Project 10073 Record Card — Kelly AFB, Texas, 14 August 1952

This document comprises a collection of reports and correspondence regarding an Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon (UAP) sighting that occurred on 14 August 1952 at Kelly Air Force Base, Texas. The primary report, an Air Intelligence Information Report (AF Form 112), details an incident observed by seven civilian employees at approximately 1545 hours. The witnesses, who were located at the Compass Rose at the end of Runway 9-27, reported seeing a single, round, aluminum-colored object. The object was estimated to be the size of a softball and was observed at an altitude of approximately 30,000 feet. The witnesses described the object as having a metallic appearance and noted that it performed slow, sweeping turns and reversed direction. The object was observed for a duration ranging from one to thirty minutes, during which it appeared and disappeared intermittently, sometimes moving behind clouds. The witnesses reported that the object traveled at speeds estimated in excess of 1500 miles per hour. No aerodynamic features, such as wings, or propulsion signatures, such as exhaust trails, were observed. The witnesses, who were experienced with aircraft, stated that the object's behavior was unlike any conventional aircraft they had encountered. The report emphasizes that the observation was made visually without the aid of optical or electronic equipment. A formal statement signed by the witnesses confirms their account, noting that the object appeared to be traveling at a fast rate of speed toward the West, then completed a 180-degree turn to head East. The witnesses expressed that they were at a loss for a logical explanation for the sighting. The documentation includes a Project 10073 record card, which summarizes the key data points of the incident, including the location, time, and the lack of radar or photographic evidence. The file also contains a transmittal letter from the San Antonio Air Materiel Area to the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, forwarding the report in compliance with AF Letter 200-5. The documentation reflects a standard military intelligence procedure for processing UAP reports during the early 1950s, emphasizing the collection of witness testimony and the assessment of potential threats to national security, although no specific official conclusion regarding the nature of the object is provided in the text.