Today in UFO History

September 24, 1959 - Near Redmond, Oregon, USA:

The Redmond, Oregon Sighting

On September 24, 1959, police officer Robert Dickerson spotted a brilliant object hovering near Redmond, Oregon. He described an intense light that appeared to change colors and move erratically across the predawn sky. After attempting to approach it by car, Dickerson went to the local FAA facility, where aviation personnel joined the observation.

FAA specialist Laverne Wertz reportedly watched the object through binoculars as it hovered and changed position. The sighting was considered unusual enough that the FAA contacted military authorities, turning what began as a police report into a significant aerial investigation.

Radar personnel subsequently reported an unidentified target in the general Redmond area. The military dispatched several aircraft, including F-102 interceptors, to investigate. Despite the response, the aircraft failed to establish confirmed visual or radar contact with the mysterious object, and a civilian aircraft equipped with a Geiger counter detected no unusual radiation.

The incident was eventually investigated by Project Blue Book. Air Force analysts questioned whether the visual sighting and radar return were actually connected, considering atmospheric effects involving Venus or other bright celestial objects as possible explanations for what witnesses had seen. Radar anomalies were also considered.

No single explanation conclusively accounted for every reported aspect of the encounter. The Redmond sighting therefore remains an intriguing Cold War-era UFO case, particularly because it involved a police officer, FAA personnel, radar reports, and a genuine military interception effort rather than a single isolated eyewitness.