Mobile Bay, AlabamaAugust 1959

On the night of August 29, 1959, a motorist driving near Mobile Bay, Alabama saw a brilliant light streak across the sky. The light was bright enough to read a newspaper by. It traveled from the southeast to the northwest, leaving a trail of white smoke behind it. The entire event lasted only about five seconds, with the bright illumination visible for roughly three seconds and the smoke lingering for two more seconds.

The observer described the light as resembling the flash of a large camera bulb. A second report from a different source described a round object with a greenish-white glow that traveled across the sky before burning out. Both witnesses estimated the object was very high in the sky, possibly above 35,000 feet. The object made no sound and performed no maneuvers, simply following a straight path across the darkness before vanishing.

The Air Force investigation was thorough. Officials checked with local police, radar units, and the Federal Aviation Administration. The 653rd Air Control and Warning Squadron, which monitored the area by radar, reported no unusual activity. New Orleans and San Antonio air traffic control centers had no reports of aircraft in distress or unscheduled flights. Weather conditions were clear with good visibility. The reporting officer noted that the observer was a qualified Air Force navigator who denied being fatigued or impaired.

The Air Force's intelligence officer who handled the case suggested the sighting was most likely a missile, satellite, or "heavenly body" (a meteor or similar astronomical object) passing through the observer's field of vision. The case file summary also notes characteristics "obvious" of a meteor sighting. However, the official Air Force evaluation listed the case as "unknown."

The complete case file, consisting of 9 pages as held by the National Archives, is reproduced below.