Stockton, Calif., March 1959March 1959

Insufficient Data

Summary

On March 3, 1959, civilians in and near Stockton, California, reported an object in the sky. The sighting was between about 5:30 and 6 p.m. local time (about 0120 to 0200Z) and lasted several minutes for each witness. Witnesses included a housewife, a student, and a civil engineer who was a former Army Air Force pilot. A counterintelligence group investigated.

They described one boomerang shaped object of solid, smooth form with projections, dirty white in color. Its outline was clearly defined against a deep blue, cloudless sky. The object moved slowly, from east to southeast, and appeared to keep a constant altitude. One witness estimated it was about five times the size of a B-52 and that the setting sun reflected off it like a solid object.

The Air Force concluded the object was a balloon. The record card said the appearance, slow flight, and metallic color reflecting the sun's rays tended to substantiate that conclusion.

Reported location

Stockton, Calif., March 1959

Date of incident

March 1959

State / country

? / XX

Page count

4 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 35

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 4

View transcribed text

BL PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD
I. DATE 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS
00 Was Balloon
L. 3 Mar 59 Stockton, Calif, a tr 114 Ro
3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION I
WEIS, R Ground-Visuel 0 Ground-Radar a Probably Aircraft
CMT 01 /0120-02007 0 AirVisual O Air-Intercept Radar O Possibly Aircraft
, | 5. PHOTOS é. SOURCE O Was Astronomical
/ 0 Yes 0D Probably Astronomical
/ «Ck Ne Civilian 0 Possibly Astronomical
 » | 7+ LENGTH CF OBSERVATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE CB —
- ting Date for © valuation
: nown
30 mins one SW
10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 11. COMMENTS
Obj shape of boomerang of solid, smooth Obj presents appiearance of
{ form w/projections, dirtywhite in balloon, Slow flight w/metallic
color, Outline of obj clearly definable color reflecting sun's rays
against deep blue sky. tends to substantiate this
conclusion,
|
ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52)
8
3 Plating ce bgt add a SR a AR lS ans bs AR Ss re se ig 4

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28982418