Richmond-Norfolk, Virginia Area, October 1960October 1960

Insufficient Data

Summary

On the night of October 24, 1960, multiple witnesses across Virginia and North Carolina reported seeing an unusual object in the sky. The sightings began around 11:32 p.m. and lasted about five minutes. Witnesses described the object as egg-shaped or round, roughly the size of a quarter or dime, with a bluish-white glow. Many observers reported it had a halo effect, and some said it trailed two tails extending about six times the length of the object itself.

The object was seen from several locations, including Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, and near Pope Air Force Base in North Carolina. Witnesses included teenagers, military personnel in control towers, and aircraft pilots. Observers watched the object move from the south toward the east and northeast before it gradually faded from view. Some witnesses used 7x50 or 7x52 binoculars to get a better look. The object was traveling erratically, according to some reports, though others noted it seemed to follow a course northeastward before turning south.

The Air Force investigated the sighting and collected reports from multiple military installations. A significant detail emerged from the investigation: a large missile had been fired from Cape Canaveral at approximately 11:32 p.m. that same evening, with a torch (the bright exhaust plume) lasting about 184 seconds. Given the object's white glow, its gradual fading, the halo effect noted by witnesses, and the timing that matched the missile launch, military intelligence officers concluded the object sighted was possibly a missile from Cape Canaveral rather than an unidentified flying object. However, the case file itself notes the official evaluation as unknown.

The full case file, comprising 10 pages as held by the National Archives, is reproduced below.

Reported location

Richmond-Norfolk, Virginia Area, October 1960

Date of incident

October 1960

State / country

? / XX

Page count

10 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 40

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 10

View transcribed text

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g MTT TRY MITT IDI (7 TR : Ae PROJ he os 073 RECORD CARD .
4 atid shel MAE SUV L Lda \ 2LASY ”
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bl DATE 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS
3 2h Cet GO Richmond Norfolk, Virginia area 0 Wos Balloun
1 hd C1 Probably Dalloun
4 os Bp TE Te S77 rs og tere ete ene. - al rr Sitytsiininel. Possibly Balloan
1. DATE-TIME GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION iB hdl Scot
: lalate) Nas Aleraf
B Local EEE ——— LI Ground. Visual 0 Ground-Rodor 0 Vas Ahvera +
3 i 1 Probably Airerafe
: - VAN Aso t Ded 3 Possibly Airercft
4 | oe EE Sh A a IR IE 1 Ai=Visud! 0 Aireintareap? Hador i ; Gn
me TY BE Et rrr rp — ERENT 5 WEY 7.1% CY ol NY LS TA RE USE Se My SE VE DS ME ’
’ a PHOTOS : : ao. SOURCE 1 Was Astronomical
£ Yes [NOT Yecelved req 2 FEET EEE 0 Probobly Astronomical
} RYT fares and Civ 19an orl ’ 3 t
4 O Ns Gobi didi J CHILL LAV LLLCA 0 Possibly Asironomien
| 7. LENGTH OF CA5ERVATION | 8. NUM3ER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE XX Other MiSSLZIO  .
00 Insufficient Data for Evaluation
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COE 7 ee ie Ae o 3 Unknown
: de fa DLLIL { ¢ w }
‘ Sloe Ai A A rei din Ya se ts
10. BRIEF SUMMARY DF SIGHTING 11. COMMENTS
Round, light blue object, size of pea at arm's | Correlation with sighting ot 22217 fron
\ hs mr mrs} Ys ry on J E— es = ga A red dome 2 Vr pe ~ - ™ hb] Tre : - ie . es - pe!
| length. Tear-drop shape with trail like arc noanoxe virginle. Missiie fired from
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ralAam tea dsc at 1 PRN 3 FS he Yi hs I IE LAER ' 2 : ~ . 1.1
: yrelder's torca. No sound, Headed N end turned Cape C maveral at 232 072 with torcen of
La OR p AC POUL TE BREEN [Sl a Ya Ye © p 1 Rok
; Co SB, cilmbing to 45,000. 104 seconds duration. .
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TIC PORM 329 {REV 26 SEP 52)
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/ 10

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28989834