Report of Unconventional Airborne Objects — Fargo, North Dakota, April 1952

This document comprises a series of reports and a record card concerning a sighting of unconventional airborne objects over Fargo, North Dakota, and Moorhead, Minnesota, on the evening of 25 April 1952. Initial reports from local citizens, including police officers and fire department personnel, described five flights of five round, glowing red and orange objects moving in a wide, irregular V-shaped formation from south to north. The objects were reported to be moving at a high altitude and high speed, with no visible means of propulsion, exhaust trails, or sound. The sighting lasted approximately four seconds per flight, with flights occurring at eight-minute intervals. Following the initial reports, Captain Paul J. Gadbois of Detachment 2, 462nd Ground Observer Squadron, conducted a follow-up investigation. On 28 April 1952, Captain Gadbois stationed himself on the 10th floor of the Black Building in Fargo, equipped with binoculars, a telescope, and a high-speed camera to observe the skies. He subsequently concluded that the objects were migrating mallard and teal ducks. The investigator noted that the birds were illuminated by the reflection of city lights, which created the appearance of glowing, unconventional objects. The report explicitly states that no photographs were taken, no physical evidence was recovered, and no interception was attempted. The final assessment categorized the sighting as an explained event involving migrating waterfowl.