Project 10073 Record Card — Gardena, California, 16 June 1957

On 16 June 1957, at approximately 2130Z, a civilian couple in Gardena, California, observed a small, shiny, round object in the sky. The witnesses described the object as appearing to be the size of a half-dollar held at arm's length. The object was observed moving upward for a duration of nine minutes before it continued out of sight. The incident was reported to the 27th Air Division Defense at Norton AFB. Following the report, an interception or identification action was initiated, with a 2F3D unit from North Island scrambled at 2229Z. However, the object could not be located by the interceptor fighter, nor was it detected by other radar units or observers in the area. Captain Alfred Fontes, a Senior Controller with the 27ADCC, investigated the incident. His report notes that while the object could not be confirmed, it is possible that the sighting was caused by a weather balloon. The investigation identified several potential balloon sources in the region, including weather balloons from Santa Monica and Las Vegas, as well as a balloon released by the Long Beach Navy Electronic Laboratory. Additionally, a U.S. Army project in Santa Monica reported that their balloon should have been down at the time of the sighting. Despite the lack of definitive correlation between the object and a specific balloon release, the official conclusion suggests a balloon origin. The report also notes that photographs were taken by the witnesses, but the military indicated no intention to pursue these photos unless a formal request was received.