Near MacDill AFB, FloridaMay 1955

Unidentified

Summary

On May 17, 1955, a civilian near MacDill Air Force Base, Florida reported a sighting at night. The observer believed he saw a flying saucer. It looked like a large square glow in the sky.

The glow appeared about two miles away and around 30,000 feet high. The object was orange. It seemed to make ninety degree turns. The last the witness saw of it, the object was heading straight up.

The Air Force noted the report arrived late and lacked detail, so no investigation was authorized. Officials pointed out that the object was seen at night, could turn at sharp ninety degree angles, and looked like a large square glow. They concluded these traits suggest searchlight activity as the likely cause.

Reported location

Near MacDill AFB, Florida

Date of incident

May 1955

State / country

FL / US

Page count

1 scanned page

USAF evaluation

unidentified

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 23

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 1

View transcribed text

| PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD
1. DATE 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS
: 0 So  B ,
| gf N : DB Florid: 0 Probably Balloon
| iL SARS ADPD iii ear MacDill AFD lorida OQ Possibly Balloon
3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION
MROOEY: dhl ii is iain X>Ground- Visual 0 Ground-Radar a Probably Aircraft
i GMT 17/2400Z Hae 0 Air Visual 0 Air-Intercept Radar O Possibly Aircralt
1 S. PHOTOS é. SOURCE 0 Was Astronomical
4 O Yes O Probekly Astronomical
: Whee Civilian OD Possibly Astronomical
3 7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION | 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE |ckXotheR€archlight |
; O Insufficient Data for Evaluation
fe 0 Unknown
SHEREEEET or ROSARIO! (VERA (| - SRASRARIRON ROI T- TOE <) Br REN. RN SOR ERO PO,
d 10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 11. COMMENTS
3 Observer believed he saw "flying Due to delay in receiving ini-
) saucer" in form of large square glow tial report and lack of info
in sky approximately two miles away contained therein, no invesitiga-|
and 30,000 feet high, Object was tion authcerized, Fact that obj
| - orange and was making ninety degree was seen at night & fact that it
¢ turns, Last he saw of it was heading could turn at ninety dgr angles,
g straight up. t indicates possiblity of search-
3 light activity. Objects appear-
ance as "a large scuare glow in
4 No Report In File sky" seems to confirm searchlight
1 y {
3 activity as cause, |
A ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52)

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28962122