Presque Isle, WisconsinCirca 1962

On a fishing vacation near Presque Isle, Wisconsin, in 1962, a couple reported witnessing a striking aerial phenomenon. Around 10:30 p.m., looking out over Ox Bow Lake under clear skies, the witnesses saw a bright, sparkling object suddenly appear from the southeast. It was moving rapidly toward the northwest, traveling in a straight line parallel to the water's surface. The object hovered roughly one or two city blocks away, according to the witnesses' estimate. Both watched it for several seconds before it abruptly vanished. The object remained as large and bright at the moment it disappeared as it had been when first sighted.

The witnesses described the object as having a clear-cut, well-defined appearance. They said it resembled a football or sun-fish in shape, was shiny and bright, and had a gaseous, phosphorescent quality. It displayed a beautiful combination of blue, green, yellow, and white coloring. The object appeared to fan out in a feathery, flame-like shape. The witnesses speculated that what they saw might have been the exhaust from a vehicle ahead of the object. Based on the distance it appeared to be from them, they estimated its size could have been roughly 30 to 40 feet. They were convinced it was not a natural phenomenon, a meteor, or a reflection of any kind, and believed it was a controlled flying object.

The report reached the Air Force through a letter written to Congressman Gerald Ford in April 1966, more than four years after the sighting. Because so much time had passed since the actual event, pertinent data had likely become distorted, and a proper investigation was nearly impossible. The Air Force therefore classified the case as "Information Only," meaning it was filed for record-keeping purposes but not formally investigated. The full case file, comprising nine pages as held by the National Archives, is reproduced below.