Project 10073 Record Card — Arlington, Virginia, 14 June 1956

On the evening of 14 June 1956, a retired reserve army officer and military intelligence specialist, residing in Arlington, Virginia, observed an unidentified aerial phenomenon. The witness, who was in his front yard with his wife, reported seeing a golden, flickering sphere that appeared to move in level flight. The object was described as resembling a roman candle just before it explodes, though larger and without sound. The witness noted that the object traveled through a 90-degree arc from the West to the North, descending slightly from an elevation of 60 degrees to 30 degrees over a duration of approximately 20 seconds. The witness explicitly stated that there was no maneuvering and that the object did not startle them due to its casual flight. The witness also noted the presence of searchlights in the sky to the Southeast, which he initially considered as a potential factor, though he concluded the object was distinct. The witness, who holds a background in civil engineering and military intelligence, provided a detailed account via a U.S. Air Force Technical Information Sheet, which was requested by the Air Technical Intelligence Center. The official conclusion recorded on the Project 10073 record card categorized the sighting as a meteor, noting that while the duration was rather long, the object's trajectory and appearance were consistent with such a phenomenon. The witness expressed that he had never seen anything comparable to the object and admitted he had no idea what it was.