PROJECT BLUE BOOK

PROJECT 10073 RECORD
1. DATE · TIME GROUP 2. LOCATION
12 November 1954
12/2000z Louisville, Kentucky
3. SOURCE 10. CONCLUSION
Civilian & Military WAS BALLOON
4. NUMBER OBJECTS
1
5. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 11. BRIEF SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS
3 Hours Obj round. Was gleaming white at first, turned yellow, the
J1odls red, then faded red, then faded
TYPE OF OBSERVATION 6. TYPE OF OBSERVATION
Ground Visual Investigation Investigation eveals object to eveals exp. balloon. Released exp. balloon. Released
by the General by the Gen 11s Corporation.
7. COURSE
8. PHOTOS
Yes Yes
I No No
9. PHYSICAL EVIDENCE EVIDENCE
Yes
No
FORM
FTD SEP63 0-329 (TDE) Previous editions of this form may be used.
3
I
.

stated that on 12 & 13 Nov 54, two (2) balloons were launched from the
University of Minnesota. University of Minnesota. The payloads The payloads came down: (1) over Danville, over Danville,
Kentucky, the other other over Carlisle, Kentucky Carlisle. Kentucky Mh. Keith further further stated stated
that he believed that he believed the the UFO ix question question could possibly have have been
these balloons. these balloons.
Due to all available information from basically
compares to those descriptive characteristics of a balloon in flight, in flight,
and since there were there two (2) research balloons in the same erea at the in the same erea at the
time of the sightir time of the sightin the observed were ere high altitude research
balloons.

the 14th or 15th of Nov 54. T
stated thausts - object,
that he and his associates had always had an unofficial interest
However, in this
unable to see the jets that
S.
object cou of some sort,
but desired the

notified per his personal request.
The identity of the ADC Unit in Knoxville was established as the 460th FIS
inquiry dated 18 Nov 54 was S of this unit
relative to the sighting.
Refer to Attachment #3.
Nov 54: an this date, 3 civilians observed a UFO over the vicinity of
Brandenburg, Kentucky. lst Lt. Athens, F. 4502nd AISS
interrogated oservers
Refer to Attachment #4.
ATIC EvALUATION: Preliminary investigation suggests objects observed in all of
the cases above to be balloons. Quite possibly it -
. is presently
and research grem
of the upper
a.W.Duppeed
Tlsot ATIAE-S

a. stated he had been approached by a Mr.
a reporter on the Louisville Courier Journal. Mr. Hart was koliciting
information regarding an ebservation of an Unidentified Flying Object made
over the city of Louisville, Kentucky Friday 12 November 1954. Major
Williams stated that he had informed Hart, on direct query by that
individual, that_ the object in question had postively been identified as a
No No queries mad Hart
rege ed.
b. The purpose of Major Williams' call to Flight 3-B was to obtain
information regarding the AF policy on the release of information to news
media regarding UFOB's and what his action should be similar
occassions arise
Lt Athen's informed Major Williams that in those cases where such
sighting have been positively identified as known objects, as was the case
in question, then it was within Major Williams authority to release such
information any of the news media which may be making inquiries. Major
Williams was also informed that only in those cases where such sightings
were I not identified he was instructed not to release any information, but to
inform the individuals making queries that such releases would come from AF
sources authorized to give such information. AFR 200-2 was brought to the
attention of Major Williams. Aforementioned AFR governs the release of UFOB
information as well as respons theredf.
c. The above situation is in general the discussion as occ
phone vonversation stated in par. l.
thus ilt UAE f d
the alce JON T. MATSUO
CAPT., USAF
OIC, FLT 3-B
ATTACHMENT#/
DD 96 REPLACES NME FORM 96. 1 WHICH MAY BE USED. 16-s4n01-8 *HINTINa OPPICs

