Project 10073 Record Card and Related Correspondence — 9 January 1961

This document is a collection of records and correspondence regarding a series of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) sightings in the vicinity of Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, in January 1961. The primary report concerns a sighting on 9 January 1961 by Major Warren R. Aiken and Major Donald F. Taylor, who were flying in a C-47 aircraft from Altus AFB, Oklahoma, toward Wichita Falls. The witnesses observed a burning object with red sparks that appeared in the southwest and moved across the sky for approximately six seconds before disappearing in the northeast. The object did not change speed or brightness during the observation. Major Aiken, noted for his experience in investigating UFOs, concluded that the object was likely a meteorite or a piece of rocket or satellite debris entering the atmosphere on an orbital path. The document also includes summaries of other sightings reported in the region between 10 and 15 January 1961. One sighting on 11 January, reported by a Mrs. [illegible], was dismissed by the investigating officer as an illusion or an attempt to seek publicity, citing the witness's questionable reliability and the fact that she described the object as 'cigar-shaped,' a term the officer characterized as a 'much-used description for UFOs.' Another report from a KFDX-TV weatherman on 15 January described an object similar to one seen on 14 January, though it lacked the red glow observed previously. The preparing officer, 1st Lt. Charles J. McClure, stated that he was unable to determine the cause or identity of the objects reported on 14 and 15 January. The file includes various attachments, including statements from the witnesses involved in these incidents, and serves as a record of the Air Intelligence Branch's efforts to evaluate these reports under Project 10073.