The Philadelphia Experiment.
According to certain accounts, the actual results of the
experiment involve occurrences far stranger than anyone could
possibly imagine. The tests being conducted were an attempt to
render a ship invisible to enemy radar. This was to be accomplished
by wrapping an electromagnetic 'bottle' around the ship in
question, absorbing or deflecting radar waves. The bottle was
created by two (or four - accounts differ) massive Tesla coils
which acted as electromagnetic generators; one was mounted forward
and one was mounted aft. Other accounts state that a series of
magnetic generators, called degaussers, were used. When activated,
the electromagnetic field would extend out from the ship and divert
radar waves around the ship, making the Eldridge invisible to radar
receivers.
When the actual test was put into motion, a number of unexpected
and bizarre side effects occurred. As the electromagnetic field
increased in strength, it began to extend as far as 100 yards out
from the ship in all directions, forming a large sphere. Within
this field, the ship became fuzzy and indistinct, and a greenish
haze formed around the vessel, obscuring it from view. Eventually,
the only visible object was the outline of the hull of the Eldridge
where it entered the water. Then, to the amazement of onlookers,
the entire ship vanished from view.
It was at this point (the vanishing of the Eldridge) that the
true power of the electromagnetic field that had been created was
revealed. The Eldridge had not only vanished from the view of
observers in Philadelphia, it had vanished from Philadelphia all
together! The ship had been instantly transported several hundred
miles - from Philadelphia to Norfolk, Virginia. After a few
minutes, the ship once again vanished, to return to
Philadelphia.
To the Navy, the test had succeeded beyond their wildest dreams.
Not only had they rendered a ship invisible to radar, they had made
it optically invisible as well, not to mention causing the vessel
to teleport hundreds of miles in a matter of minutes. For the crew,
however, the trip had been a nightmare.
The test had managed to render the entire ship 'out of phase'
with the surrounding universe, which is why it was able to travel
from Philadelphia to Norfolk instantly. This phasing effect had
drastic effects on the crew members. During the experiment, crew
members found they could walk through solid objects, and when the
field was shut off, men were found embedded in the bulkheads, decks
and railings of the ship. The results were gruesome enough that
some men went mad. Afterwards, several crew members simply
vanished. A few disappeared into thin air; one, eating dinner with
his family, rose, walked through a wall and was never seen again.
Some men entered into what was called the 'Freeze'. This is where a
man faded from view; unable to move, speak or otherwise affect his
surroundings. Interestingly enough, invisible crewmen were still
visible to other sailors who had survived the original
experiment.
Seeing the horrible after effects of the experiment, the Navy
discontinued all further research into radar and optical
invisibility. The surviving crewmen were discharged as mentally
unfit for duty and many were placed in insane asylums.
http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/montauk/rainbow/philadelphia_experiment.htm
