Project 10073 Record — Incident 305, San Bernardino, California, 7 April 1949

On April 7, 1949, two pilots, Lt. Edwin B. Reeser and Lt. Marvin M. Van Salter of the 196th Fighter Squadron, were flying a National Guard T-6 aircraft near Riverside, California. While performing maneuvers at approximately 8,000 feet, the pilots observed a red and grey object tumbling in a forward direction. The object was initially mistaken for a wing tip tank. Shortly after observing this object, the pilots noticed four additional white objects in the sky, which they described as resembling parachutes but lacking shroud lines or bodies. These objects were observed floating at an altitude of approximately 6,000 feet, spaced about 1,000 feet apart. The objects reflected a pure white color and were not metallic. The pilots attempted to climb to investigate the objects, but they vanished in an easterly direction. The incident was reported to the Intelligence Officer at San Bernardino Air Force Base. The official conclusion recorded on the Project 10073 form was that there was insufficient data for evaluation, with a secondary note suggesting the objects were 'other' (parachutes). The report includes a narrative summary from the pilots, who emphasized that the objects were observed directly over March Field and that they maintained a consistent distance from one another while floating.