Project 10073 Record Card — Rome, New York, 8 April 1956

On April 8, 1956, at approximately 0333Z, a sighting of an unidentified aerial object was reported near Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome, New York. The primary witness, A/1C Charles Norman Kuhl, a shift supervisor at the 219 AACS Control Tower, observed the object for three minutes using binoculars. Kuhl described the object as having an aircraft-like silhouette, larger than a C-47, and noted it displayed orange, red, and blue colors. He reported no engine noise or exhaust trails. The object was observed in level flight, traveling from east to west at an estimated altitude of 45,000 feet. Griffiss Approach Control was also alerted to the presence of an unidentified object in the area. Following the report, an F-94C interceptor was scrambled at 0344Z, but returned with negative results. The official conclusion recorded on the Project 10073 record card is that the sighting was resolved as a 'possible aircraft,' citing the duration of the observation and the silhouette as the primary factors. Handwritten annotations on the document suggest alternative interpretations, including a reference to the brightness of Venus, though this is not reflected in the formal conclusion.