UFO seen near Rapid City in 1959

Summary

An intelligence officer from the 28th Bomb Wing, a trained and qualified pilot, observed a white, oval or elliptical object the size of a silver dollar. The object appeared at an estimated altitude of 500 feet and 2.5 miles away, descending smoothly to the south. Although the sighting lasted only 20 seconds, the observer was confident in what he saw, even under good daylight conditions. A weather balloon had been launched 30 minutes earlier, leading to that consideration. However, there was no evidence of aircraft in the area, and several attempts to locate the object afterward were unsuccessful.

The report includes detailed weather and wind data at different altitudes, suggesting the object was not ordinary. The observer, familiar with atmospheric phenomena, did not identify it as a balloon or aircraft. The object disappeared behind a hill less than a quarter mile away, and several attempts to find it with civilian aircraft yielded no results. Despite the follow-up investigations, the case remains unresolved.