March 4, 1960 — Dubuque, IA
5:55 p.m. Charles R. Morris and his wife, while watching his flying students perform aerobatics in Dubuque, Iowa, observe three elliptical UFOs moving in a line, glowing blue-white, and arcing from the southeast to the northeast. Morris runs inside to retrieve his camera, but his 8 mm Kodachrome film fails to capture them. The objects travel across an arc of about 135° over four minutes before disappearing while climbing slightly. NICAP member Alexander D. Mebane interviews Morris a few days later, confirming additional details. The UFOs, at their largest, appear to be about one-eighth the apparent size of the moon, produce no sound, and leave no trails. The third object occasionally lags behind. The Air Force interrogates Morris and informs him that no aircraft were scheduled in the area. He checks with Cedar Rapids Air Traffic Control, which confirms the same.
Record Card:
Letter:
UFO Analysis Sheet:
Tacker’s response about lack of UFOs on the film:
Radar Check w/Newsclip:
Civilian UFO Research Study:
Sources:
“Iowan Photographs 3 Flying Objects,” Council Bluffs (Ia.) Daily Nonpareil, March 6, 1960, p. 4C;
Brad Sparks, Blue Books Unknowns Catalogue, Case 1437, p. 283;
Richard Hall, The UFO Evidence, p. 40;
Kevin D. Randle, “UFOs Caught by the Movie Camera,” Official UFO, Collector’s Edition, Fall 1976, p. 72;
