Project 10073 Record Card: Vicinity Midway Island Sighting

On May 27, 1960, at 21:22 local time, a sighting of two unidentified objects occurred in the vicinity of Midway Island. The objects were observed 10 miles from the island, bearing between 300 and 330 degrees. Witnesses described the objects as appearing to be large green flares at an altitude of 20,000 feet. The first object was visible for approximately 30 seconds, and a second object was sighted 60 seconds later on the same base course. The objects were estimated to be traveling at a speed of 1,200 to 1,500 mph on a horizontal plane. Weather conditions were reported as clear with good visibility, and there was no air traffic in the area at the time. The incident was reported via the CIRVIS (Communication Instructions for Reporting Vital Intelligence Sightings) system. Following the initial report, the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) requested additional information from the Hawaiian Air Defense Division on June 2, 1960, specifically asking for details regarding the apparent size of the objects, the method used to determine their speed, the direction of motion, and whether the objects disappeared over the horizon or appeared to burn out. As of January 16, 1961, no further information had been received. The official analysis concluded that while it is possible the objects were meteors, the limited nature of the reported information precluded a definitive conclusion. The evaluation of the incident was categorized as a negative threat.