Project 10073 Record — Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, 19 May 1954

This document is a Report of Investigation concerning a sighting of unidentified flying objects in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, on 19 May 1954. The investigation was initiated following reports from local residents, including a fishing camp operator, who observed three reddish-yellow, round objects at approximately 2030 hours. The witnesses described the objects as being the size of a star or twice that size, exhibiting bobbing, weaving, and side-to-side motions without making any sound. The objects were observed for approximately one hour at an elevation of 30 degrees in the northeast. The witnesses reported that the objects appeared to be reflected in the water of the bay. The investigation was conducted by Special Agent Joe H. Tuck of the 9th OSI District, with assistance from Special Agent Louie E. Coleman. The report notes that the witnesses were interviewed and their accounts were consistent. The investigating officer, after reviewing the circumstances, concluded that the sighting was likely caused by the reflection of lights from fishing boats on a moisture layer, noting that the observed movement was characteristic of floating objects. The document includes a formal transmittal from Colonel Roberts P. Johnson, Jr. to the Air Technical Intelligence Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The report was originally classified as Confidential and includes instructions regarding the prohibition of releasing investigative information to unauthorized persons under AFR 124-1. The file also references a Project 10073 record which initially identified the object as the star Arcturus, though the OSI investigation provided a more comprehensive analysis of the witness reports.