DOW-UAP-D177

Unresolved UAP Report, Catalina Island, 1955

Agency: Department of War
Format: Document, 4 pages
Incident date: 3/15/55
Place: Catalina Island, California
Released: Release 07, October 23, 2026
Source: war.gov
Topics: Project Blue Book, Unresolved UAP reports

Description from war.gov

The file contains a report by Paul J. Carr of Avalon, California, who reported observing a bright orange object, approximately the size of a nickel held at arm’s length, on the evening of March 15, 1955. The provisional assessment associated with the report includes a comment from the preparing officer that the sighting is possibly astronomical, and that the incident did not warrant further investigation.

Page 1

1 1. DATE 15 March 1955 3. DATE-TIME GROUP Local GMT unknown 5. PHOTOS • Yes R No 7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 2 seconds one 10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING Round. Changed from orange to red. Very bright. Fell straight down. PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD 2. LOCATION California Avalon, Catalina Isle 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION A Ground- Vi sual • Air- Vi sual • Ground-Radar • Air-Intercept Radar 6. SOURCE Civilian 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS 12. CONCLUSIONS • Wos Balloon • Probably Balloon • Possibly Balloon • Was Aircraft Probably Aircraft • Possibly Aircraft Was Astronomical Meteor Probably Astronomical Possibly Astronomical •, Other Insufficient Data for Evaluation Unknown 9. COURSE straight down 11. COMMENTS Probable meteor. DECLASSIFIED Authority: NND 923007 ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52)

Page 2

UFOB INDEX CARD 1.- DATE 15 March 1955 3. DATE-TIME GROUP Local . 15/2231 2 Her 55 5. GM T PHOTOS Yes " No 7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION approx 2 seconds 2. LOCATION Catalina Isle, California 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION & Ground-Vi sual • Air- Vi su al • Ground-Radar • Air-Intercept Radar 6. SOURCE Civilian 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS one (1) 12. CONCLUSIONS Was Balloon Probably Balloon Possibly Balloon Was Aircraft Probably Aircraft Possibly Aircraft Was Astronomical Probably Astronomical Possibly Astronomical Other Insufficient Data for Evaluation Unknown O. BRIEF SUMMARY Jne MARY OF SIGHTING •, approx the size of a nicke held at arm's length, very bright and orange in color, was observed to fall straight down in the vicinity of Catalina Isle. 9. COURSE straight down 1. COMMENTS Possibly astronomicel, but due to the brevity of the sighting, no further investigation was deemed worthwhile by this organization (4602d AISS) AISOP Form 5 (15 Oct 54)

Page 3

DE JUPÍB 6D R 1519002 3. Ating z EM COC 670TH ACRON SPEDRO CALIF TO JWPJB/COC 27TH AD DEF NORTON AFB CALIF JEDEN/COMDR ADC ENT AFB COLO JEDWP/COMDR AIR TECH INT CEN WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB OHIO JEPHO/COMDR DIR OF INT HQ USAE WASH 25 DC BT /UNCLASSIFIED/67OTAC C-001 PD IN ACCORD WITH AFR 202-2 PAR 7D CMA REPT OF UNID FLY OBJ THE FOLG IS SUBM CLN 1. A. ROUND B. NICKLE C. ORANGE TO RED D. ONE E. N/A T. NONE G. UNK H. NONE IL VERY BRIGHT 2. A. JUST HAPPEN TO NOTICE B. 45 AT 340 C. 10 AT 340 D. STRAIGHT DOWN E. FADE OUT OF SIGHT F. TWO SECONDS 3. A. GROUND VISUAL B. NONE C. N/A 4. A. NIGHT 5. A. BAKER DOG 3920 AVALON, CATALINA ISLE S. A. CARR, PAUL J. 222 DESCANSO ST, BOX 682 AVALON, PHONE 5540 OCCUP Prob- Meteor PAGE TWO JWPJB 6D UNK 7. A. CLEAR DRY AND COOL B. 10A 260-25K 16A 260-25K 20A 260-40K 30A 270-80K 40A 270-70K 80A 270-30K C. UNLIMITED D. UNRESTRICTED E. THIN F. NONE 8. A. NONE 9. A. NONE 10. A. NONE

Page 4

11• A• FLIGHT PATH AND LENGTH OF TIME IN SIGHT, SUGGEST UFOB WAS PROBABLY A METEOR• BRANT, CLIFFORD E. CAPTIAN USAF INTELLIGENCE OFFICER 12. A. NONE BT 15/2231Z MAR JWPJB 42 60 NI Witness REG06 WPCOD6 YDB236 -YYD138 RR JWPJB JEDEN JEDWP INFORMATION 88 XDD222JBA122JBD025 16 MAR 1955 00: 42:

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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.

DOW-UAP-D177 is a Project Blue Book–era file on a single-witness sighting from Avalon, Catalina Island, California, on the evening of 15 March 1955 (about 2231Z per the index card). The witness, civilian Paul J. Carr of Avalon, saw one round, very bright object, about the size of a nickel at arm's length, that changed from orange to red and fell straight down. It was visible for about two seconds, and Carr noticed it by chance. The file has a Project 10073 record card (ATIC Form 329), a UFOB index card from the 4602d AISS, and a teletype report from the 670th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron to the 27th Air Division, ADC, ATIC, and USAF Directorate of Intelligence. Weather was clear, dry, and cool.

The conclusions are inconsistent across the forms. The record card comments "Probable meteor," and the teletype, signed by intelligence officer Capt. Clifford E. Brant, cites the flight path and duration as indicating a probable meteor. The index card says "possibly astronomical" and that the 4602d AISS judged the brevity too short to justify further investigation. No photos, radar data, or additional witnesses are recorded. Carr's address and phone number appear unredacted. The file shows routine handling under AFR 200-2 and was declassified under NND 923007.

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