Project 10073 Record Card and Incoming Message: Portland, Oregon Sighting, 6 March 1961

This document consists of a Project 10073 record card and an associated incoming Air Force message regarding a UFO sighting in Portland, Oregon, on March 6, 1961. At approximately 1900 local time, a witness described a star-shaped object, roughly the size of a dime, that appeared white and significantly brighter than a star. The object exhibited jerky movement toward the south-southwest before fading from view at an elevation of 45-50 degrees above the horizon. The sighting lasted approximately five minutes. The witness, a 35-year-old nurse, noted that while she used binoculars, the object was also visible to the naked eye. Two additional reports were filed by other individuals in Portland within ten minutes of the initial sighting. One witness, a 28-year-old foundry worker, observed the object near the North Star, while a 13-year-old student observed it near Venus. These secondary reports provided a slightly more detailed description, noting a round, marble-like appearance with a bright red and white color, a tapered red and white tail, and the observation of parts falling from the tail. The reports were processed through the SAGE center, though the delay in reporting made it difficult to correlate with other air traffic. After coordination with Project Space Track, the object was officially identified as the Echo I satellite. The document includes meteorological data for the area and confirms that no weather balloons were released in the vicinity at the time of the sighting.