Waco, TexasApril 1952

On April 15, 1952, 2nd Lt. Edward F. Gaucher watched a group of 15 to 20 round objects move across the night sky above Waco, Texas. He was sitting at the Joy Drive-In Theatre with his wife when he spotted them coming from the southwest around 9:55 p.m. (2155 Central Standard Time). The objects were bright orange or red, and they passed overhead before disappearing to the northeast. The whole sighting lasted 10 to 15 seconds. Lt. Gaucher estimated the objects were about a mile away and flying at roughly 5,000 feet altitude. There was no sound, no exhaust, and no visible maneuvers. The formation moved in a straight line at what Gaucher thought was over 600 miles per hour.

On the same night, other witnesses at a second drive-in theater about 1.5 miles away reported seeing similar objects. A local photographer said he saw a flight of 15 to 20 large birds between 9:30 and 10 p.m., flying low near the neon lights of the theater and nearby buildings. They appeared orange or light red due to the reflection of nearby lights. An intelligence officer noted that the two sightings were separated by only a few miles and a few minutes of time. Both groups were described as numbering 15 to 20, both flew northeast, and both appeared orange or red in color.

Two other sightings on April 24, 1952, occurred near Waco. One witness saw 20 to 30 round objects with a dark orange or tangerine glow pass overhead in 20 to 25 seconds. Another observer at an Oaklawn Drive-In Theatre reported watching 40 to 50 similar objects flying in loose formation. He heard a sound like rushing wind as they passed. Objects in both sightings moved from south to north with no maneuvers and no visible trail or exhaust.

The Air Force weather officers found clear skies, good visibility, and no unusual atmospheric conditions on any of the nights in question. The investigating intelligence officers noted similarities between the sightings and suggested that flocks of migrating ducks reflecting light from theater neon signs and other nearby lights could account for what the witnesses saw. The official evaluation marked this case unidentified. The full case file is reproduced below as held by the National Archives across 12 pages.