Declassified UFO / UAP Document
Project 10073 Record Card — Charleston, Maine, 13 May 1955
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AI-Generated Summary
A civilian report of a flaming, red object in Charleston, Maine, was investigated and officially identified as a flare from a SAC training exercise.
On May 13, 1955, at 1700Z, a civilian witness in Charleston, Maine, observed a single, baseball-sized object falling from the sky. The object was described as flaming, red in color, and trailing smoke. The observation lasted between 20 and 30 seconds, and the object was reported to have moved in a straight downward path. The witness reported no sound associated with the object. Following the report, an investigation was conducted by the Air Defense Command (ADC) in coordination with a Strategic Air Command (SAC) Liaison Officer. The investigation concluded that the sighting was not an unidentified aerial phenomenon, but rather a flare deployed by a SAC aircraft during a training exercise. Supporting documentation indicates that two interceptors from the 40th Fighter Interceptor Squadron were scrambled at 1735Z on the same day, though they did not report seeing anything unusual. The final assessment, signed by Lt. Col. William J. Wilt, confirmed the identification of the object as a flare.
A check with SAC Liaison Officer, ADC, verified that sighting was caused by a flare from SAC aircraft during a training exercise.
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Official Assessment
A check with SAC Liaison Officer, ADC, verified that sighting was caused by a flare from SAC aircraft during a training exercise.
The object was identified as a flare dropped by a Strategic Air Command (SAC) aircraft during a training exercise.
Key Persons
- William J. WiltUSAF Lt. Col.