PROJECT BLUE BOOK

1. DATE· TIME GROUP LOCATION
12 Nay 53 12/0905Z Day ton, Ohto
3SOURCE 10. CONCLUSION
Civilian BALIOON
4. NUMBER OF OBJECTS Rawinsonde Meather Balloon launch st Sulphur Grove was schodulg
nt ogooz. Desoription end irmeuvers of d ject are identical to D0ovLdpuone CO
One eather belloon wnouvers.. "eather belloon wnouvers.. Mnds Mere inds the SL.
5. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION S. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 11. BRIEF SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS
5 linutes 5 llimtes Ihite half moon-shaped object with red tail light mowved back Ihite helf moon-sha,ed object with red tail light mowed back
6. TYPE OF OBSERVATION 6. TYPE OF OBSERVATION and forth like a penduLum treyelin; slowly in a in direction
at an sstiieded alti tude of 3,ooo ft. at an sstinated sltitude of 3,ooo ft.
Ground-Visual
7. COURSE 7. COURSE
NW N
8. PHOTOS . PHOTOS
0 Yes
XNo
9. PHYSICAL EVIDENCE
Yes
CKNo
FORM
FTD SEP 63 0-329 (TDE) Previous editions of this form may bo usod.
.

DISPOSITION FORM
FILE NO. SUBJECT
Officers of the Day Report
TO ATIC FROM EWHGS DATE 12 May 1953 COMMENT NO. 1
Lt Vensel/mef
57220/B10/Rm117
The following is for your information and/or necessary action taken from the
report of the Field Officer of the Day and Asst Office the
period beginning 0830, 11 May 53 to Oo30, 12 Lay 53:
telephone call was received at OL10 EST, 12 May, from
Dayton, (Tel No. reporting a flying object moving
NW over Route 49 near the Miani Valley Golf Course. The object was observed for
about 5 min. just before call was made. It was first mistaken for r a star, but upon
continued ooservation it appeared to be a l/2-moon-shaped, white light with a red
tail light. Estimated altitude tail light. Estimated altitude was 300o ft. was 3000 ft. The object moved back and forth The object moved back and forth like like
a pendulum and was traveling a pendulum and was traveling slowly slowly. The object was about 50 degrees altitude
from obser from observer's resicence. esidence.
Capt W
FRANCES FRANCES J. J. VENSEL, lst Lt, USAF VENSEL, lst Lt, USAF
cc to EWI cc to EwI Asst Air Adjutant General
1.) Oba 10
2) Chech viles en
stun pes.
0.9.5
100
DD50 96 REPLACES NME FORM 96. 1 OCT 48. WHICH MAY BE USED 16--54501-3 U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE :19S2 O- 986475

I
1. DATE· TIME GROUP 2. LOCATION
28 :ay 53 29/0145Z Dyton, Chio
3. SOURCE 10. CONCLUSION
Civilian and Astrononieal (TmOR)
4. 4. NUMBER OF OBJECTS
One idditional Additional oservers observers evaluated evaluated as a neteor us a neteor observation.
S. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 11. BRIEF SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS 11. BRIEF SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS
Hot Reported Not I Reported Cbject describod as maybe a couet or ball od fire in dight Cbject describod as maybe a conet or ball otd fire in dight
from Vest to Enst. Eelow staro. About as high as an air- from lest to Enst. Eelor staro. Aboud as high as an air-
TYPE OF OBSERVATION plane. Did not cae dowm to the horizon. plane. Did not catre dowm to the horizon.
Ground-Visual
. COURSE .COURSE
East East
8. PHOTOS
Yes
XKNo
9. PHYSIC DENCE
Yes
XCNo
FORM
FTD SEP 63 0-329 (TDE) Previous editiens of thie form mey be used.

26 May 1953 )

ATIC COMMENT: On the same night as the attached sighting, at
approximately 6:30 P.M., two ATIC technicians well versed in
astronomy also observed this object. There was no doubt in
their minds but what the eubjest object was an extremely bright
meteor which burned for about 5 to. 6 seconds on a downward path.
According to these sources, the object had a green-white huee
ATIC feels that here is a goodesample of how known phenomenon
can cause widespread speculation due to an overly anxious observer.
The fact that a meteor sighting was carried in a Dayton paper and
Arias! advertised as a possible saucer plus the fact that the Control

us a ie et fiet:| Tower at Wright-Patterson was quoted as saying that they had no —
t) en eiwxiathe) report which might explain it,all makes for adverse publicity,
Aree tt 1 and is reminiscent. of 1952 situations where a known object has
‘-had-‘no| touched off a saucer craze.

a

part.
case
no question in the minds of .
neteor. DOWNGRADED AT 3 YEAR INTERVALS;
DECLASSIFIED AFTER 12 YEARS.
DOD DIR 5200.10
E UNC
[SECRET]

-
-
Lt R. M. Olsson
ATIAE-5
. T
.
DOWNCRADED AT 3 YFAR INTERVALS;
DECLASSIFIED AFTR 12 YEARS.
DOD DIR 500.10
ESIFIED