Mira Loma, CaliforniaJuly 1955

On the night of July 9, 1955, three separate witnesses in Southern California reported seeing bright objects in the sky that moved in ways they found unusual. The U.S. Air Force investigated all three sightings and concluded they were most likely natural phenomena, though the exact nature remained unclear.

The first sighting came from Ernest L. Dunn, a 25-year-old relief worker at a canning factory who was also a volunteer ground observer in Glen Avon, near Riverside. Around 0905 (9:05 a.m.) on July 9, Dunn saw a brilliant white object that he described as resembling an automobile headlight. The object appeared solid, did not flicker or change shape, and maintained a flat horizontal path at about 40 degrees above the horizon. Dunn's estimate of the object's size changed during his observation, from about half a dollar to the size of a quarter held at arm's length. An Air Force interviewer noted that Dunn's reliability was rated as "poor" and that he showed "a lack of understanding of speed and distance," though he remained relaxed during questioning.

A second witness, Larry C. Spears from the Arlington Ground Observer Post, reported seeing what he thought was a meteor traveling in an unusual way. Unlike typical meteors, Spears said this object moved on a horizontal plane rather than at an angle. The object was brilliant white and appeared to have a slight tail that changed colors from white to red to hazy light blue. Spears estimated the object covered four miles in thirty seconds, which would mean a speed of roughly 4,800 miles per hour.

The Air Force's investigation included interviews with astronomers and meteorologists. Dr. Olin Eggen, Chief Astronomer of the Mount Wilson Observatory, stated that their observers had not recorded any meteors on the night in question, and that a temperature inversion (a layer of warm air trapping cooler air below) combined with the rising moon might have created optical illusions. Professor George Brattain of San Bernardino Valley College suggested that the moon rise during that time period could have caused reflections, though he found the accounts contradictory and unreliable.

The Air Force officer preparing the report concluded that the three sightings were separate and distinct events. He noted that single-witness sightings made definitive conclusions difficult. For Dunn's sighting, the Air Force suggested a possible optical phenomenon related to the temperature inversion and moon rise. For the other two sightings, the Air Force leaned toward an astronomical explanation, likely meteors, since the observation times matched the typical duration of a meteor sighting. The full case file, consisting of 9 pages, is reproduced below as held by the National Archives.