Project 10073 Record Card and Associated Reports — Knoxville, Tennessee, 19 October 1955

This document consists of a Project 10073 record card and subsequent military teletype reports detailing an unidentified aerial phenomenon sighting on 19 October 1955. A pilot, identified as 1st Lt. Doral G. Conner of the 354th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, reported observing a single, orange, star-like object while flying an F-86D aircraft at an altitude of 25,000 feet. The sighting occurred at approximately 0130Z, roughly 40 miles northwest of Knoxville, Tennessee. The pilot described the object as having the apparent size of a pea, moving in a straight and level path from north to south. Although the pilot attempted a tail chase, he reported that the object's speed was excessive, preventing him from closing the distance to identify it. The object eventually faded, twinkled, and disappeared. Air intercept radar confirmed contact with the object, but the pilot remained unable to intercept it. Military intelligence conducted a follow-up investigation, which included checking with the University of Tennessee, the Weather Bureau, and Maxwell Air Force Base. The Weather Bureau confirmed that their balloon releases did not coincide with the sighting, and Maxwell AFB reported no experimental aircraft in the area. Other commercial airlines in the vicinity were contacted, but they reported negative sightings. The official conclusion recorded on the project card is that the object was a 'possible jet type aircraft.' The documentation emphasizes the reliability of the pilot and the clear weather conditions (CAVU) at the time of the incident.