Project 10073 Record Card: Sighting near Malvern, Pennsylvania, 20 May 1955

On 20 May 1955, at 2215 DST, Commander William H. Hilands, a US Naval aviator with twenty years of experience, observed an unidentified aerial phenomenon three miles northwest of Malvern, Pennsylvania. The object was described as an intermittent bright light traveling at an estimated speed of over 1,000 miles per hour at an altitude between 7,000 and 10,000 feet. The object approached from the direction of Exton, Pennsylvania, passed overhead, and made a slight turn toward a northerly heading before disappearing in a north-northeast direction. The witness noted that the light appeared every twenty degrees of arc, with no lights visible between these points, and that the light's intensity fluctuated. While the object was silent during its transit, a 'thunder-type' sound was heard when it was first sighted. The weather was clear with stars visible, except for a light cloud condition near Exton. The observation lasted between 30 seconds and 90 seconds. Due to the dark sky, no physical object was visible. The report was not received by the District Intelligence Officer of the Fourth Naval District until 31 May 1955, and the official correspondence was dated 1 June 1955. Because of the significant delay between the sighting and the reporting, the Fourth Naval District concluded that further investigation was not warranted. The official assessment suggested that the witness likely observed an aircraft, possibly a jet, with its running lights flashing on and off.