Project 10073 Record Card — Gate City, Virginia, 7 Jan 54

On January 7, 1954, at approximately 0130Z, five civilian observers in the vicinity of Gate City, Virginia, reported sighting an unidentified aerial object. The object was described as tubular in shape, emitting yellow and red flames from both ends. It was observed traveling on a straight course toward the North-Northwest at a slow rate of speed, at an estimated altitude of 10,000 feet. The observers reported hearing a whirring noise associated with the object. Weather conditions at the time were reported as clear with 10 miles of visibility and calm surface winds. The incident was reported to the ADC 35th Air Division and McGhee-Tyson Air Force Base, though no information regarding radar contact or intercept attempts was available. The report was processed by the Operations Office at the Maxwell Flight Service Center. Due to the lack of duration data and other specific details, the official conclusion recorded on the Project 10073 record card was that there was insufficient data for evaluation, with a note suggesting the object could have been an aircraft or a meteor.