CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE E of Selma, AlabamaFebruary 1958

Early on the morning of February 21, 1958, three people near Selma, Alabama observed an unusual object in the sky. Two of the witnesses were looking out windows from inside the city, and a third was standing in a yard about three miles south of town. The object appeared roughly the size of a baseball held at arm's length. Its front section glowed blue to blue-green, becoming bright yellow and white toward the rear. The witnesses described the rear portion as having an iridescent quality, like a comet or a streak, measuring about four to five inches long when held up to a ruler at arm's length. The object moved across the sky from northwest to southeast at a steep angle, roughly 60 to 70 degrees above the horizon. Its path was nearly level with the ground but with a slight dip and then an upward motion before it disappeared. The object was visible for approximately four seconds. One witness heard an odd whistling or screeching sound, though it was not very loud and seemed to fade and then return. The object left no visible trail and disappeared very rapidly to the east, described as having dissolved or faded away.

The local search radar at Craig Air Force Base was not operating at the time of the sighting, so the radar observation could not be used to verify the event. No military or civilian agencies reported any traffic in the area. Weather conditions at the time were clear with a light gray sky and the sun just coming up. An Air Force flight instructor who reviewed the case concluded there was no logical explanation for the sighting based on the information available, though he noted the observations appeared quite valid. No further local investigation was recommended.

The full case file is reproduced below as held by the National Archives, 15 pages total.