Project 10073 Record Card — Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, 1 April 1961

On 1 April 1961, at 1034Z, three Navy personnel stationed at Crane Hill, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, observed an unidentified aerial phenomenon. The witnesses, which included one officer, described the object as a very bright, yellow, round ball that was significantly larger than any star. The object was observed for two minutes, appearing at 30 degrees above the horizon in the East and moving along an azimuth consistent with a later sunrise before disappearing at the horizon. The object's trajectory was described as perpendicular to the line of sight, and it left a trail of black smoke that dissipated rapidly due to winds. The altitude was estimated to be very high, though the witnesses noted that distance was difficult to judge. The report was processed under Project 10073. Lt. Colonel W.J. Karp, Chief of the Intelligence Division, noted that the sighting was likely the result of an early failure of an ICBM attempted firing, specifically identifying it as missile test 821 Titan J-15. The military concluded that no further investigation was necessary, citing the non-availability of the reporting personnel for follow-up interviews.