Sighting Report — Gaithersburg, Maryland, 23 September 1953

This document is a military sighting report concerning an unidentified aerial phenomenon observed on 23 September 1953 in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The report, originating from HQ USAF Washington D.C. and directed to the Air Defense Command at Ent Air Force Base, Colorado, details an observation made by a civilian witness. The witness reported seeing a single object, described as having pink or red lights and a possible disk shape, which appeared to bounce or waiver in its flight path. The object was estimated to be about the size of a baseball and was observed traveling from east to west for a duration of seven minutes. The witness, observing from a living room window, initially believed the object might be an aircraft in distress and subsequently went outside to investigate. No sound was heard, and no exhaust was observed. The weather conditions at the time were reported as clear with moonlight and no clouds. The report notes that a small aircraft was observed flying in the opposite direction of the object as it passed over the horizon. Despite the official conclusion listed on the form as 'AIRCRAFT', the text of the report explicitly states that the office had no explanation for the sighting.