Project 10073 Record Card and Incident Report — Webb AFB, Texas, 14 August 1961

On August 14, 1961, at 0340 GMT, Staff Sergeant Richard T. Dahlem of the 3560th Civil Engineering Group observed an unidentified aerial phenomenon at Webb Air Force Base, Texas. The witness, who was on duty as a Staff Duty NCO in Building 302, observed the object while walking outside. He described the object as elliptical in shape, roughly the size of a baseball, and possessing a dull grey metallic color. A notable feature was a blast of greenish-white exhaust emanating from the rear of the object, which appeared to be approximately half the size of the object itself. The object maintained level flight, traveling from an easterly direction toward the southwest at an altitude of approximately 200 yards. The observer noted that there was no sound associated with the object. The sighting lasted for approximately one minute before the object disappeared from view, partially due to the observer's line of sight being obstructed by another building. The weather conditions at the time were reported as excellent and clear, with many stars visible and no moon. The report was filed in accordance with Air Force Regulation 200-2. The investigating officer, the Assistant Wing Operations Officer, noted that the report was not submitted until 2100Z on the same day, which hindered the ability to conduct a timely survey or gather further clues regarding the object's identity. The official conclusion reached by the evaluating agency was that the object was a meteor, citing the greenish-white color, the short duration of the sighting, the level flight, and the lack of sound as supporting evidence.