OFFICER
GRNC
ATIC advised of unidentified flying object reported over Knoxville during past reiried Tiying Object reported over Knox lle during past
week. Exact date unknown. R Request Request info as to possible
your a/c and your a/c results Refer 200-2, dated 00-2, dated August 1954.
COORDINATION: COORDINATION:
ATIAE5 ATIAE5 DATE_18 NoV54 DATE 18 Nov 54
fCapt.CA.Hardin Capt.CA.Hardin
ATIAE 4 DATE18 1:54
Lt Col. H.. Johnston
ATIA CLDATE 18 hO 54
McDuffee
DATE
OFFICIAL FILE COPY
ELECTRONTICS BRANCH
Office of Record
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION PAGE OF PAGES
UNCLASSIFIED 1 1
ighattire, 0 RELEASING OFFICER S SIGNATURE
Sgt. Drepperd/re.
SYMBCL TELEPHONE OFFICIAL TITLE
ATIAE5 69216 CWO, USAF
REPLACES NME FORM 173, 1 MAY #9. -589234 U. S. GOVERNNENT PRINTING GEFIC:
173 WHICH MAY SE USED.

Minne-
sota are presently engaged in an atmospherie experimentation research
-301LU program and as a I program and as a result, launch special types of balloons which are which are
consi cons than than the average weather balloon. the av weather balloon.
unidentified flying ob ject pro-
gram and please feel free free te any assistance you may re-
quire in the future.
Sincerely, Sincerely,
ALBERT W. DREPPERD-
T/Sgt USAP
7 ATIAE-5
sent.

At Louisville
Mysterious Object
Unidenitified -
Could Have Been
LOUISVILLE, Ky., Nov. 13.-(P)
-Despite e efforts of the Air Force Plastic Balloon
and speculation by curious onlook-
ers, that shiny object over Louis- MINNEAPOLIS. Nov. 15-(AP)
ville was recorded ville was recorded officially today officially today MTNNEAIOLIS.NOV.I.
asunidentified." 150 A General Mills, Inc., research. General Mills, Inc., research
Seemingly motionless at an esti- laboratory spokesman said today
mated altitude of 80,000 feet a few that an object sighted over Louis-
degrees northwest from downtown ville, Ky., last Friday possibly was
Louisville, the silvery object caught a large plastic balloon released
the stares of thousands of persons near Minneapolis a day earlier.
vesterday from vesterday from about 3 p. m. to about 3 p. m. to The Minneapolis milling firm's
6 p. m. scientific laboratory manufac-
A jet fighter plane from Wright- ONDI-OUY tures the white plastic balloons tures the white plastic balloons
Patterson Air Force base, Dayton, 0N91-0U3H and sends them aloft in co-opera-
cruised the sky for a closeup, but tion with the office of naval re-
the pilot said he failed to sight the search, which is conducting cosmic
object after climbing to about object after climbing to about ray and other upper atmospheric ray and other upper atmospheric
40,000 feet. studies. Hundreds of the balloons
have been launched. have been launched
The object was a gleaming white The balloon released last Thurs-
at first, slowly turned yellow, day measured 90 feet in diameter
finally red, and then faded into the and is 100 feet long. Its cargo
dusk. of instruments was released by
Reminiscent the "flying parachute over southern Minne-
saucer" days, newspapers and sota the same day and was re-
radio stations here were swamped covered near Austin. Minn.
with telephone calls while the No reports on finding the bal-
"thing" hovered cryptically loon had been received up to noon
above. today. A mechanical device re-
Charles Strull, veteran member leases the cargo when the bal-
of the Louisville Astronomical so- loon reaches a prescribed alti-
ciety, said "It's s not a celestial tude, usually in the stratosphere.
body'" because its color changed as 2 A jet fighter plane from Wright-
the sun went down. Patterson Air Force base. Day-
Meterologist O. K. Anderson said: ton, was sent to Louisville Friday
'From our observation it certainly in an attempt to identify the ob-
didn't seem to be a balloon-it ject, but the pilot failed to sight
it after reaching about 40.oo0 feet.
showed so little movement." The white object was estimated
Wright-Paterson Air Force base at an altitude of S0.0oo feet.
spokesmen said Saturday that in- After dropping its instrument
vestigation of the unidentified ob- cargo, a balloon usually rises rap-
ject'' was.a classified proiect and idly and bursts. ..
refused to confirm or deny the re-
port about the fighter plane frorn)
the base here.
T4 15NoV5k
13 Nov 54 DAYTOI JOURNAL
DAYTON NEWS

