CLAXTON
L6 chondrite
Fell December 10, 1984
Claxton, Georgia

The Claxton meteorite was witnessed to fall on Monday 10th December 1984 in the usually peaceful town of Claxton , Georgia, USA . A Vietnam veteran had just stepped outside his mobile home when the whistling sound of the incoming meteorite reminded him of a morter round and a loud bang announced the arrival of this L6 stone meteorite rock from space !! After arguing with the mailbox, the meteorite continued and buried itself in a 28cm impact pit in the earth beneath the mailbox. The meteorite struck with such force that galvanized metal from the mailbox was found in the stone. Not bad considering it only weighed only a mere 1,445g. Interestingly, one observer a few miles away actually saw the fireball. It was described as being yellow in color, teardrop in shape, and bright enough to be clearly seen in broad daylight.

Sky & Telescope, March 1985, p. 222:

At about 5:30 p.m. EST on December 10th, 1984 , just after sunset at Statesboro , Georgia , a brilliant fireball was seen through partly cloudy skies. About 25 miles farther south near the town of Claxton , Don Richardson was stepping out of his trailer when a whistling that reminded him of an incoming mortar round in Vietnam made him flinch. With a loud bang something struck a mailbox 112 feet away and smashed it to the ground. Three other people heard the whistling and crash, including two inside a trailer nearer the impact. A 3-pound meteorite was found embedded 11 inches in the ground beneath the mailbox.

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