Unidentified Objects South China Seas — Project 10073 Record Card and Associated Reports

This document collection details a series of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) sightings reported by RB-66 crews in the South China Seas during June and July 1959. The primary incident occurred on June 21, 1959, when a crew sighted eight spherical objects arranged in four pairs, approximately 15 nautical miles apart. The objects were described as dark, uniform in size (approximately 25 feet in diameter), and flying at an altitude between 200 and 500 feet. A ship was observed at either end of the formation. The sighting lasted six minutes visually, and the aircraft's radar recorded a three-beam signal emanating from the objects' location. Subsequent missions (FJ-061 and FJ-062) in July 1959 also reported sightings of unidentified objects, including a group of sixteen objects and another group of five. The reports were forwarded to the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) for analysis, accompanied by KD-2 film. ATIC officials, specifically Major Robert J. Friend, expressed skepticism regarding the ability of the aircrews to accurately determine the size, altitude, and color of the objects from an altitude of 34,000 feet without specialized optical equipment. ATIC's internal assessment suggested that the objects might be related to surface activities, such as fishing craft or submarine operations, or potentially even biological phenomena like giant manta rays. Despite the detailed reports and radar data, the official conclusion remained that there was insufficient information to identify the objects. The documents emphasize the difficulty of evaluating such sightings and the lack of conclusive evidence to categorize them as anything other than unidentified. The correspondence between various Air Force units, including PACAF and the 13th Air Force, highlights the urgency and confusion surrounding these reports, as well as the standard procedure for debriefing crews and requesting additional intelligence. The file includes record cards, message forms, and formal intelligence reports, all of which were eventually declassified in 1968.