Project 10073 Record and Correspondence — Toms River, New Jersey, March 1966

This document consists of a Project 10073 record and a follow-up letter from Major Hector Quintanilla, Jr., Chief of Project Blue Book, to a civilian witness in Toms River, New Jersey. The witness reported observing an object on the night of March 31, 1966, between 8:30 and 9:00 p.m. The witness described the object as appearing like a bright star that moved in a southwesterly direction for 10 to 15 minutes. The witness noted that the object did not 'drop' over the horizon like a satellite and did not travel in an arc. The witness also contacted the Asbury Park Press and was informed that the State Police had received multiple calls regarding the object from the Metedeconk area. In his response dated June 28, 1966, Major Quintanilla explains that the observation does not appear to be a satellite, citing the duration and the direction of travel. He addresses the witness's broader questions regarding the delay in identifying sightings, the role of military radar, and the possibility of extraterrestrial life. Quintanilla states that he has not seen evidence of visits by an advanced civilization and notes that the identification of objects like weather balloons or satellites is a routine, albeit sometimes delayed, process. The document includes the official Project 10073 record form, which classifies the sighting as a 'Possible (AIRCRAFT)'.