PROJECT BLUE BOOK

PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD

1. DATE

2. LOCATION
Thermopolis, Wyoming
} Utah Western U.S.

12. CONCLUSIONS

Wes Balloon
Probably Bolloon
Pessibly Balloon

Wos Aireraft
Probebly Aircroft
Possibly Aircraft

Wes Astronomico! Firebal
Probably Astronomical
Possibly Astronomical

Other

Insufficient Date fer Evaluetion
Unk no wn

10 October 1957
3. DATE-TIME GROUP

O Ground-Roder
© Air-Intereept Roeder

Various/military & civilian

7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE
1 to 45 deconds one

10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 11. COMMENTS

cago cog

Large brilliant blue-white flaming This sighting resulted in creat-
object observed in Myton, Utah & other ing nation-wide attention to the
widely separated areas, Sighted by incident, following on the heels
Navy and Air Force pilots also, The of the Satellite launched only a
former stating that it narrowly missed few days before by the Soviets,

his aircraft, Obj rptd as having a Obj was a rarely seen form of

blue-Slamed tail. meteorite, a fireball,

ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP $2)

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/UNCLAS/ AISOP 163 PD REFERENCE MESSAGE 19@2 AACS CITE TEXAS 52NB 47 '
PD THIS IS PRELIMINARY REPORT OF INVESTIGATION BY THIS ORGANIZATION |
MADE AT SITE OBJECT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE STRUCK PD INTERVIEW OF

a eS a

SEVERAL EYEWITNESSES IN AREA INDICATES THAT OBJECT WAS OEFINATELY
sae hr err OC enP ob. AB i iene! wa O* > “oad ‘ P

FIREBALL METEOR PD FURTHER,OBJECT PROBABLY DID NOT STRIKE GROUND

CMM INDICATIONS THAT OBJECT DISINTERGRATED BEFORE IMPACT PD COUNTY
SHERIFFS OF DUCHESNE AND ~~ COUNTIES NOTIFIED TO BE ON LOOKOUT CI
FOR PIECES OF OBJECT /ADN TO CONTACT THIS ORGANIZATION IF ANYTHING |
FOUND PD ATTEMPT scant aDe TO LOCATE AND TALK TO NAVY PILOT OF ACFT |

NUMBER 1697 PD RESULTS ip. hy COVERED IN FIANL REPORT PD END OF
PRELIMINARY REPORT.

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/UNCLAS /AISOP 166 PD REFERENCE MY MESSAGE AISOP 163. THIC Is
THE FINAL REPORT ON INVESTIGATION OP OBJECT SEEN FALLING INTO
ORTAG EASTERN UTAH AREA. CONTACT WITH PILOT OF NAVY AIRCRAF
iso7 PINPOINTED LOCATION HE SAW OBJECT STRIKE GROUND AT 45 DEGREES
*§ MAAUTES NORTH, 199 DEGRESS 59 MINUTES WEST. INFORMATION PAs SSD
ONTO SHERIFF DUCHESNE COUNTY UTAH AND HE INSTITUTED AIR AN
GROUND SERRCH OF AREA WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS. GENERAL DESCRIPTION |
OF SHIGHTING IN UTAH AREAe, IN FORMAT AFR 20c~ “2, AS FOLLOWS:
', A. ROUND B. YASHTUB, HALF DOLLAR, AUTOMOBILE, ETC. C,. WHITE

7" — £4.

whit RED FLASSHES, BLUE WITH BLUE-WHITE EDGES D. ONE E. NOT

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PAGE THO RJEDEN 14 ee a
APPLICASLE Fe NONE Ge LARGE TAIL SANE COLOR AS OBJECT He EMITING

FLASHES, SPARKS, PIECES OF OBJECT, TURNING END OVER END, ETC.

