(1957- 1958).
Wikipedia, described it this way:
"The International Geophysical Year (IGY; French: Année géophysique internationale) was an international scientific project that lasted from 1 July 1957 to 31 December 1958. It marked the end of a long period during the Cold War when scientific interchange between East and West had been seriously interrupted. Sixty-seven countries participated in IGY projects, although one notable exception was the mainland People's Republic of China, ....[1][2] The IGY encompassed eleven Earth sciences: aurora and airglow, cosmic rays, geomagnetism, gravity, ionospheric physics, longitude and latitude determinations (precision mapping), meteorology, oceanography, seismology, and solar activity.[2] The timing of the IGY was particularly suited for studying some of these phenomena, since it covered the peak of solar cycle 19. Both the Soviet Union and the U.S. launched artificial satellites for this event; the Soviet Union's Sputnik 1, launched on October 4, 1957, was the first successful artificial satellite.[3] Other significant achievements of the IGY included the discovery of the Van Allen radiation belts by Explorer 1 and the defining of mid-ocean submarine ridges, an important confirmation of plate-tectonic theory.[4][5][6]"
Meanwhile, in other sources.....sometimes only the name and date remain.
Feb. 14, Stead AFB. Reno, NV
May 3, Goodland, KS
May 7, Randall, Iowa. 1 round object, size of a dime held at arm's length, blue color, observed with binoculars for half an hour. The file contains mostly information on a comet that had peaked in April. It was still visible but only with binoculars or a telescope by the time of this sighting (its brightness had reduced to a 7 mag.). Thus, the apparent size, color, and other actions do not conform to a sighting of the Comet Arend Roland. Since more than 5 comets had been discovered in 1956 it is possible it was another one but with some important details missing it is hard to say for sure. There were eleven other cases in Iowa alone in the 1957: Glenwood, Ottumwa, Randall, Waterloo, and Thompson. Later in the year Odebolt, Des Moines, Council Bluffs, Waverly and Clarksville followed by Argle.
May 26, Ft. Meyers, FL Described as a stationary object the shape of a three fingered hand, brilliant white in color , but one said it was dark with bright white infused light behind it and was the apparent size of a silver dollar held had arm's length, and more a baseball when seen through the binoculars. It was labeled a balloon based on description, time in place, and stationary aspect of the object.
July 13, Iran - With the Russians making noises about a satellite, there were no doubt spy planes aloft but some of the sightings are interesting.
July 16, Las Vegas, NV
July 17, Forbes AFB, Kansas - to Dallas - to LA and the Gulf and back. *** One of the most important cases. Hynek, Condon, and Macdonald all explored the case - often with surprising results. McDonalds team is the most valuable study of events.
July 19, Dayton, OH
July 22, Ohio, A Bright triangle
Aug 13 or 14, Knoxville, TN. The shape was called reddish-orange and like two "V"'s pointing toward each other with their open ends out (tip to tip shape?). Looked the size of a human fist and moved SE to SW at dusk (two dates in the file). Someone suggested it was a "jet with its afterburners on," An object the size of a fist at arm's length would have been clearly recognizable as an aircraft; there would have been noise at the distance as well. None reported. The time was "dusk" and the time was listed as "14/0113z".
Aug29, Wichita, Kansas
Oct. 6, Des Moines, Iowa
Oct. 13, Odebolt, Iowa
Oct. 14 - Sewart AFB, TN. A thirty-minute sighting of a round blueish white object that was stationary until it faded. It was observed from the ground and via air. A one page report deemed insufficient data.
Oct. 14, IRAN, - Comet or Sputnik? Several objects reported between May and Oct and by "Americans". Usually seen half hour after sunset, appeared like a large red light moving rapidly across the sky over Tabriz going E-W. No sound, binocular sightings inconclusive. last sighting was a bright white light. A comet had been reported May 21 over Rezaieh. Around July 13, three sightings and then on Oct. 14 - possible sighting of Sputnik.
Oct. 22, Haviland, KS. Using binoculars the witness observed three objects moving north over 30 minutes. Another said it was more oblong and the size of a half dollar at arms length. It was sunset so the objects were clearly illuminated from the side. They looked like three objects "one on top the other" with a third one trailing with no sound or exhaust. Further details were it was a half moon shape with a dome on top. Attention drawn by the strong light associated with the objects. Another witness said it was the size of a B-25. It was practically still, very little movement, halfmoon in shape and again white to red on the top. An answer was suggested that it was a "possible balloon" or an "astro" EXCEPT for the motion reported as north..."Insufficient Data." A note in the file reads "See attached sketch" but there is no sketch attached to prove the assertion the case was one" representing hundreds of similar reports..."
Oct. 31, Kannapolis, KS. An obviously fast-moving balloon confused the pilots of two F-80C's west of Salina near Kannapolis, Kansas. It was day and they had no radar contact but did see something. They assumed some type of balloon. It was round, silver, silver doll sized at arm's length, no tail, lights or sound. It moved very low and slow at a 45 degree angle at 090 degrees moving slowly SE (note direction marching report from Bartlesville). Finally faded in the distance. It was observed for 1 hour and 35 minutes. There is a note that the time period listed longer than later in the report "see report attached" yet the file is only 3 pages long and lacks report or weather information.
Oct. 31, Bartlesville, Oklahoma. The object was round, baseball size when held at arm's length, silver and the single object was seen to be climbing while observed over a one and one half hour period. Binoculars (7x50) were used as well. Daytime sighting by tower operatives: S/Sgt Lloyd Stevens, A/1c Melvin Coradin, Bernard Stodolski. Two "salvos" scrambled from Tulsa but "no tally ho!" Classed as a "balloon."
