Anniston, AlabamaJanuary 1959

Insufficient Data

Summary

On January 2 to 3, 1959, two civilian guards at the Anniston Ordnance Depot in Bynum, Alabama, reported a light in the night sky. The object was under observation for about 7 minutes. This was the second such report from the depot within a month.

The object was a stationary red ball or light, changing color from red to silver to amber. It was somewhat like a grapefruit in size. It had up and down movement and moved in fast circles, going from northwest to southwest. It disappeared to the southwest as a silver object.

The sky was overcast. The intelligence officer suggested the movements could have been a mirror effect from reflected light, or a powerful light reflecting off layered clouds. He noted the grapefruit-size estimate may not have used the proper measuring method and was unreliable. The Air Force concluded there was a possibility the object was a reflection but not enough information to form a valid conclusion. This case is part of Project 10073, the Air Force's official record for unidentified flying object reports.

Reported location

Anniston, Alabama

Date of incident

January 1959

State / country

AL / US

Page count

4 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 35

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 4

View transcribed text

h) “? PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD = :
| 1. DATE 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS
‘ O Was Balloon {
2 Jan 59 fnniston, Alabama O Probably Balloon
3. DATE-TIME GROUP & TYPE OF OBSERVATION VO — |
O Was Aircreft |
; LOOM areata m— +8 Ground-Visvel O Ground-Rador Q Probably Aircraft
emt 03/0100Z 0 Air Visual O Air-Intercept Rader |O Possibly Aircraft
S. PHOTOS SOURCE O Was Astronomical
; O Yes O Probably Astronomical
£-Ne . Civilian Guards : O Possibly Astronomicel
7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE BE ERR aa § |
OClinsufficient Date for Evaluation]
0 Unknown
main W to SH ’
0. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 11. COMMENTS
Stationary red ball or light in the sky, Although there is a possibility
‘1 color changing from red to silver to amber,. the obj was a reflectbn, there is in
gize somewhat like a grapefrugt, Obj had up sufficient information to form
and down movement and wns moving in fast valid conclusion,
circles.
"ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 32)
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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28981612