Washington, DCMay 1961

Insufficient Data

Summary

On May 17, May 24, and June 1, 1961, an observer reported an object over Washington, DC, around 7 p.m. (local). The object was viewed through binoculars on three separate occasions, usually for about 30 minutes each time. It was cylindrical and about one third the size of the moon, with red, white, and brown coloring, and it rotated. Winds were calm and light during each sighting.

The Air Force found that the observer was probably watching a weather balloon released daily at a set time from the Bolling Air Force Base weather station. The sightings did not vary much from report to report.

The Air Force concluded the observer was witnessing the same event, a weather balloon, each time.

Reported location

Washington, DC

Date of incident

May 1961

State / country

DC / US

Page count

4 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 42

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 4

View transcribed text

| '
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: : PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD
I. DATE 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS
17 May, 24 May, 1 June Washington, DC 0 Was Balloon
i : o ive es So’ gi A CT Probably Balloon
| 3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION W. Fessmy Sulven
d 1900 ? . 0 Was Aircraft
Local oo EE Fo 1 Ground- Visual 0 Ground-Radar f1 Probobly Aircraft
f OMT. WL a A Q Air Visual O Air-Intercept Radar O Possibly Aircraft
1 DEL co Re 6. SOURCE J Was Astronomical
; 0 Yes 0 Probably Astronomical
; oN FERS 0 Possibly Astronomical
CESAR. a SERS EIR SERRA Reta SESE th 4k 55 FC Nr WE TST
i 7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE rE IR OE CRRA ei
0 Insufficient Data for Evaluation
2) 5 0 Unknown
10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING cylindrical obJh 1/3 EF" COMMENTS Observer was probably witness ibe
FE ize of noon red-white-brown colored rotating |weather balloon released daily at 24007 |
vlewed through binoculars on three separate  |fm Bolling AFB Weather Station. 5ichtins
eeasss ons, View 2d usually f or 30 nin. Jinds did not very with each report, assume
i fey: calm and not more than 1imph during cach |ghserver witnes ing same event en Lino,
sighting. :
- ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52)
5 LJ

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28992589