Project 10-73 Record Card and Air Intelligence Information Report — Alcoa, Tennessee, 9 September 1955

On September 9, 1955, at approximately 1800Z, two housewives in Alcoa, Tennessee, observed an unidentified object in the sky. The primary witness, a 31-year-old housewife, reported seeing a brownish, almost square object moving in a circular motion at a slow speed. She initially described the object as being roughly the size of a large beach ball held at arm's length. The object moved from the north toward the northeast before turning eastward and disappearing behind trees. The sighting lasted between ten and fifteen minutes, though the witness only observed it for a short time through binoculars due to difficulty in locating them. During a follow-up investigation, the witness changed her description, characterizing the object as being shaped like a rocket with small stubby wings. This inconsistency led the investigating officer, 1st Lt. James N. Kulpan, to question the reliability of the report. A thorough investigation was conducted by Flight 2-B of the 4602d Air Intelligence Squadron. Military and civilian organizations, including the Knoxville Filter Center, the 663d AC & W Squadron, and local weather stations, were contacted. All reported negative observations. Weather conditions were reported as clear with excellent visibility, and weather balloons were ruled out as a potential cause. Several commercial and military aircraft were in the area at the time, but investigators concluded that none of these were responsible for the sighting. The final assessment by the approving headquarters suggested that the witness was likely in error and may have misinterpreted one of the aircraft known to be in the vicinity. No radar contact was made, and no physical evidence was recovered. The case was ultimately treated as having insufficient data to reach a definitive identification.