Project 10073 Record: UFO Sighting, Wappingers Falls, New York, 27 May 1966

On 27 May 1966, at 0145Z, a civilian witness in Wappingers Falls, New York, observed an oblong object traveling from East to West. The witness reported that the object displayed red, white, and green blinking lights, left a vapor trail, and eventually turned into a bright red ball before moving straight up and disappearing. The observation lasted approximately two minutes. The witness provided a Polaroid photograph of the event. Subsequent analysis by the 4713th Defense Systems Evaluation Squadron and the Photo Analysis Branch determined that the photograph did not provide evidence of an extraterrestrial vehicle. The photo analysis indicated that the camera was focused at a very short range, capturing a small, nearby object—likely between the size of a ping-pong ball and a tennis ball—along with a reflection of the camera flash. The official conclusion stated that the sighting was consistent with an aircraft observation, noting the presence of air routes in the area. Despite the official assessment, the investigating officer, Lt. J. Barnauskas, Jr., noted that the observer could have seen an object of unknown origin and that other individuals had reported similar sightings in the area.