UFO Sighting, 16 August 1965, Little Rock, Arkansas

On August 16, 1965, at approximately 7:35 PM, Larry Sessions observed an unidentified object in the sky over the Lee school grounds at 13th and Oak Street in Little Rock, Arkansas. The witness, who described himself as a 9th-grade student interested in the space program, reported seeing a single object that appeared like a large, blueish-white star. He observed the object for approximately one and a half to two minutes under clear sky conditions. According to his report, the object moved from the northwest to the southeast, appearing to zig-zag and vary its speed. He noted that there was no sound associated with the object and that it eventually disappeared behind trees near the southeastern horizon. Following his report, the Foreign Technology Division of the Air Force Systems Command conducted an evaluation. In a memorandum dated September 8, 1965, signed by Colonel Eric T. de Jonckheere, the Air Force concluded that the observation was a satellite. The evaluation stated that the reported zig-zag motion was likely an illusion caused by one light passing another or by atmospheric conditions, such as an inversion. The document notes that there are over thirty satellites and satellite components visible to the naked eye in orbit.