Project 10073 Record Card — Creston, Iowa, 1 September 1956

This document is a Project 10073 record card detailing a civilian sighting of an unidentified aerial phenomenon in Creston, Iowa, on September 1, 1956, at 1716Z. The witness reported observing a single silver, cigar or balloon-shaped object that appeared stationary while positioned directly overhead. The observer utilized binoculars to view the object, which was described as being the size of a pea at arm's length. The report notes that the course, duration of the sighting, and the manner of the object's disappearance were not provided in the initial teletype message. Weather conditions at the time were reported as very good with no cloud coverage. The evaluation conducted by the Air Technical Intelligence Center concluded that the limited details provided—specifically the shape, size, color, and lack of movement—suggested the object was likely a balloon. The record card includes administrative routing information, noting that the document was processed by the 700th ACWRON in Waverly, Iowa, and directed to the Air Technical Intelligence Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, with a copy sent to the Aerospace Studies Institute at Maxwell Air Force Base. The document was signed off by 1st Lt. Blankenship, acting as Duty Director.