UFO Sighting Reports — Taiwan, July 1965

This document consists of a series of reports and correspondence from the 6987th Security Group (USAFSS) in Taiwan to the Air Force Systems Command (AFSC) at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, regarding UFO sightings in July 1965. The reports detail two primary incidents: one on July 4, 1965, and another on July 13, 1965. For the July 4 incident, four objects were observed over a 45-minute period. One object remained stationary overhead for the duration, while three others were observed for shorter intervals. The initial conclusion by the 6987th Security Group was that one object was a balloon and the others were aircraft. For the July 13 incident, five personnel reported seeing three round, star-like objects that were brighter than normal stars and moved at excessively high speeds with intermittent stops. The reporting officer, Capt. Edward W. Phillips, noted that the objects appeared luminous with dark centers. Subsequent evaluations by the Air Force, signed by Maj. H. Quintanilla, Jr., concluded that the July 4 objects were likely a balloon and aircraft, while the July 13 objects were earth-orbiting satellites. The report explains that the perceived motion and stopping of the satellites were optical illusions caused by atmospheric conditions and the proximity of the satellites to stars or planets. The document includes detailed maps of the Taiwan area, which were used to plot the sightings, and identifies several witnesses, including A2c George S. Tarrant, A2c Teofilo R. Holguin, A1C Jerry Taylor, and PFC James M. McFarland, all of whom were deemed highly reliable. The correspondence highlights the ongoing nature of these sightings and the difficulty in obtaining accurate weather data, as sources in the region were non-U.S.