Air Intelligence Information Report — East St. Louis, Illinois, 17 May 1953

This document consists of a series of military communications and an Air Intelligence Information Report regarding an unidentified aerial object sighting in East St. Louis, Illinois, on May 17, 1953. The primary report, dated May 21, 1953, details an account provided by four boys, aged 12 to 14, who observed a disc-shaped, aluminum-colored object with a slightly raised dome and a dark edge. According to the report, the object appeared from the north, hovered for a few seconds, dipped toward the observers, and then disappeared at great speed toward the northeast. The witnesses noted two silent exhaust systems emitting smoke. The report notes that the object appeared larger than conventional aircraft typically observed in the area. Weather conditions at the time included scattered clouds at 3,000 and 8,000 feet, with severe thunderstorms occurring in the vicinity before and after the event. The 65th Fighter Interceptor Squadron and the 798th AC&W Squadron reported no activity or identification of unconventional objects during the period. Major James H. Webb, the Wing Intelligence Officer, concluded that while the observers' accounts were considered, no definitive conclusions could be reached. Subsequent correspondence from the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) to Scott Air Force Base indicated that the initial report was insufficient for evaluation and failed to comply with Air Force Letter 200-5. A separate, informal routing slip included in the file suggests the object was 'most probably a twilight jet.' The documentation reflects the standard administrative process for handling UAP reports within the Air Force during the early 1950s, emphasizing the requirement for formal data submission and the frequent dismissal of reports due to lack of sufficient evidence.