Project 10073 Record: Incident #356 - Springfield, Mass.

This document details a sighting incident (Incident #356) that occurred on June 7, 1949, in Springfield, Massachusetts. A civilian observer, described as a writer of excellent character and high intelligence, reported seeing an unconventional aerial object while at his residence at 37 Pineywoods Avenue. The observer described the object as a white, spherical, non-shiny craft, approximately the size of a small jet fighter, which lacked wings or visible propulsion systems. According to the report, the object was first seen flying horizontally before performing an abrupt vertical ascent and subsequently returning to its original position. The observation lasted approximately five seconds. The witness noted that the object did not emit sound or exhaust and was not near any clouds. The Air Force investigation, conducted by Captain Archie F. Roy and involving the 16th OSI District, concluded that the object was likely a weather balloon released from Bedford Air Force Base, Massachusetts, which could have been in the vicinity at the time. The report notes that the observer's estimate of the duration was likely inaccurate, as the described maneuvers would have been impossible to perform in such a short timeframe. The document includes teletype messages between Westover Air Force Base and the Air Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, as well as a correction regarding a separate investigation involving a witness named Gabel. The file is marked as unclassified and includes standard administrative metadata regarding its handling under Project 10073 and Project Grudge.