PROJECT BLUE BOOK

PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD
1. DATE 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS
D Was Balloon
11 October 1957 Levittown, N.Y. 00 Probably Balloon
3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION Possibly Ballcon
Locel xGround-Visual Ground-Radar Was Aireraft
000 Probably Aircroft
GMT12/0140Z 0 AirVisual Air-Intereept Roder Possibly Aircroft
5. PHOTOS 6. SOURCE XWas Astronomieal Meteor
aYes D Probably Astronomical
.OKNo Civilian D Possibly Astronomical
7. LENGTH OF.OBSERVATION . NUMBER OF COURSE Other.
000 Insufficient Date fe valuation
Unknown
2-3 seconds one not given
10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 11. COMMENTS
Round area of light, larger than Typical description of meteor.
basketball, blue-green, trail 3 - 4 basketball, blue-gre trail 3 - 4
times size times size of of bjec bject Appeared opeared ahead
of car while traveling.
ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP S2)
1
H4
6
h

HX17A
URGENT
LEAD SALT LAKE CITY
VERNAL, UTAH, OCT. 10--(UP)--A WHITE OBJECT THAT "LOOKED LIKE THE
MOON* AND TRAILED A BLUE ELAME THAT PULSED EART"WAS.BELIEVED
TO HAVE CRASHED 20 ILES EAST OF HERE SHORTLY BEFORE SUNRISE.
HYG FIREBALI SEEN OVER DENVER
BY A CIVIL AERONAUTICS ADMINISTRATION SPOKESMAN AT A.M. MST,
(7805 A.M.. EDT)..
SCATTERED .AS FAR AS TEXAS AND SOUTH DAKOTA. SOME PERSONS REPORTED
SEEING IT OVER UTAH AND SOUTHWESTERN WYOMING.
THERE WAS SOME SPECULATION THE OBJECT MIGHT BE PART OE A ROCKET
THAT PIT THE RISSIAN SATEL AROUND THE EARTH LATE LAST
FRIDAY.
(HOWEVER, ALIEN_ HYNEK DIRECTOR OF THE U.S SATELLITE TRACKING
PROGRAM, SAD IN BOSTON HE WAS EXTREMELY DOUBTFUL THAT THE FIREBALL
HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE SATELLITE ROCKETS• HE SAID AT THE TIME OF HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE SATELLITE ROCKETS. HE SAID AT THE TIME OF
THE FIREBALL'S CRASH, THE SATELLITE AND EMPTY ROCKET WHICH IS FOLLOWING
IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CIRCLING SOMEWHERE OFF SOUTH AFRICA.)
MORE MG1024A
a
HX18A
URGENT
ADD FIREBALL VERNAL, X X X SOUTH AFRICA.) VERNAL, X X X SOUTH AFRICA.)
A VERNAL RADIO STATION EMPLOYE,I A VERi RADIO STATION EMPLOYE. LAVON (CAP V) LAVON CAP V) WALL OF STATION KVEL WALL OF STATION
(CAPS) SAID TWO MEN HAD SEEN THE OBJECT, BELIEVED IT HAD CRASHED ABOUT
TO.30 MILES EAST HERE AND HAD GONE TO LOOK K FOR IT. THEY
DESCRIBED IT AS "WHI AND LOOKING LIKE THE MOON WITH A LUE FLAMING
TAIL-THAT PSED.LI
MRS. SAID THE SIT UP THE ENTIRE SKY IN THE VERNAL
AREA BEFORE IT DISAPPEARED BEHIND LOW 815 A.M. (MST).
EARLIER REPORTS ALSO SAID THE OBJECT HAD CRASHED 30..MILES
EAST OF MYTON UTAH, A SMALL TOUN ABOUT 25 MILES SOUTHWEST QF HERE.
DUCHESNE COUNTY SHERIFF STEVENSON SAID HE PLANNED TO SEND A ..
SEARCH PLANE AFTER THE OBJECT ALTHOUGH HE SAID HE HAD FOUND NO ONE IN
HIS AREA WHO HAD SEEN THE OBJECT--EITHER IN THE SKY OR ON THE GROUND.
(INCLUDES PREVIOUS)
M61027
'
. "
J

