UFO sighting at sea in 1961

Summary

In February 1961, from the USS John S. McCain in the Pacific, a bright object resembling a first-magnitude star was observed. The object appeared at about 30 degrees elevation and moved northeast, disappearing minutes later. The crew considered it a satellite, possibly Echo I. Although no radar data or photos were obtained, the description and trajectory matched those of a satellite in orbit. The report, classified as routine, was distributed to multiple military and defense authorities, highlighting the attention given to the sighting at the time.