Project 10073 Record Card — Sighting near Dobbins AFB, 26 July 1957

This document is a Project 10073 record card detailing a sighting that occurred on July 26, 1957, near Dobbins Air Force Base in Marietta, Georgia. At 0513 EST, S/SGT Robert D. Hughes of the 128th Fighter Interceptor Squadron observed an orange, ball-shaped object low on the horizon. The object traveled from north to south in a straight path, covering a distance in less than a minute before vanishing by burning out. The sighting was confirmed by -/3C Billie E. Sparks, a tower operator at Dobbins AFB. The report notes that the sky was clear with no clouds and that there were no radar contacts in the area. The investigating officer, the Duty Director of the 98th ACWRON, concluded that the sighting was valid but attributed the phenomenon to a meteorological disturbance, specifically a meteor. The document includes technical details regarding the object's altitude, estimated at 5,000 to 6,000 feet, and its appearance, which included a luminous vapor trail that changed from orange to a dull gray. The report emphasizes the reliability of the witness, S/SGT Hughes, who was working in the alert shack at the time of the observation. The file contains various internal communications between military units, including the Air Technical Intelligence Center at Wright-Patterson AFB, regarding the incident.