OTHER THAN A METEORITE.
ONE THING KNOW FOr SURE", HE ADDED. THIS WAS NO FLYING
SACUER
HE SAID RASCALWAS SO REALISTIC IT BECAME A MATTER OF
SO IMPRESSIVE WE KEPT OUR EYES ALERTED DURING
THE REST OF THE NIGHT" BECASE WE *HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS IE NIGHT" BECASE E HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS BEHIND BEHIND US" US
THE CREW OF WESTERN AIRLINES FLIGHI77O, EN ROUTE FROM LOS THE CREW ESTERN FLIGHI77O,EN TE FROM LOS
ANGELES TO MINNEAPOLIS, ANGELES TO MINN NEAPOLIS SIGHTED THE OBJECT AT ABOUT 4O8 A M. OBJECT AT ABOU IT 4:08 A..M.
(MST) AS IT CROSSED THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE IN THE RAWLING WYO (MST) AS IT CI OSSED THE CONTIN VIDE IN THE RAWLING WYOA
AREA,
IT..WAS FIRST SEEN AS ISMALI SMAL JOSEPH
SEDAY.
IT THEN LOOMED ACROSS THE HORIZON, DISPLAYING IT: THEN LOOMED ACROSS THE HORIZON, DISPLAYING SAID A "VERY A *VERY
CONSISTENT FLAME PATTERN WHICH WAS
50 FEET IN LENGTH." 50 D
HE SAID IT WAS.FIRST SEEN NEARLY HORIZONTAL TO THE HORIZON, AND
WHEN IT REACHED THE POSITION IT BEGAN TO DISINTEGRATE.
MORE RS 138Pe
ReddTW
HX24A
ADD WITH FIREBALL X X X TO DISINTEGRATE.
SAID, WING BEING SHOT OFF AN
AIRCRAFT
SHULTZ SAID THAT WITHIN SECONDS AFTER THEY Y REPORTED SIGHTING
THE OBJECT, OTHER PLANES ALSO CAME IN WITH CONFIRMATIONS.
HE SAID THE PILOT OF A NAVY TRANSPORT WAS *SORE THAT A ROCKET OR
MISSILE HAD BEEN FIRED AND ENDANGERED HIS PASSENGERS"•
THE NAVY PILOT
SEEING IT CRASH.
SCHULTZ SAID.THE OBJECT WAS IN SIGHT FOR ABOUT A MINUTE.
1,200 T0 1,30 MILES AN HOUR. 1,200 TO 0 MILES AN HOUR.
..RS41P .RS41P
.
11

,MX22A
IST GENERAL LEAD FIREBALL
46'4 BY UNITED PRESS
THE NORTH AMERICAN AIR DEFENSE COMMAND AT COLORADO SPRINGS COLO,
SAID TODAY IT BELIEVED A HUGE FIREBALL THAT HURTLED ACROSS THE PRE-.
DAWN SKIES OE EIVE WESTERN STATES WAS MESOR
COMMAND OFFICIALS SAID AN AIR FORCE INVESTIGATING TEAM WOULD BE
WHERE THE OBJECT
APPARENTLY CRAS HED SHORTLY AFTER MST (7 A.M EDT).
THE COMMAND CONFIRMED REPORTS THE MYSTERIOUS EIERY OBJECT T NARROWLY
SIDESWIPED A NAVY
SAID IT COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE PILOT OR WHERE THE PLANE WAS BASED.
IT GAVE THE PLANE'S NUMBER AS NAVY 1so
COMMAND OFFICIALS JOINED SEVERAL EASTERN SCIENTISTS IN RULING
OUT THE POSSIBILITY THE FIREBALL WAS PART OF THE RUSSIAN SATELLITE
LAUNCHING ROCKET OTHER MILITARY SPOKESMEN IN THIS AREA
REJECTED THE POSSIBILITY IT WAS A RUN-AWAY ISSILE
*THIS IS A PERIOD OF HEAVY METEOR AID ONE AIR FORCE
OFFICIAL AT THE AIR DEFENSE COMMAND. A SHOWER KNOWN SHOWER KNOWN AS 'GIACOBIMIDS AS GIACOBIMIDS
WAS DUE OCT 9 (LAST NIGHT) WITH OTHERS DUE ON THE I8TH AND 23RD OF WAS DUE OCT. 9 (LAST NIGHT) WITH OTHERS DUE ON THE I8TH AND 23RD OF
OCTOBER. OCTOBER."
A WESTERN N AIR LINES PILOT, CAPTAIN JOE. SEDAY OF LOS ANGELES, AIR LINES PILOT, CAPTAIN JOE. SEDAY OF LOS ANGELES, SAID Phoned
id ad HE SAW THE OBJECT WHILE FLYING OVER SOUTHWESTERN WYOMING. HE SAW THE OBJECT WHILE FLYING OVER SOUTHWESTERN WYOMING. HE SAID A
Re FEW MOMENTS LATER HE TALKED AIR-TO-AIR BY RADIO WITH THE :PILOT OF FEW MON MENTS LATER HE TALKED AIR-TO-AIR BY RADIO WITH THE :PILOT OF thi Ths
N ITHE UNIDENTIFIED NAVY PLANE, UNIDENTIFIED NAVY PLANE, WHICH HAD THE REPORT WHICH HAD
THE OBJECT THE OBJECT
WWE WON'T WE WON:T HAVE ANY DEFINITE INFORMATION ON THE WHOLE THING HAVE ANY DEFINITE INFORMATION ON THE WHOLE THING UNTIL Q UNTIL
AN AIR FORCE TEAM GETS IN THERE TO SEARCH THE-AREA ON -THE GROUND .
THE COMMAND'S PUBLIC INFORMATION SERVICE S HAVE BEEN TOLD TOUSA
ANNOUNCE THAT A FULL-SCALE INVESTIGATION IS BEING MADE. 10:304
THE COMMAND SAID IT HAD A *A MILE LONG* OF PEOPLE WHO HAD
SPOTTED THE OBJECT. SOME DESCRIBED IT A A BRIGHT RED FIREBALL. 1 5
OTHERS SAID IT LOOKED LIKE A WHITE MOON* WITH A BLUE FLAME TAIL.
.-THE-OBJECT IS-VVED
THE OBJECT IS BELIEVED TO HAVE CRASHED EAST OF VERNAL, UTAH, NEAR 529
THE COLORADO BORDER.
(PICKUP 6TH PGH:.. THE OBJECT WAS SEEN ETC)
XZ
CORRECTION: IN 1ST PGH ABV READ IT XXX OF SIX WESTERN STATES
(STED OF FIVE) actin Tadon: LAISS ta
HZ123P Landed of Duch,
HQS- 1066 EntJ5fLe
T.
GTG aTG bn Miton, INVESTIAT
.

