Subject: T-33 Encounters Egg-Shaped Object NW of Monroe, LA

Date:     May 22, 1956

Francis Ridge:

This report is not among the original BB Unknowns, but is listed in the Catalog of Comprehensive Project Blue Book Unknowns by Brad Sparks. I discovered the report on the BB Microfilm site while looking for something else. The documents listed below are very interesting and one of them is the May 1956 Sighting listing showing the incident "explained" as a balloon. Right below is the CCPBBU entry by Brad Sparks:

May 22, 1956. 58 miles NW of Monroe, Louisiana. 11:05 p.m. (CST) USAF officer Earl D. Holwadel, piloting T-33 jet, and an unnamed officer in the back seat during a night flight heading 50° at 18,000 ft, saw a bright light due E, then saw it again in the E at 11:15 p.m. Holwadel banked right to the SE  somewhat behind the object now seen in the SE at great distance. Object suddenly came straight at  them at high speed passing in front of the T-33 at about 225 ft away under the "nose" of the object, no jet wash, on a heading of 330° when the object flashed an intensely bright white light from a "greenhouse-shaped dome" or cockpit window at its front end that lit up the canopy of the T-33. Object about 30-40 ft long, elliptical in shape, shorter than a C-47 but wider, a small steady red running light in the center, with no wings, only stubby protrusions extending 3-4 ft and 25 ft long on each side, bottom surface like steel with ribs extending down 2-4 ft with a wave-like appearance. Object moved away then returned at high speed on a W course with "fantastic" maneuverability never changing flight attitude at any time. (NARCAP; McDonald list; Hynek-CUFOS files)

T-33 Encounters Egg-Shaped Object NW of Monroe, LA - BB Microfilm - Francis Ridge

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