Project 10073 Record Card — Waterville, Minnesota, 15 July 1954

On July 15, 1954, at 0639Z, a civilian observer associated with the Ground Observer Corps (GOC) reported a sighting of an unidentified object near Waterville, Minnesota. The observer described a single object, approximately 12 inches in diameter, flying south. The object was initially observed at a low altitude, where it appeared orange in color and resembled a cluster of lights. The witness noted that the object produced no sound, left no trail or exhaust, and eventually ascended from a low altitude to a high altitude. The sighting lasted for approximately three minutes. The weather conditions at the time were reported as clear with unlimited visibility, though some very high clouds were noted. The official investigation, documented under Project 10073, concluded that the object was an aircraft. Specifically, military records indicate that a KC-97 aircraft was in the area at the time of the sighting, which was cross-referenced with Flight Plan 39 and Track No. B-72-BPD. The report was processed by the 787th AC&W Squadron and forwarded to various military commands, including Headquarters USAF, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, and the Air Defense Command.