Project 10073 Record — Round Lake, Illinois

This document is a Project 10073 record concerning a sighting of an unidentified aerial phenomenon reported by a witness who was 13 years old at the time of the event. The sighting occurred in Round Lake, Illinois, between 1957 and 1959, at approximately 1923 CST. The witness, who later submitted the report in September 1972, described observing a single object that appeared as a white, glowing football or egg-shaped craft. The witness estimated the object's speed at 200-300 miles per hour initially, noting that it later accelerated significantly. The object was observed for approximately 30 minutes, moving from NNE to E before curving upward and vanishing. The witness, who identified as an artist with experience as a signalman in the Navy, noted that the object had no sound and appeared to be at a distance of 6-8 miles. The witness initially felt the object might be a large airplane or a seagull, but eventually concluded it was not like any known aircraft. The official conclusion recorded by the Air Force is 'Insufficient Data,' primarily because the observer could not provide the exact date of the observation. The report includes sketches and detailed questionnaires completed by the witness, who expressed skepticism about 'flying saucers' prior to the incident and admitted to being hesitant to report the sighting for fear of being considered a 'crackpot.'