Project 10073 Record Card and Staff Message Division Incoming Message — 21 March 1961

On March 21, 1961, at 210904Z, two crew members of a P2V-7 aircraft (VP-1) observed an unidentified aerial phenomenon while flying at 8,500 feet over the Pacific Ocean. The witnesses, identified as Lieutenant T.C. Adams and AE2 R.L. Moore, reported seeing a single, round, reddish light source that appeared in their field of vision. According to the report, the object descended in a straight path with a slight drift from right to left before bursting into multiple fragments. The first observer noted the object split into 'many' pieces, with about four large fragments, while the second observer reported 12 to 14 fragments of varying sizes. The duration of the sighting was brief, lasting approximately six seconds for the first observer and two seconds for the second. Both witnesses described the object as 'tumbling' or 'rolling' and noted that its speed was slower than that of typical meteorites. The brightness of the object was described as being greater than stars and brighter than any meteorites the observers had previously seen. The weather conditions at the time were reported as a clear night with a solid undercast beneath the aircraft. Although radar was active at the time of the initial sighting, no target was held. A subsequent search of the area by the aircraft 24 minutes later yielded no visual or radar contact. The intelligence officer, LTJG J.W. Kraussar, evaluated the incident and suggested three likely explanations: a meteorite, pyrotechnics, or an Earth satellite vehicle reentry. He noted that birds and balloons were eliminated as possibilities due to the nighttime conditions and the light emitted by the object. The observers explicitly stated the event did not resemble any pyrotechnic signal they had previously witnessed, though they likened the burst to a fireworks display.