Project 10073 Record Card — 13 Dec 60

This document consists of a Project 10073 record card and associated military communications regarding a series of aerial observations made on December 13, 1960, over the Atlantic. Three pilots involved in VF (AW) training exercises reported observing four unidentified objects at various times. The objects were described as having a flight path from the northeast to the southwest, with altitudes ranging from 1,500 to 40,000 feet. The pilots noted that the objects displayed trails varying from whitish to reddish in color and persisted in the sky longer than a normal meteor. One pilot, flying at 40,000 feet, reported that the object had a con or smoke trail visible against a bright star background. Despite the reports, no supersonic radar contacts were recorded by the local GCI station during the period. The official conclusion reached by the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) was that the sightings were likely attributable to the Geminid meteor shower, which was active at the time. The report notes that the descriptions provided by the witnesses, including one pilot's comparison to "brighter than normal meteors," support the conclusion that the phenomena were astronomical in nature.