Project 10073 Record Card and Air Intelligence Information Report — Baltimore, Maryland, May 1955

On 7 May 1955, at approximately 1820Z, two metallic objects crashed through the roof of the American Oil Company building at 1500 Russell Street, Baltimore, Maryland. The objects, weighing 13 3/4 and 5 1/4 pounds respectively, were identified as cast iron. A witness, the Supervisor of Services at the company, reported hearing a loud noise followed by the sound of a receding aircraft. The incident was initially investigated by Flight 3-H, 4602d AISS, and subsequently by the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) under Project 10073. Investigators examined the objects and determined they were likely parts of an old valve control wheel, possibly from a ship or industrial system. The objects showed signs of corrosion, suggesting they had been installed near water or in a humid environment. The investigation explored two primary theories: that the objects were accidentally dropped from an aircraft or that they were the result of 'skull-cracking' operations at a local scrap yard. While local scrap yards denied conducting such operations on the day of the incident, investigators noted that the objects' vertical trajectory and the lack of other debris made an aerial drop or industrial accident the most logical explanations. The objects were forwarded to ATIC for further analysis, and the case was ultimately classified as 'Other' or 'Man-made cast iron' with the conclusion that the incident was likely related to junk yard operations or an accidental aerial drop.