PROJECT BLUE BOOK

' PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD
1.DATE |2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS
Red Oak, Iowa 0 Was Balloon
17 Dec 55 0 Probably Bolloon
4 TYPE OF OBSERVATION 0 Possibly Bolloon
3. DATE-TIME GROUP
Local Ground-Visual Ground-Rodar 0 Was Alicraft
0 Probably Aircraft
GMT18/0122Z AinVi sual Alr-Intercept Rador 0 Possibly Aircrolt
5. PHOTOS . SOURCE Was Astronomical Meteor
Y.s 0 Probably Astronomical
civilian 0 Possibly Astronomical
BNo
7. LENGTH OF.OBSERVATION . NUMBER OF OBJECTS 9. COURSE Other
000 Insufficient Dota for Evqluation
15 sec obj Unknown
1 min trail 1 SW
10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 11. COMMENTS
One fast moving soundless obj was observed to Obj has allcharacteristics and per-
explode in the sky. Obj seemed to change formances of a meteor. It is felt that
colors from white to red to blue. time of observation was slightly
overestimated. ASTRo (Meteor Sighting)
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ATIC FORM 329 (REV ATIC FORM 329 26 SEP 52)
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period and its characte dowmward trajectory suggests
unusual size.
d. Tho collective professional opinion of Dr. Schultz, Professor Collins
and Dr. Lineoln La Paz is not to be taken lightly. This is especially true when
objact.
. The fact that the Red Oak and Kansas City observers thought the object
burned out, while in Nebraska they believed it struck the earth can be axplained.
There is a haze which is known to affect observations near the horizon as is t typical
with the "loss" of stars near the horizon on even clear nights. Since the horison
is relativa to the observer, when the meteorite went past the horizon it would look to
the eastern observers as though it suddenly grew dim and then blackened out; Yet to
the vest the meteorite did not go past the horizon and through the haze, thus, the
observers there saw a different view.
g. The one foature which is unusual to the layman is the
brightmess of the object and tha reported explosion at Humbolt, Nebraska. However
Dr. Schultz was not s suprised at the occurrence of nor the greater than
average illunination.
HANS BISCHOFS
Captain USAF
OIC
COMMENTS of Approving Officer:
Concur with the opinion of the Preparing Officer that the sighting described in
the above report was caused by a meteorite, It is the further opinion of this head-
quarters that the meteorite was of bolids type, accounting for the explosion heard in
Humbolt, Nebraska.
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AF FORM 112—PART II UNCLASS IF IED
AFPROVED 1 JUNE 1918 (CLASSIFICATION)
AIR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION REPORT
FROM (Agency) REPORT NO.
Det. 2, 4602d AISS D2-UFOB-3-55 PAGE 1A OF 6 PAGES
APPROVED:
JOHN M WHITE JR
Colonel, USAF
Commander
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D. 1. 3122Z 13 D. 1. 2122Z 13 DEC 1955 DEC 1955
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RED OAK RED OAK IA. STUDENT, UNK (
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2. 1D,00D FT 272 DECREES 55 KTS, 20,D00 FT 260 DEGREES 50 2. 10,0DD FT 270 DEGREES 53 KTS. I
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27D DEGREES 60 FT
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F.1. JOHN WILL 1
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III. SCURCE'S DESCRIPTION OF SIGHTING: The lone object appeared suddenly in the
SW and glowed "1 rocket you see on the 4th of July" for about fifteen
seconds. While it had ne particuler shape, it was about the size of an automobile
headlight. The source thought the object was about one block away from him. The
path traveled by the sighting was alnost straight downward towards the earth.
The object changed colors from blue to white to red and then seemed to
slowly burn itsel slowly burn itse . At first it appeared solid but later turned turned transparent. ransparent.
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There were scattered clouds, many stars and There were scattered clouds, many a slight breea when the incident breea when the incident
occured at 19:22 CST, according to occured at 19:22 CST, according to the source. 18/0122Z Dec 55 ).
