Project 10073 Record Card — Portland, Maine, 11 November 1959

This document contains the official U.S. Air Force record for a UFO sighting reported in Portland, Maine, on November 11, 1959. The witness, an elementary school principal, reported observing a round, white, solid object in the southern sky at approximately 2:00 p.m. The object moved in a straight path from 75° elevation in the south, crossing the zenith, to 45° elevation in the north. The witness estimated the object's size to be approximately 20 feet and noted that it traveled at a 'tremendous rate of speed,' faster than any known jet, and initially considered it to be a satellite or a weather balloon, though he discounted the latter due to the object's speed and size. The sky was clear at the time of the observation. The witness completed a U.S. Air Force Technical Information Sheet on November 24, 1959, providing detailed sketches and descriptions of the event. The Air Force, represented by Major Lawrence J. Tacker, acknowledged the report on November 19, 1959, and requested that the witness submit the questionnaire to the Aerospace Technical Intelligence Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base for further evaluation. The final analysis on the Project 10073 record card concluded that the case provided 'Insufficient Data for Evaluation.' The investigators noted that there were several contradictory statements within the report and that the object was in sight for only approximately 5 seconds, which, given the distance covered from the southern to the northern horizon, would imply speeds exceeding those of a meteor. The file includes the original correspondence, the completed questionnaire, and a diagram of the flight path.