PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD — Bloomington, Illinois, 18 June 1961

On June 18, 1961, a retired Lieutenant in the USNR observed an unidentified aerial object while lying on the grass at the Bloomington Country Club in Bloomington, Illinois. The witness, who was wearing polarized sunglasses, described the object as a shiny, star-like entity that resembled the planet Venus in size and brightness. The sighting occurred at 4:20 p.m. under clear, cloudless skies with unlimited visibility. According to the witness, the object moved slightly toward the northwest, circled clockwise, and then proceeded toward the southwest at a very rapid speed, estimated to be three to four times faster than the jet aircraft typically observed in the area. The object disappeared from sight at an elevation of 30 to 40 degrees above the horizon after a total duration of approximately 10 to 20 seconds. Although other people were present at the swimming pool, the witness was the only one to observe the object. The report was subsequently forwarded by the Chanute Technical Training Center to the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base for review. The official record card for Project 10073 concluded that there was insufficient data for a definitive evaluation. The comments section of the record card notes that the short duration of the event ruled out a balloon, and the maneuvers ruled out astronomical objects. While the reported speed appeared to exceed that of conventional aircraft, the evaluators noted that there was a possibility of speed overestimation and that the duration was consistent with the speed reported. Ultimately, the lack of follow-up information and the time lag between the event and the report hindered further investigation.