GENERAL LEAD: FIREBALL
BY UNITED PRESS
A MYSTERIOUS FIERY OBJECT SKIPPED ERRATICALLY THROUGH WESTERN
PREDAWN SKIES TODAY LEAVING IN ITS WAKE A FLOOD OF VARYING
REPORTS AND SPECULATION BEFORE IT REPORTEDLY CRASHED NEAR THE UTAH-
COLORADO BORDER
SOME DESCRIBED IT AS A WFIREALL. OTHERS SAID IT LOOKED LIKE
A WWHITE MOON* .WITH A BLUE FLAME TAIL. SOME THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE
PART OF THE RUSSIAN SATELLITE LAUNCHING ROCKET, ALTHOUGH THAT WAS
VIRTUALLY RULED OTHER THOUGHT IT WAS METEOR OR GUIDED MISSILE
GONE ASTRAY
THE AIR DEFENSE COMMAND AT COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO: SAID THE AIR
FORCE WOULD MAKE A COMPLETE INVESTIGATION OF THE FIREBALL.
AT WASHINGTON, THE AIR FORCE SAID THE FIREBALL APPEARED
TO BE TEOR.
THE FIRST REPORT CAME FROM A NAVY PILOT WHO TOLD CIVIL
AERONAUTICS ADMINISTRATION EMPLOYES IN DENVER AND SALT LAKE CITY HE
NEARLY COLLIDED WITH THE OBJECT. HE SAID HE SAW THE *FIREBALL* CRASH NEARLY COLLIDED WITH THE OBJECT HE SAID HE SAW THE *FIREBALL* CRASH
EAST OF VERNAL, UTAH, NEAR THE COLORADO BORDER, SHORTLY AFTER. EAST OF VERNAL, UTAH NEAR THE COLORAD BOR FTER
6 A.M. EST. 6 A.M. EST
THE OBJECT WAS SEEN SEEN IN SCATTERED SCATTERED AREAS OF TEXAS XAS. MING, MING,
SOUTH DAKOTA, SOUTH DAKOTA, MONTANA AND MONTANAAND UTAH.
WITNESSES AT WITNESSES AT VERNAL SAID THEY SAW AN SAW AN OBJECT THAT "LOOKED OBJECT THAT "LOOKED LIKE
THE MOON--WHITE THE MOON--WHITE WITH A BLUE FLAME THAT PULSED LIKE AHEART" WITH A BLUE FLAME THAT PULSED LIKE A HEART" DISAPPEAR
BEHIND LOW HILLS 20 TO 20 TO 30 MILES 30 MILES EAST OF EAST TOF THE CITY SEARCHERS THE CITY SEARCHERS WERE
SENT INTO THE THE VICINITY VICINITY IMMEDIATELY. .
MORE RS1255P
HX21A
ADD GENERAL LEAD FIREBALL x X X VICINITY IMMEDIATELY.
ONE OBSERVER AT VERNAL SAID THE OBJECT WLIT UP THE ENTIRE SKY."
THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE FIREBALL WAS CONNECTED WITH THE SOVIET
SATELLITE APPEARED REMOTE. RADIO .TRACKERS..IN.WASHINGTON_.CLOCKED
THE MAN-MADE MOON. OVER THE. MIDW ATES AT THE TIME. OF
THE REPORTED FIREBALL CRASH.
THE DIRECTOR OF THE U.S...SATELLITE TRACKING PROGRAM ALLEN
HYNEK, SAID IN BOSTON HE..WAS "EXTREMELY DOUBTFUL* THE FIREBALL HAD TWX
ANYTHING ·TO DO WITH THE.SATELLITE OR ITS ROCKET COMPANION.
AN AI RecH
FORCE B-47 REPORTED SEEING THE FIREBALL OVER SOUT ESTERN
WYOMING. THE PILOT SAID HE BELIEVED IT WAS A METEOR
SOME SPECULATED THE OBJECT WAS GUIDED MISSILEGONE ASTRAY. HOWEVER,
AN AIR FORCE SPOKESMAN AT THE. MISSILE DEVELOPMENT CENTER
NEAR ALAMOGORDO, N.M., SAID NO MISSILES WERE IN THE AIR AT I THE TIME
THE FIREBALL WAS REPORTED
A SPOKESMAN AT THE AIR. DEFENSE COMMAND HEADQUARTERS IN COLORADO
SPRINGS EARLIER HAD DECLINED TO COMMENT T ON REPORTS
OF THE MYSTERIOUS OBJECT HE SAID ONLY THAT HE HAD BEEN TOLD TO *REFER
ALL QUER IES TO WASHINGTON."
NEITHER OF THE PILOTS OF THE NAVY OR AIR FORCE PLANES WHICH
REPORTED SEEING THE OBJECT WAS AVA LLABLE FOR COMMENT.
RS1258P
mkr UFs TT
. F
I

