Air Intelligence Information Report IR-101-58: Unidentified Flying Objects, Central Louisiana

On the evening of January 3, 1958, two school teachers from Leesville, Louisiana, reported observing an unidentified flying object while driving on Louisiana Highway 112 and Highway 28. The witnesses, who were traveling with two young children, described the object as an oval-shaped entity with four glowing, pointed rays extending outward. They estimated the object's size to be comparable to a bale of cotton or a basketball held at arm's length. The object appeared to possess a 'pretty golden color' at a distance and a 'beautiful white color' when closer. The witnesses reported that the object moved 'gracefully' with no abrupt movements, remaining primarily to the left of their vehicle as they traveled west. During the encounter, which lasted approximately thirty minutes, the witnesses noted that their car's interior lights were dimmed or off. The witnesses were described by the investigating officer, 2nd Lt. Julian H. Gelenter, as reputable, college-educated citizens who were genuinely frightened by the experience. The investigation included a re-traversal of the route by the preparing officer. It was concluded that the object was the planet Venus, which was visible in the same general vicinity and disappeared at approximately the same time. The officer suggested that the perceived 'gliding' motion was an illusion created by the movement of the witnesses' vehicle. Despite this conclusion, the report acknowledges that the specific movements described by the sources could not be fully explained. The report includes memory sketches of the object and a map of the route taken by the witnesses.