Louisville, KY: Cigar-shaped object maneuvers
Former Navy radar technician Edward Duke observed a cigar-shaped unidentified object near Standiford Field, Louisville, Kentucky, on June 15, 1952. It featured lights on both sides, a red rear glow, moved at 400-500 mph, changed directions for 15 minutes, then descended northeast.
Background
Witness and Location
Edward Duke, a former Navy radar technician, observed the event at 23:50 on June 15, 1952 near Standiford Field (today Louisville International Airport), Louisville, Kentucky. He was a qualified observer with a military background in radar technology.
Sighting and Behaviour
The object had a cigar-like shape with lights at both ends of the hull and a reddish sheen at the rear. It moved at a speed of about 400–500 mph, manoeuvred in various directions over 15 minutes, then descended and flew off to the northeast.
Evidence and Sources
The event is documented in a Blue Book file and mentioned in Sparks, p. 142. It is a well-attested sighting by an experienced witness near an airport, which suggests possible radar or air traffic correlations.
Significance
The observation belongs to the 1952 wave, a peak period of ufological activity in the USA, and its military character is underlined by the witness and the location. No conventional explanation is available.