Project 10073 Record Card: Sighting of Unidentified Object Near Blackstone, Virginia

This document is a field report from the 21st District Office of Special Investigations (OSI) regarding a sighting of an unidentified object near Blackstone, Virginia, on January 28, 1954. The primary witness, a CAA Control Tower Operator, observed a bright, white, circular object at approximately 1715 hours. The witness described the object as stationary, bright, and shining, appearing at an altitude between 12,000 and 15,000 feet. The object was later observed by a pilot of an F-94 aircraft, who estimated its altitude to be between 30,000 and 40,000 feet. The object reportedly made no noise, emitted no smoke, and left no vapor trail. It remained stationary for a period before moving in an easterly direction and disappearing. The investigation included interviews with CAA personnel and military officers, including Captain Marvin H. Castleberry of the 48th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, who confirmed that the 771st AC & W Squadron had been notified of the sighting. The report notes that while weather balloons had been reported in the area, the witness could not definitively identify the object as a balloon. However, the final conclusion reached by the evaluating authorities was that the sighting was a balloon observation, with the object's movement consistent with wind speeds at altitude. The document includes various endorsements and routing slips, indicating it was forwarded to the Air Technical Intelligence Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base for further review.