PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD 2. LOCATION DATE-TIME GROUP TYPE OF OBSeRVATION 0 Ground- Visual 0 Air-Vi a41ol 7. L E NGTH OF OBSERVATION 8. HUMB ER OF OBJECT S BRIEF SUMMARY Ofl SIGHTING Circul a r \li t h Red ,.-rith yello~r "ceres durL1g lst minu tes sig.'1.tLTlgi Elongated as i t color to g r eyish. Occasiona l scall:ped edges . Slm.f rc.rldom motion. Ground-Radar Air-Intercep t Radar 9. COURSE 0 11. COMMENTS CONCLUSIONS Was Balloon Probably Balloon P o s si bl y Boll oon Wos Air craft Pro bob I y Ai rerah Possibly Ai rcraft Wo s Astronomical Probably Astronomical Possibly Astronomic al In sufli ei ent Data for Evaluation condition indicate S . )faval. Base~ Kay ;-Tet~t, :i!lo rida. ~Jitnessed b-r: Location: ~:Jsition 0 YT.9-5LJ: "The l'-D bows u li~hted 4 :'!'.iles, oeari...ng 307fl true beacon in t h e ?lorida Reefs C~ Situati.ont ;\board U~ YTB-543 with tow enroute 1-iiallti, "?lorida, to Key ~;{est, Florida ~Jhile steaming sout.'l o n course 205 true,. speed 6. 5 !mots, a?~mxi:na:tcly' 3 !lliJ.es oU oi'~ and parallel -:o t h e contour o f the i.i'l:Jrlda Ree:'s, .J.. tvas o n the Starboard wing of' the !3r:idl;e !'li.tn a P.aj r oi' ,::...l1Dcnlar!3 md stop Hatch in rrry hands observing the 1eneral layou t o f t~e reefs, i t s lig_l)ts and beacons, and oi' the :.erchru:t vossel close aboard and o.bea-:1 t o star- ;oa.-d, al.ao stea.nn ng on a southerly course, sat:b.::.Y~"l~ mys el.:' o :: ths sai' aty o:r: 1"EB-.:543 and its t,o..,., :i.n r elati:Jn to t :w reefs arui : .he .>:erc~t 'Vessel. ;!?On being satisfied o f t=--.e safety o f the 7TS-5h3 anC. its t-,w, I then turned rrr:r attP...ntion for~-d, o:f.'f the sU1rl.."''ard how, n epa.ring w 0b~erve and '!Mck thP. char::1cterist-i.cs of ':'!'~e Zlbows l:!..;hl~d oearon ~d.tn the s":.<.>p rmtc..i-). for further :::roof a..'ld identL.Dj,cation wt-.en. ::uddenJ.7 t:1ere appearsd a oreath:tald.ng pheno;nena in the slq, 3li.;htl.Y :1'brrl.re and to the east ~'' l hted 'beacon. r:::~lai.Tti.."1g -.-r; discover:r to US~, Sebnsma.n on ~natch in t:1e tihee~ !louse and at -:.."1e !'OWing tbe bboC"'JJ ars t o ey ~es :tnd in lin!'! ri th the object and ur..conxioualy 9t.a...-t:i."1~ tho sto!) ~tch_, (~.ich results from :,raart!l o practice) , I :f:'dOowed the oo ject from a SSW direcT,ion in rrllat . a:o peared to be a lon:s, but slight, sem:icirc::!.e s-..rL"lg aero~ t.'le ~w (south to north) and thence -:reering ott sr.arpq +.o th-3 r:i;;h":. di~a??ea:-'Jl;; i.<'1 the :m, vtf the port ~..ar. Thm-e ~re 8 vessels :~o".m to be :!...'1 ~'1.e 7icini:cy at the t:bte and it :is assumed and takan f o r :;ranted that onn or iilOre of these vessels si?,htad tl'l.i.s pneno;;:ena,. aspecia.J1y th:=! 7;:)5;:;01 i:nmedi ately to rrr:r starboard. '!'