New Orleans, LouisianaJuly 1949

On the evening of July 17, 1949, a civilian observer in New Orleans spotted a large, luminous gray object moving across the sky. The witness saw it from the second floor gallery of a house and described the object as larger than a small airplane, with an oblong shape and finger-like projections at each end. It appeared to travel faster than a normal aircraft and was visible for about 30 seconds before disappearing behind a building.

The same night, a second sighting occurred near Alexandria, Louisiana, roughly 100 miles away. An observer reported seeing a brilliant, round object about four inches in diameter traveling northwest. The object was very bright and visible for several minutes before fading behind clouds.

The Air Force investigated a third incident that occurred in Moreauville, Louisiana, on July 18, 1949, early in the morning at around 1:05 a.m. A 65-year-old woman saw a glowing golden object through her bedroom window. She described it as roughly the size of a dessert plate, about seven inches across and quite thin. The object moved very slowly from east to west, traveling at only two to five miles per hour, which is slower than a walking speed. Her son came to the window and watched it with her for several more minutes. Just before it disappeared, the object descended slightly and then faded from view. The woman noted clear skies, a bright moon, and no sound or odor during the sighting. Investigators noted she was a reliable observer in good health and without reason to embellish her account.

The file does not state a final Air Force conclusion. The complete case file, held by the National Archives, spans 12 pages as reproduced below.