Source called his Goc filter center and reported the object. No photographs Source called his Goc filter center and reported the object. No photographs
were taken. If it were not for the size of the object and its appearent nearness,
source stated the sighting might have been a falling star.
Souree stated that his mother who was on duty with him, agreed with his
description.
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Kansas City, Mssouri. Occupation, commercial pilot with Braniff
Airways, and a former professor of physis, University of Iowa.
PART FoUR: Supplemontary Investigative Efforts
PART FIVE: Comments of Officor
II. SUMMARY: An unidentified flying object was sighted by
post in Red Oak, Iowa (GECREF FJKM 461), by an air
City, Missouri City, Missouri Munioipal Airport (GEOREF FJLK 24g7) and Munioipal Airport (GEOREF FJLK 2Lø7) and by pilot of a Braniff ilot o a Braniff
International Airways flight flying over Kansas City, Missour International Airways flight flying ovor Kansas City, Missouri (GEOREF FJLK 254). (GEOREF JIK 254).
Cbject appeared to be of the fire ball type, initially observed at l8/ol22z Dec 55, Cbject appeared to be of the fire ball type , initially observed at 18/0122z Dec 55,
and lasted for about fifteen seconds. and lasted for about fifteen seconds. The follow-up investigation consisted of a The follow-up investigation consisted of a
thorough interview by phone with the throe above mentioned persons and a check with
other knovledgeable sources cont cted with this sighting.
III. INVESTIGATORS: CAPT. HANS BISCHOFS AO 0784842
2d Lt TED W 3049482
NODEX X
HANS BISCHOFS
Captain USAP
oIC
1
INCLS.
RECCOSC
DISTRIBUTION BY ORIGINATOR
D/I, USAF; COmDr, ATIC; D/I, 20th ADiv; D/I, 31st ADiv; COmDr, 46O2Dd AISS; OIC, Det 2,
4602d AISS
- NATIONAL DEFENSE OF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF ESPIONAGE ACT. 50 U. S. C.-

the earth.
Source turned in no report everal"
air line pilots rege ng it's umusa orightness. ightness.
Source stated Source stated almost straight down. down.
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at about 3,000 fest two miles
south of the Kansas City Municipal Airport, a large "grnenish colored" object
appeared to the WNW at 18/0l2sz Dec 55. During the first instant the source states
that they had a tendency to duck as the object seemed so near. However the source
quickly realized that the sighting was some distance away. He then informed the quickly realized that the sighting was some distance away. He then informed the
passengers of the oBject.
The source watched the object for about lo seconds and told the co-pilot The Source watched the object for about lo seconds and told the co-pilot
that it was a "nickle meteorite" because of its greenish cast. that t it was a "nickle meteorite" because of its greenish cast. The object appeared
to burn itself out before reaching the ground.
Upon landing the two flyers Upon landing the two flyers talked about the umusal the umusal to their friends to their friends
who had seen it om the ground. the ground.
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brief story of 18 December 55 stating that a metsorite had bean seen over the area.
The investigators learned that the "Star" had roceived its story f a Mr. Carroll
White at the Control Tower at the Municipal Airport.
5. A contact with the Municipal Airport aove
seen the object and becaina anbbhsr source, bu could not positively identify the
object which he had seen. .
which he received, and from consultations with Professor
that the throe of them had decided the object was definitely a moteorite. They
further beliovod that its tail exploded near Humbolt, Nebraska, but e main part
struck the enrth somewbere south of Eoatrico, Mebraska (Georer 1516). Dr. Sohlt
snd Professor Collins were planning to go lookdng for the objoot nact day. Tha
unknown oject they ware working with was of the same deseription as the one roported
from Kansas City, Missouri and from Rod Cak, Iowa. The time of occuronce coincided
with the other reports within a few minutes. Dr. Schultz was sure that both he and
ourselves were talking of the same object.