Myton, Utah, East Bound en Wicter doX, reperted either a rocket, jet or
unknoun objeet passed on. his por sids at an angle cf 3o dogrees to the
earth ard burrec out 20 te 5o niles Bast of Mytcr, Utan. Speed was oy
estimated as Mach-i. At lio7 Wester Airlines reperted ndistile crossed
his bov and crashed in Mytcn zore. At ilc7 Granville, 3 SAC aircraft
35, 0cC, 37, ood and 33, ooo, rasp-etively saw cbject and gave location of
crash as Myton, U:ar. The object was higher than the aircraft but not
much. Burn-cut was La West-Southwest direetion. Seen for 12 seccnds.
Brilliant object, very large, brignt green. Checked with Central and
that area and havs checked with than and they have made preliminary
search and found rotkini. y- Lnv. atigatien toing sonducted as yet that
I know o. Nore plarned. Denver hadie stsrions stated they had
received reports irom persens sigrting tha chject.
1006th Ais will investigate
1allto
SNAD ADC 2nte1 ADC Intel will adure will advre
0F 0ny OF ony additioml inFo additrnl inFo
Rich Rc
Red
dilled CONAD 0850

TIMES-©0-1957
1 AF Believes
ENTX
Fireball'
Was Meteor
By UNITED PRESS
The North American Air De-
fense Command at Colorado
Springs, Colo., said today it Springs, Colo., said today it
believed a huge fireball that
hurtled across the predawn hurtled across the predawn
skies of five Western states
was a. meteor. …
Command officials said an Command: officials said an
Alr: Force. investigating team Alr: Force investigating team
would be flown "immediately"
to the northeastern Utah site to the northeastern Utah site
where the object apparently
crashed early this morning. crashed early this morning.
THE COMMAND confirmed
reports the mysterious fery ob-
jecb narrowly sideswiped a
Vavy plane in an area near
the Colorado-Utah border, but
snid it could not identify the
pilot or where the. plane was
based. It gave the plane's num-
ber as "Navy 1607."
Command officials joined
several Eastern scientists in
ruiing out the possibility the
fireball was part of the Rus-
slin satellite launching rocket.
()her military spokesmen in
this area rejected the possibil-
ity. it was a run-away missile.
"This is a period of heavy
meteor activity," said one Air
Force official at the Air De-
fense Command. "A shower
known as Glacobimids' was
due Oet. 9 (last night with
others due on the 18th and 23d
of-October.":
"We won't have any definite
inforrmation on the whole thing 1
untiL-an. Air: Force team gets until-an. Air: Force team gets
in there to search the area on
the ground," the command's .
public information service said.
"I have been told to announce
that a full-scale investigation
is being made."
-
-

