Project 10073 Record: UFO Sighting, Damon, Texas, 3 September 1965

On the night of September 3, 1965, at approximately 2300 hours, two Deputy Sheriffs from the Brazoria County Sheriff's Office, Chief Deputy Billy E. McCoy and Deputy Sheriff Bob Goode, were patrolling on Highway 36 near Damon, Texas. While driving south toward West Columbia, they observed a bright purple light stationary on the horizon. Shortly thereafter, a smaller blue light appeared, moved to the right of the purple light, and both lights ascended to an angle of 5-10 degrees above the horizon. The officers turned their patrol car around to investigate. As they approached, the object moved toward them at high speed, hovering about 150 feet off the highway and 100 feet in the air. The object was described as triangular, approximately 200 feet wide and 40-50 feet thick, with a dark grey body. A bright purple light was on the left side and a smaller blue light on the right. The object emitted no sound, but the purple light was bright enough to illuminate the ground and the interior of the patrol car. Deputy Sheriff Goode, who had his arm out the window, reported feeling heat emanating from the object. The officers, fearing the object would move toward them again, fled the scene at high speed. The object remained stationary for about ten seconds before moving off at high speed and then shooting straight up into the air, disappearing at an elevation of 25-30 degrees. The officers returned to the area later that night and again observed the lights, which behaved in a similar manner. Major Laurence R. Leach, Jr. of the 2578th Air Base Squadron conducted an investigation, which included radiation checks (which were negative) and inquiries with Houston Air Traffic Control (which confirmed no air traffic in the area). Major Leach concluded that the officers were credible and that they had definitely seen an unusual object, but he could not provide an explanation. The case was officially classified as 'UNIDENTIFIED' because the object's abrupt vertical departure precluded an astronomical explanation.