PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD - 11 March 1963

On the evening of March 11, 1963, a bright, crescent-shaped object was observed traveling from east to west over the Hawaiian Islands. The sighting was reported by thousands of residents and two Hawaii Air National Guard pilots who were flying at an altitude of 40,000 feet. Witnesses described the object as glowing like a giant comet or spotlight, noting that it left a vapor trail lighter than that of a jet. Some observers reported that the object appeared to be on fire and seemed to fall into the sea. A U.S. Weather Bureau observer, William Garr, likened the object to an inverted headlight. While the sighting initially baffled local pilots, FAA control-tower operators, and the public, the official conclusion recorded on the Project 10073 record card identified the object as a missile launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, a fact confirmed through a telephone conversation with a Range Officer. Press reports from the time indicate that the incident caused significant public interest, with local newspapers and radio stations being flooded with calls.