▁net ▁to ▁the ▁north ” ▁had ▁detected ▁“ one ▁un ident ified ▁sle igh , ▁power ed ▁by ▁eight ▁rein de er , ▁at ▁ 1 4 , 0 0 0 ▁feet ▁[ 4 , 2 6 7 ▁meters ], ▁heading ▁ 1 8 0 ▁degrees .” ▁The ▁" report " ▁is ▁passed ▁along ▁to ▁the ▁public ▁by ▁the ▁Associ ated ▁Press . ▁It ▁is ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁that ▁the ▁U . S . ▁armed ▁forces ▁have ▁issued ▁a ▁statement ▁about ▁tracking ▁Santa ▁Cla us ' s ▁sle igh ▁on ▁Christmas ▁E ve ; ▁doing ▁so ▁will ▁become ▁an ▁annual ▁hol iday ▁tradition ▁beginning ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 5 . ▁▁ ▁December ▁ 2 8 ▁– ▁The ▁Douglas ▁DC - 3 ▁NC 1 6 0 0 2 ▁disapp ears ▁on ▁a ▁flight ▁from ▁San ▁Juan , ▁Puerto ▁Rico , ▁to ▁Miami , ▁Florida , ▁with ▁the ▁loss ▁of ▁all ▁ 3 2 ▁people ▁on ▁board . ▁ ▁First ▁fl ights ▁▁ ▁H iller ▁U H - 1 2 ▁ ▁January ▁ ▁January ▁ 8 ▁– ▁Lav och kin ▁La - 1 7 4 , ▁prototype ▁of ▁the ▁La - 1 5 ▁ ▁February ▁ ▁February ▁ 4 ▁– ▁Douglas ▁Sky ro cket ▁ ▁February ▁ 2 2 ▁– ▁L WD ▁Jun ak ▁ ▁March ▁ ▁March ▁ 5 ▁– ▁Curt iss ▁XP - 8 7 ▁Black h awk , ▁the ▁last ▁Curt iss - des igned ▁aircraft ▁ ▁March ▁ 9 ▁– ▁G loster ▁E . 1 / 4 4 ▁ ▁March