Project Sign Incident Reports — Alexandria, Louisiana, September 1949

This document comprises a series of investigative reports conducted by the United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations regarding two separate sightings of unidentified aerial phenomena in Alexandria, Louisiana, in September 1949. The first incident occurred on September 2, 1949, at approximately 1950 hours, when a witness observed a round, flame-colored object that appeared similar to a miniature setting sun. The object moved horizontally across the sky at high speed, emitted no sound or exhaust, and remained in view for only a mere instant. The witness, a retired individual with a background in writing and history, was noted for being highly observant. A second incident occurred on September 6, 1949, at approximately 2300 hours. A practical nurse observed a brilliant red and orange, disk-shaped object moving in a southerly direction. The object was described as having a fluttering, evasive, and aggressive flight path, moving faster than an airplane, and vanishing behind a cloud bank. The witness reported that the object appeared to be solid and emitted no exhaust or sound. The reports were compiled by Special Agent Tillus B. Jenkins and forwarded to the Air Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base under the auspices of Project Sign and Project Grudge. While the official conclusion for one of the reports categorized the object as an 'Astro (METEOR)', the documentation provides detailed accounts of the witnesses' observations, including their reliability, the weather conditions at the time, and the specific characteristics of the objects. The documents include standard Air Force reporting forms, such as the 'Essential Elements of Information' for Project Sign, which detail the lack of visible propulsion, wings, or control surfaces on the objects. The investigations were initiated by the Office of Special Investigations and were not requested by the District Office, which noted that no further investigation was contemplated by their office at the time of the report's issuance in October 1949.