Honolulu Air Traffic Controller (Honolulu ATC)

A duty air traffic controller operating within Honolulu's air traffic control system, credited in the episode with detecting an unidentified aerial contact at 6:35 a.m. local time and tracking it east across the Pacific. The controller functions as the primary civilian sensor in the chain of reporting, providing initial situational data that propels military and White House attention. The role emphasizes technical monitoring, adherence to protocol, and rapid transmission of anomalous contacts to higher authorities, anchoring the episode's unresolved aerial mystery in routine aviation procedures.