UFO seen by pilot in California in 1960

Summary

A pilot at McClellan Air Base in California reported in 1960 a round, blue object the size of a basketball with a long blue and yellow tail. The object was moving slowly from north to south with a slight descent and faded from view after about 30 seconds. Although initially considered a meteor, the duration of the sighting was unusually long. Researchers also considered the possibility of a satellite reentry, such as those from the Epsilon 6 and 7 missions of that year, but the color and description matched more closely an astronomical phenomenon.

The report includes details on weather conditions, the exact location, and the reliability of the witness, an officer from the 964th AEW Squadron. Despite thorough evaluation, no definitive conclusion was reached. The case was filed as a meteor observation, though doubts remained about its nature. This document is part of a broader collection of unidentified aerial sightings during the Cold War, a period of rapid technological and surveillance development.