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presents
The 1958 UFO Chronology
 Enlarged and enhanced version of one
of the four Trindade Island Photos
Jan. 16, 1958; NE of Trindade Island, Brazil (BBU) Created February 24, 2006; Updated 25 June 2008 This is a 9-page report on a project involving a
number of people. A lot of the incidents do not yet have active links
to reports. Blue Book microfilms are only processed to mid-1952, so it
will be some time before we can accomplish that goal. However, this is
a comprehensive list for
1958 and will also suffice as a good work and checklist for our team.
With
the help of William Wise (Project Blue Book
Archive), and Dan Wilson (archive researcher), the
task becomes much easier. But without Brad Sparks' updated list, the
Comprehensive Catalog of Project Blue Book Unknowns, the entire project
would have been impossible. And our thanks also go to Jean Waskiewicz
who created the online NICAP DBase (NSID) that helped make it possible
to link from the cases to the reports themselves. Note: Entries marked
Cat. 3 are E-M (Electro-Magnetic interference
cases) from the Cat. 3 printout
where sources are listed. "UFOE" is the NICAP publication, The UFO
Evidence (Richard Hall, 1964).
NICAP Site CoordinatorFrancis Ridge The 1958 UFO Chronology______________________________________________________ DEW (Distant Early Warning) Line radar, G. (NICAP, UFOE) Jan. 1958; (Date unknown, unnamed AF base) AF base, SW United States, G,V. (NICAP UFOE) In January, Maj. Lawrence J.
Tacker's name shows up on letters from the Air Force Public Information
Office, addressed to the National Investigations Committee on Aerial
Phenomena office in Washington, D.C.
Jan. 3, 1958; Old Westbury, Long Island, New York (BBU) 2:35 p.m. (EST). Fensterstock. (Hynek UFO Rpt p. 43; FUFOR Index) Jan. 3, 1958; Hawaii
Group of round UFOs reportedly photographed. [UFOE, VIII] Jan. 4 [1?], 1958; SW Libya (BBU)
12:08 a.m. (GMT). Military aircraft pilot and navigator saw
a bright orange light streaking across the sky on a NE heading, with
airborne radar tracking. (Project 1947; McDonald list; FUFOR Index)
Jan. 9, 1958; Biggs AFB, El Paso, Texas (BBU)
7:37 p.m. (CST). (McDonald list; FUFOR Index)
Jan. 9, 1958; Marion, Illinois
Three reports of seven red lighted objects in straight line formation. [UFOE, II] Jan. 11, 1958; Bering Sea, about 150 miles N of Atka Island,
Aleutian Islands, Alaska (BBU)
7:30 a.m. USN pilot of P2V-5F aircraft saw a formation of 3
lights flying at 900 knots (about 1,000 mph) tracked by airborne radar
merging into one target. [Identical to Jan. 14, 1958, incident??]
(Project 1947; McDonald list; FUFOR Index)
Jan. 13, 1958; Casino, N.S.W., Australia Cat. 3. Interference on car radio as UFO followed car. Jan. 14, 1958; Bering Sea (BBU)
8:34 a.m. Military aircraft crew saw 3 lights in triangular
formation flying SW at 320 knots (about 400 mph) tracked on airborne
radar. [Identical to Jan. 11, 1958, incident??] (Project 1947; McDonald
list; FUFOR Index)
Jan. 16, 1958; NE
of Trindade Island, Brazil (BBU)
12, 12:15 p.m. Captain of IGY research ship and many crew
members, plus ships photographer Almiro Barauna, sighted and
photographed Saturn-shaped object maneuvering over Trindade Island at
about 12:15, about 15 mins after ships radar detected the unidentified
target. Power failure on the boat when object sighted; power returned
upon objects departure. (Hynek/CUFOS 1982 tape interview;
APRO/Lorenzen/Fontes; etc.)
