In July 1947, my Dad and I were working in our corn field in Clintwood, Virginia (Dickerson County). Around 3 PM, we looked up up see a cylinder shaped UFO crossing a clear blue sky at a high rate of speed. The altitude was unknown but, it was close enough to get a very clear view of the object with a long trail of orange fire immediately behind it.

The object was traveling from northeast to southwest.  I can not remember any noise coming from the object.  
My back ground, I was a Antenna And Cable Specialist in the U S Airforce from 1956-1960.   I spent 30 months working at Cape Canaveral Florida from 1958 to 1960.  I know from my work at the Cape that the U S had no rockets of this type during that period as I was accustomed to seeing them explode on the launch pads almost weekly while trying to get them launched.  
I can still picture this sighting in my mind as clear as if it were yesterday.  I have never told of this sighting to anyone except to my wife and son during the last 51 years.  
I wanted to get this sighting recorded while I am still living.  I am presently 72 years old and in good health.
Witness indicates that the date of the sighting is approximate.  PD