Project Blue Book Case File
Camp Hood, Tex., March 1949 - Incident Number: 255March 1949
Summary
On the evening of March 31, 1949, a 1st Lieutenant stationed at Camp Hood, Texas observed a bright object streaking across the night sky. The object was traveling at high speed on a clear night at approximately 2150 (9:50 p.m.) local time. The observer was in a vehicle without a top when the object caught his attention.
The object appeared to be about the size of a basketball and colored between fire color and white. It had a round shape and was flying at an altitude of roughly 70 degrees above the horizon, passing some 2,000 feet overhead. The observer noted that the object left a long, bright trail that was easy to see but disappeared immediately. The object traveled in straight flight parallel to the road at extremely high speed, remaining visible for only 10 to 15 seconds before disappearing from view.
According to the observer's compass readings, the object approached from 112 degrees and traveled in a direction of 123 degrees (roughly southeast, then toward the east). He reported no sound or odor. The weather at the time was clear. An important detail from the case file notes that radio interference was reported immediately after the sighting, and when an attempt was made to establish radio communications, great interference was encountered.
The Air Force forwarded the case to Wright Patterson Air Force Base for information and any action deemed necessary. The case file evaluates the incident as unknown.
The full case file is reproduced below as held by the National Archives, including 9 pages of documents.
Reported location
Camp Hood, Tex., March 1949 - Incident Number: 255
Date of incident
March 1949
State / country
? / XX
Page count
9 scanned pages
USAF evaluation
unknown
Microfilm
T1206, Roll 4