PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD - New Church, VA - 1 Jul 59

This document contains a Project 10073 record card and associated correspondence regarding an unidentified aerial phenomenon sighting in New Church, Virginia, on the night of July 1, 1959. The sighting, which occurred between 8:50 PM and 9:30 PM, involved multiple circular, off-white lights that exhibited erratic movement, including a 'game of tag' behavior and a crescent-shaped formation. The primary witness, a bookkeeper at the WDVM broadcasting station, reported the event to the U.S. Air Force. The Air Force responded on July 13, 1959, through Major Lawrence J. Tacker, requesting that the witnesses complete formal questionnaires for further analysis by the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC). The official record card notes that the weather conditions were hot, humid, and hazy, which the Air Force suggested might have contributed to the appearance of the objects. The final conclusion recorded on the card posits that the lights were likely the result of a refueling operation, with atmospheric conditions such as a temperature inversion potentially causing visual distortion. The document includes the original letter from the WDVM Program Director, a detailed summary of the sighting characteristics, and the official Air Force response.