Gordonsville, VA: Shiny object, jets scrambled
On June 15, 1952, a shiny round object appeared over Gordonsville, Virginia, prompting multiple airliner and military jet intercepts that failed. Later sightings included a glowing UFO over Blackstone, with jets arriving too late.
Background
Sightings and Timeline
On June 15, 1952 at 16:20, a round, shining object was observed over Gordonsville, Virginia. Five minutes later the crew of an airliner reported a silver sphere over Richmond. At 16:33 a Marine fighter took off from Marine Corps Base Quantico and attempted to intercept a target south of Gordonsville, but turned back without success.
Military Reactions
At 17:43 an Air Force fighter attempted to catch the shining object, reached 35,000 feet, but had to break off. Later, at 19:35, a UFO with a golden glow appeared over Blackstone, Virginia. Fighters from Langley AFB in Hampton were scrambled, but arrived at 20:05, by which time the object had already disappeared.
Witnesses and Reports
The observations came from civilians, aircrew, and military pilots. Newspapers such as the Richmond News Leader and the Times-Dispatch reported at length. Edward Ruppelt mentions the incident in his book. The first sighting aroused strong Air Force interest. No explanation was found; some suggested a fireball, but the behaviour does not fit.