Project 10073 Record — Sighting Report, Dalton, Massachusetts, October 1966

This document contains a collection of correspondence and technical reports regarding a series of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) sightings reported by a civilian in Dalton, Massachusetts, beginning on October 6, 1966. The primary witness, a registered nurse, reported observing a star-like object in the western sky that displayed brilliant red and white flashing lights. She described the object as fluttering, dropping, rising, and hovering in an erratic manner, eventually traveling toward the west. The witness maintained that she and other family members continued to see similar objects almost every night throughout October and November 1966. She provided detailed sketches and descriptions of the objects, noting that they appeared to be disk-shaped or top-shaped, sometimes spinning, and occasionally accompanied by smaller objects that launched from the larger ones. The witness emphasized that these objects were not airplanes, helicopters, weather balloons, or planets, citing their silent operation, low altitude, and erratic flight patterns. She also claimed that local radio stations had reported on the sightings and that radar had confirmed the presence of objects in the area while simultaneously confirming no conventional aircraft were present. Major Hector Quintanilla, Jr., Chief of Project Blue Book, responded to the witness on November 7, 1966, requesting that she complete an FTD Form 164 to provide more comprehensive data, such as azimuth and elevation, noting that without such information, a meaningful evaluation was not possible. The official conclusion recorded on the Project 10073 record for the October 6 sighting identified the object as the star Arcturus, stating that the witness's descriptions were consistent with an astronomical observation. The witness remained skeptical of this explanation, expressing frustration with the Air Force's perceived lack of answers and urging for a public statement from the President regarding the existence of UAPs.