Project 10073 Record Card and Associated Reports — Wadena AFS, Minnesota, March 1962

This document contains a collection of reports regarding an Unidentified Flying Object sighting that occurred on March 17, 1962, near Wadena Air Force Station, Minnesota. The sighting was reported by both military personnel from the 739th Radar Squadron and a civilian witness. The object was described as star-shaped, white with a reddish tint, and approximately the size of a pinhead. The observation lasted for one hour and twenty minutes. Witnesses reported that the object appeared to move in a straight line down toward the horizon, with slight lateral movements to the right and left. The object was observed at night under clear weather conditions. Military personnel, including MSGT Reuter, SSGT Swalley, and several airmen, provided visual reports, while a civilian witness also submitted a detailed questionnaire. The official conclusion reached by the Air Technical Intelligence Center was that the sighting was a misidentification of stars on the western horizon, specifically bright stars such as Aldebaran, Sirius, Betelgeuse, and Rigel, which appeared distorted due to atmospheric refraction. The documentation includes a Project 10073 record card, a formal report from the 739th Radar Squadron, and a completed U.S. Air Force Technical Information Sheet provided by the civilian witness. The military report notes that the submission was made in lieu of standard procedures due to a lack of the required AF Form 112.