Project 10073 Record Card and Follow-up Messages — Naha, Okinawa, October 1962

This document collection details a series of UFO sightings reported by personnel at Naha Air Base, Okinawa, in October 1962. The primary report, dated 23 October 1962, was issued by the 51st Fighter Interceptor Wing and addressed to the Foreign Technology Division of the Air Force Systems Command. The sightings occurred on 6, 7, and 10 October 1962. Witnesses, including radar operators from Detachment 1, 623rd ACWRON, described observing a brilliant, white, round object with an erratic flight path. The observers were taking time exposures of the moon using a Petri 7 camera equipped with an auxiliary telephoto lens when they encountered the phenomenon. The report includes detailed camera settings, including the use of Kodak Plus X 35mm film and exposure times ranging from 10 to 25 seconds. The official conclusion reached by the reporting unit was that the object was likely the U.S. Earth satellite Echo I, a conclusion supported by data from the NORAD Weekly Intelligence Review. Despite this identification, the report notes that the headquarters was unable to definitively determine the cause of the sighting. The document includes extensive photographic evidence, consisting of 54 contact and projection prints and two reels of negatives, which were forwarded to the Foreign Technology Division for evaluation. The file also contains copies of the original record cards and follow-up messages sent between military units, confirming the details of the observations and the equipment used.