Sighting Incident Report — Annapolis, Maryland, 24 June 1953

This document consists of a sighting report and associated correspondence regarding an unidentified aerial phenomenon observed on 24 June 1953. The primary witness was Lt. Col. V. G. Bolfenstein of the Flying Section, Operational Commitments Division, HQS USAF. The observation occurred at the Annapolis Yacht Club in Annapolis, Maryland, while the witness was on a Coast Guard communications truck. Two other witnesses, a civilian and an enlisted Coast Guard member, were also present. The object was described as a white light that appeared on the horizon in a NE direction. It was observed climbing slowly, swaying slightly, and traversing an arc toward the East. The witness noted that the object swung back and forth like a pendulum and appeared to leave a trail of vapor or smoke. The object was estimated to be larger than the stars, and while it moved slowly, the witness remarked that it moved faster than one would typically expect from a balloon. The observation lasted for approximately one hour until the object went out of sight. The official conclusion provided by the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) identifies the object as a weather balloon, noting that a piball launch had been scheduled at Annapolis for 0900Z. The report includes a summary of the witness's account, which was received via telephone by the Federal Civil Defense Administration. Despite the witness's personal observation that the object moved faster than a balloon, the official assessment remains that it was a weather balloon.