UFO Observation, 24 January 1968 — Annapolis, Maryland

This document details a UFO sighting report from 24 January 1968, in Annapolis, Maryland. The witness, a secretary at the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), reported observing multiple white or silver, fuzzy, elliptical objects moving eastward over the bay for approximately 1.5 hours between 8:30 pm and 10:00 pm. The witness initially believed the objects were rockets being launched from a nearby Nike site, but later concluded they were not rockets or airplanes due to their frequency and movement patterns. The Air Force's Aerial Phenomena Office, led by Lt. Col. Hector Quintanilla, Jr., initiated an investigation into the report. They contacted the Annapolis Police Department, who stated they had received no reports of unusual objects on that date. Further investigation by the Environmental Technical Applications Center (MAC) provided meteorological data for the Annapolis area, noting a cold front with light rain and snow showers moving through the region on the night of the sighting. The official conclusion reached by the Air Force was that the observer had likely witnessed a ground-based searchlight reflecting off of low-hanging clouds associated with the cold front. The file includes correspondence between the Air Force and the Annapolis Police Department, as well as the completed questionnaire from the witness.