Baltimore, MarylandAugust 1952

On the night of August 27, 1952, an observer in Baltimore reported seeing a bright red flashing light moving over the eastern section of the city. The object appeared around 2:20 a.m. and was described as a light that flashed at regular intervals, ranging from twenty seconds to one minute and forty seconds apart. The flashing occasionally shifted to a copper color. Over the course of about fifteen minutes, the object moved back and forth across a distance of roughly two miles, traveling in north and south directions. The observer watched from his home at 3000 Windsor Avenue in Baltimore.

A military radar station checked all available electronic equipment when the report came in at 2:37 a.m. on August 27. No radar targets were detected in the area where the sighting occurred. Military personnel conducted a thorough investigation of the incident. An Air Force intelligence report noted that the observer was an industrial engineer and that his reliability and experience were rated as good. The sky conditions at the time were clear, with light haze and generally good visibility in the area.

The observer submitted additional written details several days later, on August 29, describing the object as completely unlike any aircraft or airship. He stated it could not have been flares, gun flashes, or any conventional device. He reported two follow-up sightings on August 24 and subsequent dates, with similar characteristics. A photograph was reportedly taken during one observation and developed by another witness, though details about the image are limited in the file.

The U.S. Air Force officially evaluated this case as unidentified. The complete case file is reproduced below as held by the National Archives in 13 pages.