A UFO sighting in Velva and Bottineau

Summary

In March 1967, multiple witnesses in Velva and Bottineau, North Dakota, reported a UFO sighting. A police officer from Velva, Allen Gustafson, was the first to notice a round object with a reddish glow and green edges moving from east to west. The object remained visible for over an hour and was later seen by another observer in Mohall, about 17 miles away. A truck driver followed it in his vehicle for nearly 17 miles without being able to catch up. Despite multiple sightings, radar and air control equipment failed to detect it, causing some confusion. Investigators concluded that two different objects might have been involved: one identified as Venus and the other as Arcturus.

The official report included testimonies from multiple observers, including a police officer who used binoculars to track the object for three hours. Although the possibility of an astronomical phenomenon was considered, the object's description and behavior did not match what was expected from Venus or Arcturus. Operations Officer Major A. Shaw Jr. confirmed there was no reason to doubt the credibility of the reports. Ultimately, it was concluded that the first object was Venus and the second Arcturus, though the report suggests the observers saw something beyond the conventional.