Project 10073 Record Card — Essex, Maryland, 17 August 1958

This document consists of a Project 10073 record card and a supporting joint messageform detailing a UFO sighting reported in Essex, Maryland, on 17 August 1958. The report originated from a telephone call received by the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) on 18 August 1958 from a civilian witness. The witness reported that on two occasions, she, her daughter, and others observed a circular, self-illuminated object in the vicinity of the Martin Plant near the Middle River. The object was described as having no sound or exhaust, yet appearing to be powered. It was observed hovering over the water before rising vertically out of view. The official evaluation of the incident, documented on the record card and in the joint messageform, concluded that there was insufficient information to reach a definitive determination. Investigators noted that the hovering behavior and vertical ascent were indicative of a possible balloon sighting, but they requested additional data to confirm this. The report notes that the duration of the sighting was not provided and that wind information was missing at the time of the initial assessment. The messageform, dated 22 August 1958, was processed by the 1006th AISS and coordinated by several officers, including H.A. Miley and K. Gilbert. The document remains classified as unclassified and serves as a record of the military's attempt to investigate aerial phenomena reported by civilians near sensitive industrial sites during the late 1950s.