UFO Report — Wilmington, Delaware, 29 March 1966

This document is a formal UFO report issued by the HQ 436th Military Airlift Wing at Dover Air Force Base, dated 1 April 1966. It details an investigation into a sighting that occurred on 29 March 1966 in Wilmington, Delaware. The initial report came to the attention of Major Thomas L. Ruddy, the Base Operations Duty Officer, via a telephone call from the news director of radio station WILM. The news director reported that a civilian in the southwest section of Wilmington had observed a single object from 1905L to 1925L. The witness described the object as flat on the bottom and rounded on the top, resembling a half grapefruit, and noted it was red, green, and white in color. The object was reported to be moving slowly southward, with a side-to-side motion. A second report was received regarding an observer near Churchman's Road, New Castle, Delaware. Major Ruddy consulted with TSgt Charles M. La Reau in the control tower and a weather observer, both of whom initially identified the object as a star. Major Ruddy subsequently observed the object himself and concluded it was a planet. The weather observer confirmed the object was Venus. The report attributes the perceived movement and colors to a haze layer and light refraction. The document concludes by noting that a similar UFO was reported by several people on the night of 28 March 1966.