~e go.neral tJ-.reral l :;ea the:::-c,'):d:. t i.Jn .:tt tl'~.at timeT~Gs fair to good, with fair be1.ng IM~ 3\.f th.,..._,lL'{h e a s t, to :ro; and -pod "being ':ron :;''1/ t..'1rough ~!est to 'r~. 3h7 vra.3 th.ree-+..en-=.~s o >Yersd rlith clouds, mostly -:>= ~lhic!'l T.f'3r e on J.:,he r.o:-izon a:-..d ~.o '~ho .:;-::av a.t.:.oG -;f' pos:L't.ion an~le 10 to l.SO high. In t.ha east these clouds were oi'~ :ll to-cumtf1 us in the soutlr.rest +.o c u:nu o- rrimbua,. aJ. ~o-cu:::ulus :!.."1d !1~ :nbo- ..;tratus in tae :x>utheast , t o al to-ctr::"tu.:!.'..lS a."1cl. str:J.to-cuz:mlus i.:1 t.!....e north- ~:)..-;i;.. A sileet of 7eil ':>l al towstratus -;.zas p redo:mi nate ~n -t-1-...e cl:Jud .f:>I"!'r.a- ti':>n and was vexJ V"isi.bls above the oasic clouds. Thera ;:,ere r:r2-"1 squalls D ~QQ D3 5Z!;O.l0 'irit.."l ) ccas:!.o.rm1 '2.i.;ti.. :!.11 t.'1.e SE a.YJ.d NE. T.ha cloud f or:-:tation L'1. .._b e ct:::mlu3 ri. ':.h alto-stratus. The~ were rain squall3 in ti".a ?T 1, r.o J.L;~1-::...""li.r.g 1:1as o~serv~. Above the position sn[-',la of 1_5'0 "!rers occa::Jional ;c:l.ttered clouds of alm-eUlllulus -cype up to 25 ?Os:l.tion an.gla. Cve:-hc.:!ci-:n3 cla~, ~r:..'1d .f_'O!Tl -:out,h a.t 1 0 ~ts, 3ea fro:-1 ':).$Ttl condition one. Vi.Jibj.ll7-y 11't'h9 ..,lbONSll ]_i.ghted Ce.::tcon. D3SCRI?'!'ION 0F OBJECT: :From behind a hu.~e dark ma8S of clouds clL.-ectl;v abo, a '!'he Elbo..ra li:;ht.ed "".Jeacon there a:opeared a br:l.lJ,. ant ?ale blue ob ,ject _, shaped like a n sg, .'!I(>'~J-i ng a\i inc.redibla 3peGd. Tr..i::; cbj ect -lluS ::)tsen"'2C above t,:1c horizon at loU to 1~ posi~n angle_, and ~emained more or less at that level untiJ. its diMp"!Jearcmce into, or behi.rtd a l1u.-;e cloud battk in the 1'P., dL""ectl.y- abo"7'e a nort.hbound merc...'lant vessel . DtL"'"'ing the cou.r~e o:i fo~.lo,.;.....n;~ this ::ibject ;d~ the bi.:'loeulars, the s l13;::>e could not be maci.e ou.t ahai?lY and nc-:1:7 dne to it3 li,;:rt '9enet rat:L'1.'!, t~ th.; n "'1"9i.l o f al to-str.:1tu.s clouds but, claar enou,sh to :Lnd~ ca-ta the sha:;e of a.n ag:~. I t is asti.1n :ad :.he len:;th bei.n~ tr.rae ti.""aes i t.s 1-ri.dth, tl'..e overall size caru1.ot h e est:i.:.ated 1/l~hin a ce:rLa n de-r.re~ of accuracy, ~xce, i n rel atio n to the ~Jize 'Jf the aT:lOunt o: :li::;tortion, either plu3 or .1inus, cond~ti~ns cue t o itc lig~t ~anctrat g the ):_"1c9 its -:!ist.ance frcn the "!TB :m oositior. wou-:.d 0 9 ::r.tb;f:!ct tn a cert.:~in dep~nC.i..'l.S ")n at.~tos~1heric l~;m, i :. can b s o~l,y es:.ir._a-t.ee .:1:> ':;T;GC.. T::ere also a.p-pcared :'our Clmes 'J f l:!..g:rt '3xr,cnc~1 ng out, from. i;;'la :'lain bOcty, each at a 900 an.3].e f::-om the oth.e~, ths '.r;:.per and lo~rer cones ;vera eau.al in l3r h to ~me ti.-:cs ::."':.s ~Ti.dth ( 0ad1) > i.h~ fo~r3.7.'c1 :md. o.i'ter cones -:<~ere equal to one ti.