Project 10073 Record — Davenport, Iowa, 24 June 1968

This document details a UFO sighting report filed by 18-year-old Gordon Koehnke of Davenport, Iowa, on 24 June 1968. Koehnke reported observing two objects for 15 to 30 minutes, which he described as hovering over trees at an altitude of under 200 feet. He provided detailed sketches and Polaroid photographs of the objects, which he characterized as having a dome, an antenna, and a blueish haze, accompanied by a bright whiteish-yellow beam of light. Koehnke noted that his dog howled during the event. The Air Force, through the Aerial Phenomena Office under Lt. Col. Hector Quintanilla, Jr., conducted an investigation into the report. The official conclusion reached by the Air Force was that the sighting was a hoax and that the objects in the photographs were small, man-made items. The report notes that the photographs did not appear to have been taken at night, contradicting the witness's account. The file also references previous sightings reported by the same individual on 4 November 1967 and 3 March 1968. The correspondence includes letters from the witness requesting analysis of his photos and mentioning other alleged sightings by acquaintances, including a Dr. [illegible] from the University of Wisconsin. The Air Force ultimately returned the original photographs and prints to the witness with their negative findings.