Project 10073 Record Card and UFO Report - Tachikawa AB, Japan, 27 July 1961

On 27 July 1961, at 2255 local time, three A&E mechanics stationed at Tachikawa Air Base, Japan, observed an unidentified aerial phenomenon. The witnesses, identified as C.N. Smith, D.L. Bingham, and T.O. Honea, described the object as a round, white light, appearing slightly larger than stars but not as bright as Venus. The object was observed for approximately 15 minutes. According to the report, the object initially moved slowly north, stopped, and performed a series of maneuvers including turns to the right and a zig-zag movement at high speed before disappearing in a north-easterly direction. The weather conditions were reported as clear with no cloud cover and a full moon, providing unrestricted visibility. The observers were noted as being familiar with aircraft in flight, and their reliability was estimated to be good. The report was received by Captain N.A. Thompson, the 5AF Duty Officer, via telephone. No radar or RAFCON plots were reported in connection with the sighting. The official conclusion reached in the Project 10073 record card suggests the object was a balloon, citing that the direction of drift corresponded to the winds aloft at the time of the sighting. Although the release of a balloon from the base could not be verified, the document notes that evidence points to a probable release at that time.