Project 10073 Record Cards and Related Correspondence — New Orleans, Louisiana, November 1957

This document collection consists of Project 10073 record cards and associated military teletype communications regarding three separate aerial phenomena reported in the vicinity of New Orleans, Louisiana, during November 1957. The first report, dated November 1, describes a blimp-shaped, shiny object observed for approximately one to one-and-a-half minutes moving northwest. The second report, dated November 5, details an oval-shaped object, described as several times larger than a commercial airliner, which was brilliantly illuminated with a pinkish tinge at its leading edge. This object was observed for two seconds before disappearing behind clouds. The third report, dated November 30, involves a round, brilliant white object observed for twenty minutes. This object reportedly descended from 70 degrees to 30 degrees altitude, changed color from white to gold and then red, and eventually separated into three pieces of varying sizes. Military evaluators at the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) and other commands processed these reports. The official conclusions for these sightings were varied and skeptical. The November 1 sighting was attributed to an aircraft. The November 5 sighting was categorized as a probable meteor and attributed to 'over active imagination.' The November 30 sighting was noted as having the characteristics of a bolide, though the long duration was highlighted as an anomaly, and the final analysis remained 'unidentified.' Handwritten annotations on the military cables reveal internal debate among personnel, with some questioning the consistency of the reported dimensions and the possibility that observers misidentified known objects, such as lighthouses or conventional aircraft. The documents reflect the standard military procedure for documenting and evaluating civilian reports of unidentified aerial phenomena during the late 1950s.