Project 10073 Record Card and UFOB Report — Itazuke Air Base, Japan, January 1958

This document consists of a Project 10073 record card and an associated incoming military message form detailing a UFO sighting that occurred on January 9, 1958, near Itazuke Air Base in Japan. The sighting involved a flaming, light blue ball observed by two pilots, identified as a Captain and a 1st Lieutenant from the 8th Fighter-Bomber Wing, both of whom were deemed completely reliable. The object was observed at an altitude of 31,000 feet traveling on a westerly heading at an estimated speed of 450 knots. The witnesses described the object as a flaming ball that left a trail of flaming pieces before it disintegrated. The duration of the observation was approximately three to four seconds. The weather conditions were reported as clear. Following the incident, the intelligence officer evaluated the sighting and concluded that the object was a meteor. However, the report was formally forwarded through military channels due to the possibility that the phenomenon might have some connection with Soviet satellite activity. The documentation includes technical details such as the specific aircraft involved (a T-33, 53-5068) and the coordinates of the observation relative to Itazuke Air Base and Miho Air Base. The report is classified as a UFOB report and emphasizes the reliability of the witnesses while maintaining the official assessment of a meteor.