Project 10073 Record Card and Air Intelligence Information Report — Washington, D.C., 28 November 1956

On 28 November 1956, at approximately 0600 hours, a civilian witness in Washington, D.C., observed an unidentified object through her bedroom window. The witness described the object as dome-shaped, white in color, and roughly the size of a large beach umbrella, measuring approximately four by six feet in diameter. The object was positioned about 25 degrees above the horizon in a westerly direction. The witness observed the object for five minutes as it moved northward and disappeared. Shortly thereafter, the object reappeared in its original position, remained there for another five minutes, and then moved northward again before disappearing permanently. The total duration of the observation was ten minutes. The investigating officer, Major James E. Geurtz of the Headquarters Command, USAF, conducted a follow-up telephone conversation with the witness. During the investigation, it was noted that the witness's bedroom windows were covered with a plastic material used as a storm window. The officer suggested that this material might have caused light refraction or distortion, leading to a misidentification of the object. The report concludes that there is insufficient data for a firm evaluation and that the reliability of the report remains unknown. Weather conditions at the time were reported as cloudless with 15 miles of visibility and calm surface winds, though a high-pressure ridge was present in the area. Radar was noted as inoperative during the incident.