Project 10073 Record — North Hudson, N.Y. — 14 July 1966

On 14 July 1966, at approximately 0320Z, a civilian observer in North Hudson, New York, reported a sighting of an unidentified flying object. The observer, described as a 52-year-old unemployed former conservation worker with little formal education, was sitting on his porch when he observed an object in the northern sky. He described the object as having a 'checkerboard pattern' and emitting white and blue circulating lights, with a light visible in the center. He reported that the object made no sound and traveled from north to south over a period of approximately 20 minutes before disappearing over the mountains to the south. The observer estimated the object's elevation at 2,000 feet when first sighted.

An investigation was conducted by Major Allen H. Doyle of the 380th Strategic Aerospace Wing (SAC) at Plattsburgh Air Force Base. The investigation cross-referenced the sighting with military flight activity in the area. It was determined that at the time of the sighting, a KC-135 tanker was conducting a refueling operation with a B-52 bomber as part of Project 'Water Clock.' The report concludes that the observer, being unfamiliar with such aerial operations, misinterpreted the lights and configuration of the two aircraft as a single, anomalous object. The 'checkerboard pattern' and 'white streaks' were attributed to the illumination lights of the boom area and the reflection of lights on the B-52 wings during the refueling process. The report officially classifies the incident as an aircraft sighting, noting that the observer was likely unaware of the routine military refueling operations occurring in the airspace above his location.