Project 10073 Record Card — Johnson Air Base, Japan, 14 November 1957

On 14 November 1957, at approximately 06:15 local time, two air police personnel, A/1C James E. Smith and S/Sgt Robert Thompson Jr., stationed at Johnson Air Base in Japan, observed an unidentified aerial phenomenon. The witnesses were at the entrance to Area 12 when they noticed a strange object in the sky. They described the object as being shaped like a fountain pen, cylindrical with ends tapering to a dull point, and pale yellow or white in color. The object was estimated to be the size of a nine-inch pencil held at arm's length. It possessed a long, thin tail that was longer and thinner than the object itself, though less bright, which the observers compared to a shooting star. The object was observed to hover for approximately two minutes before moving in a slightly curved angle in a southeasterly direction and climbing out of sight in 10 to 13 seconds. The observers noted that the object did not change colors but became duller as it faded from view. It left a trail in its path that stretched across the sky and disappeared in a split second. The witnesses were questioned by the Office of Special Investigations (OSI) and the base's passive defense officer. The official conclusion reached by the investigating authorities was that the object was likely a cloud formation, with the disappearance attributed to dissipation and light reflection. The observers themselves were initially uncertain, with one witness noting that he first thought it was a cloud, but later concluded it was too small and distinct to be a cloud formation in the clear sky.