Project 10073 Record Card and Air Intelligence Information Report — Lake Mead, Nevada, 8 April 1952

This document is an Air Intelligence Information Report (IR-2-52) dated 19 April 1952, detailing a sighting of an unidentified object near Lake Mead, Nevada, on 8 April 1952. The primary witness was an M/Sgt from the 102nd Bomb Squadron, who was on a fishing trip with his wife and a friend. The witness, described by his commanding officer as highly reliable with twelve years of service, reported observing a silver object that appeared to be the size of a B-36 aircraft but without wings. The object was observed for approximately one hour, during which time it hovered. The witnesses noted that their attention was initially drawn to the object due to a flight of F-86 aircraft passing overhead, which were leaving vapor trails at an altitude of at least 15,000 feet. The witnesses believed the unidentified object was at a considerably higher altitude than these vapor trails. The weather conditions were reported as CAVU (Ceiling and Visibility Unlimited). The report explicitly states that no physical evidence was available and that the observation was visual only, with no radar contact. The document includes a Project 10073 record card, which categorizes the incident as having insufficient data for evaluation, with a handwritten note suggesting it was likely a balloon. The report concludes that the sighting was likely related to the presence of aircraft in the area under clear weather conditions. The document is marked as unclassified and includes standard declassification instructions for the period.