Sighting Report — San Antonio, Texas, 7 May 1953

This document is an Air Intelligence Information Report (IR-224-54) concerning a sighting of an unidentified aerial object over San Antonio, Texas, on 7 May 1953. The primary witness, H.C. Reischling, a civil service employee at Fort Sam Houston, reported observing a round, dark gray object at approximately 2055 hours. The object was estimated to be 40 to 50 feet in diameter and was observed for 20 to 30 seconds at an estimated altitude of 10,000 feet. The witness described the object as having 8 to 10 evenly spaced lights in a perfect arc on its forward section, and noted a faint vapor trail beneath it. The object moved from the southwest to the northeast at a speed estimated to be in excess of 300 miles per hour, with no sound reported. The witness lost sight of the object after moving through his home to the backyard to get a better view. The report notes that the weather was fair with no overcast and a 5 mph wind from the southeast. No known meteorological conditions or air traffic were identified that could account for the sighting. The report includes a statement from the witness and was processed by the San Antonio Air Materiel Area and the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC). The document also contains correspondence regarding the investigation, including requests for information on weather balloon launches and local air traffic, which were determined not to be the cause of the sighting. The report is classified as restricted and includes instructions for downgrading and declassification.