Project 10073 Record Card — Los Angeles, California, 13 October 1961

This document contains a collection of records regarding a UFO sighting reported on the evening of October 13, 1961, in Los Angeles, California. The primary witness, a 34-year-old female, reported observing an oblong object with bright white lights that hovered, rotated, and moved erratically in the sky for approximately 8 to 10 minutes. The witness, who was with a companion and her young son, described the object as being brighter than the stars and noted that it eventually darted away at high speed toward the northeast. The report includes a Project 10073 record card, a detailed questionnaire completed by the witness, and internal correspondence between Air Force offices, including the Office of the Deputy Commander AFSC for Aerospace Systems and the Foreign Technology Division. The witness provided a detailed account of the event, noting that she was standing on her back porch when she first noticed the light. She observed the object's movement and noted that it appeared to be an 'oblong' shape that revealed a row of smaller lights upon pivoting. She explicitly stated that there was no sound associated with the object. The Air Force investigation, led by 1st Lt. Don T. Cherry, initially processed the report as a potential research balloon or aircraft-related activity, noting the proximity to Hughes Aircraft industries. However, the Foreign Technology Division, under Colonel Edward H. Wynn, determined that the initial report lacked sufficient data for a definitive conclusion and requested that a formal questionnaire be sent to the witnesses to gather more precise information. The witness, in her questionnaire, provided extensive personal background, describing herself as an executive director and medical writer, and expressed skepticism about the nature of the object, noting that she had 'no idea' what it was. The file concludes with the administrative processing of the sighting, including the request for further information and the official classification of the event as a 'probably research balloon' on the project record card.