Project 10073 Record Card — David City, Nebraska, August-September 1960

This document collection centers on a series of reports regarding Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) in 1960, specifically focusing on a sighting in David City, Nebraska, between August 31 and September 6, 1960. The primary record is a Project 10073 record card, which documents that 24 people observed an object that changed colors—red, blue, green, yellow, and white—and exhibited spinning or erratic movement. Witnesses included local students and residents. The official conclusion reached by the Air Force was that the sightings were the result of atmospheric refraction of common astronomical objects, such as bright stars and planets. Subsequent military communications, specifically messages dated September 6 and September 14, 1960, further clarify that the object observed by the public and Air Force personnel was identified as the star Pollux. The document also includes correspondence from a civilian, Steve Erdmann, who requested information regarding UFO sightings in Illinois and Nebraska, prompting a response from Major William T. Coleman of the Office of Information, who explained the Air Force's position on UFO investigations and the limitations of their resources. Additionally, the file contains miscellaneous information, including a newspaper clipping about a 'Ballute' test by the Wright Air Development Division and a report of a saucer-shaped object in Rogersville, Pennsylvania, on August 21, 1960, which was described as having red, green, and white lights and emitting a sound like an electric motor. The collection highlights the Air Force's standard procedure for handling civilian inquiries and the systematic effort to categorize UAP reports as astronomical phenomena whenever possible.