Unidentified Flying Object Report — New Castle, Delaware, 17 September 1956

On 17 September 1956, at 2330Z, three civilian witnesses in New Castle, Delaware, reported observing an unidentified flying object. The witnesses, including a paper delivery boy, a reporter, and a housewife, provided varying descriptions of the object's shape, ranging from a cigar-like appearance to a circular object with points at the top, bottom, and sides. Despite these discrepancies, all witnesses agreed that the object was a very bright, silver or white light, approximately the size of a half-dollar held at arm's length. One witness reported seeing three lights on the front of the object. The object was initially observed stationary in the North-Northeast at a 30-degree elevation. It reportedly moved slowly for approximately three minutes before darting away suddenly in a great burst of speed. One witness described the movement as a jerking motion similar to a kite, while another described a teetering motion. The weather conditions at the time were reported as overcast with an electrical storm in the area and a thunderstorm in the Southeast quadrant. The 82nd Fighter Group (Air Defense) conducted a telephone interview with the witnesses and concluded that there was insufficient data for a definitive analysis, though the Operations Officer noted the possibility that the object may have been an aircraft. No military radar contact was recorded, and no records of civilian traffic were available to explain the sighting.