Air Intelligence Information Report — Sighting of 27 January 1953, Davenport, Iowa

This document is an Air Intelligence Information Report regarding a sighting of an unidentified aerial object on 27 January 1953, near Davenport, Iowa. The report details an observation made by two Iowa State Highway Patrolmen, Robert Lutter and George Nicholson. According to the report, the patrolmen observed a round, spherical object that appeared to be several hundred feet in size. The object was initially described as red and white, hovering in the sky west of Davenport. As the patrolmen attempted to follow the object along Highway US 6, they noted that it changed colors—shifting between white, red, and amber—and appeared to bob and circle before accelerating to inestimable speeds and disappearing. The patrolmen estimated the object's speed to be between 90 and 100 MPH during the initial phase of the encounter. The report explicitly states that no optical or electronic sighting equipment was used, and there was no physical evidence, such as photographs or fragments, recovered. The weather conditions were described as clear with good visibility. The preparing officer, 1st Lt. Francis C. Hall, noted that Patrolman Lutter had military experience and training in aircraft identification, and concluded that the witness was reliable. Furthermore, the approving officer, Captain John Beder, added a comment stating that the information provided by the patrolman leads to the belief that 'Flying Saucers' are a reality rather than a product of the imagination. Despite these internal comments, the official conclusion recorded on the form is 'Astro (VENUS)'. The document was processed through the 31st Air Division and forwarded to the Director of Intelligence at Hq USAF in accordance with Air Force Letter 200-5.