Jan. 22, 1958
NICAP Director Major Donald Keyhoe is cut off the air in
mid-sentence on a heavily-controlled major CBS television program
"Armstrong Circle Theatre." Keyhoe was about to mention a secret
U.S. Senate investigation of the AF's secrecy policies and the TOP
SECRET Estimate of the Situation by the AF at Wright Field which
concluded that UFO's were interplanetary (see Aug. 5, 1948, entry in
the UFO Chronology). A public controversy erupted over the
blatant censorship, which shocked many viewers, some of whom were able
to hear some of Keyhoe's censored words which came through faintly on
another guest's microphone. CBS admitted Keyhoe was deliberately
cut off, not as an accident or technical difficulty, by a network
producer to satisfy what they thought the government would want, though
not part of any official orders to do so. A few months later the
IRS by letter would explicitly deny NICAP tax-exempt status on the
grounds of NICAP's public opposition to AF policies. (Brad
Sparks) (See actual BB docs)
Jan. 30, 1958; Lima, Peru
Lawyer and family saw a circular UFO hover; car headlights went out. [UFO, VIII, X] Jan. 31, 1958; 25 miles SW of Tokyo, Japan (BBU)
Night. USAF pilots of T-33 jet(s) saw 12 yellow-orange
lights fly S in 3 groups. (Project 1947)
Feb. 2, 1958; N.S.W., Australia
Elliptical UFO with two "porthole" like markings. [UFOE, XII] Feb. 12 [13?], 1958; W of Wake Island (BBU)
9:14 [8:14?] p.m. Military pilot saw a greenish-blue
object emitting a bright flash and tracked on airborne radar with a 2nd
object. (Project 1947; McDonald list; FUFOR Index)
Feb. 20, 1958; NW of Winslow, Ariz. (BBU)
6:32 p.m. (MST). 12 military officers including on the
ground[?] saw a round or cigar-shaped stationary object. (Project 1947;
FUFOR Index)
Feb. 24, 1958; Santa Antonio de Jesus (near), Brazil Cat. 3. Car motor failed; passengers then noticed a Saturn-shaped disc hovering overhead. Feb. 25, 1958; Glenwood, Newfoundland (BBU)
12:10 a.m. (AST). Johnson. (McDonald list; FUFOR Index)
Feb. 25, 1958; Gander AFB, Newfoundland (BBU)
2:30 a.m. (AST). Miller. (McDonald list; FUFOR Index)
March 2 [1?], 1958; Tampa, Florida (BBU)
7:45 [8:45?] p.m. Francis saw a balloon-shaped object with
bright light land on the airfield then take off slowly and hover at 750
ft altitude before disappearing. (Vallée Magonia 461; FUFOR
Index)
March 3, 1958; Nr. Marshall, Texas
Family saw two bright, planet-like objects with 6 or 7 smaller lights moving around them. [UFOE, II] March 8, 1958; Korea Air Force radar tracked slowly descending UFO. [UFOE, VIII] March 14, 1958; Healdsburg, Calif. (BBU 5716)
8:45 a.m. Mr. and Mrs. W. F. Cummings and another saw a 3 ft
round, black object come from the W, touch the ground 50 ft away in the
backyard, then take off to the E, turn S, and disappear. (Berliner; cf.
Vallée Magonia, 462)
March 20, 1958; Henrietta, Missouri
Saturn-like disc descended, hovered, moved away. [UFOE, XII] April 2, 1958; Columbus, Ohio
Cigar-shaped UFO with long row of "portholes or windows." [UFOE, XII] April 4, 1958; Santa Monica, Calif.
Cigar-shaped UFO with "windows" observed in rapid vertical climb. [UFOE, XII] April 7, 1958; Dayton airport, Ohio (BBU)
7:30 p.m. Civilian pilot Hilt saw a very dark blue 6-8 ft
cloud shaped object on a SW heading. (Project 1947; FUFOR Index)
April 7, 1958; Newport Beach, California Police watched two UFOs with flashing body lights, maneuver near coastline. [UFOE, VII] Similar sightings for two nights in El Toro and Santa Ana. April 9, 1958; Cleveland, Ohio Nine yellow UFOs in V-formation; split into two groups (5 and 4). [UFOE, II] April 11, 1958; Johannesburg, S. Africa Airport instrument inspector, others watched reddish-white UFO arc back and forth. [UFOE, X] April 14, 1958; Lynchburg, Virginia (BBU 5763)
1 [12:20?] p.m. USAF Maj. D. G. Tilley, flying C-47
transport, saw a grey-black rectangular object rotate very slowly on
its horizontal axis. (Berliner; FUFOR Index)
April 14, 1958; Albuquerque, N. Mex.
