Project 10073 Record Card and Air Intelligence Information Report — Cannon AFB Sighting

This document comprises a collection of reports and records regarding Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) sightings in the vicinity of Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, and other global locations during September and October 1960. The primary case file, documented on a Project 10073 Record Card and an Air Intelligence Information Report, details a sighting by a T/Sgt at the Melrose Gunnery Range. The witness observed a spherical, bright light, approximately the size of an automobile headlight, which appeared to descend slowly in a vertical path over a period of 20 to 22 minutes. Initially mistaken for a star, the object was later described as having a highly reflective surface. The investigating officer, Captain Clay C. Stephenson, concluded that the object was likely a balloon or a similar device used by a local organization, noting that the slow rate of descent and the requirement for a light source for observation supported this theory. The document also includes a supplement to AF Form 112, which provides detailed meteorological data, including wind speeds and altitudes, and confirms that there was no known air traffic or balloon releases that could account for the sighting. Additionally, the file contains information-only summaries of other sightings from September 1960, including reports from Las Cruces, New Mexico; El Paso, Texas; Woodlands, New Zealand; Gumana, Venezuela; and Seattle, Washington. A final summary table lists various sightings from October 1 to 15, 1960, categorizing them by location and evaluation, with many identified as meteors, balloons, or aircraft, while others remained classified as insufficient data or unidentified. The documentation reflects the standard military procedure for investigating and categorizing aerial phenomena during this period, emphasizing the systematic collection of observational data and meteorological context to reach a logical conclusion.