The Kecksburg UFO Incident
Thousands watched a fireball streak across six states. In the Pennsylvania woods, witnesses found an acorn-shaped craft with hieroglyphic writing—before the Army hauled it away.
On December 9, 1965, a brilliant fireball was seen across six U.S. states and Ontario, Canada. Where it landed—near Kecksburg, Pennsylvania—witnesses describe an acorn-shaped object covered in strange symbols, quickly seized by the military.
The Fireball
At approximately 4:47 PM, thousands of people across the Great Lakes region witnessed a brilliant fireball streaking from northwest to southeast. According to documented accounts, it was reported over:
- Michigan
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Ontario, Canada
The object appeared to change direction during flight—unusual for a meteor—and seemed to land in the woods near Kecksburg.
The Object
Local residents who reached the site before authorities described:
- An acorn or bell-shaped object, 12-15 feet long
- Metallic bronze/gold coloring
- A raised band around the base covered in symbols resembling hieroglyphics
- No visible seams, windows, or propulsion
- The object was warm but not hot
The Military Response
Within hours, the U.S. Army arrived and cordoned off the area. Witnesses reported:
- Armed soldiers ordering civilians away
- A flatbed truck leaving the scene with a tarp-covered object
- Threats made to some witnesses
- Official denial that anything was found
The military initially claimed nothing was recovered, later stating it was a meteor.
Investigation
The case was investigated by journalist Stan Gordon for decades. Key findings:
- Multiple credible witnesses with consistent descriptions
- Evidence of military cordon and recovery operation
- Anomalies in the official meteor explanation
- Similarities to other recovered object descriptions
NASA Connection
In 2005, NASA admitted they had examined fragments from Kecksburg in 1965, contradicting the “nothing found” story. However, they claimed the records were lost, preventing further investigation.
Theories
Proposed explanations include:
- A Soviet satellite re-entry (Cosmos 96, though its trajectory doesn’t match)
- A meteor with unusual properties
- Recovered alien technology
- A secret U.S. military project
The Kecksburg object, whatever it was, has never been officially identified. The town now celebrates “UFO Days” and features an acorn-shaped monument.