Air Force Staff Sergeant saw large formation of unidentified lights. [UFOE, III] May ?,1958; Richmond, Virginia Cat. 3. Engine of car began running roughly, driver then noticed UFO following car. May 3, 1958; Flagstaff, Ariz. (BBU)
8:25 a.m. (PST). (McDonald list; FUFOR Index)
May 5, 1958; Pan De Azucar, Uraguay Cat. 3, 11. Aerial encounter, heat, between Piper Cub and "top-shaped" object. Well-known pilot watched a brilliant object come near his plane, felt intense heat. [UFOE, X] May 9, 1958; Bohol Island, Philippines (BBU 5800)
11:05 a.m. Philippine Airlines pilot saw an object with a
shiny, metallic surface, falling and spinning. (Berliner)
May 15, 1958; Caracas, Venezuela (BBU)
Venezuelan Air Force aircraft pilot saw a formation of
circular saucers disappear in the NW at high speed. (Project 1947)
May 15, 1958; Fort Bragg, North Carolina (BBU)
10:57 p.m. (EDT). Military pilot Beck [?] and 2 civilian
airline pilots saw an orange round object heading N at high speed.
(Project 1947; FUFOR Index)
May 17, 1958; Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
UFO sped away when light was shone at it. [UFOE, II] May 25, 1958; Kirchberg, Hunsruck, Germany
Circular silvery UFO observed moving through clouds. [UFOE, X] May 27, 1958; Bahia State Coast, Brazil
Varig Airlines pilot watched a brightly luminous circular object maneuver under his plane. [UFOE, X] May 28, 1958; Templehof, Germany (BBU)
1:30 p.m. (GMT). (McDonald list; FUFOR Index)
June 1958.
Richard Hall arrives at the
National Investigations
Committee on Aerial Phenomena, 1536 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Washington,
D.C., where he served for ten years.June 4, 1958; Sarasota, Florida
White oval-shaped object zigzagged overhead. [UFOE, XII] June 9, 1958; Central Puget Sound, Wash. (BBU)
10:17 a.m. (PST). USAF 1st Lt. Charles Scharf, pilot of
F102 jet fighter (no. 1425) with 318th FI Sq. McChord AFB,
Tacoma, Wash., and ground witnesses [?] saw a pinkish-whitish
cylindrical object (length/width ratio 12:1) with a slight orange tint
[?] and a dark circle in the center approaching at high speed at about
30° elevation with an oscillating motion. F-102 was heading S or
180° between 40,000 and 50,000 ft at about 600 mph. Pilot banked
left to keep object in sight, object continued N, then climbed,
decelerated, made a large 360° orbit, then circled the jet 3 times
as it descended closer. Object finally pitched up 45° and
accelerated in a climb, rapidly disappearing on a NW heading. (NARCAP;
Project 1947; FUFOR Index)
June 12, 1958; 10 miles W of Huntsville, Texas (BBU)
5:26 a.m. (CDT). Military pilot saw an oval reddish object
the size of a pinhead [at arm's length?] on a S to NE course. (Project
1947)
June 14, 1958; Pueblo, Colo. (BBU 5852)
10:46 a.m. Airport weather observer O. R. Foster, using a
theodolite, sighted an object shaped like Saturn, less the bottom part,
silver with no metallic luster, which flew overhead. (Berliner)
June 20, 1958; Fort Bragg, North Carolina (BBU 5857)
11:05 p.m. Battalion Communication Chief SFC A. Parsley saw
a silver, circular object, its lower portion seen through a green haze,
hover, then oscillate slightly, then move at great speed. (Berliner)
July 20, 1958; 4 miles N of Glennie, Mich. (BBU)
2 p.m. (CDT). 3 independent witnesses heard an object hit
water of a private lake making a circle 10 ft across with foam on edge
of circle 2-3 ft high, making loud sound heard 200 yards away. Object
sizzled 1.5 mins, zigzagged across surface 200 ft with violent motion,
then sank into 50 ft depth of water as circling died out. (Tony Rullan)
July 20, 1958; Crystal Lake, NW of Chicago, Illinois (BBU)
5:07 p.m. (CDT). Pilot Allyn saw a white disc the size of a
basketball [at arm's length??] in straight line flight. (Project 1947;
FUFOR Index)
Aug. 3, 1958; Rome, ItalyJune 23, 1958; Nr. England AFB, Louisiana
State policeman photographed two round UFOs. [UFOE, VIII] Summer 1958; Air Force Base, Southwest United States
Two maneuvering UFOs evaded jet interceptors. [UFOE, VIII] July 17, 1958; Chitose AFB, Japan Radar-visual sighting of circling reddish light. [UFOE, III] July 26, 1958; Durango, Colorado
Ground Observer Corps Supervisor spotted a round silvery object moving "at tremendous speed." [UFOE, VII] Cat. 3. Luminous UFO observed passing overhead as city lights failed; one report of car radio failure. Aug. 4, 1958; Malmstrom AFB, Montana (BBU)
11:15 p.m. (MDT). (McDonald list)
Aug. 11, 1958; Osel Island and Gulf of Finland (BBU)
(McDonald list)
August 11, 1958Chautauqua Lake, N. Y.
