Preliminary Investigation of UFO Reports, May 13-23, 1964

This document is a compilation of reports and investigative findings regarding a series of UFO sightings in Lansing, Michigan, during May 1964. The investigation was conducted by William T. Powers and TSgt David N. Moody of the Dearborn Observatory, in response to reports of strange noises and aerial objects. The investigation identified that many of the reports of 'weird noises' occurring around 3:00 AM on May 21, 1964, were likely caused by a Lansing police car performing an emergency run while using a new 'warbler' siren. Witnesses described the sound as high-pitched and whirring, which the investigator concluded was consistent with the siren's operation. Several visual sightings were also reported. One object, described as a bright blue or blue-green light, was seen by multiple witnesses. The investigation concluded that some of these sightings were likely meteors, while others, particularly those involving blue lights, were potentially attributable to the reflection of police car flashers on a haze layer, or in one instance, the planet Venus. The document includes several 'Project 10073' record cards, police logs, and newspaper clippings from the Lansing State Journal and Detroit Free Press, which detail the public reaction and the confusion surrounding the events. The investigators noted that local police agencies were cooperative and that the reports were often independent. The document concludes that while many reports could be explained by the police emergency run or astronomical phenomena, some events required further investigation.