PROJECT 10073 RECORD — Bradford, Rhode Island, 7 April 1966

This document is a Project 10073 record concerning a UFO sighting reported in Bradford, Rhode Island, on April 7, 1966. The report details an observation made by a 15-year-old student who witnessed a single, saucer-shaped object, described as being the size of a silver dollar and red in color. The object was observed for approximately 10 minutes. According to the report, the object was initially stationary at an elevation of 10 degrees in the east, before moving toward the south on a slight ascent and eventually fading from view at an elevation of 15 degrees. The witness noted that the object displayed three blinking lights. The investigation was conducted by the 551st Airborne Early Warning and Control Wing (ADC) at Otis Air Force Base, Massachusetts, and signed by Lt. Col. Tarlton B. Staebler. The official conclusion reached by the Air Force was that the object was an aircraft. This determination was based on the fact that the sighting location is frequently traversed by both civilian and military aircraft, and the characteristics of the object—specifically its flight path, duration, and lighting—were consistent with standard aircraft behavior.