Incident Report — 29 January 1953, Caswell, Maine

On January 29, 1953, at approximately 1000 EST, two pilots, 2nd Lieutenants Fred T. Goetting Jr. and Howard C. Kelley, flying an F-94 interceptor aircraft, observed an unidentified object while on a routine training flight near Caswell, Maine. The aircraft was at an altitude of 23,000 feet, traveling at an indicated air speed of 325 knots. The pilots described the object as a dark gray, saucer-shaped, thin, and oval entity, approximately the size of a dime held at arm's length. The object appeared to be stationary at an altitude of 10,000 feet above the aircraft before moving on the same heading as the F-94. The observers noted that the object was well-defined, lacked any visible means of propulsion, exhaust trails, or windows, and did not appear shiny or luminous. The observation lasted for approximately four minutes. An attempt to intercept the object was made, but the chase was discontinued due to the aircraft's low fuel supply. The object was not detected on the GCI radar scope. The report includes statements from both crew members and transcripts of their in-flight communications, which reveal their confusion and skepticism regarding the object. While the official conclusion on the initial form suggests the object was the planet Venus, subsequent intelligence comments from the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) noted that balloon possibilities were checked and did not align with wind data, and there were no known aircraft in the area. The incident remains a documented case within the Air Force's intelligence files, highlighting the challenges of identifying aerial phenomena during the early 1950s.