Project 10073 Record — Sighting Report, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 20 September 1965

On September 20, 1965, a former Air Force pilot and current Western Electric employee reported observing an unidentified aerial object in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The witness, who was an experienced pilot during World War II, described the object as a disc, approximately 50-60 feet in diameter, featuring an orange center surrounded by a blue corona resembling an electrical discharge. The object was observed for 10-15 seconds, traveling from the south to the northeast at an estimated altitude of 2,000 to 3,000 feet and a speed of 350-400 mph. The witness reported no sound and no exhaust. The sighting was reported to the 810th Radar Squadron at Winston-Salem AFS. Official Air Force evaluation, conducted by Major Hector Quintanilla, Jr. of Project Blue Book, concluded that the report contained insufficient data due to inconsistencies in the witness's account regarding speed, elevation, and duration. The investigation noted that the ECHO II satellite was in the area at the time and was observed by the witness alongside the object, but the object itself remained unidentified. No physical evidence was recovered, and no radar contact was made.