USN P2V3 patrol plane pilot Lieutenant Smith and radar officer A. L. C. Gaskey briefly detected a radar target 20 miles north, then another target south of Kodiak at 2:48 a.m, possibly the same target traveling 225 mph in between. Smith radioed Kodiak NAS to look for other air traffic but none was reported. Gaskey then noticed strong radar interference preventing him from tracking the target. At three a.m. watch officers Morgan and Carver on the USS Tillamook, south of Kodiak island saw a maneuvering red exhaust-like or orange ball of fire circle the Kodiak area in 30 seconds clockwise beginning and ending in the SE. At 4:40 a.m, P2V3 radar picked up fast moving target at five miles which closed that distance in ten seconds (1,800 mph) to dead ahead position, where it was seen as "two orange lights rotating about a common center like two jet aircraft making slow rolls in tight formation." Smith tried to pursue but object came at him in a "highly threatening gesture." Smith turned off all aircraft lights to reduce visibility, object flew off to the southeast, disappearing in four minutes.

More than one orange-red ball was observed by over four male military witnesses in-flight for several minutes.

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