Project 10073 Record: Unidentified Flying Object at Neosho, Missouri

This document comprises a series of reports and correspondence regarding a UFO sighting that occurred on September 24, 1954, near Camp Crowder, Missouri. The primary witness, identified as Walker Kelly, was driving with his wife on U.S. Highway 71 when he observed a saucer-shaped object for approximately 24 seconds. Kelly, who claimed to have training in counting seconds, provided a detailed account of the object's behavior, noting that it performed loops, exhibited a slight rolling motion, and possessed four quadrature markings on its surface. He also described a projection on the top side of the object that resembled the conning tower of a submarine. According to the report, the object initially moved at a leisurely speed of 6 to 8 diameters per second before accelerating to 20 to 30 diameters per second, eventually ascending to heights beyond visibility. Kelly noted that there was no visible smoke or vapor, and while he heard no sound, he acknowledged that traffic noise might have masked it. The witness speculated that the object was likely atomic-powered due to its sudden acceleration and speed. The official military response, documented in a Spot Intelligence Report from the 11th OSI District and subsequent correspondence from the Department of the Air Force, classified the incident as having 'insufficient data for evaluation.' The report was assigned an F-4 evaluation rating, with investigators noting that a proper assessment was impossible without further interviews with Mr. Kelly. The documents include a formal transmittal from Colonel Roberts P. Johnson, Jr. to the Air Technical Intelligence Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, emphasizing the need to adhere to security regulations regarding the release of investigative information.