Releases / 7 / DOW-UAP-D164

Flying Object Report, Indiana, 1953

File

DOW-UAP-D164

Type

Document, 6 pages

Agency

Department of War

Date

12/1/53

Released

Release 7, October 23, 2026

Open the original on war.gov

The government's description

This document is a Flying Objects Report prepared in accordance with Air Force Regulation 200-2, which established guidance for reporting unidentified flying objects. The report records an incident near Seymour, Indiana, in which two civilian reporters stated that they observed two airborne objects while traveling by car. The report does not identify an exact event date; its weather assessment addresses conditions during the period December 8–15, 1953.

The report describes the incident as consisting of a “brilliant moving light” and two large, white, cloudy or gaseous objects in a staggered formation. It further describes four bright points of light within each object and a bluish-white, vapor-like trail. The report describes the object kinematics as an in-line approach with a steady descent, a stationary interval of unreported duration, and a rapid departure along an abrupt upward angle toward the southwest. It records an estimated direct observation period of three to four minutes, with a total elapsed period of five to six minutes that included changes in the vehicle’s route.

All descriptive and estimative language contained in this report reflects the reporter’s subjective interpretation at the time of the event. Such characterizations should not be interpreted as a conclusive indication of the presence or absence of any intrinsic object features or performance characteristics.

Authority:
NND57597

HEADQUP. RT E RS

•

2466th AIR FORCE- RESERVE COMBAT TRAINING CENTER (CONACl_
Atterbury Air Force Base
Columbus, Indiana

---

RIO

13 JAN 1954_

SUBJECT : UFOB

AF607182

TO :

Director of' Intelligence
Headquarter s , United States Air Force
t-Jashington 25 , D. c.

l. In lieu of AF Form 112b as required by AFR 200- 2, 26 August 1953,
the following inf'ormation is submitted to conf'orm to paragraph 6b of cited
regulation :
a.

Description of the objects :
(1)
(2)

(3)
(4)

(5)
(6)

(7)
(8)

(9)

Shape : Circular ring of smoke ; cloudy substance that
stayed in a plane. No upper or lower structure could
be seen.
Size : Observer would not estimat e size with the exception
of' us ing the word, "large ". No relati ve comparison.
Color : White, cloudy, gase·ous ..
Number: Two
Formation: Staggered like two jets in flight, tightly
following each other .
Discernable features or details: Four bright or brilliant
equidistant points of light 'Within the same plll]le , rotat­
ing slowly clockwise and seeming to be the source of
cloudy aura, white in color.
Tail, trail or exhaust: Compared favorably with Jet take­
off when observed at night. Bluish vhite with vaporish
trail.
Sound : None to the ear, although observer s stood outside
of car to make sure .
Other pertinent or unusual features : Controlled downward
t i lt f'rom direction of approach to hovering point. Com­
plete level stability while hovering. Take-off in upward
tilt with bright points of light fixed, two to the r ear
and two forward. Incredible speed when disappearing.

Hq 2466th AFRCTC, Atterbury AFB, Columbus, Indiana., RIO, Subj : ti'OB
b.

•

Description of course of objects:

(1) Attention: Observers attracted by brilliant moving
•

(2)

(3)

(4)
(5)
(6)

c.

light.
Angle of flight: Observers were in moving car and
travelling East. Looked North at approximately 20°
elevation.
Angle of flight on disappeiu-ance: Undetermined by
observers; spoken of as, "sharp upward travel", in
southwesterly direction having approached from the North.
Flight path and maneuvers: I n-line approach with
steady decent; stationary attitude at one spot; then
tremendous acceleration on in-line flight at an abrupt
angle.
Manner of disappearance: Seemingly instantaneous surge
to maximum speed, keeping formation.
Length of time observed: Approximately three (3) to
four (4) minutes. Observation period included two (2)
moves and ·one chan~ of direction of car travel fig­
ured at about two (2) minutes elapsed time . Total
time , then, was five to six minutes.

Manner of observation:

(1) Ground- visual.
(2)
(3)

d.

Area of final observation was flat,
north of city congestion, with no buildings nearby.
No optical aids employed.
Not applicable .

Time and tate of sighting:

(1) Time : 0002 to 0008Z
(2)

e.

Locati on of observers :
(1)

f.

Date: Observers unable to remember exactly.
Light conditions : Between dusk and night.

85° 49' East

39° 03 1 North

Seymour, Indiana.

Identifying information of all observers :
(1)

Civilians - Mr Hiram and Mrs Gladys Jones; Mr Jones, 60.
100 South Chestnut Street, Seymour, Ind. He is a
drugist. Owner-operator of Jones Drug Store . Not prone
to exaggeration; direct forthright attitude toward
people; within his Imo,-1ledge , he is truthful, honest.

Hq 2466th AFRCTC, Atterbury AFB, Columbus, Ind. , RIO, Subj: UFOB
g.

Weather/wind conditions:
(1)

h.

Period covers the week of 8 December to 15 December
195.3.
(a)

Dec 8 - 10: Overcast
10 - 12: Cle.<ir between 1800 to 2400, otherwise
overcast.
ll - 12: Overcast
1.3 - 15 : Overcast
Light rain, drixzl e, light snow, fog prevailed
interntlttently.

(b)

Dec 8 - 13: winds South thru West
14 - 15 : switched to North
Vel ocity: 10 to 12 K
Visibility: l½ miles to 15 miles variable thruout
week.

Other unusual activity or conditions :
No noticeable disturbances or conditions in the area.
Observat i on information provided by s/sgt Bill y R. Egger,
Chief Observer, Detachment 21, Ninth J.JeP.ther Group, Atterbury
AFB .

1.

Physical evi dence of the sighting:
None.

j.

Not applicable .

k.

Air traff'ic in area: None according to observers. Impossible
to verify without exact date through ACS and 2466th Operations .

1.

Position, title, comments by preparing Officer (NCO) .
No off'icer assigned at the time of report contact.
S/Sgt Bruce C. F. Butler
NCOIC, Reserve Information Office
Comments:

Contact with Mr Jones developed on the advice of

Dr '·l.S. Fisher, 422 Ninth St., Columbus, I nd. , through a

telephone call to Lt Marvi n Satin, Adjutant, (at the time, OD)
on 9 January at approximately 1650 (CST)

Hq 2466th A.."li'RCTC, Atterbury AFB, Columbus, Ind., RIO, Subj:

UFOB

Comments: Mr Jones was a patient in the Bartholomew
County Hospital and under the care of Dr. Fis her. He was
to'be released 10 January or 11 January after short con­
valescence.
Mr Jones stated that he had not told anyone of his exper­
iences other than three personal friends desiring to avoid
ridicule. He firmly believes in what he saw, however. His
wife has the same attitude.
Dr Fisher uncovered the story by saying he had a letter from
his son in the Air Force in Saudi, Arabia, who claimed to
have seen a "Flying Saucer". Therupon, Mr Jones divulged
his experiences.
FOR TI-IE; COMM !\NDER :

DIST:
Info Copy to AITC

~.rt

i.

2D 1.,T,1

Ad utani;

b

USAF