Project 10073 Record — Incident #321, Unity, Maryland

This document details a sighting report filed under Project 10073 regarding an unidentified aerial phenomenon observed on April 21, 1949, in Unity, Maryland. The witness, an individual associated with the National Parks Association, reported observing a 'ribbon of light' in the sky at approximately 10:15 P.M. The observer, who utilized 7x50 binoculars, described the object as a wide streak of luminosity that appeared to extend irregularly downward. According to the narrative, the object was initially positioned at 70 degrees altitude before dropping to 20 degrees. Over the course of a 15-minute observation, the object reportedly turned eastward, bunched up, and split into two arms, eventually forming a shape described as a 'broad, bluntly pointed head' with two faint tails. The witness explicitly noted that the phenomenon did not resemble a meteor, aurora borealis, or a comet. Following the initial report, the witness corresponded with the Technical Intelligence Division at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, providing a detailed account and sketches of the event. The official conclusion reached by the Air Materiel Command was that the object was a cloud or a contrail. The file includes the original sighting report form, the witness's personal correspondence, and a formal acknowledgment from the Air Force, signed by Colonel W. R. Clingerman, requesting further information via a standard questionnaire.