Project 10073 Record Card — Sighting in Troy, Ohio, 3 January 1961

This document contains a Project 10073 record card and associated correspondence regarding a UFO sighting reported by a civilian in Troy, Ohio, on January 3, 1961. The witness, an 18-year-old male, reported observing a bright, shiny white object at approximately 3:45 PM. He described the object as having the appearance of a high-flying jet but noted it lacked wings and produced no sound or vapor trail. The object traveled in a smooth, fast, and straight line from an east-northeast to west-northwest direction before disappearing into clouds. The witness provided detailed sketches and completed a U.S. Air Force Technical Information Sheet, expressing his belief that the object was something different from a conventional aircraft, balloon, or weather phenomenon. The Air Force initially responded to the witness on January 16, 1961, through Lt. Colonel Lawrence J. Tacker, stating that the initial report contained insufficient information for a valid conclusion and requesting the completion of a formal questionnaire. The final evaluation by the Aerospace Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) concluded that the report was inconsistent, specifically noting conflicting elevation estimates provided by the witness. The official assessment suggested the witness might have observed a high-flying aircraft, but concluded that it was impracticable to identify the specific aircraft due to the high volume of air traffic in the area at the time.