Report of Unidentified Flying Objects — Trenton, New Jersey, 20 August 1959

This document details a UFO sighting reported by a civilian in Trenton, New Jersey, on 20 August 1959. The observer, a former B-24 engineer and member of the 2d Electronic Experimental Squadron, reported seeing an elongated, vertically oriented light that was initially larger than any star in the vicinity. The object, which displayed a bluish-green perimeter and a light orange center, was observed for 50 minutes. During the first 25 minutes, the object reportedly traveled for two to three minutes, performed an abrupt 90-degree turn, and then returned to its original course, repeating this maneuver eight to ten times. The object eventually split into five separate lights that appeared to merge before disappearing to the northeast. The observer estimated the altitude at 60,000 feet, though he admitted this was a guess. The New York Air Defense Sector conducted an investigation, which included checking radar returns for the area; however, no correlation was found. Major William H. Greenhalgh, Jr. of the Intelligence Division noted that efforts were made to link the sighting to weather balloons, Navy blimp operations from Lakehurst NAS, or commercial air traffic, but no cause could be determined. The Air Technical Intelligence Center requested further clarification on the maneuvers and the observer's location, which the New York Air Defense Sector provided in a follow-up memorandum. The report concludes that no cause is known or estimated by the reporting officer.