Project 10073 Record Card — Piedmont, Missouri, 28 October 1957

This document consists of a Project 10073 record card and associated teletype correspondence regarding an unidentified aerial phenomenon reported on 28 October 1957 near Piedmont, Missouri. A civilian witness reported observing a single object for approximately 45 minutes. The object was described as a bright light that changed colors from red to white, traveling at a very high altitude and at a very high rate of speed. The report was processed by the 20th Air Division and forwarded to the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The official conclusion reached by the military authorities was that there was insufficient information to conduct a meaningful evaluation of the sighting. The documentation includes a teletype transmission (20TH ADCC 10-416) which outlines the details of the report in a structured format, including the time of the incident (2345Z) and the location (railroad SSE of Piedmont, MO). The document also contains a handwritten annotation by Major J. J. Hockey, who served as the controller for the report. Major Hockey expressed significant dissatisfaction with the quality of the report, questioning how the Air Technical Intelligence Center was expected to perform an evaluation when the initial reporting officer failed to secure adequate information. The file serves as an example of the administrative process for handling UAP reports during the late 1950s, highlighting the challenges of data collection and the internal military critique of reporting standards.