DOW-UAP-D164

Flying Object Report, Indiana, 1953

Agency: Department of War
Format: Document, 6 pages
Incident date: 12/1/53
Place: Indiana
Released: Release 07, October 23, 2026
Source: war.gov
Topics: Discs & saucers, Lights in the sky

Description from war.gov

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.

Page 1

DECLASSIFIED Authority: NND 57597 HEADQUARTERS 2466th AIR FORCE RESERVE COMBAT TRAINING CENTER (CONAC) Atterbury Air Force Base Columbus, Indiana RIO SUBJECT: UFOB 13 JAN 1954 AF607182 TO : Director of Intelligence Headquarters, United States Air Force Washington 25, D. C. 1. In lieu of AT Form 112b as required by AFR 200-2, 26 August 1953, the following information is submitted to conform to paragraph 6b of cited regulation: a. Description of the objects: (1) Shape: Circular ring of snoke; cloudy substance that stayed in a plane. No upper or lower structure could be seen. (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) Size: Observer would not estimate size with the exception of using the word, "large". No relative comparison. Color: White, cloudy, gaseous.. 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 plane, rotat- ing slowly clockwise and seeming to be the source of cloudy aura, white in color. (7) Tail, trail or exhaust: Compared favorably with Jet take- off when observed at night. Bluish white with vaporish trail. (8) (9) Sound: None to the ear, although observers stood outside of car to make sure. Other pertinent or unusual features: Controlled downward tilt from 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 rear and two forward. Incredible speed when disappearing. 2r

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15 JAN 1954

Page 3

Hq 2466th AFRCTC, Atterbury AFB, Columbus, Indiana., RIO, Subj: UFOB b. Description of course of objects: (1) Attention: Observers attracted by brilliant moving light. (2) Angle of flight: Observers were in moving car and travelling East. Looked North at approximately 20° elevation. (3) Angle of flight on disappearance: Undetermined by observers; spoken of as, "sharp upward travel", in southwesterly direction having approached from the North. Flight path and maneuvers: In-line approach with steady decent; stationary attitude at one spot; then tremendous acceleration on in-line flight at an abrupt angle. (5) (6) 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 change of direction of car travel fig ured at about two (2) minutes elapsed time. Total time, then, was five to six minutes. c. Manner of observation: (1) Ground-visual. Area of final observation was flat, north of city congestion, with no buildings nearby. (2) (3) No optical aids employed. Not applicable. d. Time and Date of sighting: (1) Time: 0002 to 00082 Date: Observers unable to remember exactly. (2) Light conditions: Between dusk and night. e. Location of observers: (1) 85° 49' Bast 39° 031 North Seymour, Indiana. f. 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 knowledge, he is truthful, honest.

Page 4

Hq 2466th AFRCTC, Atterbury AFB, Columbus, Ind., RIO, Subj: UFOB g. Weather/wind conditions: (1) Period covers the week of 8 December to 15 Décember 1953. (a) Dec 8 - 10: Overcast 10 - 12: Clear between 1800 to 2400, otherwise overcast. 11 - 12: Overcast 13 - 15: Overcast Light rain, drizzle, light snow, fog prevailed intermittently. (b) Dec 8 - 13: winds South thru West 14 - 15: switched to North Velocity: 10 to 12 K Visibility: l} miles to 15 miles variable thruout week. h. Other unusual activity or conditions: No noticeable disturbances or conditions in the area. Observation information provided by S/Sgt Billy R. Egger, Chief Observer, Detachment 21, Ninth Weather Group, Atterbury AFB. 1. Physical evidence of the sighting: None • j. Not applicable. k. Air traffic 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 officer 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 W.S. Fisher, 422 Ninth St., Columbus, Ind., through a telephone call to Lt Marvin Satin, Adjutant, (at the time, OD) on 9 January at approximately 1650 (CST)

Page 5

Ha 2466th AFRCTC, Atterbury AFB, Columbus, Ind., RIO, Subj: UFOB Comments: Mr Jones was a patient in the Bartholomew County Hospital and under the care of Dr. Fisher. 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 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 THE COMMANDER: DIST: Info Copy to AITC MARVIN S. SATIN 2D IT» USAF Adjutant

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13 JAN 1954 HEADQUARTERS ATTERBURY AEB sol COLUMBUS. 119)

The text is machine-read (OCR) from the scan and can contain errors. The scan is the record.

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Machine summary

Written by Claude Sonnet 5.5 (Anthropic) on October 23, 2026, from the record's text and war.gov's description. It is not part of the record and can contain errors; check it against the document.

This is a Flying Objects Report (UFOB) dated 13 January 1954, prepared by the 2466th Air Force Reserve Combat Training Center at Atterbury AFB, Columbus, Indiana, and addressed to the Director of Intelligence, USAF. It was submitted in lieu of AF Form 112b under AFR 200-2. The observers were Hiram Jones, 60, a Seymour, Indiana druggist, and his wife Gladys, who saw two large, white, cloudy ring-like objects from their car while traveling east, looking north at about 20° elevation. Each object had four bright, equidistant lights rotating slowly clockwise, with a bluish-white trail. The objects descended, hovered level and silent, then left at very high speed toward the southwest. Observation lasted three to four minutes, within a five-to-six-minute total. The report was filed by S/Sgt Bruce C.F. Butler.

The sighting date is unknown. The witnesses could not recall it, so the weather summary covers 8-15 December 1953, and air traffic could not be checked. The report records no physical evidence. The Joneses had told only a few friends, and the case surfaced only when Mr. Jones was a hospital patient and his physician mentioned a letter about a "flying saucer." The record shows how the Air Force handled late-reported civilian cases under AFR 200-2. No officer was assigned to the report, and the OCR leaves some times and figures garbled.

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