Project 10073 Record Card and Staff Message — Minot, North Dakota, 2 March 1961

On March 2, 1961, at approximately 2215 hours, two civilian housewives reported observing an unidentified flying object seven miles south of Minot, North Dakota. The witnesses, who were traveling in a vehicle, observed the object for ten minutes. They described the object as round, appearing to be the size of an automobile headlight at a distance of approximately one-half mile. The object emitted a very bright white light, comparable to a 200-watt light bulb, which alternated to a bright red color. The witnesses reported that the object remained at a very low altitude and exhibited vertical movement, moving up and down without any noticeable forward motion. The observers were traveling at the time, and military investigators later noted that the perceived vertical movement was likely a result of the motion of the witnesses' vehicle. The weather conditions at the time were reported as good, with 30,000-foot broken clouds, 15-mile visibility, and light winds. The report was filed in compliance with Air Force Regulation 200-2 and transmitted via landline to the 29th Air Division controller. Military authorities concluded that the object could have been a star or a planet, depending on the witnesses' interpretation of altitude, but ultimately determined that there was insufficient data to reach a definitive conclusion regarding the nature of the sighting.