5422N17900E PACIFIC radar-visual unidentified-object report — March 1961

On or during March 1961, at or near 5422N17900E PACIFIC, the source reports the following sequence: BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING: Witness apparently saw object pass, which he described as the characteristic of a type of meteor called a bolide, color-vhange and bursting. COMMENTS: Witness apparently saw object pass, while other in the area saw nothing. NUMBER: FIRST OBSERVER SAW ONE OBJECT SPLIT INTO "MANY", WITH ABOUT FOUR LARGE FRAGMENTS: SECOND SAW 12-14 OF VARYING SIZES. TAIL, TRAIL, OR EXHAUST: ONE OBSERVER SAW NONE AT ALL, OTHER FELT SLIGHT STREAK EFFECT WAS CAUSED BY THE PERSISTENCY OF THE EYE. OTHER PERTINENT FEATURES: BOTH USED PHRASE "TUMBLING" OR "ROLLING" IN DESCRIPTION OF FRAGMENTS, IN STATEMENT MADE INDEPENDENTLY OF EACH AFHQ 0-3098 UNCLASSIFIED DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE STAFF DIVISION INCOMING MESSAGE AP IN : 57321 (24 Mar 61) INTO THE UNDERCAST WHICH WAS IMMEDIATELY BELOW, BUT SAID THEY SEEMED TO BE DIPPING AND MIGHT HAVE STOPPED GLOWING, SECOND OBSERVER SAID THEY ENTERED CLOUDS. MOORE AE2 VP-1 AIRCREWMAN PEOPLE AND HAVE OBSERVED METEORS, BUT NEITHER HAS HAD SPECIAL EXPERIENCE OR TRAINING IN THE FIELD. ADAK WEATHER DESK CAT TIME & POSIT OF SIGHTING): AFHQ FORM Q-309a UNCLASSIFIED Performing OCR on the text contained in the document: AP IN : 57321 (24 Mar 61) OTHER: ONE OBSERVER ASCRIBED THIS TO " THE WAY THEY MOVED". OTHER TO THE INDIVIDUAL FRAGMENTS SEEMED TO CHANGE INTENSITY", BRIGHTNESS WAS STRESSED BY BOTH, SAID TO BE BRIGHTER THAN STARS THEN CLEARLY VISIBLE, AND BRIGHTER THAN ANY METEORITES EVER OBSERVED. SECOND SAW ONLY MULTIPLE OBJECTS. ( IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE BURST WHICH THE FIRST OBSERVER DESCRIBES MAY HAVE ATTRACTED ATTENTION OF SECOND OBSERVER.) B. DESCRIPTION OF FLIGH PATH AND MANEUVERS: STRAIGHT DOWN WITH SMALL (APPROX 5 DEG.) DRIFT FROM RIGHT TO LEFT. MANNER OF DISAPPEARANCE: FIRST OBSERVER STATED THEY MIGHT HAVE PASSED BEHIND SOMETHING. AIRCRAFT FLEW 30 MILES ON SAME HEADING, THEN DIVERTED ON CURRENTLY EMPLOYED RADAR SEARCH PATTERN.