Project 10073 Record Card — Los Angeles, California, 16 May 1956

This document is a Project 10073 record card and associated teletype report concerning a UFO sighting that occurred on May 16, 1956, in Los Angeles, California. The primary witness, an engineer for the Bendix Company, reported observing a single delta-shaped object that appeared red-stripped and flashing. The witness described the object as being the size of a pea held at arm's length and noted that it remained stationary for a duration of approximately 20 minutes. Six other individuals were reported to have observed the object as well. The report indicates that at 0340Z, the observers themselves believed the object to be a star. Military personnel from the 669th ACWRON at Forhue, California, processed the report and forwarded it to the Air Technical Intelligence Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the Director of Intelligence at USAF Headquarters in Washington, D.C. The official conclusion reached by the investigating authorities was that the sighting was astronomical in nature. It was determined that the observers had likely viewed the planet Venus, which was noted as being the brightest heavenly body in the sky and particularly eye-catching at that time. The report notes that Swanny and Passport control sites were notified to scan the area, but the final recommendation was to take no further action, as the incident was considered to be just another unidentified flying object report of an astronomical nature.