Sighting Report — Panama City, Florida, 14 December 1953

This document consists of a sighting report and a corresponding teletype message regarding an unidentified aerial object observed on 14 December 1953 in Panama City. The primary witness was a 30-year-old housewife and military dependent, Mrs. Colon, who reported seeing a brilliant white, round object that lacked a tail. The witness described the object as being smaller than the sun but larger than a star, and noted that it remained visible for approximately 40 minutes while traveling in various directions. The report indicates that the observation was a ground visual sighting and that no photographs or physical evidence were obtained. The official conclusion reached by the military authorities was that the object was an ML393 type weather balloon. This balloon had been released from Albrook at 1433Z. A weather forecaster who observed the balloon confirmed that it traveled over Panama City and was carried in different directions by varying wind currents, which matched the wind data recorded at the time. The teletype message, dated 15 December 1953, was sent to multiple military commands, including the Air Defense Command and the Air Technical Intelligence Center, and was marked as unclassified with instructions for future downgrading and declassification.