UFO Sighting Reports — Moneta, Virginia, January-February 1965

This collection of incoming Air Force messages and a final summary memorandum details a series of UFO sightings reported by a resident of Moneta, Virginia, between January 25 and February 5, 1965. The primary witness, a crane operator for the Norfolk and Western Railroad, reported observing cigar-shaped, aluminum objects on multiple occasions. These objects were described as being two to three feet long and 12 to 15 inches in diameter. The witness, often accompanied by his wife or other observers, reported that the objects traveled in straight lines and eventually faded from sight. The sightings were consistently reported at approximately 11:00 A.M. The Air Force conducted an investigation through the 649th Radar Squadron at Bedford AFS, Virginia. The investigation included checks with the Washington Air Defense Sector, local FAA towers, and the 12th Weather Squadron. The Air Force concluded that there was no radar evidence to support the sightings and that the objects were likely misinterpretations of conventional aircraft or weather balloons launched from nearby locations such as Charleston, West Virginia, or Greensboro, North Carolina. The investigating officer, 1st Lt. Francis X. Kelly, noted that while the witnesses were considered mature and rational, the increase in reports was likely influenced by media publicity surrounding UFOs. Major Hector Quintanilla, Jr., Chief of the Aerial Phenomena Branch, finalized the assessment on February 17, 1965, stating that the sightings were regarded as natural phenomena and that no further investigation was deemed necessary.