Project 10073 Record Cards and Technical Information Sheets — Dayton, Ohio, August 1958

This document is a compilation of Project 10073 record cards and U.S. Air Force Technical Information Sheets documenting multiple Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) sightings reported in the Dayton, Ohio area during August 1958. The reports detail various civilian observations of objects in the sky, often described as round, metallic, or glowing with red, yellow, or white light. Witnesses frequently reported these objects moving at varying speeds, sometimes accompanied by a droning sound or appearing to burst into flames and drop toward the earth with a parachute. Several reports were investigated by the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) and field officers, such as LT C.M. Hontz. The investigations consistently involved checking with local weather stations, specifically the Vandalia Weather Bureau. The official conclusions for these sightings were largely attributed to conventional explanations, including weather balloons, test missiles, and astronomical phenomena. Specifically, sightings were identified as lighted weather balloons, the Soviet satellite Sputnik III, and the star Arcturus. One report from 20 August 1958, involving a white dot that changed colors and oscillated, was concluded to be the star Arcturus setting. Another report from 26 August 1958, involving two silver objects, was identified as a radiosonde balloon released by the weather bureau. The documentation includes detailed questionnaires completed by witnesses, sketches of the objects, and notes on weather conditions, confirming that the Air Force systematically cross-referenced civilian reports with meteorological data to provide rational explanations for the observed phenomena.