Engineering professor observed unidentified lights arranged as if on oval object. [UFOE, VI] Aug. 12 [13?], 1958; 12 miles NW of Las Vegas, Nevada (BBU)
1:30 a.m. (MDT). Witness Burgy. (Hynek UFO Rpt p. 43)
Aug. 17, 1958; Warren, Mich. (BBU 5999)
7:05 p.m. A. D. Chisholm saw an extremely bright object
shaped first like a bell, then a saucer, hover for 5 mins, flip over
and speed away to the WSW. (Berliner)
August 17, 1958; Kansas City, Kansas
Dome-shaped disc with "portholes" followed jets, hovered. [NICAP, XII] August 24, 1958; Westwood, N. J.
Police reported a circular, orange UFO which hovered, sped away. [UFOE, VII] Aug. 28, 1958; Georgetown, OH 4:20 PM. Close encounter by three witnesses, two were highway patrolmen. Huge silver disc, apparently hovering over a field in broad daylight. (MORA #11, page 15) Aug. 30, 1958; Gray AFB, Killeen, Texas (BBU)
1:45 p.m. (CDT). (McDonald list)
Aug. 31, 1958; La Verde, Argentina Cat. 3, 11. Light aircraft (Piper) engine increased its revolutions abnormally during UFO sighting. Engine normal after UFO left. Sept. 1, 1958; Wheelus AFB, Tripoli, Libya (BBU 6027)
12:15 a.m. Philco technical representative A. M. Slaton saw
a round, blue-white object fly at varying speeds. (Berliner)
Sept. 5, 1958; Atlantic (BBU)
2:06 a.m. (EDT). Pan Am airline pilot saw a bright light
move E to W, tracked on airborne radar [?]. (Project 1947; McDonald
list)
Sept. 7, 1958; Miles City AFS, Ellsworth AFB, 12 miles S of
Minot, North Dakota.(BBU)
5:08 a.m. (MDT). Military pilot saw 2 objects with green,
white, red flashing lights. Ground radar target lost when aircraft
approached. (Project 1947; McDonald list)
September 7, 1958; Mission, Kansas
Publisher saw white disc speed overhead. [UFOE, VII] Sept. 8, 1958; SAC HQ, Offutt AFB, Omaha, Neb. (BBU)
6:40 p.m. (CST). SAC Operations officer-flight-engineeer-celestial navigator Maj. Paul A, Duich, USAF, plus several USAF officers from AF Ballistic Missiles Division, Los Angeles AFS, Calif., and many other Offutt AFB officers and airmen, plus Offutt air traffic control tower personnel, saw an brilliantly white elongated cylindrical object hovering in the W at about 270° azimuth elevation 30° just after sunset [sunset at 6:46 p.m. CST at azimuth 278°], object oriented vertically with blunter end highest [about 1/10 width/length ratio]. After several mins object turned dull orange-red and became sharper in outline. A swarm of about 10 "black specks" appeared to "cavort" around the lower end of the object for about 1 min before disappearing then the cylinder object began to rotate counterclockwise so no longer oriented vertically and started drifting slowly to the S from due W and dropping in elevation angle over about 5 mins [to about 20° elevation about 268° azimuth] until oriented horizontally and diminishing in angular size. Then during final 5 mins object continued angular descent and S drift and gradual decrease in angular size but began rotating orientation back clockwise to about 45° angle (10:30 o'clock) until disappearing by fading into the slight atmospheric haze in the cloudless sky at about 265° azimuth 5° elevation [angular size about 1/3 of initial size]. USAF Col. took several color photos with 35 mm camera on tripod but later claimed nothing came out. Reported to ATIC but no report in BB files. (Sparks; UFOE, III) 20 mins 25+ witnesses 10-20? Full Moons SAC HQ + photos? Sept. 14, 1958; Wheelus AFB, Tripoli, Libya (BBU)
(McDonald list)
Sept. 21, 1958. Sheffield Lake, Ohio (BBU)
3 a.m. Civilian woman (Mrs. William Fitzgerald) inside her
house saw a circular, aluminum color flat object, 20 ft diameter,
