Project 10073 Record Card and Correspondence - San Jose, California, February 1960

This document collection centers on a 1960 correspondence between Mrs. Grace Mosley of San Jose, California, and the U.S. Air Force regarding unidentified aerial phenomena. Mrs. Mosley reported hearing a distinct, non-jet sound following the passage of two jets on February 15, 1960, which she associated with a strange object she claimed to have observed in the hills. She also reported a 1955 sighting of a bright object moving like a pendulum in the same area. Mrs. Mosley further claimed that the 1960 event caused her to experience a physical reaction, specifically hives and a sensation of heat, leading her to seek medical attention. The Air Force, through the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC), investigated the report. Their conclusion was that the sounds heard in 1960 were sonic booms amplified by the hilly geography of the San Jose area. Regarding the 1955 sighting, the Air Force suggested it was likely caused by light reflected from the dome of the Lick Observatory, a theory supported by Dr. Donald H. Menzel of Harvard. The internal military correspondence reveals a dismissive attitude toward the witness; ATIC officials characterized Mrs. Mosley as 'highly excitable' and prone to 'preconceived notions.' They further suggested that her physical illness was psychosomatic in nature. The file includes a Project 10073 record card, a referral notice between military intelligence offices, and a copy of a local newspaper clipping regarding sonic booms in the valley, which the military used to support their explanation. The documents demonstrate the standard procedure for handling civilian UFO reports during this period, involving internal routing, expert consultation, and a formal, often skeptical, response to the witness.