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IN REPLY, PLEASE REFER TO FILE No. Federal Burean of Investigation United States Department of Justice Kaas, epey? Re dtord Va 4. | Did You See It? Well, What | By WELLS CALDWELL ‘The strange object seen travel- ing across the heavens just after sundown last night has. caused widespread speculation here in Radford as well as in other sec- tions. of Southwestern Virginia and Eastern Tennessee. ; _Exactly* what the mysterious traveler: was, no one here seems to know, ‘and the number of con- flicting reports have only added to the confusion. This much seems to be cer- tain: the object appeared over the _ Southwest horizion shortly before 8 p.m. and was moving eastward. Also, it was black, or at least part. of it was. . A Radford man, living in the east - ‘end section, asked that his name not be used, but give this version: ' ST was working in the yard when I ‘glanced up and: saw’ a long black ‘thing flying across the sky. It.came from the direc- } tion of Pulaski. It looked a | great deal like a rounded stick of wood which was’ peal in 4 front. The object was trailed by either vapor or smoke and faded from view when it seemed to be directly overhead.” Mrs. Alfréd Tolley, of 1702 Seventh Street, west, reported her 12-year-old son, Albert, was playing next door and noticed the object. She said her son had been studying comets in school and called her attention to the phenomenon, thinking that it was either a’comet or a meteor. “The strange looking object”, she said “was long and black with a light on the front end. It seemed to follow the air route from the directon of . Pulaski, later turning and heading toward Blacksburg. . There was a light on the front end and great long streaks of fire. We saw it for about. 10° minutes.” Miss Joe Stewart, of the Rad- ford College biology department, said she saw the object and as- sumed it was the exhaust from an airplane,. She added that she was “in no way alarmed.” Fred W. Hurt, of Fourth and Harvey Streets, gave this ver- sion: “At the first appearance it looked like a comet. I recall Halley’s comet and it resembled | that. There was, at first, a bright spot ahead of the stream of fire, but the trail didn’t look t aes elit cies wa ay west ast. so bright when the. object reach- | phen ed its. zenith. “It appeared to be moving slow- ly at first and later very “fast, which indicates that it was quite a distance away when I first r The object seemed’ to| | saw it, follow a-straight path, however it véered a little once — in sort of an arc — and then stralghted'|c out agin. I heard no. noise.” Mrs. James. D. Heinline, of: 60 Jackson . Street, Monroe Terrace,| © said she and her husband- watch- ec it with some neighbors, “It looked’ like a Jong cigar. which was on. fire’) sh stated. “We heard a faint sound, which might have been a small motor.. At times: it looked — like an’ airplane ‘way, ‘way. -off.. 1) thought: at first it might | ‘be a comet or a pee but it tyenmed: black she’ B. Gra burg, % forme estimated . the object at 6; re sig or port, Sen: ae I ‘Bedford. i