Project 10073 Record: UFO Report - Newburgh, New Jersey, 10 Jan 68

On January 10, 1968, at approximately 1729 hours, an Airman assigned to the 3501st USAF Recruiting Group and his wife observed an unidentified object while arriving at their quarters in Knox Village, Newburgh, New York. The witnesses initially mistook the object for Venus, but upon closer observation, noted it changed color from red to a brilliant yellow. The object exhibited erratic behavior, including hovering, changing directions, and performing a ninety-degree turn. The witness, who had access to a 15X-60XD 60mm Varipower telescope, observed the object through the device before it disappeared abruptly. The witness described the disappearance as instantaneous, comparing it to a light switch. The sighting lasted approximately eleven minutes. The witness reported the incident to Stewart Air Force Base shortly after the event and provided a detailed written narrative. The official Project 10073 record lists the conclusion as a 'probable hot air balloon,' noting the wind conditions and the 'red streak' observed by the witness. However, the investigating officer, Captain Roger B. Tyrrell, explicitly disagreed with this assessment in his preliminary analysis, stating that the object's flight path and position made a weather balloon unlikely and that the possibility of it being Venus had been discounted. The final preliminary conclusion by the investigator remained 'undetermined.'