Project 10073 Record Card and Related Correspondence: Mid-West UFO Sightings, November 23, 1960

This document is a collection of reports and correspondence regarding a series of Unidentified Flying Object (UFO) sightings that occurred across the Midwestern United States on November 23, 1960. Numerous reports were received from civilian and military sources, including airport tower operators in Chicago, Peoria, and Springfield, as well as pilots. Witnesses described a bright, reddish-white object, sometimes appearing as one or two lights, often with a long white trail, moving in a northeasterly direction. Some observers noted the object hovered before moving rapidly. The reports were investigated by the 1405th ABW (MATS) and the Aerospace Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC). The investigation involved contacting various organizations, including the U.S. Weather Bureau, Raven Industries, and the University of Minnesota, to determine if any high-altitude balloons were responsible for the sightings. While some initial confusion existed regarding potential balloon launches or chaff drops by military aircraft, the official conclusion reached by the Air Force was that the sightings were caused by the launch of the Tiros II satellite from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The satellite's initial flight path and the timing of its third-stage operation were found to coincide with the reports. The document includes detailed weather observations, wind data, and specific accounts from witnesses, such as A/2C G. R. Hamilton and Captain Robert L. Eldred, who provided consistent descriptions of the object. The investigation also addressed the possibility of atmospheric conditions, such as temperature inversions, contributing to the visibility of the object. Ultimately, the Air Force determined that the sightings were not of an unidentified nature but were the result of the Tiros II launch, with no evidence of any other anomalous objects.