Project 10073 Record Card and Air Intelligence Information Report — Big Bethel, Virginia, 9 September 1956

This document comprises an Air Intelligence Information Report and associated Project 10073 record card regarding a UFO sighting on the night of 9 September 1956, near Big Bethel, Virginia. Three civilian observers—an electrician, a registered nurse, and a housewife—reported seeing a crescent-shaped object between 2035 and 2055 EST. The witnesses described the object as being the size of a softball, initially bright red or gold, and later darkening to a deep red. They claimed the object appeared to be occupied, with one witness suggesting they saw an occupant wearing headgear and even feet. The object reportedly descended from a few hundred feet to treetop level before disappearing in the direction of Yorktown, Virginia. The 48th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, based at Langley Air Force Base, conducted the investigation. 1st Lt. Elton V. Monismith, the intelligence officer, evaluated the report as 'F-4', indicating that while the observers were considered, the evidence pointed toward a misidentification. The official conclusion reached by the Air Force was that the object was most likely the moon. The report notes that weather conditions at the time included scattered clouds, and the moon was waning and set at 2115 EST. The investigating officer expressed skepticism regarding the observers' detailed claims, noting that the moon's appearance can change in size and color near the horizon, and that the observers' impressions were only approximations. Handwritten notes on the document further reflect this skepticism, with comments questioning how observers could claim to see passengers at a distance of two miles in the dark, and noting that no other reports of a UFO were received from radar units, Ground Observer Corps, or other air traffic in the area during that time.