6 ft thick, hovering 5 ft
above ground, making a jet like sound. Object wobbled and emitted gray
smoke before rising and taking off. (UFOE, IX; Vallée Magonia,
471)
Sept. 23, 1958; Kindley AFB, Bermuda (BBU)
(McDonald list)
Oct. 2, 1958; Stroudsburg, Penna. (BBU 6089)
2:30 p.m. Naturalist Ivan Sanderson saw a dull-grey object,
shaped like a pickle with a flat bottom, fly erratically in loops.
(Berliner)
Oct. 3, 1958; Fukushima-Ken, JapanOctober 2,1958; Nr. Blairstown, New Jersey
Zoologist watched disc circling and maneuvering. [UFOE, VI] Cat. 3. Portable radio emitted strange buzz as green fireball passed. Oct. 3, 1958; Wasco to Kirklin, Indiana 3:20 a.m. Crew of freight train reported four disc-like objects followed train for over an hour, reacted to light. [UFOE, II] Oct. 7, 1958; Alexandria, Virginia (BBU)
6:02 p.m. (EDT). John R. Townsend, Special Assistant
for Research & Engineering to the Asst. Secretary of Defense, saw a
large stationary sharply outlined Saturn-shaped "silvery" or "aluminum
clad" oblate spherical object (with "gossamer" surface appearance) with
a rim or girdle around its equator in clear sky due S azimuth about
180° at about 20° elevation for about 10 secs, which started
rapidly rising at an estimated speed of 1,000 mph and disappeared due
to extreme distance at about 30° to 35° elevation still due S
after 40 secs, with the impression it was heading away from him to the
S growing smaller until unable to be seen [apparently increased
distance to at least 400 miles to drop below minimum visual resolution,
at about 36,000 mph average velocity at 80 g's acceleration to an
altitude of about 200 miles, terminal velocity about 72,000
mph]. Witness estimated angular size 3° and actual size 600 ft
at
distance 3 nautical miles, using the passing and turning Capitol
Airlines Flight 407 at 2 miles distance during the sighting as aerial
distance reference point. Townsend was familiar with standard
takeoff pattern of flights from Washington National Airport and said
that the airliner he saw during the sighting headed S on a track about
1 mile to his left (along the Potomac River) and then turned right
across his field of view of the object. Pilot of Capitol Flight
407 took off in a DC-4 at 5:59 p.m. (EDT) from Washington National
heading S and climbed to 2,000 ft and as he was turning right to a W
heading out of the traffic pattern [at about 6:02 p.m.] he saw an
"unidentified aircraft" with "nose light" at about 3,000 ft heading N,
seen in the direction of or over Beacon Field 3 miles to the W (at
about azimuth 265° so object was in the glare of the setting sun at
approximately elevation 7° azimuth 258° and may have been
reflecting the sunlight so as to appear to have a "nose
light"). Thus sighting lines crossed with Townsend at right
angles, establishing
distance and location of object by triangulation as 2 miles S of
Townsend at about 3,000 ft altitude and 1 mile W of the airliner, or at
38°46'N, 77° 3'W, and thus actual size as about 500 ft and
angular elevation to Townsend about 17° in close agreement with
Townsend's measurement (done by protractor after the sighting) and in
exact agreement with pilot estimate of 3,000 ft altitude of
object. No sound. Townsend reenacted the timing by walking
the half block down the N-S running Lee Street (which runs toward
190° True azimuth). Projected target radiant at ascent angle
of about 30° at about azimuth 180° is at 17 hrs Right Ascension
-20° Declination. (Sparks; Jan Aldrich; Loren Gross
Oct. 1958 pp. 22-24, 26) 50 secs 2+ witnesses 6 Full Moons highest DoD
R&D official; air-ground triangulation
October 7, 1958; Nantucket, Mass.
