Project Blue Book Case File
Vandalia, OhioOctober 1959
Summary
On October 29, 1959, someone in Vandalia, Ohio saw an unusual object in the sky. The object was blunt and white, with a fuzzy front and a tail that tapered to a sharp outline. It moved from east to west across the sky before disappearing by what appeared to be burning out.
The sighting lasted only a few seconds. The witness filled out a detailed Air Force questionnaire, answering questions about the object's brightness, movement, size, and the weather conditions at the time. The object appeared solid and bright against the sky.
The Air Force investigated and noted that the sighting had characteristics consistent with a meteor observation. The case file lists the conclusion as "probably balloon," though it also notes "possibly balloon" as an alternative evaluation. The full case file, as held by the National Archives, is reproduced below across 8 pages.
Reported location
Vandalia, Ohio
Date of incident
October 1959
State / country
OH / US
Page count
8 scanned pages
USAF evaluation
unknown
Microfilm
T1206, Roll 37