-n.es ita lon <;th (each). ::~e cor.as of light ilere lass brilliant tr.an ths r;1ai...'1 cody. ':'b..i.s ocservation wao nad e :v ~Jh3 ~bject -:.ade its .. ;ray 7..,'1-:uug!l t::le -vail 0f !"lto -stra'tu.s ab-?VB ':.l:e hea .. ;y ))a:Jic clouds _r:>m a :_:>O:L"l.t SS"..I throug~ south t.o :-JE in a ti."1la ~lament of 6 . 3 seconds by 3-t..?u o;~tch. '.:ta:-its disa:ouearance :,}-.e course -..r-as 1"<.3traced ~3ck to the poi.r..t of si ghti.l'1.?; a!'.d continued on baclvla..-:is i.t1 ti.o sard.ci:-cl.:3 ~ ... -:.ng to ::,"Silflral. cl:i!"ection of Ks;r ;/e~t. no sound could b e d etected as the object passed o f f ti1e wind:tmrd aide (?ort) -::!.' the ::.rn. ':.'>o ;ri."l<: m"l .;ide being Ga3ily det.acted o.ad there oeen ?.Il7T ~ for t~3 oiJject :"'::tGSed :-el aT.ively close NAVAL CONTROL OF SHIPPING OFFICE U . S. NA. VAL BASE KEY WEST. FLORIDA .:n+.o '-' ~ohematic diag1 am. lle nar D.l't ::>ruotio.a::.,la -:-:o ~r-e 11c:Rlo ,,f" t hi!(J .~. iloarl "-nd Ge<>d..,i Suney CluiM; # 12 49, I>! to inc o 1"Jl"rR to '>'>ho,-! ru'ol'lna t i on oongidered n.,rt1 nem: to thia -on..nom.non th&t wa~r ."\nt incor.>ox-rt~d in the tyyed M"itten l"'9~r1:. llhioh at that ~ 'JIISa coneiden.d by thia obnl've r t~ be ol' 11 ~le -.alue bat ,_ bol169sd t o be hportant. It ,.,,,nt be pointed out howe war, that aoaa ol' the illf'o.-:"' tioa ah01m oa the e han: i s r.> aatl;r .,xa~gerai;ed .f"or the Plot or simplioH:y. iJpon tr&narotaln~ this re-~n: into a soh.,.tio diag:J am. sn sr:-or made by thi obMtter ..,... diootered in the typed written re~rt, noheold.~ the quickly jotted dowu notes to determine how thia erior oeetlM"ed it wo.e .rounct thais the 'b8ar1.nga 307 tluc and 24.,0 rn. ""'G:O. jtmabled altUM "together -:;hue cau,.ing ~i er1 or. ~ oorreotion a.N m~erl1ned aJt ~olloww~ 1 . ~eit-1021 o-t !tll 54!t 4t Milee be~j_ng 24~ True :f' .. tttli Tt~ 31bow" Ligbt.d beaoo11 in i:he .Florida Re1"a. ( OoC'\ll"'l"ing t no places in the ~port). 2 . l'o8ition '3f ~th bound :nerchant ?e el abeam t o atarhoardr l lllil :;)~ect.Dr o.f l.cl't.e-, iGOOce ~ .:.lea.C.quar..ers~ A1, ~Jashington_, D. C., ~:X ~ achnical L'1te11 ~;renee Center, ~iri~b-:-? atterson i\ ~"':9,. Ohio C~::-:ma.>Xler, Air Dei'er..se Cor::w.and ,. Ent ~B, Colorado Spri:Jgs, Colo~ Cv::.:nande:::-, Eastal"!! Air Ueienso ?o~....e, s~ra::.t, ''!.;.~'B, ~!A"'lbur:)l, N . 'T ( a ) Co.'TTSi.x corri." 1 tr ser 01570;2!-..6 dtd 9 Aug ~95h~ same Subject. enc:I.osures 2.. '3;j rei' ce (a) subject. sightj,ng -:ms repo.!."' .... ~d. .:.. r...GD .. :r.J.,JrlCLL :.n.kor--:.a-w.on con.cer:ung 1:erew:it.h as enc~su:re (l). F!io:ID TITTSLT.TG~ICB O!i'Fir:E Hi:\::I, 7LC2IDA llNCLJ\SSlF1E:D Of ficer :L"l Cha:r~e, ?ield i.n.cJ J.; r,ence t)f'fi.ce, Hia.11i.1 Florida District Intell:i.gencs Of!icer, SI:ITH NavaJ. District, Sub,j: Unirlen t il'i 3d Fl,T'.-.-;g Object Encl: ( 1 ) '?1emo f!"O'!":l ob sarver ~f S 1.!b .ject Ob ,ject .