Project 10073 Record — California, Missouri, 30 January 1967

This document is a formal record of an Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) sighting that occurred on January 30, 1967, near California, Missouri. Two local businessmen, identified as reliable citizens, were wolf hunting approximately 12 to 13 miles south of California when they observed an object approaching from the east. The witnesses described the object as pea-shaped, displaying blue, red, green, and white lights that blinked at a rapid rate. They reported that the object exhibited erratic, rough motion, moving forward and backward, and estimated its altitude at approximately one-half mile. The observation lasted between four and eight minutes. The object eventually turned toward the northwest and disappeared gradually. The witnesses also noted that a two-engine plane flew over the area immediately after the sighting, though official records did not confirm the presence of such an aircraft. The report was prepared by 2nd Lt. Samuel T. Martin, Jr. of the 351st Strategic Missile Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base. Following interviews with the witnesses, Lt. Martin concluded that the lights were likely a result of weather conditions—specifically a front moving across the area that caused radical vertical temperature changes—and potentially the plane sighted in the area shortly after the event. The document includes a copy of a local newspaper article titled 'Flying Saucers' Visit Central Missouri Area, which provides additional context regarding the sighting and mentions the broader public interest in UFO reports at the time, including the ongoing University of Colorado study directed by Dr. Edward Condon.