Project 10073 Record — Charleston, South Carolina, 24 April 1954

This document is a Project 10073 record detailing an unidentified aerial phenomenon sighting that occurred on April 24, 1954, at 0105 hours near Charleston, South Carolina. The report includes a standard project form and a subsequent teletype message (JESYQ 313) sent from the Flight Service Center at Maxwell AFB to the Air Technical Intelligence Center and other military commands. The object was observed by two military personnel, an Air Operations Specialist and a Tower Operator, both stationed at Charleston AFB. The witnesses described the object as a flat, oblong shape, approximately 25 feet long. It was initially white, then turned greenish-blue, and finally returned to white. A trail estimated at 20 to 30 feet long was observed behind the object. The duration of the sighting was between 6 and 8 seconds. The object maintained a straight and level flight path, appearing to observers as an aircraft coming in for a landing on Runway 15. The weather conditions at the time were reported as overcast with a 2500-foot ceiling and visibility of 15 miles or more. The official conclusion recorded in the Project 10073 file is that the phenomenon was 'PROBABLY ASTRONOMICAL: METEOR.' The documentation provides detailed meteorological data for the time of the sighting, including wind speeds at various altitudes, to support the assessment. The report was signed by an individual named Golinsky.