Project 10073 Record Card — Soledad, California, 29 March 1955

This document is a Project 10073 record card detailing an Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) sighting that occurred on March 29, 1955, near Soledad, California. The primary witness was a prison guard at the Soledad Prison, who was alerted to the object by a prisoner. The witness described a round object, approximately the size of a nickel held at arm's length, which exhibited flashing red and green lights. The object was observed rising at a 45-degree angle and then drifting straight west. The duration of the observation was approximately 30 seconds. Following the report, two F-51 aircraft were scrambled to search the area, but they were unable to locate the object. Additionally, the 666th AC&W Squadron reported a slow-moving blip on radar in the vicinity, which faded after a few sweeps. The official evaluation concluded that the sighting was likely a balloon, suggesting that the radar may have picked up a balloon payload that was subsequently released. The report notes that a check of astronomical charts did not reveal any celestial bodies in the direction of the sighting, and while the flashing lights initially suggested the possibility of an aircraft, the final assessment leaned toward a balloon. The document includes multiple copies of the record card and associated teletype communications between the 28th Air Division, the Air Defense Command, and the Air Technical Intelligence Center, confirming the administrative handling of the incident.