Tyndal AFB, FloridaMay 1961

Unidentified

Summary

On the evening of May 9, 1961, at 7:45 p.m., military personnel and a civilian observer at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida watched two bright objects moving across the night sky. The objects were described as slightly elliptical in shape, about the size of a grapefruit, and resembling a star in color. The main observer, Master Sergeant Henry J. Lacour, watched from Capehart Housing on the base. He was joined by Technical Sergeant Joseph T. Terlesky, Captain Allan E. Aaronson, and a civilian from Panama City, Florida.

The objects moved in different patterns. The first object traveled from southwest to northeast, heading initially at about 250 degrees (roughly west-southwest). The second object moved from southwest to southeast and later changed direction to 215 degrees (roughly southwest). Lacour watched for about twenty minutes while Terlesky observed for only five to ten minutes. Both objects eventually faded from sight. Notably, Lacour believed he was observing the satellite Echo, which was expected to pass over the area around that time that evening.

The Air Force investigation centered on a key detail: the speed and behavior of a high-flying aircraft closely matched the velocity of the satellite Echo. The investigators noted that past reports from this witness showed he became "very excited" when the subject was UFOs, which could have led to misidentification. The analysis sheet suggested that what was observed was probably a passing aircraft that was either mistaken for or confused with the Echo satellite. Weather conditions at the time were fair and clear. The Air Force concluded that the objects sighted were probably a high-flying aircraft, making them explainable rather than truly unidentified.

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

Reported location

Tyndal AFB, Florida

Date of incident

May 1961

State / country

FL / US

Page count

10 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unidentified

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 42

b . : PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD ChE i 1. DATE 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS § O Wos Balloon ! 9 May 61 Tyndal AFB, Florida O Probably Belloon 3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4 TYPE OF OBSERVATION 8 Pessily Belloen 10k : EET LL SS IX Ground- Vi sual O Ground-Radar s Cis Rvasss 4 GMT 10011452 0 AirVisuel 0 Air-intercept Raodor DO Possibly Aircraft 5. PHOTOS d URCE OD Was Astronomicol i QO Yes O Probobly Astronomical 2 Ne Ms 1ita and Civilia O Possibly Astronomical 3 7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE RE A —— p . Nr 1 SW-N& s i wo it Dato for Evaluation 4 5-20 min c Nr 2 SW-SE E 10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING Slightly elliptical. 11. COMMENTS singular velocity of high fly- F Size of grapefruit. Color similar to star. ing jet a/c and of Echo are aprox same. 1 Seemed to be traveling in an oblique formationlIt is quite possible that a passing a/c E Seemed that satellite Echo was being cbserved.|was sighted and due to excietment mis- 1 1st objt seemed to be coming on an az of 250°.| identified or identified with Echo. Past wr) » £ ™ & Ww, -~ - ou After it broke away fm Echo Echo, it headed on reports fm witness in this case indicat 3 a 215” az. lst objt disappeared on a 25° head-|that he becomes very excited whan subji ing; 2nd objt on a 150° heading. Both faded outis UFO's. It is concluded that objt of kizt ] sigating was probably a high-flying a/c. | 2 ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52) “ i |