NUFORC Sighting 04047

Occurred: 1965-07-20 20:30 Local - Approximate
Reported: 1998-09-06 00:00 Pacific
Duration: 5 Mins.
No of observers: 10

Location: Santa Ana, CA, USA

Shape: Circle

While driving through the intersection of 17'th St. & Prospect Ave., in the Santa Ana/No. Tustin area just before dusk on a Summer evening in 1965, I noticed 5-10 cars stopped & people looking up at the sky. I got out of my car & looked up & saw a bright,circular object in the sky. It was stationary, and looked bigger than a full moon.

I'm not sure of the exact date or time, but it was during the summer of 1965; it could have been June, July, or Aug., and it was between 21:00 and 22:00, just before dusk. I was 19 yrs old and returning from an evening college class, when I drove through the intersection of 17'th St. & Prospect Ave. in the North Tustin/Santa Ana, Ca. area. I noticed 5-10 cars pulled off the road, including a Calif. Highway Patrol car, and people were out of their cars (including a Ca. Hwy Patrrolman) and gazing upward, towards the south, at a brightly lit circular object that appeared as bright as a full moon, and slightly larger. I knew it was not the Moon, however, because I could see the Moon in another part of the sky. The object, which I would estimate was a half mile to one mile away, did not move while I watched it for several minutes. Since I was only about a half mile from my house, I hopped in my car and drove as fast as I could to my house, because I wanted to point out the object to my Mother & Brother. By the time I got to my house the object was no longer visible. I never saw anything in the newspapers, or other media, about this event, and I have never seen any other anomalous objects in the sky, either before, or after this event. What I would like to find out is if there were any other reports of this incident, or if there was an official explanation. I'm wondering if it could have been a weather balloon, or some other military operation, since I was just a few miles from the Santa Ana Marine Corps. Helicopter Base, as well as El Toro Marine Corps. Air Station.

Posted 1999-01-28