PROJECT BLUE BOOK

PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD

1. DATE 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS
({XWas Balloon

21 August 1956 near) Hamilton, California

O Probably Balloon
3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION GO Possibly Belleon
Local 0 Ground. Vi sue! BO Greund-Reder o Probout Ate ret
ont......#)/ 19394 IX Air Vi suol D Air-Intereept Reder | 2 Possibly Aircraft
5S. PHOTC OUR O Was Astronomical
' 0 Yes O Probably Astronomical
7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE go nl oe
© Insufficient Deve for Evaluction
GO Unknown
ten minutes one wester
10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 11. COMMENTS
One round clear silver object, size of Balloon launched from
dime at arm's length. Obj initially sighted Vernalis, Cal. on 21/1432Z.
air-visually at approx 20,000 ft altitute Foom the Vernalis balloon
at 38,10N 123W. Obj was near contrail of chart rpt, the balloon esti-
a B-47. Obj's flight path was straight mated to be in area of sight-
& climbing, Obsrve}-s attempted intercep ing at time, 5ize,shape,
action & obj appeared to be between ascending, westerly course

are characteristics of balloon

interceptor & contrail & under contrail
Sighting,

This led pilot to believe obj was close
& he initiated maximum performance of alc.

A/C was climbing at 250kts but obj ap-
neared to pull away & up. Obj viewed a/v

[gee or. rT © .
*|-a8

ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 3EP $2) tO base for fuel, Last sighting at 38,18N 123.20W,

295) IAS

JOINT MESSAGER ORM

COMMUNICATIONS CENTER NO.

SPACE ABOVE FOR COMMUNICATIONS CENTER ONLY

DATE-TIME GROUP SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

2222002 AUG 56 UNCLASSIFIED

PRECEDENCE “Taction Je _ INFORMATION

FROM: (Originator)
COMAIRDIVDEF 28 sasmeeaiment AFB

CALIF

"SoMADC ENT.AFB COLO SPRINGS
COLO one)

COMMANDER’.

AIR TECHNICAL INTELLIGENCE CENTZR
agen armor ae czo can) fe
DIRECTOR OF INTELLIGENCE — | me :

HEADQUARTERS USAF
. WASHINGTON 25 D. C. te

COMMANDER .
 4602ND AIR INTELLIGENCE SERVICE SQUADRON

HAMILTON AFB CALIF (COURIER) u e172
| (NCLASSIFIED) 2801D -UFOB PD (1)(a) ROUND PD (1)(b) DD
PD (1)(c) CLEAR SILVER PD (1)(a4) ONE PD (1)(e) N/A PD (1)(£) NONE PD (1)(g)

NONE PD (1)(h) NONE PD (1) (4) NONE PD (2)(a) OBSERVED BY RADAR OBSERVER IN

‘F-89D AT 20, 000 FI ON HEADING OF 180 DEGREES PD UFOB WAS NEAR CONTRAIL OF Bel? PD.
(2)() FROM COCKPIT 90 DEGREES ON STARBOARD PD ELEVATION ANGLE 45 DEGREES PD

(2)(e) APPROXIMATELY SAME PD (2)(a) STRAIGHT AND CLIMBING PD (2)(e) INTERCEPTOR ©
AIRCRAFT LOW ON FUEL AND RETURNED TO BASE PD (2)(f) TEN MINUTES PD (3)(a)
AIR-VISUAL PD RADAR INOPERATIVE ON F-89D PD (3)(b) NONE PD (3)(c) F-89D CMA

678 CMA 20,000 FT CMA 180 DAGREES CMA 250 ISS CMA 84TH FIGHTSR-INTERCEPTOR SQDN

CMA HAMILTON AFB CALIF PD (4)(a) 211935Z AUG 56 PD (4)(b) DAY PD (5)

FIRST SIGHTING: 38 DEGREES 10 MiNUTES NORTH CMA 123 DEGREES 00 MI:UTES WEST PD

LAST SIGHTING: 38 DEGREES 10 MINUTES NORTH CMA 123 DEGREES 20 MINUTES WEST PD

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
UNCLASSIFIED eee Rape

RELEASING OFFICER'S SIGNATURE
4
s

DRAFTER'S NAME (and signature, when required)

ORAPTER'S NAME (and signature, when required)

FROM: (Originator)

TO:..

JOINT MESSAGEFORM [""""""

»

SPACE ABOVE FOR COMMUNICATIONS CENTER ONLY

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

UNCLASSIFIED ~

INFORMATION age

DATE-TIME GROUP

2222002 AUG 56

3

IDEN TION CLASSIFICATION

«=: i) wos
a ~ "he
: : es

Yn
. hz

(6a) w/a PD (6)(b) ROBERE Cc MORELLI CMA 2/LT CMA 84TH FIS CMA PILOT PD

} JOHN W CURTIS CMA 2/LT.CMA STH FIS CMA RADAR OBSERVER PD BOTH OFFICERS

“USUALLY RELIABLE PD (7)(a) CLEAR WITH THIN CIRRUS AT 35,000 FT =p (7)()

| 55,000 « 200/10 PD “10,000 = ='200/15 PD 20,000 = 210/25 PD 30,000 210/35 PD

"ho, 000 = “210/45 PD ‘hs, 000 - * 210/45 PD (7)(e) UNLIMITED PD (7)(d) UNLDATED
- PD. (7)(e) ‘THIN CIRRUS AT 35, 000 FT PD (Me) NONE PD (8) POSSIBLE BALLOON OF
"SOME SORT PD (9) UPOB FIRST NOTICED NEAR COVTRAIL OF BAW? APPROX 2 MI to REAR

‘OF ACF? PD OBSERVED FOR APPAOK 1 MIN CMA THE PILOT. WENT FORA CLOSER LOOK AND THE

"UFOB APPEARED 70 GO BETWEEN INTERCEPTOR AND CONTRAIL AND UNDER CONTRAIL PD THIS
LED PILOE TO BELIEVE UFOB was CLOSE AND HE INITIATED MAX “PERF OF ACFT TO INTCP
ON HEADING OF 270 DEGREES PD IAS WAS 250 KTS. CLOGING BUT OCBJSCT APPEARED TO :
PULL AWAY AND UP PD (10) ONE Ba? hEADING 180 DBOREES AT 35-40, 000 Fr PD (11)
DIR OF INTEL CMA 28TH AIR DIV DEF CMA UFOB EBTIMATED TO BE POSSIBLE BALLOON

PD WEATHER STATES NO BALLOONS RELEASED IN THIS AREA AT APPROX TIME OF SIGHTING
PD POSSIBILITY OF UNIVERSITY OR ATR FORCE DEMONSTRATION ELSEWHERE THAT my

FAVS RELEASED A BALLOON PD Se? NONE PD ADDL REMARKS - WHEN FUEL BECAME LOW AND

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

UNCLASSIFIED ~

"CHASE FUTILE CMA PILOT TUANSD TOWARD HOME BASE PD. ON HEADING GF 360 DSGRESS.CMA THE

ve p=

_ OBEBCT APPEARED TO BECOME LARGER PD PILOT BELIEVES CANOPY MAGNIFIED OBJECT PD NO

see)

+-_*
SP se e ra.

"MORE SIGHTINGS MADE PD Di GENERAL CMA THE UFOB APPEARSD ON HEADING OF 270 DEGREES

DD 0173 Smee ee a a ne