Project 10073 Record Card and Correspondence Regarding St. Louis Sighting

This document collection details a UFO sighting report filed by a civilian in St. Louis, Missouri, in September 1960. The witness, a woman whose name is redacted, reported observing an object in the sky on two separate occasions. She described the object as multi-colored, noting that it appeared to hover and move to the right. The witness stated that she had contacted the local airport and the Weather Bureau, neither of which could identify the object. She also mentioned that her family, including her children, observed the object with her. The report was forwarded to the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD) and subsequently to the Air Technical Intelligence Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base for evaluation. The official conclusion reached by the investigators was that the object was the planet Venus. This determination was supported by astronomical data, specifically the magnitude of Venus during September 1960 and the illumination changes observed throughout the month. The investigators attributed the reported multi-colored appearance of the object to atmospheric conditions. The correspondence includes a record card for Project 10073, a cover letter from NORAD to the Air Technical Intelligence Center, the original letter from the witness, and follow-up correspondence from the Air Force requesting that the witness and her family complete formal questionnaires to provide more detailed information for a valid conclusion. The documents reflect the standard administrative process for handling civilian UFO reports during this period, involving inter-agency communication and a reliance on astronomical data to explain sightings.