Project 10073 Record: Sighting Report - Long Prairie, Minnesota, 23 October 1965

This document is a Project 10073 record detailing a UFO sighting and alleged encounter reported by James Townsend, a 19-year-old radio announcer, near Long Prairie, Minnesota, on October 23, 1965. According to the witness, while driving west on Minnesota Highway 27, his car engine, lights, and radio suddenly failed. He observed a rocket-shaped object, approximately 30 to 40 feet high and 10 feet in diameter, resting on the road on legs or fins. The object emitted a bright metallic shine and a loud hum. Townsend reported that three small, six-inch-tall creatures resembling tin cans on tripods emerged from behind the object. He stated that he and the creatures observed each other for approximately three minutes. The object then ascended, and as it disappeared, his car's electrical systems resumed functioning. Townsend reported the incident to the Todd County Sheriff, Jim Bain, who investigated the scene and found three strips of an oil-like substance on the road, each about a yard long and four inches apart. The report also notes that three youths hunting in the area reported seeing a strange light in the sky at the same time. The official Air Force conclusion recorded on the form suggests the sighting was likely the planet Venus, noting its position at the time of the observation. The document includes the witness's detailed narrative, sketches of the object, and his personal account of the event.