2. A. LIT UP ROO Be GENERALLY OUT OF AREA BETWEEN NORTH AND |

EAST C. GERERALLY OUT OF AREA BETWELi! SO aD WEST SAID OBJECT

DI INTRGRAED Fe GENERABLY FORTY FIVE SECONDS,.“ONE SOURCE SAID TWO

AND ONE HALF MINUTES 3. A. GROUND VISUAL B. NONE C, NOT APPLICABLE
4. A. 10/1190Z TO 11/1196Z OCT 57 B. NIGHT. 5. DUCHESNE AND
. UTAH COUNTIES 6. ABOUT TWENTY SOURCES INTERVIEWED IN AREA BY
BTELPHONE AND IN PERSON. ALL GAVE GENERAL DESCRIPTION AS | (
NDICATED ABOVE. SINCE ONLY SOURECE REPORTING OBJECT DID NOT
DISINTERGRATE WAS NAVY PILOT AND SINCE NOTHING WAS FOUND IN AREA,
THIS ORGANIZATION IS OF OPINION THAT OBJECT DEFINITELY WAS

FIREBALL METEOR AND DID DISINTERGRATE BEFORE STRIKING GROUND
NO FURTHER ACTION IS CONTEMPLATED BY THIS ORGANIZATION UNLESS

~~

‘ INFORMATION RECEIVED BY SHERIFF OF AREA THAT PIECES OF OBJECT FOUND.

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AFCIN-4A2/Lt Col WC Vitunac/eek/54204

a fr 1l October 1957
o ae he 23]
MEMORALDUM FOR for i Matdeat OE ye

1. Reference "Fire Ball" of Utah, Captain Gregory states:

"The object was not the Soviet Satellite. The Soviet
Satellite was near South Africa at that tine and this
object was seen simultaneously from widely separated areas,
attesting to its great altitude. The 1006th Air Intelli-
gence Service Squadron is investigating because of public
concern. Investigators arrived at Miton, Utah area late
yesterday afternoon (10 Oct 57). Incident is similar to
Pan American Airways case, which was identified this unit
a3 a "Fire Ball". The Chief, OSI, is coming in this
afternoon for details. The PRO is being kept informed."

Data on "Fire Ball": Official message from Lowry Flight Services
Center, Lowry «Fb, Colorado (10 Oct - 1433Z) to aTIC, states that
this object "was ,robably a meteorite." The following descriptive
data was includeu in this message: The object was round with a tail
200 to 300 yards long, flaming, made hissing noises which, together
with explosions, wera heard from the ground. Parts of material were
seen falling off. The flame and explosions lit the sky brightly.
It was travelling on the course of West/Southwest. Descent was
estimated at an angle of 030 degrees to falling rapidly. It either
hit the ground or burned out in 8 to 12 seconds. Observations were
made by three B-47 aircraft at 33,000, 35,000, and 37,000 feet
respectively, one Westbound airliner, altitude unknown, and one
Eastbound C-118 at 17,000 feet. Time and date of sighting was
091104Z to 091107Z at night. «area of sishting was Grandville, Michigan,
and WMiton, Utah. Identifying information of all observers and all
reports received second hand from Senior Controller at Denver Control.
heliability estimated good, particularly on air sightings. Weather
was clear to high scattered clouds and broken at the surface. ‘Wind
was from the West/Northwest, varying from 5 to 35 knots. Weather,Station
said comet was supposed to be in area. All reports compare very well.

2. Reference UFO over New York area approximately 20 September:
two official reports available to Captain Gresory were received (3 Septeme-
ber 1957 and 20 September 1957). The 3 September 1957 report, from
Conuander, Stewart aFB, New York, identifies the object seen by hrs.
Re iigee:: housewife, as most probably Comet "AHKOS", which
had been in view for the past several nights from area of observation.
DLescription of object as follows:

@.e Could not see object, just the tail which was orange/yellow
in color, approximately one foot long.

b. Altitude estimated at 20,000 to 30,000 feet, from the West/
Northwest.

c. Observed for three minutes. Went up and then arced downward
and faded.

d. Time of observation was on the 28th of August at 2350Z to
23552 at dusk.

