Project 10073 Record Card and Related Correspondence — Monticello, Wisconsin, 3 April 1964

On the evening of April 3, 1964, four witnesses—a retired US Marine Corps Major, his wife, his young daughter, and his son-in-law—were driving west on County C Road near Monticello, Wisconsin, when they observed an unusual aerial phenomenon. Initially, the witnesses believed they were seeing police cars at an accident scene, but they quickly realized the lights were hovering well above the ground. The object, which they described as having four main sections connected together and resembling a 'tinker toy' or a 'flying hatrack,' hovered approximately 100 yards from their vehicle. The witnesses stopped their car and turned off their headlights to observe the object, which displayed four large red lights and other white and green lights. The object was described as having no visible superstructure, though the lights maintained a consistent geometric relationship, suggesting a physical structure. The object eventually moved away at a high rate of speed. The witnesses reported no sound, despite one window being rolled down. Dr. J. Allen Hynek, who interviewed the witnesses on October 10, 1964, at the request of the Air Force, rated the witnesses as highly reliable and articulate. He noted that they were not prone to exaggeration and were seeking a rational explanation for what they had seen. The Air Force investigated the possibility that the object was a helicopter, but this was rejected due to the lack of noise and the object's apparent size. The case was ultimately classified as 'unidentified' because no conclusive explanation could be reached based on the available information.