Project 10073 Record Card and Joint Messageform — Fernley, Nevada, 15 October 1956

This document is a Project 10073 record card and accompanying Joint Messageform detailing an Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon (UAP) sighting reported on 15 October 1956. The primary witnesses were a 1st Lieutenant from the 25th Infantry Division and his wife, who were traveling on US Highway 40, approximately 19 miles northeast of Fernley, Nevada. The witnesses observed a cigar-shaped object that appeared to be hovering over a small hill. The object was described as having a size comparable to a pea held at arm's length, with colors that varied between red, blue, green, and gold. The witnesses initially mistook the object for a radio tower or an aircraft. The 1st Lieutenant, noted for his infantry experience and above-average judgment of distance, used binoculars to observe the object. He reported seeing what appeared to be openings or apertures on the fuselage and a distinct exhaust trail that measured approximately half the length of the object. The object remained in view for 40 to 45 minutes. When it eventually departed, it transitioned from a hovering position to level flight, accelerating rapidly from an estimated 250 to 300 miles per hour to a 'tremendous speed' before disappearing from sight within 7 to 10 seconds. The witnesses later stopped their vehicle to look back and observed the object again in its original position. The official evaluation by the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) concluded that the sighting was 'possibly a balloon,' specifically referencing a balloon (S-289) launch from Varpalis. However, the report acknowledges that the high speed and the presence of an exhaust trail made this explanation difficult to support, suggesting that the sighting might have involved a misinterpretation of equipment or an exaggerated perception of the object's speed during its disappearance. The document emphasizes the clear weather conditions at the time of the sighting and provides detailed wind data from the Stead Air Force Base weather attachment to support the balloon hypothesis. Despite the official conclusion, the report leaves the nature of the object somewhat ambiguous due to the lack of corroborating data.