UFO sighted in the Atlantic with a red fire trail of 5 miles

Summary

An object with an elongated shape and a red fire trail was observed over the Atlantic in December 1958, near North Carolina. A witness described it as a 65-gallon drum-shaped object with a reddish color and a fire trail stretching five miles. The object made no sound and remained visible for about 60 to 65 seconds. It was seen moving east, climbing, and then curving back toward the ocean.

Military officials considered the possibility that it was a rocket or missile, especially given the space activities of the time. Wallops Island, a NASA launch site, was near the sighting location, leading to speculation about an unannounced test. However, no official confirmation was given, and it was concluded that there was insufficient data to evaluate the object's nature with certainty.