Project 10073 Record Card — Charleston, West Virginia, 8 March 1955

This document consists of a Project 10073 record card and associated index cards detailing a UFO sighting that occurred on March 8, 1955, in Charleston, West Virginia. The witness, a civilian minister, reported observing a single, round, bright object that appeared to be the size of a softball held at arm's length. The object was described as having an aluminum-like appearance with no distinct edges and was noted to have a 'fuzzy' quality when first observed. The duration of the sighting was brief, lasting approximately three to five seconds, during which the object was seen to swerve to avoid a cloud. The observer was driving at the time of the sighting. The investigating officer, Captain Leo R. [illegible], noted that the witness appeared to be sincere and trustworthy, though the witness requested that their identity remain private. The official evaluation by the 4602d ATISS concluded that there was insufficient data for a definitive evaluation. However, the report notes that a weather balloon had been released in the area at 2100Z, which was forty-six minutes prior to the reported sighting. Consequently, the official conclusion for the incident was categorized as 'Possibly Balloon.' The documentation also includes a brief mention of an amateur astronomer and UFO researcher who allegedly photographed a luminous object near the moon on the same date from Broadway, Virginia, though this appears to be a separate, anecdotal reference included in the file.