Project 10073 Record Card - Stockton, California, 13 September 1956

On 13 September 1956, at 0534Z, a civilian witness in Stockton, California, reported observing an unidentified aerial object. The witness described the object as star-shaped, appearing to be the size of a pinhead held at arm's length. The object was observed moving in an easterly direction at an altitude above 9,000 feet, traveling at a high rate of speed. The observation lasted for approximately one minute before the object faded out of sight. Military records indicate that two F-86D aircraft from the 28th Air Division at Hamilton Air Force Base were scrambled under 'Sliphorn' control to investigate, but they reported negative results. Additional reports were received from the captains of United Air Lines Flight 459 and Flight 736, as well as from Stockton Radio and the Navy at Monterey, all of whom provided similar descriptions of the object. The official investigation, conducted by Flight 1-C, concluded that the sighting was likely caused by a balloon launched from Vernalis, California. This conclusion was documented on AF Form 112 and recorded on the Project 10073 record card.