Project 10073 Record Card: Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, 21 April 1960

This document details the investigation of a reported Unidentified Flying Object sighting in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, on 21 April 1960. A U.S. soldier, identified as a Private (E-2) with the 549th Military Police Company, submitted three photographs and a 35mm color slide for analysis. The soldier reported that he did not notice the disc-shaped object in the upper left corner of the frame when he took the pictures. The photographs were taken with a Zeiss Ikonette 35mm camera, aimed toward the southwest between 1000 and 1200 hours. The Aerospace Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) conducted a thorough review of the materials, which included both the still photographs and a movie film submitted by the soldier. The investigation concluded that the disc-shaped object was not an aerial phenomenon but rather a reflection on a glass window. Analysts determined that the photo was likely taken from inside a building, with the object being a reflection of a light fixture hanging from the ceiling. The 'disc' shape was attributed to the shade of the light, and the 'bump' on the top was identified as a halation effect from the light bulb itself. Regarding the movie film, investigators found it to be of no value, noting it was poorly exposed and suggesting that the panning motion indicated it may have been filmed by a child. The case was subsequently closed with the conclusion that the object was a reflection. The documentation includes various internal routing slips, correspondence between the Department of the Army and the Air Force, and a final determination by the Aerospace Technical Intelligence Center.