Project 10073 Record — Sighting of Unidentified Phenomena, 5 June 1969

This document is a collection of reports and correspondence regarding a widespread sighting of an unidentified aerial phenomenon on June 5, 1969, across the states of Illinois, Missouri, and Iowa. Multiple civilian witnesses reported seeing a bright, greenish or blue-silver object moving from East to West. Descriptions varied, with some witnesses describing a cone-shaped or bullet-like object with a tail, while others noted it appeared to be multiple units. The Air Force, in coordination with the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, investigated the reports. The official conclusion reached by the Aerospace Technologies Division was that the phenomenon was a meteor. The investigation noted that the object was seen by thousands of people and that, due to the lack of reports of impact or sound, it likely disintegrated completely in the atmosphere. The file includes several 'Sighting of Unidentified Phenomena' questionnaires (AF Form 117) completed by various witnesses, providing personal accounts of the event, including sketches and descriptions of the object's appearance and movement. Correspondence from Scott Air Force Base and the Aerospace Technologies Division confirms the identification of the event as a meteor sighting.