Project 10073 Record Card: Sighting near Oceanside, California, 13 March 1959

This document consists of a Project 10073 record card and associated teletype communications regarding an Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon (UAP) sighting on March 13, 1959. The primary witness was Commander Moore, a pilot with VAH4 at North Island Naval Air Station, who was flying an A3D aircraft at 18,000 feet. At approximately 130738Z, while positioned 30 miles south of Oceanside, California, Commander Moore observed a round, blue-green object that appeared brighter than any aircraft light. The object crossed from port to starboard on a heading of 190 degrees. The witness noted that the object looked similar to an F4D exhaust but was traveling at a much greater speed. The observation lasted for approximately two seconds before the object passed out of range. Commander Moore reported that he was unable to determine the distance to the object, noting that if it were close, the speed would be Mach 2 or 3, but if it were at a great distance, the speed would be significantly higher. The report notes that this was the second sighting reported in the San Diego area that evening, though the first was dismissed as aircraft lights. The official conclusion reached by the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) was that the object was likely a meteor, citing that the reported characteristics were typical of a meteor passing into and out of the upper atmosphere. The documentation includes the original record card, a teletype transmission from the 751st ACWRON at Mt. Laguna AFS, and detailed responses to standard UFO reporting questions as required by AFR 200-2.