Project 10073 Record Cards and Technical Information Sheets — Dayton, Ohio, August 1959

This document contains a series of Project 10073 record cards and U.S. Air Force Technical Information Sheets detailing UFO sightings reported in Dayton, Ohio, during August 1959. The primary reports concern two distinct incidents on August 13 and August 30, 1959. In the first instance, witnesses described a round, silvery object, approximately the size of a grapefruit, which appeared to be revolving and had an indefinite outline before 'blinking out.' The witnesses were interviewed by a Staff Duty Officer, who noted their sincerity and sobriety. Upon investigation, the officer determined that the US Weather Bureau at Sulfer Grove, north of Dayton, had released a weather balloon at 1830 hours, which remained in the area. The second incident, occurring on August 30, involved a similar silvery object observed drifting southeast over the city. This was also correlated with a weather balloon release at 2325Z. The documentation includes completed questionnaires from the witnesses, which provide details on their observations, including the lack of sound, the object's appearance, and the weather conditions at the time. The investigating officers systematically checked with local military installations, including Patterson AFB, Wright AFB, and the 56th FIS, to rule out aircraft activity. The consensus among the investigators was that the sightings were likely caused by weather balloons, as the flight paths and timing corresponded with known releases from the local weather station. The file also includes a summary list of sightings for September 1959, categorizing various reports across the United States as aircraft, astronomical phenomena, or unidentified.