DOW-UAP-D177: Catalina light assessed as a probable meteor
A March 1955 Catalina Island file records Paul J. Carr’s approximately two-second sighting of a bright light descending straight down. Capt. Clifford E. Brant judged the path and duration consistent with a probable meteor. The index card calls it possibly astronomical and says the brief sighting did not warrant further investigation.
- File
- Document · Release 07
- Date
- 1955-03-15
- Location
- Catalina Island, California
- Extent
- 4 pages
Search This File
Probed Assessment
The released file favors an astronomical explanation, with a probable meteor assessment based on a brief downward track.
Key takeaways
- The reported light was visible for about two seconds.
- The teletype names Carr and the assessing officer Brant.
- The index card records a possibly astronomical classification and no further investigation.
Why it matters
The document’s own assessment is more informative than its broad manifest title.
Corroboration
The cards summarize the same report; they are not independent observations.
Open questions
- • Is any more precise observation time available?
Probed separates this editorial assessment from the source claims below. It summarizes what the released artifact supports; it is not independent verification.
Official Description from War.gov
The file contains a report by Paul J. Carr of Avalon, California, who reported observing a bright orange object, approximately the size of a nickel held at arm’s length, on the evening of March 15, 1955. The provisional assessment associated with the report includes a comment from the preparing officer that the sighting is possibly astronomical, and that the incident did not warrant further investigation.
Preserved verbatim as source metadata. This wording is separate from Probed’s file-specific description and assessment.
File Context
Related entities
Tracker findings
Avalon report described an orange-red light
The record card dates the Avalon sighting March 15, 1955 and summarizes a bright, round light changing from orange to red and falling straight down.
Brief sighting lasted about two seconds
The index card records about two seconds of observation and an apparent size compared with a nickel at arm’s length.
Air Force card favored a meteor
Brant’s assessment is a probable meteor, based specifically on the reported path and very short duration.
The observation time remains internally inconsistent
One card lists the time as unknown while the other carries a 15/2231Z group; the file does not clearly distinguish an event time from message timing.
Release provenance
- Release
- Release 07
- Official ID
- release-07-file-004-dow-uap-d177-unresolved-uap-report-catalina-island-1955
- Cleared
- Oct 23, 2026
Referenced Timeline
Carr reports brief descending light
The cards date the Avalon event March 15; the exact observation time is not securely established by the inconsistent time fields.
Brant records probable-meteor assessment
The transmitted report cites path and duration as the grounds for a probable meteor.
Source Claims
Claims are attributed to the released source and remain distinct from Probed’s assessment and tracker findings.
The record card dates the Avalon sighting March 15, 1955 and summarizes a bright, round light changing from orange to red and falling straight down.
Round. Changed from orange to red. Very bright. Fell straight down.
The index card records about two seconds of observation and an apparent size compared with a nickel at arm’s length.
approx the size of a nickel held at arm's length
The transmitted report names Paul J. Carr of Avalon as the civilian source and records unaided ground-visual observation.
Carr, Paul J., Avalon.
Brant’s assessment is a probable meteor, based specifically on the reported path and very short duration.
Flight path and length of time in sight, suggest UFOB was probably a meteor.
The 4602d AISS index card says the observation was possibly astronomical and that its brevity did not justify further investigation.
due to the brevity of the sighting, no further investigation was deemed worthwhile by this organization
One card lists the time as unknown while the other carries a 15/2231Z group; the file does not clearly distinguish an event time from message timing.
GMT: unknown.
Source Material & Evidence
Research Map
Lines appear only when two entities share a row-level source claim or dated timeline event. Unconnected nodes remain visible without implying a relationship.