CIRVIS UFO Report - New York City, 4 March 1965

On March 4, 1965, at 040545Z, a civilian observer reported a sighting of an unidentified aerial phenomenon over the Hudson River in New York City. The observer, described as a sober individual, reported seeing a large, elliptical object that was fluorescent bluish-white in color and approximately the size of a blimp. The object was observed with the naked eye for five to six minutes at an altitude estimated to be over 1,000 feet. The observer was situated approximately four city blocks away from the object. The report notes that the object was initially stationary before departing very rapidly on a west-northwest heading over the horizon. The witness reported no sound, no exhaust trails, and no discerning features or details on the object. Weather conditions at the time were clear with a visibility of five miles and light, variable winds. Following the report, military authorities conducted checks with Newark and Teterboro airports, as well as the New York City Police and major newspapers, all of which yielded negative results for other sightings or reports. The official conclusion reached by the Air Force was that the object was likely an aircraft operating out of Newark Airport, noting that the airport was in the direction of the sighting and that the observed characteristics were consistent with an aircraft in a flight pattern. The document was processed as a CIRVIS (Communication Instructions for Reporting Vital Intelligence Sightings) report and was subsequently distributed to various military commands, including NORAD and the CIA.