Project 10073 Record Card and UFO Report - 12 October 1962

On 12 October 1962, at approximately 1100Z, an airman named TR Maynard observed an unidentified object at Forbes Air Force Base in Kansas. The object was described as a bright, orange-to-yellow light leaving a trail, with no audible sound. The witness estimated the brightness to be comparable to an aircraft at 30,000 feet. The object appeared from behind a nearby building, moved quickly, then slowed as it reached the zenith, following a curved path before fading out at 20 degrees elevation after a five-minute duration. The observer noted that the object jerked slightly in its flight path on occasion. The report, prepared by 2/LT John K. Hord of the 42nd Bomb Wing, notes that other meteoroids had been sighted in the area, leading to the conclusion that the object was likely an unusually bright meteoroid. The report suggests that the observer's perception of time and the object's color may have been influenced by chemical properties of the meteor or memory magnification. Weather conditions at the time included scattered clouds at 10,000 feet and 9-mile visibility, with no thunderstorms reported.