Project 10073 Record Card — Donaldson AFB, South Carolina, 17 August 1959

On August 17, 1959, at 0500Z, a civilian witness reported an unidentified aerial phenomenon near Donaldson Air Force Base in South Carolina. The witness described the object as a 'ball or streak of fire' resembling a grapefruit in appearance, exhibiting a 'firey white' color. The object maintained a level flight path from the southeast to the northeast for approximately 10 to 15 seconds before it exploded. Following the explosion, the object left a small trail of fire, arched toward the ground, and gradually disappeared. The report was received by the Donaldson AFB TCC duty officer, who noted that the witness appeared excited and was reasonably certain the object was very near. While tower personnel initially considered the possibility of a meteorite, they noted that the object was significantly brighter than expected, which caused some doubt regarding that classification. The official conclusion recorded on the Project 10073 record card categorizes the event as a meteor sighting, specifically noting the characteristics of a bolide.