Nov. 2-3, Levelland, TX. Famous for the appearance of egg-shaped objects, cars stopped on the road and many other elements that provide an incredible amount of intriguing data and provide some evidence for electro-magnetic interference from UFO's to ground based machines. Reports of such interference were later tracked to include a nearly 300 mile radius of the events in Texas.
Nov. 4, Elmwood Park, ILL
Nov. 5, Kearny, NE
Nov. 5, Alamogordo, NM. "Research engineer sights" a UFO as ten autos were stopped on US Hwy 54 near White Sands and the AF Missile Development Center. Additionally, two Army patrols saw similar objects at White Sands Proving Grounds on the previous Sunday - the dates of the Levelland, Texas area sightings.
Nov. 5, New Orleans, LA. Coast Guard spots brilliant flying object some 200 miles south of mouth of the Mississippi River. It was as bright as a planet, traveled in concentric circles around the Coast Guard ship Sebago. Sighted two times and both visible to the naked eye. Additionally, northern Louisiana police spotted a bright object half a car size rising from the ground near Monroe.
Nov. 5-6, Albuquerque, NM. A 142 pg report resolved down to a one word explanation: "Venus."
Nov. 5, Lake Baskatong, Ottawa, Canada was where a Mr. Jacques N. Jacobson of Staten Island, NY was visiting a hunting lodge. About 9 pm he and friends observed in the SE a "huge, brilliantly illuminated sphere" that appeared 1/8 the size of the moon's diameter. It was hanging a few feet above the summit of a hill 2-3 miles away. It was yellowish white in color and did not twinkle or bling at all.
Nov. 5, Paris, IL
Nov. 5, Kearney, NE - This is a case involving a man who was a clear huckster and probable con man. He is arrested and placed in a facility for testing. He and the case are, I suspect, a massive coverup to conceal and minimize the events being made prominent in the press related to events in Texas and other locations that hint at something abnormal happening. The AF will use this case to minimize witnesses/cases and minimize all sightings as "hoaxes."
Nov. 6, Delmar and Santa Monica, CA. Early in the morning a motor stalled and a witness observed an egg shaped object "in a blue haze on the beach". The object was a solid metallic tan or cream color with two metal rings on which it rested. There were two men about 5ft in height dressed somewhat like motorcycle riders who spoke in broken English and asked questions. Then this yellowish-green color changed the objects color in the early light. A similar sighting occurred in the foothills nearby of sighting an object similar in shape.
Nov. 6, Montville, OH. A sharply outlined object with a sombrero appearance (28 feet across by 9 feet tall) was observed for some 5 minutes. There was a slight hum and a phosphorescent glow.
Nov. 6, Cleaveland, OH. A blue or greenish-white beam like searchlights was seen and a blue-green globular object. "Reporting observers cannot be very reliable as to estimated size ..." because their description was that the object was the size of a basketball at arms length and that would make "the object almost three miles in diameter at given altitude."
Nov. 13, Las Vegas, NV
Nov. 14, Hill City, KS. An object observed by a witness in the air was seen to be on a "rising course" for 8-9 minutes, shaped like a football with rounded ends the size of a pea (unclear if the ends or the object were the size of a pea). Appeared to be silver, metallic, had a bright ring around the oval of the object - horizontally - but not extending beyond the edges of the oval. The ring was similar to that seen on Saturn. The object was stationary for about 4 minutes THEN it appeared to follow a B-47 for another minute. THEN it rose vertically until it disappeared. It was noted the object was brighter when in motion. The conclusion was the old favorite - "Venus."
Nov. 23 , Tonopah and Las Vegas area of NV. One labeled "psychological" and this Hynek questioned and with good cause. The report was four objects seen for 20 minutes moving north. The "discs" were 50 feet away, they rose and slowly disappeared, a loud humming noise was heard, small landing impressions reported. This case was evaluated as an optical illusion or mistaken identity of conventional aircraft or due to road fatigue, road hypnosis and existing conditions (half lift of dawn, flat country with good reflective surfaces and qualities. It was labeled a case with "psychological implications" and a "possible hoax." The report is some 53 pages in length and some pages are missing. Several complaints about messages with questions not being answered, etc. Often these were labeled with "messages or actions taken to contact Dr. Fitts for analysis or reports on incident..."Capt Gregory and S. Simpson on 24 March 1958 exchanged a communication "Ref your informal notes on Dr. Fitts...he failed to show up. In view of already sticky situation on this matter plus....I think it best for BMI to not intercede anymore."" Then , "no matter now xxx xxxx reached interest of high level Washington groups..." Dr. Paul H. Fits, was with the Department of Psychology at Ohio State University and, for a time, was an Air Force Project Blue Book (and maybe other intelligence groups?) consultant for special cases. The sighting had been made by Lt. Joseph F. Long, 23 Nov. 1957 west of Tenapah, Nevada. Some labeled this as unique as no military pilot prior to this had a "close encounter. Made contact...or near contact." What makes this file also unique is that large segments of the file contain photocopies from a book, Aboard the Flying Saucers, by Truman Bethemin who in 1952 had an "encounter "not far from the same location. The statement by the witness in the 1957 case provided a lot of detail as distance, descriptions, etc. Oddly, the report included a statement by the psychologist who cited a "lack of details" as a nail in the coffin of the hallucination!
Nov. 25, Scott AFB, ILL
Dec. Duncanville, Texas. An object described as three-cornered star with the number of points of light changing as viewed. It was the size of a grapefruit seen through binoculars. Colors were white, green, blue and with the binoculars that only changed to blue, green and white. Object had points like antenna and moved only 45 degrees in two hours.
