Project 10073 Record Card — New Baden, Illinois, 13 September 1954

This document consists of a Project 10073 record card and an associated teletype report regarding an unidentified aerial phenomenon observed on 13 September 1954, near New Baden, Illinois. The witness, a civilian who was fishing for bass at the time, reported seeing a single, rectangular object, described as being the size of an automobile and squared off without bumpers. The object exhibited a red and pinkish glow in the upper left corner, while the remainder of the body emitted a green and blue glow with the brightness of a fluorescent light. The observation lasted approximately six seconds. The witness, who noted they were slightly hard of hearing, reported no sound associated with the object. The object was observed at an elevation of 10 degrees in the south-southeast, eventually disappearing behind trees near the lake where the witness was fishing. The report includes detailed meteorological data for the area at the time of the sighting, noting early morning conditions between daylight and sunrise with slight cloud cover. Official military evaluation of the incident, conducted by the Wing Intelligence Officer and the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC), concluded that there was insufficient data for a firm analysis. While the possibility of a meteor was suggested based on the duration and luminous appearance, the report also considered the possibility of a reflection from an aircraft, despite the fact that no aircraft were reported in the vicinity at the time. The incident was formally processed under Air Force Regulation 200-2.