Portland, MaineNovember 1959

Insufficient Data

Summary

On November 11, 1959, around 2:00 p.m., a Portland, Maine resident saw a round white object moving across the southern sky toward the north in broad daylight. The observer said the object was moving at tremendous speed, faster than any jet, and initially thought it might be a weather balloon until it drew closer. The object was white and solid but not glowing. It traveled in a straight path and eventually disappeared into the northern sky. The observer noted the weather was clear blue with no clouds and compared the object's appearance to a satellite traveling close to Earth.

The witness sent a letter to the Department of the Air Force describing the sighting. Air Force officials replied on November 19 that the initial report lacked sufficient information and sent the observer a detailed questionnaire to fill out and return. The form asked for extensive details about the object's appearance, motion, size, the sky conditions, and the observer's background and location.

The case file reveals some contradictions between the witness's accounts. The initial record card notes that the observer reported the object moving at meteor-like speeds, yet also stated at some point that it appeared to be standing still. The evaluation sheet lists the case as having "insufficient data for evaluation." The file's conclusion checked the box for "probably balloon," though this assessment appears at odds with the witness's own observation that the speed was far too high for a balloon.

The full case file is reproduced below as held by the National Archives, spanning 15 pages.

Reported location

Portland, Maine

Date of incident

November 1959

State / country

ME / US

Page count

15 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 37

. PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD | 1. DATE 2. LOCATION A EEA 12. CONCLUSIONS 11 1 0 Vos Balloon : J 11 Nov 59 Portland, Maine QO Probably Balloon 3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION Bihpstiay: Baeitoon | - oi ; 0 Was Aircraft | Local A NRT 8 Ground- Visual O Ground-Radar Q Probably Aircrafs | | cMridifi030%4 0 Air Visual 0 Air-Intercept Radar O Possibly Aircraft j 5. PHOTOS 6. SOURCE O Was Astronomical | i O Yes 0 Probably Astronomical | i : & No Civilian 0 Possibly Astronomical i 7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION |. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE |O Other XX Insufficient Data for Evaluation i 0 Unknown I I segs | one North ; j 10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 11. COMMENTS Perfecily rnd obj moving fm 75° elev in the Several contradictory statements in th | {South crossing zénigh to 45° elev in North. Rpt. Case listed as insufficient data. waite, not glowing, speed constant, although rpt also indicates that at some time or other it was standing still. Observed in briznt daylight about noon. Flight path i straight. Initial impression was that it vas : a weathar balloen, except that speed was excessive (obj moving at meteor speeds). 1 solid obj not reflection. ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52) ¢ p i ERA ii REE ATEN : ES Ie ¢ Si AE : :