Lubbock, TexasOctober 1956

On the night of October 27, 1956, seven people reported sighting unidentified flying objects from the U.S. Naval Ammunition Depot near Crane, Indiana. Six witnesses at Crane Village saw a bright, luminous object in the eastern sky around 8 p.m. that blinked and changed colors. A seventh observer at the Administration Building, located in the center of the depot, reported seeing a separate object to the northwest at around 3:27 p.m., described as appearing red, then green, then white or clear, and remaining stationary for about eight minutes.

The witnesses described the objects as changing colors like a prism, exhibiting primary colors, and glittering or twinkling like stars. One observer noted the object was bright enough to resemble a very bright star. Several witnesses independently suggested the objects might be the planet Mars or other celestial bodies, and one police guard with familiarity of Mars confirmed that the object he saw matched what he knew about the planet's appearance.

The U.S. Naval Ammunition Depot's Legal Officer analyzed the sightings and concluded that all three reported objects were most likely celestial bodies, probably the planet Mars or stars. The officer theorized that a sudden cold snap on the night of the sightings had caused atmospheric supersaturation, which created condensation around dust particles and made celestial bodies appear more visible and colorful than usual. This atmospheric effect, combined with twinkling caused by variations in air density, would explain why otherwise familiar objects appeared unusual enough to be reported as unidentified flying objects.

The Air Force investigation evaluated the case as unidentified, though the file's analysis suggests the sightings were consistent with observations of known astronomical phenomena under unusual atmospheric conditions. The full case file is reproduced below as held by the National Archives, comprising 11 pages.