Project 10073 Record Card and Spot Intelligence Report: Unidentified Flying Object Sighted near White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, 11 November 1957

This document is a Spot Intelligence Report (File 3DO 24-195) issued by the 3d District Office of Special Investigations of the United States Air Force on November 19, 1957. It details a sighting of an unidentified flying object that occurred on November 11, 1957, between 2215Z and 2220Z. The primary witness, a 42-year-old General Superintendent, was traveling with his wife and three children on U.S. Route 60 from Covington, Virginia, to White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. The witness reported observing an object that appeared to be a four-inch fountain pen held at arm's length. The object was described as having an arch-like path toward the earth's surface, with a nose that changed color between orange and grey, while the opposite end remained a constant orange. The witness observed the object for approximately three minutes using 6x30 binoculars. He noted that there was no unusual noise and that the object did not appear to be moving rapidly. The witness explicitly stated his opinion that the object was not a jet plane or a shooting star due to its slow movement. The sighting occurred at dusk under clear sky conditions. The report includes meteorological data provided by the U.S. Weather Bureau at Kanawha County Airport, Charleston, West Virginia, for the time of the incident. The investigation was conducted by Special Agent Thomas G. Reynolds. The final evaluation, provided by the Air Defense Command, concluded that there was insufficient data to identify the object. The report suggests that a balloon seen at dusk would appear orange and, if wind conditions were light, would move slowly, but emphasizes that without knowing the direction of movement, a definitive evaluation could not be made.