UFO detected on radar over the Gulf of Mexico in 1954

Summary

In November 1954, an unidentified object was detected by the APQ-24 radar of an RB-36 aircraft flying over the Gulf of Mexico. The object maintained a speed similar to that of the plane, raising interest due to its unusual behavior. Although radar scope photographs were taken, no additional images were received, and the phenomenon could not be identified. The report concluded that there was insufficient data to evaluate the object’s nature. Like many other cases, this one reflects the uncertainty surrounding sightings during the Cold War.

The report, classified under Project 10073, was sent to several military and intelligence units, including the COMAF and the DIR of INTEL of the USAF. The observer was Captain Floyd Hendershot, whose experience and reliability were not specified. The lack of concrete data and the inability to identify the object led to an insufficient evaluation, leaving open the possibility that it was a balloon, an astronomical phenomenon, or even an unidentified aircraft. This case, though brief, is part of the extensive archive of investigations into unidentified flying objects during the 1950s.