Project 10073 Record and Investigation Reports — Incident 402 and 402A

This document is a compilation of investigation records under Project SIGN and Project 10073, detailing unidentified aerial phenomena sightings in Louisiana during July 1949. The file includes multiple incident reports, specifically Incident 402 and 402A, and a formal Report of Investigation dated August 8, 1949, authored by Donald V. Owens of the Office of Special Investigations at Barksdale AFB. The sightings involved various witnesses, including a housewife in Moreauville and a professor of anatomy in New Orleans. Descriptions of the objects varied; one witness described a luminous, oblong object with finger-like projections moving faster than an aircraft, while another described a brilliant, golden, round object moving very slowly, at approximately 2 to 5 miles per hour. The witnesses were generally assessed as reliable and emotionally stable. Despite the detailed accounts provided by the observers, the official conclusion for the incidents was categorized as 'AIRCRAFT'. The investigation followed standard procedures for the era, including checking for radar contact, physical evidence, and weather conditions, though none were found to be associated with the sightings. The document also includes general instructions for investigators regarding how to handle reports of unidentified aerial phenomena, such as checking for Geiger counter readings, obtaining soil samples, and securing signed statements from witnesses.