Project 10073 Record Card and Follow-up Correspondence — Marinette, Wisconsin, May 1956

This document collection details the investigation of a UFO sighting reported on May 4, 1956, in Marinette, Wisconsin. The primary witness, a local clergyman and amateur astronomer, reported observing round, reddish-orange objects, approximately the size of a baseball, moving in U-shaped formations. The sighting lasted for one hour, during which three distinct groups of objects were observed: one group of six, one of two, and one of nine. The objects traveled in a straight line on a West-North-West heading before disappearing over the horizon. The report was initially processed by the 4602d Air Intelligence Service Squadron (AISS) at Ent Air Force Base, Colorado. In their initial assessment, the 4602d AISS suggested the phenomenon was possibly astronomical in nature, citing the clear weather, the color of the objects, and the short duration of the sightings as evidence of meteors. However, this hypothesis was challenged by the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. ATIC requested further information, noting that meteors do not travel in formation, nor do they appear in three separate groups. Furthermore, ATIC emphasized that the observer's background as an amateur astronomer made it unlikely he would misidentify meteoric phenomena. The correspondence reveals an internal debate between the field unit and the central intelligence office regarding the classification of the event. Captain G.T. Gregory of ATIC pushed for a more rigorous investigation, requesting specific details on the duration of each formation, the intervals between them, and any differences in maneuverability or appearance. The documents include a series of teletype messages and internal memos, including a note from Captain Gregory to a Sergeant Hill, instructing him to open a case file and follow up with the 4602d AISS to ensure a detailed investigation report (IR 112) was produced. The case remained unresolved, with ATIC concluding that there was insufficient data to determine the cause of the sightings, while explicitly rejecting the meteoric explanation provided by the field unit.