5
Jef Pilots Solve Mystery of 'Thing -
Flying saucer experts admit Knoxville Weather Bureau re- He said that after dark it proved
"something's up," David Dickey ported it sent up a weather bal- to be a red star. I never would
writes. Page C-l. ioon yesterday morning. but it have believed it." he said.
burst. -No other was sent up Sightings were reported as far
The sky yesterday afternoon yesterday by the local station. east of Knoxville as Newport.
produced a which ex- Hundreds of fans at the Ten- saw something·that looked
cited people in Knoxville, out in nessee-Florida football game saw like a neon light," said Jefferson
the county, Barbourville, Ky. the object northeast of Shields- County Sheriff Jo h n Goforth,
and even as far away as Louis- Watkins s Stadium. Also observed Dandridge. "I watched it with my
ville, till the Air Force apparently was a moving vapor trail, ap- field glasses till night came, and
solved it. parently from one of jet intercep- it looked like a glass ball through
It was described by Knoxville tors. the glasses."
viewers as an almost rectangular Mrs. George A. Caldwell, of Kingsport Highway Patrol said
object, white, with irregular near Strawberry Plains, said she it received no calls about the
sides. "Looked like it was right cORCU saw the object about 4:15 p. m. the object about 4:l5 p. m. saucer," but observed saucer," but observed a very α ver
over Standard Knitting Knitting Mills," Mills," It looked real big," she said. "It looked real big," she said. bright star in the east.
said L. O. Graves, 1903 Jefferson Looked Lighted Up' Looked 'Lighted Up' 'Traveling Slowly South'
Avenue, who Avenue. who looked looked at at the J. S. Warren, Warren. News-Sentinel News-Sentinel
"thing"' with two neighbors. "thing" with two neighbors. Another observer reported Another observer reported at
Fliers in two jet planes saw Fliers in two jet planes saw 5:45 p. 5:45 p. m. that the object was m. that the object was correspondent in Barbourville, re- correspondent in Earbourville, re-
the object and flew to investigate. visible between Fountain City and ported ported a "bright, shiny object
Game Fans See Object Game' Fans See Object Hall's, and looked "lighted up." appeared high over that city appeared high over that city
At a great height it was prob- was prob- about 1:30. It was traveling very i )
It was a balloon," said Lt. able that a balloon could have slowly south toward Knoxville." slowly south toward Knoxville.
Melvin Bowers and Lt. Mark reflected light from the setting In Louisville, Associated Press In Louisville, Associated Press
Studder, after they landed back Studder, after they landed back sun, although sunset was of- sunset was of- reported, "a shiny object, re- . .
at McGhee Tyson Air Base. ficially at 5:30 p. m. at ground corded officially as unidentified, corded officially as unidentified.,
"We flew at about 36,000 feet "We flew at about 36.000 feet level. caught the stares of thousands caught the stares of thousands' 1
and got under it. It was still At Tazewell, Claiborne County late Friday afternoon. Motorists Motorists h
some distance above us. Prob- some distance above us. Prob- Sheriff Dan Sheriff Dan Chumley said Chumley said he in two Central Kentucky in two Central Kentucky counties y counties n
ably sent up by some distant ably sent up by some distant watched the watched the object, which ap- object, which ap- reported seeing an object like a reported seeing an object t like a v
weather bureau and drifted in peared like "a real bright light meteor glowing green or blue Fri- C-
here on an upper air current." hulb, larger than my two fists." day night.
FROM THE NEWS- SEN
"/14/54