Incident Report — Holloman AFB, New Mexico, 3 December 1953

This document is a formal sighting report concerning an unidentified aerial phenomenon observed at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, on December 3, 1953. The observation, which lasted for 30 minutes, was made by radar personnel who detected four objects on their radar screens. According to the report, three of the objects were observed in a line and were equally spaced, while the fourth object was also in line but positioned at twice the distance of the others. The objects were initially detected at 330 degrees approximately 50 miles away and 27 degrees 72 miles away. The objects reportedly stood still before moving from east to west while maintaining their formation. The report notes that the weather conditions at the time included gusty winds and partial overcast. The official conclusion reached by the reporting authority was that there was insufficient data for a full evaluation, specifically noting that the report was not submitted to radar analysts for review. Additional commentary within the document suggests that the objects appeared very large and bright for aircraft at that distance, and that there was no known cause for the radar returns unless they were four aircraft from another station. The document includes technical details regarding the radar equipment and personnel involved, such as electronic engineers Richard H. Esenberg and Lester W. Shaw. The report was processed in accordance with AFR 200-2 and was later downgraded and declassified under DOD Directive 5200.10.