4.07.2024

The 701 club: Case 1783 August 2, 1952 Lake Charles, Louisiana

Don Berlinner describes the case as follows:

Aug. 2, 1952; Lake Charles, Louisiana. 3 a.m. Witnesses: USAF lst Lt. W.A. Theil, one enlisted man. One red ball with a blue flame tail flew straight and level for 3-4 seconds.1

Sparks’ entry is a repeat of Berlinner’s entry.2

The Blue Book file3

The Lake Charles file for August 1952 is full of meteor reports. This case consists of a record card and a message reporting the sighting. There is not much more than that. The message does not contain a lot of information other than what Berlinner describes.

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Object described as a red spherical object with a blue flame trailing

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Propulsion resembled a jet or rocket.

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The speed was listed as “very fast”

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Course was straight and level

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Time of observation was 0300 CST on 2 August.

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Duration was 3-4 seconds.

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Object went from south to north.

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There was an aircraft in the vicinity making an approach around the time of the sighting.

Analysis

In my opinion, this case should have been solved the instant they received the report. This is nothing to suggest this was not a meteor. The object flew straight and lasted a matter of seconds. It was visible at night. These are all characteristics of a meteor observation The “blue flame” was probably the ion train that was left behind by the meteor’s passage.

Conclusion

This event can be classified as probably a meteor. The case does not deserve to be on the list of Blue Book unknowns.

Quelle: SUNlite 4/2024