-
NX72A
INSERT AFTER 4TH PGH GENERAL LEAD SATELLITE UNDATED XXX THE
EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE.
RADIO TRACKERS IN WASHINGTON REPORTED THAT THE FIREBALL WAS NOT
SPUTNIK. OTHI ER OBSERVERS AT THE NAVAL RESEARCH LABORATORY SAID THE
SOVIET SATELLITE STILL VAS MAINTAINING ITS ORIGINAL ORBIT AND SPEED.
RADIO SIGNALS FROM THE SPUTNIK IERE INTERCEPTED STRONG AND CLEAR..
AS THE SOVIET MOON SPED OVER THE UNITED STATES ON ITS NORTHWEST TO
SOUTHEAST ORBIT, THE LABORATORY SAID.
JM130P
./
of
5
-

0011-1951
-THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR
Big Fireball Traverses
Western U.S. Sky
Denver (AP) - A brilliant 000 feet below. The plane was
ball of fire described as large flying at 17,000 feet at the
as a house, blazed across west- time and was three minutes
ern skies in the predawn dark- past its checkpoint at Myton,
ness yesterday. It whizzed so Utah.
close to a Navy plane that the In addition to the crew, the
pilot had to make a sharp 4-engine plane carried 23 pas- 4-engine plane carried 23 pas-
turn to avoid a collision. turn to avoid a collision. sengers. No one was hurt and
Scientists said they are sure the plane was not damaged.
the flaming object was a An Air Force bomber pilot,
meterite and had no connec- Lt. George Wortell of Cleve-
tion with the Russian satellite land, said he thought for a
launched last week. time the fireball was on a
The Navy transport plane collision course with his plane,
pllot, Lt. Cmdr. W. F. Norris, and:
sald after seeing the fireball, "When it passed instead of
he circled over it and saw it hitting us, excitement turned
crash in rugged country near to awe. The cockpit was lit Thee
the Colorado-Utah border. up like daylight ... it was
Norris said he had to bank a big ball of blue-white fire
sharply to avoid the fireball. only five or 10 miles away.
HEADQUARTERS of the "It went by at terrlflc
North American Air Defense speed in a descending trajec-
Command at Colorado Springs tory from about 50,000 feet,
said fliers will search the area trailing a spectacular multi-
east of Myton, in east-central colored tail. It seemed to dis-
Utah. integrate before it hit ground,
ange "coincl- Airplane pilots and night falling in many pieces."
is purchased toilers all the way from North
) in the new Dakota to Utah told of seeing
Washington the flaming sky wanderer il-
in (left), 11th luminating the heavens.
the "Dollars The 16-man crew of the
garten, cam- transport plane still was shak-
impaign gets en when the plane landed at
im Alabama, Norfolk, Va., nearly seven
lives tempor- hours later.
Capt. E. A. Anderson, who
. was in the plane's was in the plane's cockpit cockpit
when the fireball first when the fireball first was was 4
'uilty seen, sald the object came seen, sald the object came
driving out of the north.
ictices ictices IT WAS A BLUISH green IT WAS A BLUISH green
ball of fire," said Anderson,
infirmation of senior medical officer at the
:ion that this Norfolk Naval Air Station.
d is engaged Anderson said the object
practices in practices in flashed by the left side of the
law of the transport plane and a transport plane and appeared appeared
to have burned out about 1,-
-

