Project 10073 Record Card — Arlington Heights, Illinois, 25 Dec 60

This document consists of a Project 10073 record card and associated teletype communications regarding an unidentified aerial phenomenon reported on December 25, 1960, in Arlington Heights, Illinois. A single civilian witness reported observing an object described as oval to round, approximately the size of a large automobile, with a gray slate-colored glow and glowing lights. The object was observed for one to two minutes, during which it appeared to fall straight to earth before disappearing at a 15-degree elevation to the northeast of the observer. The weather conditions at the time were reported as cloudy and dark, with a 9000-foot ceiling and complete overcast. Official follow-up inquiries were conducted, including contact with O'Hare International Airport tower operators, who reported light air traffic in the area but noted no unusual activity on their radar systems. The investigating agency, ATIC, concluded that while it is possible the object was an aircraft, the lack of corroborating witnesses and the absence of supporting radar data resulted in insufficient information to reach a definitive conclusion. The documentation includes internal routing notes and a reference to a phone number for a Mr. C. D. Weatlein in Arlington Heights.