The Philadephia Experiment or "Project Rainbow"

The Philadelphia Experiment, otherwise known as "Project Rainbow," is a U.S. Navy experiment that conspiracy theorists claim took place in October of 1943. This experiment supposedly involved making an entire ship and its crew disappear, but that is not all. The Philadelphia Experiment allegedly involved making said ship teleport from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Norfolk, Virginia and then back again.

The Story of the Philadelphia Experiment or "Project Rainbow"

It is alleged that the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Eldridge was used to conduct experiments on making ships invisible and teleporting objects (in this case, the ship, its contents and crew). The one supposed witness of the undertaking of Project Rainbow says that the event took place in October 28, 1943. The man, Carl Allen, says that he saw the USS Eldridge teleport into the waters of Norfolk, VA from aboard the SS Andrew Furuseth. It is important to note that Mr. Allen's story became very unbelievable as time wore on.

Stories regarding the undertaking of the Philadelphia Experiment vary greatly. It has been alleged that some of the crewmembers went insane. Other claims include some of the crewmembers' body parts becoming fused with parts of the ship after the "teleportation."

The USS Eldridge

The USS Eldridge was a U.S. Navy destroyer at the time of the Philadelphia Experiment. (According to the U.S. Navy, destroyers are "warships that provide multi-mission offensive and defensive capabilities.") It was commissioned in New York in August of 1943. From there, it went to Bermuda, back to New York, to Norfolk, to Casablanca and then back to New York again in the months surrounding the date on which the Philadelphia Experiment is said to have taken place. In 1951, the ship entered into the Greek Navy, where it spent the rest of its days.

According to the ship's records, the USS Eldridge was never in Philadelphia in the fall of 1943. Furthermore, the ship was not even in Norfolk at the same time as the SS Andrew Furuseth. The only possibility that allows for Project Rainbow is that the ship's records are fraudulent.

Teleportation and the Philadelphia Experiment

Teleportation is largely a science fiction concept, though, of course, the idea has been pondered since it arose. The idea is that some device or method could move matter using the same concept as telecommunication (think "Wonkavision"). The problem is no one knows if it is even possible and it is highly unlikely that someone has succeeded.

If a military were to come up with a method for teleportation, they would be sure to capitalize on that knowledge. It would make them the most powerful military in the world. Figuring out how to teleport would also make them rich, given that teleportation has applications that do not involve the military.

Problems with the Philadelphia Experiment Story

Attempting to make military vessels "invisible" is not a foreign concept. However, it usually applies to cloaking a vessel from enemy radar, paint and even "hiding" a ship from magnetic mines. It is quite possible that experiments in this kind of "invisibility" gave rise to, or exacerbated, the Philadelphia Experiment story.

According to the Navy, there are absolutely no records of any such experiment. In fact, there is not even evidence suggesting the U.S. Navy was interested in developing such technology. This makes sense, given that it would likely be a huge expenditure with no hope of paying off.

Carl Allen supposedly viewed the experiment from the deck of a civilian ship. Why would the U.S. Navy teleport a ship, for presumably the first time in history, where civilians could see what they were doing? Furthermore, why is this the only time we have heard of such experiments? If such Project Rainbow is real and was even mildly successful, it would not have ended there. Yet, here we are sixty years later still using gasoline.

One claim about the Philadelphia Experiment is that it was done using Albert Einstein's "unified field theory." Due to the nature and history of this theory, that is unlikely. Read more about this theory here.

If the crew of the USS Eldridge really had gone insane or had been stuck in the ship, how were they able to reunite decades after the ship was decommissioned? There are also no medical records of such a thing. At least, the Navy has not offered any. There is also the fact that all of the surviving crewmembers seem to find the story humorous. Of course, there are those who say they were brainwashed to behave such.

Carl Allen was the main source of information on the Philadelphia Experiment. His story went beyond science fiction into the delusional. Read more about his story here.

*Note: There may be many more discrepancies and absurdities involving Project Rainbow than what are listed here.

Chances are the Philadelphia Experiment or Project Rainbow never took place. While me may hope that such an event occurred because we want to one day be capable of teleporting to work or to war (imagine the advantages), it just is not likely.

Sources

Destroyers-DDG, retrieved 3/4/11, navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=42008tid=900&ct=4

"The Philadelphia Experiment", retrieved 3/4/11, history.navy.mil/faqs/faq21-1.htm

USS Eldridge, retrieved 3/4/11, history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-e/de173.htm