UFO Observation 15 Oct 67 — Tripoli, Iowa

On October 15, 1967, J.M. Hayden, a 63-year-old Justice of the Peace from Tripoli, Iowa, observed an unidentified aerial phenomenon for approximately 20 minutes between 0420 and 0440 local time. Using 7x50 binoculars, the witness described a round object, roughly the size of a football, displaying yellow, blue, and white colors. The object appeared to move east and then south-east, fluctuating in brightness and appearing to move closer and further away. The witness also reported hearing the sound of an idling plane propeller during the observation. The report was processed by the 788th Radar Squadron at Waverly Air Force Station. The intelligence officer assigned to the case concluded that the witness was likely observing a star, suggesting that the observed colors were a prismatic effect caused by the binocular lenses. The Foreign Technology Division (FTD) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base subsequently reviewed the report and determined that the information provided was insufficient for a formal scientific investigation. A letter was sent to Mr. Hayden on October 25, 1967, requesting additional information via FTD Form 164, though the form was not returned. The official record notes that the reporting officer was skeptical of the star explanation, citing that stars do not typically disappear or set at the reported 50-degree elevation on a clear night.