Occurred: 1971-07-15 22:00 Local - Approximate
Reported: 1998-05-14 00:00 Pacific
Duration: 5 - 6 min.
No of observers: 2

Location: Hancock (vicinity), MI, USA

Shape: Formation
Characteristics: Lights on object

Three very bright nocturnal lights on approx 40-degree angle. Approx 150-200 yds from 1st to 3rd light. Approx 1 mile from observers, approx 1000 ft altitude. No sound, no movement.

Myself and another Coast Guardsman observed this returning from Calumet heading west toward our Coast Guard station at the north end of the Keweenaw Waterway. Date above is approx, to be best of my recollection. Began as one light coming on, then 2nd, then 3rd. Approx position half mile northeast of Keweenaw Waterway upper entrance (near F.J. McLain State Park, if it's still there).Could not tell if it was one object or three separate. We turned off the car and got out. There was absolutely no sound or movement, and it was still, clear night. I flicked on the headlights and went from low to high beam and turned them off. Within 5 seconds the object's center light went out for about 10 seconds then came back on. We'd been observing it for over 5 minutes at this point. Spooked, we got back in the car, started it and watched another full minute as the object's lights extinguished individually. We could not make out any shape(s) but were convinced beyond any doubt that what we had seen was unconventional, to say the least. I'd like to know if any similar sightings have been reported. Although this happened a long time ago it kind of haunts me and I know I'll never forget it. Have there been sightings involving 3 bright lights, especially near Lake Superior? To cap off the sighting, we returned to the Coast Guard station where I called an Air Force installation (radar, I believe) which to my recollection was north of Calumet going toward Copper Harbor. Don't know if it's still there. I told the officer on duty I was with the Coast Guard and asked if they'd picked up anything on radar in the area I described to him but he wouldn't tell me anything, either yes or no. Please contact me about this. Thanks very much! ((Name deleted))

Posted 1999-01-28

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