Silver Bay & Gilbert, MinnesotaFebruary 1961

Insufficient Data

Summary

On February 22, 1961, witnesses in and around Silver Bay and Gilbert, Minnesota, reported a brilliant object over Lake Superior. Witnesses included police officers, an air policeman, and civilians. The object was seen for about five seconds in daylight.

It was described as a round, tapered, cone shaped object. Reports on size varied widely, from the size of a dime to four to six inches at arm's length. It showed vivid red, green, and blue colors and trailed fire and sparks. It was at low altitude and moving at extremely high speed, headed northwest. One observer heard a sound like a sonic boom. Some witnesses said the object broke into three or four pieces before disappearing behind trees or hills.

The report also notes that five objects in formation were seen the same day over Lac La Croix by three other men. The Air Force card states the description indicates a rare daylight meteor, large enough to reach a low altitude and be heard when it exploded.

Reported location

Silver Bay & Gilbert, Minnesota

Date of incident

February 1961

State / country

MN / US

Page count

5 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 41

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 5

View transcribed text

at Ei { PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD + .. ,
A 1. DATE § LOCATION 2 CONCLUSIONS
O Was Balloon
22 Feb 61 Silver Bay & Gilbert, Minne3atiProbably Balloon
3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION @ Tesuitry Seen |
| TORE RT CR LR &X Ground- Visual O Ground-Rador a Probably Aver oft |
GMT 2 2248 O AirVisual O Air-Intercept Radar DO Possibly Aircraft |
| 5. PHOTOS | . SOURC O Was Aswonemical NETeoC
O Yes B Probobly Astronomical
No Civilian O Possibly Astronemicol
7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION " NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE RR A |
; : OD Insufficient Date for Evaluation .
0 Unknown
5 sec d
10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING Brilliant, round tapered|)). COMMENTSpascription indicates that Her
cone-shaped objt. Conflicting reports on objt was a rare daylight meteor of
size, from dime size to 4-6 inches at arms such a size that it reached a low enoug |
length. Vivid red, green, and blue. Trailed [altitude to be heard when it exploded,
; fire and sparks. One observer hears sound as reported by one observer. |
like sonic boom Estremely high speed. Appeare :
at unknown elevation, 300°. Disappeared belo
| trees, 300°. One observer mid objt broke
into 3 or 4 pieces and disappeared behind
| trees.
-.
4 ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52)
3 i
; ‘
S

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28991516