Dexter, MaineAugust 1960

On August 4, 1960, at dawn, a driver near Lake Wassookeag in Dexter, Maine saw something unusual in the sky. The object appeared to be round, about the size of a grapefruit held at arm's length, and glowing light blue. It seemed to be putting off sparks and fire all around it. The witness estimated it was roughly four feet across.

The object was flying lower than an airplane and leaving a vapor trail. It traveled north-northeast, moving in a straight line. Within three to four seconds, the object disappeared behind trees. The observer reported hearing no sound from the object.

The sighting was reported through military channels to the 765th Radar Squadron at Charleston Air Force Station in Maine. The Air Force initially labeled the report incomplete and requested more details from the radar squadron. They also asked the University of Maine Observatory in Orono to check their records and determine whether the object might have been astronomical in origin, such as a meteor.

The case file provides limited information about the follow-up investigation or any final conclusions reached. The OCR quality of the later pages makes it difficult to determine what the Air Force ultimately concluded about the sighting.

The full case file is reproduced below as held by the National Archives, spanning 7 pages.