Ship's Master, others watched a grayish oval object hover for several minutes, then climb away at high speed. [UFOE, VII] Oct. 11, 1958; Laredo, Texas (BBU)
(McDonald list)
October 12, 1958; Aurora, Illinois Police reported several yellowish UFOs moving in all directions. [UFOE, VII] Oct. 17, 1958; Grand Rapids, Mich. (BBU)
(Hynek UFO Rpt p. 44)
October 26, 1958; Lafayette, Indiana
Research chemist saw 2-3 bright objects pass through field of telescope. [VI] Oct. 26, 1958; Loch
Raven Dam,
Maryland (BBU 6148)
10:30 p.m. Phillip Small and Alvin Cohen saw a large, flat
egg-shaped object, flying low about 100-150 ft above the bridge, which
affected their car's electrical system and caused a burning sensation,
rose vertically and disappeared in 5-10 secs. (Hynek UFO Exp ch. 9,
case CEII-4)
Oct. 27, 1958; Union Dale, Penna. (BBU)
Large gray cigar like object with an assembly tail flew
at treetop height, making a strong "swishing" sound. (Vallée
Magonia 472)
Oct. 31, 1958. Caledon East, Ontario, Canada (BBU)
3:50 p.m. Civilian saw an elliptical, aluminum-colored
object at 6,000 ft altitude, coming down to 12 ft, flying up and down
by sudden jumps, stopping at ground level less than 600 ft away for 5
mins. A red light appeared at one end of the object, which gradually
took a fiery color, then exploded. Witness ran away. (Vallée
Magonia 473)
November 1958; DEW Line (Distant Early Warning)
Radar tracked UFO which descended, moved horizontally, climbed out of radar beam. [UFOE, VIII] Nov. 3, 1958. Minot [AFB?], North Dakota (BBU)
2:01 p.m. [USAF?] Medic M/Sgt. William R. Butler saw a
bright green object, shaped like a dime coin, and one smaller, silver
round object. First object exploded, then second object moved toward
the location of the first at high speed. (Berliner)
Nov. 4, 1958; Pope AFB, North Carolina (BBU)
4:03 [9:03?] p.m. (EST). USAF pilot of a landing KB-50
tanker and USAF tower personnel saw an object with strange lights on
collision course. Pilot and crew also noticed that "strange lights"
were observed inside the cockpit. Pilot aborted landing, climbed and
flew around to observe object. Pope AFB tower personnel had watched
object hovering above the base through binoculars for 20 mins. (NARCAP)
November 5, 1958; Conway, N. H.
Hovering light suddenly sped away. [UFOE, XII] Nov. 8, 1958. Brazilia, Brazil (BBU) 2 p.m. (EST). Brazilian [?] Air Force pilot and 500 ground
observers saw a moving saucer at 40,000 ft. (Project 1947)
Nov. 13, 1958; Troy Peak and Tonopah Airport, Nevada (BBU)
(McDonald list)
Nov. 19, 1958; Montauk AFB, New York (BBU)
(McDonald list)
Nov. 20, 1958; W of Calif. coast (BBU)
6:15 a.m. (PST). Military pilot saw a round silver object
traveling at high speed and high altitude. (Project 1947)
Dec. 20, 1958; Dunellen, New Jersy Police patrol observed a bright red, pulsating elliptical object which approached, hovered, then "went straight up like a shot." [UFOE, I] |
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