Tacoma, WashingtonJune 1958

Insufficient Data

Summary

# A Sighting in Tacoma, June 1958

On June 26, 1958, at 16:02 (4:02 p.m.) Pacific time, a witness in Tacoma, Washington observed a circular object with a flame color traveling at excessive speed. The sighting lasted about five seconds. The object faded from view during the observation. Initial Air Force staff records noted the report had characteristics of a meteor observation.

A B-52 bomber (a long-range military aircraft) was in the area at the time. The object was sighted about 45 degrees from the B-52's position and appeared after the B-52 disappeared from view. Weather records from the time indicated that visibility would have been difficult, and the Air Force later suggested the object reported could possibly have been the B-52 itself. Wind and weather aloft data were recorded as part of the investigation.

The case file contains 54 pages of witness questionnaires, military intelligence reports, correspondence, and administrative records. On examination, the witness had submitted photographs related to the sighting, which were later analyzed by civilian scientists including Dr. Allen Hynek, a consultant to Project Blue Book. In 1965, after review by photo interpreters and the two scientists, the Air Force determined that the object in the photographs was actually the bright star Arcturus.

The full case file is reproduced below as held by the National Archives.

Reported location

Tacoma, Washington

Date of incident

June 1958

State / country

WA / US

Page count

54 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 33

- TY HN RATT TO PT RITA. 11 5 BET 57 : ; SP 0 FHA OREO ARTIS rey se bg q 2 ES & b i i ; 5 4 \ : PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD : ] 1. DATE 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS : .e OD Wes Balloon | 6 s acoma, Washingt O Probably Balloon 3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4 TYPE OF OBSERVATION Q FPessisly Belloon : BONY scission & Ground- Visual O Ground-Radar o Probably Arce oh oMT__26/10027 0 Air Visual O Air-Intercept Radar O Possibly Aircraft Ss. PHOTOS : . DX Was Astronomical V2 t.oor O Yes O Probably Astronomical : AL tvilia : OD Possibly Astronomicol 7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE BRE ETE NORAD T ReTTOWY - odd Data for Evaluation 5 secs one SSW is " 10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 11. COMMENTS 1 Circular, flame colored obj, travel+4 Rpt has characteristics of meteoo ing at excessive speed, Faded. obsrvation, "ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP $2) " N I 4 5 N i : : 1 £ » : 0 A 5 8 5 SASS ER 4 Bo ‘ . L i # § fF) A ¢ # {7 ¢ a ' 3 4 ay / ! f