Myrtle Beach -Florence S.C., January 1958January 1958

In early January 1958, multiple witnesses across South Carolina reported seeing unusual bright objects in the night sky. The main sighting occurred around 1920 hours (8:20 p.m.) on January 9 near Tabor City, North Carolina, where eight civilians observed a strange object for periods ranging from 13 to 50 minutes. Witnesses described the object with varying details: some saw it as half-moon shaped, others as frame-like or slightly oblong. Descriptions of size ranged from a dime held at arm's length to as large as five feet wide and six feet high. The object was consistently described as fiery red and yellow, often with white streaks extending outward. Many witnesses reported the object hovered and moved with a pendular or undulating motion, shifting right and left, and up and down, before disappearing without any fading or abrupt motion.

Other sightings were reported the same evening from Myrtle Beach Air Force Base and Florence, South Carolina. On January 12, a newspaper report cited an Associated Press release describing bright lights sighted at multiple locations across the state, including Spartanburg, Waynesville, Morganton, Orangeburg, and Florence. Some observers described the light as a meteor entering the atmosphere. A radio station disc jockey reported seeing an object near Chadburn, North Carolina, that appeared five times larger than an average star and golden orange in color, moving slowly from northeast to northwest.

The Air Force investigation included weather data and examination of the sightings for conventional explanations. The file notes that astronomical calculations showed Venus was in nearly the exact elevation and direction (west-southwest) reported by the Tabor City observers. One page of the case file contains an astronomy article from a newspaper discussing Venus's visibility at that time, suggesting this may have informed the investigation's conclusion. The case record indicates the official evaluation was that the primary Tabor City sighting was likely caused by the planet Venus, though some sightings were deemed probably or possibly balloons.

The complete case file, comprising nine pages as held by the National Archives, is reproduced below.