Incident Report 52-10 — Imperial Beach, California, 16 November 1952

This incident report, dated 20 November 1952, details a sighting of an unidentified aerial phenomenon by two naval personnel, Carl Crittenden and Fred A. Parks, at the Naval Communications Station in Imperial Beach, California. The event occurred on 16 November 1952, between 1825 and 1855 hours. The witnesses, both experienced in naval service, reported observing a large, circular, orange-colored object with a bluish band around its perimeter. According to the report, the object remained stationary for approximately three to four minutes before moving at a high rate of speed. The witnesses noted that the object later reappeared. The report explicitly states that there was no noise associated with the object and that it appeared to be traveling at a great rate of speed just above the water. The investigating officer, LCDR J.T. Rugh, Jr., noted that the witnesses were interviewed and provided consistent accounts. The report mentions that radiosonde and piball releases were scheduled from the San Diego U.S. Navy weather station at 0300Z, which is noted as a potential factor. The official evaluation of the report by the USAF is 'Possibly meteor.' The document is marked as confidential and includes details regarding the witnesses' experience, the weather conditions (clear, unlimited visibility, late twilight), and the specific coordinates of the observation point.