The second sighting in September was reported by the Commander,

26th Air Division, Roslyn AFS, Roslyn, New York, and was considered by

the Air Division Intelligence Service to most probably be a weather
balloon. It was observed by Francis McNeill of Long Island, New York,
e former WWII gunner on an aircraft carrier. He described it as follows:

a. Round, twice the size of a basketball at arm's length, shiny,

Silver or gray, looked like a ballqon but the speed of departure was
unusual.

b. He observed it for approximately three minutes from the

ground, the 19th of Ssptember at 1905Z. The object moved slowly at first,
then suddenly moved Noithwest very rapidly.

c. The weather at time of observation was clear, surface wind

South/Southeast, 10 knots, increasing to 34 knots at 54,000 feet from
the Northwest. -

COMMELT: Many cases are reported exclusively to the press, the aF having
no knowledge until the press hits it. We do not take cognizance
of any sighting not reported to us.

3. Reference Soviet Reconnaissance Aircraft over 6th Fleet: On
3 October 1957, a TWX was sent to AFCIN-1Al requesting any photocraphs
or information available on this aircraft. In addition, — of
AFCIN-4F2, had his Naval Reserve Commander write directions to ONI

requesting either photovraphs or information. There have been no results
to date. |

f
fy
fll ¢ Gelamoc—
WALTER C. VITUNAC

Lt Colonel, USaF
AFCIN-4A2

Ce rn et El le a A Ate . '

-_-—---

eee le

GOs
SUBJECT:
TOs

SSE SS ee SS OSS STS iste i =——

‘DETACHMENT h
773D GROUND OBSERVER SQUADRON
Post Office Box 123

Casper, Wyoming
10 October 1957
UFOB

Commander

Air Defense Command

ATIN: DCS/I

Ent Air Force Base
Colorado Springs, Colorado

In accordance with AFR 200-2, Par 7d, subject as above, dated
12 Aug 54, the following report is hereby submitted:

i.

Description of object:

a Round in front flaring wider toward tail.

b. Quarter, |
c. Ball, white; Tail, blue dike a gas flame with creant Wilh

yellow mixed. Niet eg
ad. Ones, '
e. N/A. em Finny | |
f. None, a Peers Fee —

speed.

range.

ge Tail approximately 8 times the diameter of the ball or body.

h. None.

ie None,

Description of course of object:

ae Flash of light. |
Oe ane OE wie OR ees: if
ce 30°, 230°.

d. Object flew in straight line with occasional bursts of
e. One observer reported it disappeared behind a mountain

f. Approximately 4 second.

irate nan tc gt cert ree er ne me ee =

GOS, Det #4, 773d Grd Obsr Sq, dtd 10 Oct 57, Subj: UFOB

3. Manner of observation:

a. Ground = visual.

b. None.

Ce N/Ae

lh. Time and date of sighting:
ae 110h2, 10 Oct 57.

b. Night.

5. Locations of observers:

a. One observer was located at MP 738.

6. Identifying information of all observers:

a. Mr HD Harris, Age Unk, 529 Park St, Thermopolis, Wyo,

policeman.

7.- Weather and windsealoft conditions at time and place of sightings

a. Hazy douds, very thin,

b. SURFACE
6,000
10,000
16,000
20,000
30,000
50,000
80,000

230° Direction
300° 7

290° "
290° n
290° n
290° u
290° it

ec. Ceiling Unrestricted

d. Visibility 15 miles plus.

e. Clound cover 14,000 scattered.

f£. Thunderstorms, None,

g. Other, None,
8. Other activity:

ae None.

Calm
Calm
6 Knots Velocity
10 w n
22 it "
31 nt a
30 tt
25 i" u

High and broken.

_ ~~

i er ‘be ( WD
a hey
G03, Det #h, 773d Grd Obsr Sq, dtd 10 Oct 57, Subj: UFOB

9. N/A
10. Unknown.

11. Commander, Detachment #4, 4773d Ground Observer Squadron
ae In my opinion the cause of this sighting was a meteorite.

12. None.
ee
C furnished: ALFRED » die
773d GOS Captain, USAF
Commander
ADODI“-B lst Ind 16 OCT 1957

Headquarters, Air Defense Command, Ent Air Force Base, Colorado

TO: Commander, Air Technical Intelligence Center, ATTN: AFCIN Eh,
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio

Ie x14

— —_- — — ——-