Rome, Italy Cigar-Shaped Object
Document coverPage 1 of 65_HS1-834228961_62-HQ-83894_Section_8 · View original on war.gov
On September 18, 1954, a strange cigar-shaped or cone-shaped object was observed streaking over Rome, Italy; radar operators tracked it for 39 minutes as it descended, hovered briefly at 6,000 feet, then ascended rapidly leaving a white smoke trail.
“Startled Romans who saw a strange cigar-shaped object streaking over the capital flooded newspaper offices with calls. Radar operators also reported picking up the missile on instruments. Technicians at Ciampino Airfield described the "half-cigar" as plummeting toward earth for more than 1000 ft., then rising at tremendous speed before vanishing.”
Verbatim from 65_HS1-834228961_62-HQ-83894_Section_8 · View original on war.gov
Case details
- Date
- 1954-09-18
- Precision
- day
- Location
- Rome, Italy
- Country
- Italy
- Branch
- FBI
- Unit
- Ciampino Airfield; Rome Radar Station
- Sensors
- eyewitness, radar
- Shape
- cigar-shaped or half-cigar; inverted sawed-off cone
- Altitude
- 6000 ft
- Duration
- 2340s
Resolution
Radar contact for 39 minutes; strange staccato sound like thunder; object able to hover mid-air
Source document
Agency: FBI
File: 65_HS1-834228961_62-HQ-83894_Section_8
Case ID: 1954-FBI-D836CB
View original on war.gov →Extracted via LLM. Verbatim excerpt validated.