Project 10073 Record Card — Yuma, Arizona, 20 May 1955

This document contains the official record of an unidentified aerial phenomenon sighting reported on May 20, 1955, in Yuma, Arizona. The witness, J. A. Mahan, an employee of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company, observed a single spherical object for approximately two seconds. The object was described as purple with an orange leading edge, trailing smoke similar to that produced by skywriters, and following a downward trajectory toward the ground. The witness estimated the size of the object to be equivalent to a pea held at arm's length. The report includes a teletype communication from the 751st AC&W Squadron at Mt. Laguna, California, to the Air Defense Command and the Air Technical Intelligence Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, detailing the observation. Meteorological conditions at the time were reported as clear with 20 miles of visibility. Following the report, the investigation concluded that the object was likely a meteor, though subsequent notes on the UFOB Index Card suggest the object possessed characteristics consistent with an aircraft flare. Due to the short duration of the sighting and the lack of additional data, no further investigation was authorized by the organization.