Project 10073 Record Card — San Jose, California, 20 March 1955

On March 20, 1955, at 0755Z, a civilian witness in San Jose, California, reported observing an unidentified aerial phenomenon. The witness described the object as oblong and brilliant green, appearing to be on fire. According to the report, the object fell from the sky toward the earth, seemed to stop, and then made an arc before fading and disappearing from sight. The total duration of the observation was approximately five seconds. Following the report, the Santa Clara County Communications Center dispatched personnel to the area to check for potential fires, but no traces of fire were found. Official documentation from the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) concluded that the object was likely a meteor. The investigation noted that the witness's description closely matched that of a shooting star, and given the short duration of the event, no further investigation was authorized. Weather reports for the time of the sighting indicated fair conditions, free from cloud obstruction, though light rain began at 0755Z.