UFO sighted near Vandenberg AFB in 1961

Summary

In December 1961, a luminous object with a flaming trail was observed near Vandenberg AFB in California. A U.S. Air Force pilot reported seeing a round, bluish-white object with a flame or smoke trail, which broke into four pieces and quickly faded. The sighting lasted between 2 and 5 seconds, and the object was descending at high speed. Although considered a possible meteor, there were no satellite reentries or missile activity that day to explain the event.

The official report classified the event as astronomical, likely a meteor, due to the description of the tail and trajectory. However, the lack of photographs and the unusual nature of the object created some uncertainty. The case was shared with several military agencies and evaluated as non-threatening. Despite the conventional explanation, the report did not completely rule out the possibility of an unidentified object.