Hamilton, AFB, CaliforniaJuly 1954

Unidentified

Summary

On the night of July 12, 1954, a military pilot near Hamilton Air Force Base, California, reported a strange object while flying an F-86. The pilot made two sightings about three minutes apart, each lasting one to two seconds. The object was conical and about the apparent size of a baseball. It glowed brilliant white and orange, like the exhaust of a jet afterburner.

The light came from the back of the object. There was a bright flash when it dived or made an abrupt change in flight. It mostly moved in a steep dive, then disappeared abruptly. The pilot was considered very reliable.

The night was clear. The Air Force record card listed the object as a meteor.

Reported location

Hamilton, AFB, California

Date of incident

July 1954

State / country

CA / US

Page count

3 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unidentified

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 21

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 3

View transcribed text

PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD
; 1. DATE 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS
3 2 0 Was Bolloon
5 112 July 1954 Hamilton, AFB California u] Ronen Balloon
i588 DATE TINE GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION Hie Beusiblp onIton
Local hi A Ca OnE NEE DO Ground- Visual 0 Ground-Radar n gos Arerant
13/06L97Z SERA
! GMT Alden CC Air Visuol 0 Air-Intercept Radar ossibly Aircraft
5. PHOTOS 8. SOURCE B. Was Astronomical METEOR
0 Yes ! O Probably Astronomical
E No Military O Possibly Astronomical
7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE (a fag{o} | Ten TA bor tlt Ie
0 Insufficient Dota for Evaluation
Cen) Seconds al. Manuevered 0 Unknown
BB 10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 11. COMMENTS
Sai | Conteal shape, brilliant white and crange METEOR
I light = like exhaust of jet, Light ccming
. from back of object, Bright flash when diving
or abrupt change in flight. Mostly in 90 deg
dive angle, Observed at 000 deg elev, 180 deg
| az, Abrupt disappearance,
ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52)
k) : : 3 :
7 :
fd » $ ’
be k :

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28958986