Project 10073 Record: Moline, Illinois Sighting Incident Report

This document details the investigation conducted by Captains Edward J. Orenic and Anton R. Kato of the U.S. Air Force into a series of reported UFO sightings in the Moline and Galesburg, Illinois area during March 1967. The investigation was initiated following extensive media coverage and reports of an 8mm film captured by Moline police officer William P. Fisher. Fisher reported sighting a U-shaped or pickle-shaped object while on duty near the Sacred Heart School on March 9, 1967. He described the object as metallic, shiny, and hovering, with a sound similar to air escaping from a tire. Other witnesses in the area, including local deputies and civilians, also reported various sightings of lights and objects in the sky. The investigators conducted extensive interviews with witnesses, checked with local airports, radar centers, and military units, and examined physical evidence, including plastic bags and kites found in the area. The investigation concluded that the sightings were likely caused by homemade hot-air balloons constructed from plastic bags, soda straws, and candles, or by misidentified aircraft and celestial bodies. The investigators noted that media reports contributed to a sense of mass hysteria, leading to an increase in reported sightings. The report includes transcripts of interviews, weather data, and newspaper clippings documenting the events.