Project 10073 Record — Sighting near Orting, Washington, 21 August 1965

On August 21, 1965, at approximately 0815Z, a female observer located one mile north of Orting, Washington, reported a sighting of an unidentified aerial object. The witness, a housewife described as having fair reliability, observed the object while driving. She described the object as saucer-shaped, white in color, and approximately the size of a basketball. The object was seen hovering on a hillside near ground level. During the two to three-minute observation, the object did not maneuver or change in azimuth or elevation, but eventually moved over a hill and disappeared. The witness reported a metallic-quality humming sound, which she noted did not seem to emanate from the object itself, accompanied by a sound described as a broken rattle. The weather conditions were dark with an overcast ceiling at 6,500 feet and no wind. No optical aids were used, and no air-borne sightings were reported. 1st Lt James L. Cotton of the 325th Fighter Wing at McChord AFB conducted the intelligence review. The official conclusion reached by the Air Force was that the sighting was likely a misinterpretation of a light, such as an aircraft or a ground light on the hill.