California Area, August 1953August 1953

# Unidentified Objects Over California, August 1953

On August 20, 1953, at 1:35 p.m., a commercial aircraft flying near Castle Air Force Base in California reported seeing unidentified flying objects. The pilot and crew observed multiple objects in the area around latitude 37°58'N, longitude 120°30'W. The objects initially appeared to fly in formation but then broke apart and circled around the aircraft. The crew described the objects as having what looked like a mass of fire in their rear sections.

The investigation notes describe repeated sightings over a period of about two hours. According to the report, the objects were seen making passes at the aircraft from different directions. Witnesses said the objects appeared oval or gray in color. On one pass, the objects seemed to make an approach toward the aircraft on a reciprocal track (flying straight at it). A third pass was seen by the right scanner operator. The last sighting occurred around 7 p.m., when the objects appeared to divide vertically, leading the observer to wonder if the sighting actually involved two separate objects flying in formation.

All sightings were visual observations. The crew noted that the aircraft's radar did not detect the objects. The pilots ruled out the possibility that the radar blips came from the objects themselves. The file notes that conditions included clear skies, good visibility of at least sixty miles, and calm winds.

The preparing officer's comment on the case acknowledges a significant limitation: "A total lack of investigative capabilities at either Flight Service Center or Headquarters level prohibits attainment of any valid conclusion from this report, or addition of further information." The file does not provide a final Air Force determination of what the objects were. The full case file is reproduced below as held by the National Archives, spanning 30 pages.