Poulsho, Wash, June 1955June 1955

On June 22, 1955, a civilian Ground Observer Corps chief observer in Poulsbo, Washington saw objects in the sky at night. The chief observer was on duty at a Ground Observer Corps post. The objects were seen to the southwest, toward the Seattle area. The sighting lasted about one hour.

There were three oval objects, one large and two small, each about a half inch across at arm's length. Their lights flashed on and off, changing from rosy pink to blue and back. They appeared to bounce up and down. The sky was clear with unlimited visibility, and the objects were seen with the naked eye.

The Air Force investigated and found no aircraft in the area at the time. A check with a nearby naval air station showed a weather balloon was released about three hours earlier, around 11:31 p.m. local time. Winds at various heights ran from 140 to 270 degrees, which would carry the balloon toward Poulsbo. The preparing officer concluded the sighting was probably caused by that weather balloon, citing the one hour duration, the lack of aircraft, and the wind variations that could make the object appear to bounce. The approving officer agreed.