film adaptation releasedKey LocationsPhiladelphia Naval Shipyard, Pennsylvania: Alleged location of the experiment (though USS Eldridge was actually in the Bahamas on its shakedown cruise at this time)Norfolk, Virginia: Location where USS Eldridge allegedly teleported (200+ miles from Philadelphia). In reality, ships regularly traveled between these ports via Chesapeake and Delaware Canal—a discrete WWII route to avoid German submarines.New Kensington, Pennsylvania: Hometown of Carl Allen (Carlos Allende), the man who originated the conspiracy theory through letters