Godman AFB, KYFebruary 1949

On February 7, 1949, at 01:50 a.m., Sergeant Donald Ledbetter, the control tower operator at Godman Air Force Base in Fort Knox, Kentucky, spotted a bright object in the southwestern sky. The object resembled a star but was much brighter, catching his eye immediately. He called three weather observers to the tower: Privates First Class Richard Dunphy and Richard Peterman, and Corporal Charles Rogers. All four witnesses saw the same glowing object.

Using binoculars, the men watched the object rotate and change colors rapidly between red, yellow, and green. They described it as roughly the size of a golf ball to a softball. Rogers used a theodolite (a precision surveying instrument) to measure the object's position, recording it at 242.5 degrees horizontal and 3.6 degrees above the horizon. The object appeared to stay in one spot in the southwestern sky, about 20 minutes from initial sighting until it vanished. The object became progressively dimmer before disappearing suddenly at 02:10 a.m. in a series of bright flashes. The night was clear with 10 miles of visibility and no clouds.

The Godman Air Force Base Intelligence Officer concluded that the witnesses had observed the star Sirius. The officer noted that Sirius appears bright in the southern horizon at that time of year and will naturally change colors when viewed through binoculars at an elevation below 10 degrees above the horizon. He explained that the sudden disappearance could be accounted for by the star sinking below the horizon at such a low elevation. Only one theodolite reading was taken during the event. All four witnesses appeared competent in their observations and had received instruction to report unusual objects.

The full case file is reproduced below as held by the National Archives, 21 pages.