Pearl Beach, MichiganApril 1963

Insufficient Data

Summary

On April 27, 1963, at 3:50 p.m. Eastern time, a civilian in Pearl Beach, Michigan reported an unidentified flying object sighting. The witness observed an object through a telescope at 15 degrees north of due north, flying northeast at an estimated 32 minutes duration. The object appeared to be a disc with a diameter of 1/15 to 1/20 of a degree, viewed through a UGR telescope with 3/4 inch focal length. The object moved about 2 degrees every minute and lasted 4 minutes total. Four red satellites were also visible. The object appeared to move outward. The Air Force noted that balloons were launched at 0000Z from Green Bay, Wisconsin and Flint, Michigan. Wind information was not obtained, but upper air currents are usually to the east. The Air Force concluded the sighting was a balloon.

Reported location

Pearl Beach, Michigan

Date of incident

April 1963

State / country

MI / US

Page count

3 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 47

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 3

View transcribed text

PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD

1. DATE
27 April 1963

2. LOCATION
Pearl Beach, Michigan

12. CONCLUSIONS
XX Was Balloon
X Probably Balloon
[ ] Possibly Balloon
[ ] Was Aircraft
[ ] Probably Aircraft
[ ] Possibly Aircraft
[ ] Was Astronomical
[ ] Probably Astronomical
[ ] Possibly Astronomical
[ ] Other
[ ] Insufficient Data for Evaluation
[ ] Unknown

3. DATE-TIME GROUP
Local 1950
GMT 28/0050Z

4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION
XX Ground-Visual TX [ ] Ground-Radar
[ ] Air-Visual [ ] Air-Intercept Radar

5. PHOTOS
[ ] Yes
XX No

6. SOURCE
Civilian

7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION
4 minutes

8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS
one

9. COURSE
not rpld

10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING
Object viewed through TX at 15 dgr N of due N. Altitude W. Sight duration of 7 hr 32 min 00 sec. Object flying NE, magnitude -2. Diameter of 1/15 to 1/20 of a dgr. Viewed through alt telescope w/focal length of 3/4 inch. Moving 2 dgrs every minute. Four red satellites. Total duration 4 minutes. Object appeared to be moving outward. Letter sent to Menzel.

11. COMMENTS
Balloon sighting. Principal witness contacted on Friday May 31 by phone. Satellites were misinterpretation of reflections on Rawinsonde balloons. Balloons of this type are launched at 0000Z from Green Bay Wisconsin & Flint, Michigan. Wind information not obtained; however, upper air currents are usually to the East.

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 29000711