UFO Sighting Report — Maryland Area, December 10, 1953

This document consists of a military sighting report regarding an Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon observed on December 10, 1953. The primary report, filed by the commander of the 160th Air Defense Wing at Westover Air Force Base, details an observation made by a flight crew at 15,000 feet, three miles northeast of Pittsburgh. The crew, operating a C-97 aircraft, described an oblong object approximately 40 feet long, characterized by a diffused glow and an exhaust flame emanating from its tail. The object was observed moving in a straight and level flight path at a speed of 235 knots. The observation lasted between two and three seconds. The crew reported that the object was initially seen at one o'clock and was last observed at eleven o'clock. The report notes that the sighting occurred under clear weather conditions with abundant stars and no moon. The document also mentions that Trans World Airlines and American Airlines reported similar sightings. Despite the detailed description provided by the military crew, the official conclusion recorded on the FTD form is that the object was an astronomical event, specifically a meteor observed over a wide area. The document includes a brief press clipping from the Associated Press, which references a separate report of a 'strange greenish-blue light' seen over Lake Ontario by a Trans-Canada Air Lines crew, suggesting a broader pattern of sightings during this period.