Project 10073 Record — Kilbourne, Illinois, March 1967

This document contains a collection of records related to a series of unidentified aerial phenomena sightings reported in the vicinity of Kilbourne, Illinois, during March and April 1967. The primary report details a sighting on March 6, 1967, where a witness observed a bright, star-like object for over three hours. The witness described the object as hovering, changing colors (red, blue, white, and green), and occasionally rotating or extinguishing its lights. The object was reported to have no sound. A local newspaper article by Ted Connolly also highlights the public interest in these sightings, noting that multiple people observed the object and that photographs were attempted. The Air Force investigation, led by the Office of Information, concluded that the sightings were likely attributable to the planet Venus. The official response provided to the witness explained that Venus, being the brightest celestial body in the sky at that time, would appear to move erratically and change colors due to atmospheric refraction when viewed low on the horizon. The document includes correspondence between Air Force personnel regarding the drafting of a response to a citizen who had written to the President about the sightings, as well as the technical questionnaire completed by the witness. The Air Force maintained that these sightings did not constitute a national security threat and noted that other reports from the region during the same period were determined to be hot air balloons.