Correspondence Regarding Poquoson, Virginia UFO Sighting (October 1959)

This document collection details the investigation and subsequent administrative correspondence regarding a UFO sighting reported by two teenagers in Poquoson, Virginia, on October 19, 1959. The witnesses claimed to have observed a self-luminous, circular object, approximately four feet in diameter, while hunting near the Plum Island Bomb Range. One witness reported firing at the object, hearing a sound of metal on metal, before the object disappeared. The incident was later investigated by the Air Force, specifically by the 4505th Air Refueling Wing, which concluded that the report was a hoax. The investigation noted that the witnesses' accounts appeared well-rehearsed and that the details provided were inconsistent. The document includes extensive correspondence between civilian researchers, specifically Larry W. Bryant and Larry P. Maccubbin of the Air Research Group, and various Air Force officials, including Major General Thomas C. Musgrave, Jr. and Colonel Carl M. Nelson. The civilian researchers challenged the Air Force's handling of the case, alleging a 'UFO blackout' and criticizing the lack of a formal, public investigation. The Air Force maintained that the sighting was not reported to Langley Air Force Base or the Aerospace Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) in a timely manner, and that the information provided by the civilian researchers was insufficient to warrant further investigation. The correspondence also touches upon broader concerns regarding Air Force policy on UFO reporting, the role of private organizations like NICAP, and the Air Force's stance on the scientific validity of UFO reports. The collection includes internal memoranda, record cards, and letters to Congressman Porter Hardy, Jr., who had requested information on behalf of his constituents. The Air Force consistently defended its position, stating that its policy was to provide maximum information while protecting investigative processes and that no evidence existed to support the existence of extraterrestrial craft.