PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD — Sighting Incident 17 Oct 61

This document consists of a Project 10073 Record Card and an associated incoming staff message from the 326 Air Division at the Kunia Facility in Hawaii, dated October 17, 1961. The report details a CIRVIS (Communication Instructions for Reporting Vital Intelligence Sightings) observation of an unidentified flying object reported at 1213Z on that same day. The witness described the object as having a size and speed comparable to a meteor, noting that it was as bright as a lightning flash. A distinct feature of the sighting was a vapor trail that remained visible for seven minutes. The object was observed at coordinates 33N 177W, traveling on a northerly course at an altitude of 35 degrees above the horizon. The military evaluation of the incident concluded that the object was an astronomical meteor and posed no threat. The record card, formatted on ATIC Form 329, confirms the classification of the event as an astronomical phenomenon rather than an aircraft or balloon. The staff message was distributed to various military commands, including PACAF, CINCPAC, and CINCSAC, and included a note that an advance copy was delivered to OOP-CP and CIN 1250.