Project 10073 Record Card and Observer Questionnaire — Cotati, California, 16 August 1952

This document contains the official record and observer questionnaire for a sighting reported on 16 August 1952 near Cotati, California. A Ground Observer Corps member reported observing eight round, white, flat objects, estimated at 25-35 feet in diameter, traveling in a straight line at an estimated altitude of 300 feet. The witness, who was on duty at a GOC post, described the objects as appearing like 'white ping pong balls' at a great height. According to the witness, the objects traveled at speeds between 50 and 150 mph with no sound. One object reportedly stopped for approximately five minutes, performed a quick maneuver to the north, returned to its original position, and then departed to the southeast. The witness noted that other individuals in Santa Rosa also observed the phenomenon. The Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base processed the report. An internal evaluation note on the record card suggests the objects might have been 'Skyhook' balloons launched from Tillamook, Oregon. The evaluator expressed skepticism regarding the reported altitude of 300 feet, noting that if the objects were indeed at that low altitude, they would not have been visible for the reported 30-minute duration. The document includes the original Project 10073 record card, a weather data sheet, and the completed observer questionnaire, which provides detailed personal accounts of the sighting conditions and the witness's observations.