Westover AFB, Mass., May 1962May 1962

On the evening of May 25, 1962, multiple witnesses at Westover Air Force Base in Massachusetts saw a bright object streak across the sky. The sightings included both military personnel on the ground and a pilot flying a KC-135 aircraft near the base. Witnesses described the object in different ways: some saw it as round or egg-shaped, others as a simple streak of light. All agreed it was extremely brilliant.

The object's appearance and movement varied depending on where the observer stood. Ground witnesses near buildings on the base saw it traveling almost horizontally with a slight downward angle. The pilot of the KC-135, flying at 2,000 feet on a heading of 075 degrees at a speed of 152 knots, described it as a streak with a descending path. The object lasted anywhere from half a second to about 20 seconds, depending on the witness. Most observers reported the object seemed to burn out or blink out as it disappeared.

The Air Force investigated by collecting detailed statements from the witnesses and checking weather conditions. The observers included experienced military personnel: a control tower operator described as the best qualified on base, airmen from the combat defense squadron, and a captain with 24 years of flying experience. The base intelligence officer noted that while the descriptions differed and there was a slight disagreement about timing, all witnesses appeared to be reporting the same event.

The Air Force contacted the Smithsonian Observatory in Cambridge, Massachusetts to check for meteor activity. Observatory officials said they had no record of a meteor swarm passing through the area that night. However, they concluded the sighting was most likely a large and brilliant meteor, sometimes called a fireball. The intelligence officer noted that some of the witness reports, particularly those from two airmen regarding the size and duration, appeared exaggerated due to the excitement of the moment.

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