Project 10073 Worksheet and Related Correspondence — Florence, South Carolina, July 1952

This document contains a collection of reports and correspondence regarding an Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon sighting that occurred on July 10, 1952, near Florence, South Carolina. The primary report, filed as IR-406-52 by Lt. Colonel Frank M. Allen of the Air Technical Intelligence Center, details a sighting by a civilian observer who reported seeing a very bright object moving rapidly on the horizon, making large sweeping circles. The observer described the object as a shiny ball that did not look like a typical 'flying saucer' but rather like a star out of its usual position. The sighting lasted approximately 15 to 20 minutes under excellent weather conditions. The document includes a 'Tentative Observers Data Sheet' filled out by the witness, who identified themselves as a civilian radar supervisor and former student of the Army Radar School. The witness noted that their attention was called to the object by a student named Pes Martinelli. The witness also corresponded with the Air Force, expressing a desire for accuracy and clarification after learning that their report had been noted. The official Air Force evaluation of the incident, documented in the notes on the incident, concludes that the objects observed were B-36 aircraft on a mission with fighter escort. The report notes that while fighters were sighted, no single source reported the B-36s in the area, despite their presence. The document also includes a radar observation data sheet, though it indicates no physical evidence or radar contact was associated with this specific sighting. The file concludes with a note regarding the Tremonton, Utah film, suggesting this document was part of a larger collection of 1952 sightings.