Project 10073 Record Card — Sweetwater, South Carolina, 12 Oct 60

This document is a Project 10073 record card and associated investigative report regarding a UFO sighting in Sweetwater, South Carolina, on October 12, 1960. The primary witness, a local civilian, reported observing a very intense white light with a straight flight path that brightened and dimmed before disappearing. The witness described the object as emitting sparks in all directions and estimated its speed at 40-50 mph, with a duration of 8-12 seconds. The witness was reportedly frightened by the event. Following the sighting, the witness claimed to have found a small object the size of a marble and a thin, deformed metal ring in the soil where the object appeared to land. These items were collected and forwarded to the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) for analysis. The investigating officer, 1st Lt. Norman Pinardi of the 861st Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, conducted an investigation and concluded that the sighting was a meteor of the 'fireball' type. Pinardi noted that the witness was likely honest in his belief that the object landed in his field, but attributed the witness's interpretation to a lack of objectivity caused by fright. The report includes maps of the area and notes that the physical specimens recovered were likely unrelated to the sighting, possibly being a roll-on deodorant applicator ball and a washer found in the soil. The investigation was conducted in accordance with Air Force Regulation 200-2.