( 2) Di...a.c:;:"3T.1 of s;ieht!ng , C0!11pilsd by observer 1 . '\. ~epresentative of 7.his oft!ce was inforned o:r Ch.;e of ')t.:ll.l, :avaJ. Base_, Kay . /est, thnt a report of a nght:L.""lg :aa.dc ""J';f N. J . BRO'nN, C?ofC, USiJ, ~n 29 J'uly 195h ras f or:-Ia..-ded to ;;our office o:l L. Aub~3t 195L.. :::nc:.:.osures (l) a.'1d (2) are supplemental ~o t:1at r~o!'t. 2.. BROW i s .:-e~arded by' the COI!I!Itand at Ke.r 1-lest a s a r.1ost r e]ja!1l e Chief Petty Cl.:'i=er . Conver s ation 1-ti. t h BR~YtiN disclosed t~..at r..e :::1d. been :L'1 :.....,e :ia~r:r for "';;-ter.t.y - t;-.,10 years. :!e sta~d t.~t !1e h;t3 observed :-:1eteor:::;, ~eteo~.; tes, c o::1ets., etcetera, in t :w n a3t, and that t!:ey :....""lvaria'bly -:ravel~ at some :!:...!.;le to the hor-=::.:z.on or t:1e ea:th' s surface . e did not belie--r e s ubjec t ob.jec7. C0 l, d possibly ?>.ave b een one or t~se na~aJ. phenomeno n , as it t r avelud parallel to the surface of :.r.e earth. J.. rr:1e oelmsnan o n ma:::nJtr'S vessel also s iqhted su'!Jjec t object . !lis version o:f the si:;b.ti..ru1, i:.:J b eing compiled and :r n 1 be :.'orna..'l'"ded in t he. near !'uture. / S/ !-I. G. Sw"ICORD Tot ~ n 3 Hendtf'PI'tars, ~F, D. C. ~ Ta:ftdeal TntaD'~ ! ~atte.xa;n A..~. Ob:1D ' .&1r Co!iinnd ~ D'B, Colora'b Spr-ng: colo. C. til 11 iastcu Ai'r ~ J'orca, S~ AFB~ lieucn 11. Y. (a) CCIIS1x cout""l.tr ! Ol.S1032!'-6 dtd 9 Aug 19$1J, smae Stlb3eel (b) ---o=m ~:Jar UJ.$87%-6 dtd l2 Aug 1954, same Saoject. (l.) Statarlen~ ~ S)>!Jwq J. !MRI'H-1~ b6b, 62 S'B, Str, us:l :?. (l) 1s the at..ataJmt 12 =.,. by a wit.DNs to t.'1e tri.ghtlng ='::;oort:ld :1D %efat'UiiC8 (a)~ arn 1a ~r.n1-cad henndt.'l a:; t!m clm~:ng %8 : :nl:'t o~ aa.hjec:t. .. J.O August 1.954 I~m: 1-!A.RTIN, Sydney' J. J 464 62 58, S emnan, U. S . Ua:vy Field Inte111genc.-Of.ficer, :1:i.ami, Florida S~j: tnlident.i..f'ied Flying Object; r~ri o T~e1 About o.34DR, 29 J\lly 1 95h J~"!cra::!. Situations Aooard t h e USS 543 wi:th tow em."'ute .from Miami, Florida, to Key iie at , Florida --1 V'oiJ e iii the status of perform i ng rrry-du"'.;:i.es:. (l ) as Relm~nan on the 0 300 to. o6oo watch and, ( 2) Assis.t..i.ng Chi.e Quarter.na:rter BRCMl in obt.a1rrlng a terresi;rjal fixi'J;) dete....,ine tha posit:i.on o the YTB-% end ita tov on a moaenta notice, I ~s in the process of checki.ng the s~'s head b;r the J:Sagnet.:i c COJ!!PaBS,. a.ftar such time ass:ist:i.ng Chi.er QU:n"te:r- master ERC'~l in ob"'-vai n; ng a fix wi.ch -was timed at OJJ$. A loost within the s.-we mment Chief Quartermaster BRQTdN ..mo was stiJ 1 on the starlx>ard wing of the brid~, with st.o~ vatch and binocuil.rs in his hands, sa;f d, "I i'eel eex ~,in ~.at this beacon of:f the staroo ard oow ia a'l'be :sJrowtt but I a:11 going to check it's cha.racteristdm .for posi.t:i.va eJiiW~ :tion, I cam ot find the l.; ghted baoy on the sta..~ ard beam, for I bel.:ieve the merchant vessel to sta.