A black circular object seen over Hawaii in 1952

Summary

A civilian in Honolulu reported seeing a black circular object, about four feet in diameter, flying over Hickam Air Force Base toward the ocean on September 29, 1952, at 21:05 local time. The witness, a Pearl Harbor Naval Yard employee, described the object as silent, without lights or trails, and observed it for 2-3 seconds. Although no aircraft were seen at the time, one was spotted in the area 5-10 minutes later. The base confirmed no local air traffic was present during the sighting. The official report concluded the object could be a balloon, an astronomical phenomenon, or an optical illusion.

The official investigation did not credit the report, noting that in the darkness and at a distance, it was hard to verify the object's nature. The responsible officer considered the report unsubstantiated, despite the witness being sincere. The case was archived without further conclusions, and no other sightings were reported in the area at the same time. The report was distributed only to Air Force intelligence units, without leaving military circles.