Project 10073 Record Card — 19 January 1956 Sighting, Stroud, Oklahoma

On January 19, 1956, at 1651Z, an F-84F military pilot reported a sighting of four objects while flying ten miles south of Stroud, Oklahoma. The pilot described one large, round object, estimated to be the size of a bushel basket held at arm's length, accompanied by three smaller objects that were approximately one-third the size of the primary object. The large object was described as a brilliant emerald green in the center with a lighter shade of green on the outside, appearing fuzzy at the edges and comparable to a large green pyrotechnic flare. The three smaller objects were white or silver in color and appeared to be trailing the larger object. The sighting lasted for three to five seconds, during which the objects maintained a straight and level flight path on an easterly heading. The pilot was flying at 440 knots true airspeed, and the objects were observed at a slightly higher altitude. A GCI unit was contacted to provide a fix on the observer's position and to check for radar returns, but the radar reported negative results. The official conclusion reached by the reporting authorities was that the sighting was likely caused by a meteor, despite the fact that it occurred during daylight hours. This conclusion was based on the observed color, the duration of the event, the presence of a trail, and the general circumstances of the sighting. The observer pilot noted that while they had seen falling celestial bodies on previous occasions, they had never witnessed one with such a brilliant color.