Unidentified Flying Object Report — Garretson, S.D., 5 October 1959

This document is an Air Intelligence Information Report (UFO-01-59) regarding a sighting reported by a civilian in Garretson, South Dakota, on 5 October 1959. The observer, a music store operator from Minnesota, claimed that while returning from a trip to Nebraska with his family, he observed a yellowish-white ball of light that later changed into a cigar-shaped object. The witness reported that the object hovered at approximately 1000 to 2000 feet, traveled in an easterly direction for seven miles at 45 miles per hour, and eventually angled upward and disappeared. The observer also claimed to have witnessed a similar event in Nebraska six months prior. The report includes several handwritten narratives from the observer detailing his experience, his fear, and his belief that the government owed the public an explanation regarding these phenomena. The 787th AC&W Squadron at Chandler AFS, Minnesota, evaluated the report and concluded that the witnesses likely observed the planet Venus as it was rising in the northeast, with the perceived shape and color changes attributed to atmospheric refraction. The investigating officer, CWO George G. Whiting Jr., noted that the information was received one week after the event, precluding a detailed investigation. Furthermore, the report explicitly questions the reliability of the observer, citing information from a police chief in Nebraska regarding the observer's history of passing bad checks and his reputation as a publicity seeker. The military concluded that the observer likely fabricated the account to draw attention to himself and his business ventures. The document includes the official Air Intelligence Information Report form, supplemental pages detailing the object's characteristics, and several handwritten statements from the observer.