Project 10073 Record: Sighting in Lacomb, Oregon, 20 December 1965

On December 20, 1965, at 2144Z, a civilian witness in Lacomb, Oregon, reported observing two or three unidentified objects. The witness, a Chevrolet dealer from Lebanon, Oregon, described the objects as round or oval, glowing with an amber color that occasionally shifted to white. The objects were observed for approximately 15 minutes using binoculars. The witness noted that the objects appeared to fly in formation but would split up, with some moving at high speeds while others remained stationary. The objects were described as having no tail, trail, or exhaust, and they made no sound. The witness observed the objects 18 miles SSW of Snow Peak Mountain at an inclination of 15 degrees. The weather was reported as bright and clear. The Air Force investigation, documented under Project 10073, concluded that the sighting was likely related to jet aircraft activity. This conclusion was supported by information from the Seattle Center, which advised the Portland Air Defense Sector of the presence of three high-altitude jets in the vicinity at approximately the same time. The Staff Intelligence Officer at the Portland Air Defense Sector determined that the observer's description of the objects' movements closely coincided with jet-type maneuvers that could have occurred in that area during the same period.