Newburyport, MassachusettsFebruary 1954

On the afternoon of Monday, February 26, 1954, in Newburyport, Massachusetts, a housewife standing in the parking lot at the rear of Newburyport High School heard a loud roaring sound from the sky. She immediately looked up and saw a bright circular object moving downward and to the right.

The object resembled a ring or doughnut, she reported. The outer portion was bright silvery white, and the center was dark. A hazy or smoky trail followed the object as it descended. The sound was loud and intense, like a jet engine, and lasted about five seconds. As the object approached its lowest point, it seemed to slow and then reverse direction, traveling upward again. By the time it disappeared from view, the object appeared as a solid silver disc. The entire sighting lasted roughly 30 seconds to one minute.

Two other witnesses were in the parking lot at the same time. One, an architect, gave a detailed sworn statement describing the same object and the downward-then-upward flight path. The third observer heard only the roaring sound and did not see the object itself. The witnesses were reliable, and no aircraft had been reported in the area. The sky was clear to partly cloudy, and weather data from the time showed no unusual conditions or balloon releases that might explain the sighting.

The reporting Air Force officer investigated local airports, the Portsmouth Coast Guard station, and nearby weather observation points. He found no explanation for what the witnesses saw. The case remained unidentified.

The full case file, comprising 13 pages of records and interviews, is reproduced below as held by the National Archives.