Approx 3 Mi S Of Van Leer, December 1958December 1958

Insufficient Data

Summary

On the evening of December 30, 1958, two civilian observers near Van Leer, Tennessee, saw a bright glow high overhead. The object appeared to be burning intensely. As it descended toward the ground, its rate of fall gradually slowed. When it came down, it was recovered by the witnesses.

What they had found was a honeycomb-textured material in several pieces, brownish-black in color. The largest piece was roughly the size of a baseball. The substance felt like an odorless plastic. The Air Force later secured the material at Sewart Air Force Base, pending analysis.

The Wright Air Development Center in Ohio tested the sample. The laboratory examined its chemical properties, ran infrared spectroscopy, and tested it with various reagents. Their conclusion, published April 6, 1959, stated that the submitted sample appeared to be partially oxidized or burned sugar, probably a mixture of mono and disaccharides (types of simple sugars). The emission spectra showed small amounts of silicon, magnesium, aluminum, iron, and calcium.

The Air Force's case evaluation form listed the conclusion as "unknown." The full case file, held by the National Archives, comprises 8 pages.

Reported location

Approx 3 Mi S Of Van Leer, December 1958

Date of incident

December 1958

State / country

? / XX

Page count

8 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 34

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 8

View transcribed text

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FREE PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD : |
E DATE 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS
0 Was Balloon
‘Mid Dascember 1958 Approx 3 Mi 8 of Van Leer 0 Bran Bajtsen |
\ 3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION T's hs 3 50
/ Local. 2arly avening 0 Ground- Visual 0 Graund-Rador a Sa ie
: GMT a Air Visual 0 Air-Intercept Radar O Possibly Aircraft
5. PHOTOS ? % 8. SOURCE O Was Astronomicol
0OYes Physical O Probably fsirenemig,
QNo Specinan Civilian & Wilsall
7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE 8; Other iter nd er oan
: O Insufficient Data for Evdluation g
0 Unknown
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10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 11. COMMENTS
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pieces, brownish-black, observed materials lab, WADBC, & was
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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28981189