UFO identified as weather balloon in Poplar Bluff

Summary

On September 19, 1950, a pilot and several witnesses in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, observed an object in the sky for five hours. Initially speculated to be a flying saucer, pilot Claude Haverty, after approaching it in his F-51, concluded it was a weather balloon. He described the object as a "large silver sphere" moving slowly at high altitude. The confusion grew as other witnesses mentioned translucent shapes, lavender edges, and red tips, but in the end, it was confirmed to be nothing supernatural.

Memphis Air Base sent planes to investigate, and although they couldn't get close enough, the pilots agreed there were no signs of propulsion or lights. Meanwhile, a meteor was also spotted in the area, adding to the mystery. Eventually, classified records and testimonies confirmed it was a lost weather balloon, solving one of the many mysteries of the case.