UFO Sighting Report — Buckley, Illinois, July 11, 1964

This document contains a report of an unidentified aerial phenomenon observed on the night of July 11, 1964, by a civilian witness and their father. The witnesses were traveling home from Wilmington, Illinois, when they observed two blinking red lights on Route 24, south of Piper City, Illinois. The witnesses initially believed the lights belonged to an airplane, but as the lights moved apart and continued to spread, they became uncertain of the object's nature. The witness subsequently wrote to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to inquire about the sighting. The correspondence was forwarded to the Foreign Technology Division (FTD) of the United States Air Force. In a memorandum dated July 27, 1964, Colonel Eric T. De Jonckheere of the FTD noted that the report lacked sufficient duration and motion data. He suggested that the observation was likely caused by light aircraft and that further investigation was unnecessary. Major Maston M. Jacks of the FTD's Office of Information subsequently sent a formal reply to the witness on September 2, 1964, stating that the lights were likely from small airplanes and that their appearance may have been influenced by their position in the sky or unusual atmospheric conditions.