Project 10073 Record Card — Rhein Main AB, Germany, 14 August 1951

This document is an Air Intelligence Information Report concerning an unidentified aerial phenomenon observed on 14 August 1951 at 2020Z near Rhein Main Air Base, Germany. The report details the testimony of two witnesses, a Captain and a 2nd Lieutenant from the 10th Troop Carrier Squadron (M), who had just completed a local flight. According to the witnesses, they observed a round, white object south of the air base. The object initially appeared to descend slowly, as if suspended from a parachute, before leveling off into a southerly course. Subsequently, the object performed rapid maneuvers, turning to the West and then to the East. The witnesses noted that the object traveled at an extremely high speed after leveling off, left no trail, and maintained a steady course. They estimated the object to be at a very high altitude, though its brilliance made it appear closer. The observers stated that, to the best of their knowledge, the object was not any known aircraft. The report includes an evaluation by the interviewer, Captain Joseph H. Riger Jr., who describes the primary witness as a mature, reliable, and experienced flying officer. The official conclusion recorded on the Project 10073 record card notes that while the behavior suggested an aircraft, the report was categorized as an astronomical phenomenon, ultimately resulting in a determination of insufficient data for a definitive analysis.