-Qoard is in 1ina ldth the l.igbted bTJDT ., Then instantly' I heard Chie f Quartennaster BRm!i call tA> me~ saying, !IP'..art:inl QnjekJy-1 I.ook ofr the starooard bow and sJiglrvJ.y bight Thera ey e;yes canght.# si~ of an aimost unbelievable p henomenon in the south- -y;:est, movt.ng at irlcredibls speed._ Leaving the steer"_ng wheel :tO~.ntar.:Uy to catch a better g1 l!'lpse o the ob ;ject. as i t passed o:ff the port side, :I f~lJ..owed the object as it passed o f :f the port side_, unt.il l.t disappeare--d in the nort.i.east a1mst directly abova a .oorth l:ound me-rchant vessel., off the par\; qcarter 2. Description o object.t unajded by a.rq optical. instruments, the object appeared to the nalmd eye as a 'Ver'J large or~ rather hug.e object, similar in sbaq>e like a U. s. Nav:r blimp, and o bright. lfhiteish-bl.ue color, :'!:>ring at an increrlible speed, movtng faster than atq.flring object I !w ow ot. This object 'WaS lJX)ving horizontally-, sJ..ightJ.y' above , but para1lel -:..:> the lxlr:izon zd di sapyearing in the mrtheast, avgr a north bound mer- co ant teasel, of tlle porl quarter in what appeared to be in & matter of GaCOndS; aJ:oost as in relat.ion to sa,y, .faster than i.i:.. ill>Uld taka a !l'!2D to 1 1 ght a c:1 garatte in a norJaal amount of tiMe. No sound or noise coUld 0 e detected as it 'DN!Sed o U the 'OOrt. side. /S/S!OOE! J. MA.Rr.L"t ENCLOOUP.E (l) PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD 2. LOCATION C ONC LUSIONS ~fia.mi~ Florida 0 Was Balloon Probably Balloon 3. DATETIME GROUP ... TYPE OF OBSERVATION Poasi bly Balloon XI Gro""cf.Visual 0 Ground-Radar 0 Wos Aircraft a Probably Aircrah 0 Air-Visual 0 Air-Intercept Radar Po asi bl y Ai rcroft lifi LITARY LENGTH OF OBSERVATION a. NUMBER OF OBJECTS SUMMARY OF SIGHTING Br illiant rapid speed c ones of light. Very large, passed near vess~l. Flight paralell to horizon ATIC PO.RM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52) Was Astronomical ~iEI'EOR. 0 0 Probably Astn>nomical 0 Possibly Astronomical 0 lnsufficienr Data for Evaluation s ighting . Ser: JZl-6 .fro:t: Co!i'lm.andant,. SIX':H Naval. District l'o: Director of Irrt.el1i gence, Headquarters, USll', 1/ash:!..,.""l~:l, D. c. --Air Technical InteJ,igence center, :vright-?atters::m AYB, Ohio Ca:ml.&nder, Easter:l Air De~ense Force, Stewart ~B, 'Newburs.h, 1l.Y. Commander,-A:ir Defense Comma.'1d, Ent AFB, Colorado Spr-i-'rlg s , Colo. S~j: Report of nn;det'ltiried flying objec t ; i'or.i'al"ding of Jef: (a) CCMEASTSEAllKJN I nstruction 3820.2 of 16 ,lhly 1954 :3nc~:-(l.) Co!m!ander-, US Naval. Base, Key ~iest, Fla. conf 1~ :::er J 23 C!t d 5 J.ngust 1954, with e nclo s m-e 1 . F.ncJosure ( J.) is-forwarded hereYlith in acco:rdance wi.th ref3rence (a). 2. T~ fi2.as of DD-6:ro contain no derogatory data concern:Lng :!. J . I:lFO COPY T'J : Sy direct.ion