UFO Sighting Report and Photo Analysis — Redwood City, California, 2 November 1964

On November 2, 1964, a civilian witness in Redwood City, California, reported observing an unidentified flying object while driving on the Bayshore Freeway. The witness, who identified himself as a professional photographer and amateur astronomer, described the object as a round, rotating light that fluctuated in color between white and orange. He noted that the object initially appeared as a single unit, transformed into a string of lights, and then returned to a single unit. The sighting lasted approximately 20 minutes, during which the object maintained a straight flight path at an estimated speed of 80-90 mph. The witness took color photographs of the object using a 35mm Leica camera. The sighting was reported to the Mill Valley Radar Site and subsequently investigated by the Air Force. Military personnel, including 2d Lt James L. Young, concluded that the object was not a weather balloon, citing wind conditions that precluded the presence of a weather bureau balloon in the area. The Foreign Technology Division (FTD) conducted a microscopic analysis of the 35mm film provided by the witness. Their report, dated December 16, 1964, concluded that no true photographic image was visible on the film. Analysts suggested that the visible marks on the film were likely a film flaw, a duplicated flaw, or a chip in the emulsion. They further noted that the constant density from film edge to film edge suggested the film might have been exposed in the open rather than in a camera, and that the photograph appeared to have been taken after dark, contradicting the witness's report of a dusk sighting. Despite the photographic analysis, the Air Force remained unable to make a positive identification of the object observed.