Form: 97 Report
Subject: Carlyle, Illinois Man Follows Sky Object,
April 30, 1971
Cat: 1
To: CE, SHG
Herb Williams, age 36, an Illinois Revenue Officer, followed a round
white light for about ten minutes April 30, 1971, then lost sight of
it-while trying to contact a witness.
Williams was filling a truck with diesel fuel at the Ready-Mix Plant at
2090 Washington, on the west side of Carlyle, when he saw the object
approximately 100 feet above the ground. The night was clear, and the
bright object was easily seen. The sighting occurred at 11:50 PM end
there was no sound. It moved in a westerly direction at about 10 miles
per hour and Williams.said he could have kept up with it by running,
but decided to get into his car and follow it.
First seen over the Carlyle fairgrounds, it moved at a mild left angle
toward Beckemeyer. On reaching the town, Williams decided to call a
friend in the law enforcement agency as he wanted a witness to his
observation; but after making the call, the object had disappeared from
view.
Its course would have carried it over a railroad crew operating a Speno
Bassast machine working between Carlyle and Beckemeyer, and the
railroad crew reported, on being questioned, that no one had
observed the object. This is understandable as they would have been
watching the operation of the machinery, and a large cloud of dust
surrounded the machine.
Williams said he felt the object was operated by remote control as it
seemed to be too small to carry a pilot. Its slow motion resembled that
of a balloon, he said, but he thought the intense white light would
eliminate that possibility. Rather than drifting aimlessly, it
appeared to be following the railroad track.
Credit: Rosetta Holmes.
Skylook-43, page 6