HXi2A
UR GENT
LEAD DENVER
A SALT LAKE CITY UTAH OCT. 1O--(UP--A HUGE EIREBALL HURTLED.
PLANE BEFORE IT CRASHED IN THE VICINITY OF MYTON, UTAH NEAR THE
COLORADO-UTAH STATE LINE.
AN AIR TRAFFWC CONTROL SPOKESMAN HERE SAID THE PLANE WAS ALMOST HIT
BY THE FIREBALL WHICH SHOT ACROSS THE PRE-DAWN SKIES OVER DENVER AT
4.05 A.M. MST
THE.SPOKESMAN SAID THE PLANE FOLLOWED THE FIREBALL AND SAW IT CRASH
2O TO 30 MILES FROM MYTON, WHERE IT APPARENTLY HAD SET OFF A NUMBER OF
FIRES.
THE FIREBALL ALSO WAS SEEN OVER RAPID CITY, S. D. AND DALHART, TEX.
THERE WERE OTHER REPORTS THAT IT WAS SIIGHTED OVER. SYOMING. THERE WERE OTHER REPORTS THAT IT WAS SIIGHTED OVER VYOMING.
THERE WAS SPECULATION THE FIREBALL" MIGHT BE PART QF A ROCKET THERE WAS SPECULATION THE FIREBA MIGHT BE PART OF A ROCKET THAT
PUT THE RUSSIAN SATELLITE PUT THE KUSSIAN SATELLITE IN AN ORBIT AROUND THE EARTH LATE LAST ORBIT AROUND THE EARTH LATE LAST
PRIEAY PRIDA
A CAA OFFICIAL IN DENVER SAID THE FIREBALL WAS THE LARGEST HE HAD A CAA OFFICIAL IN DENVER SAID THE FIREBALL WAS THE LARGEST HE HAD
EVER SEEN.. HE SAID IT APPEARED TO ·BE BLUE AND WAS TRAILING LONG STREAMS
OF.FLAME... OFFLAME...
(INCLUDES EARLY)
GY816A..
,

COPY HX
HX13A
FOLO FIREBALL, SALT LAKE (CQ)
COLORADO SPRINGS COLO. OCT 1O--(UP)--A SPOKESMAN. AT THE NORTH
AMERICAN AIR DEFENSE COMMAND HEADQUARTERS SAID TODAY HE WAS ORDERED TO
"REFER ALL QUERIES TO WASHINGTON* ABOUT A HUGE FIREBALL THAT FLASHED
ACROSS SEVERAL ABOUT 4:0 5 A MST (73O5 EDT)
OFFICER IN CHARGE AT THE COMMAND
HEADQUARTERS, SAID. THI LOUS FIRJBALL HAD BEE CD TO
OFFICIALS HERE "EARI
HE REFUSED T FIRM OR. DENY THAT ANY INVESTIGATING PLANES HAD BEEN
SENT TO THE SITE WHERE THE FIREBALL IS BELIEVED TO HAVE SENT TO THE SITE WHERE THE FIREBALL I IS BELIEVED TO HAVE CRASHED NEAR CRASHED NEAR
THE NORTHEASTERN UTAH THE NORTHEASTERN UTAH TOWN OF MYTON. I TOWN N OF MYTON.
WHEN ASKED WHEN AS HEN HE COT T HIS ORDERS HIS ORDERS TOI REFER AL
L QUERIES TO WASHINGTON QUERIES TO WASHINGTON
ABOUT THE FIREBALL, GIVENS REPLIED REPLIED: WELL, THIS MORNING. IN
UNUSUAL CASES LIKE THIS SUCH QUESTIONS ARE UNUSUAL CASES LIKE THIS SUCH QUESTIONS ARE ALMOST ALWAYS SENT ON TO
WAS HINGT ON."
TP9 50 A TP950 A
,
• 0
+
4

,WA42A
FOLO FIREBALL VERNAL
WASHINGTON, OCT: 1O.--( UP)--THE AIR FORCE SAID TODAY IT IS INVESTI
GATING REPORTS OF FIREBALL. STREAKING ACROSS THE WESTERN PART OF THE 1.
NATION I EARLY THIS MORNING. A SPOKESMAN SAID THE FIREBALL CARS TO My
HAVE BEEN METEOR."
THE AIR FORCE SAID ITS AIR DEFENSE COMMAND HEADQUARTERS AT COLORADO
SPRINGS RECEIVED REPORTS ABOUT THE FIREBALL FROM SEVEI
TODAY.
THESE INCLUDED GROUND OBSERVERS STRATEGIC AIR COMMAN IES, A
CIVIL TRANSPORT PLANE, AND A NAVY PILOT. on pline
THE AIR FORCE SAID THE FIREBALL APPARENTLY MOVED SOUTHWEST FROM
THE DAKOTAS AND MONTANA AND SEEMED TO HAVE LANDED NEAR MYTON, UTAH. IT aal
AOUSURSDSUTR HICH TURNED WHITE AND RED JUST
BEFORE CRASHING. BEFORE CRASHING.
BOTH THE AIR FORCE BOTH THE AIR.FORCE AND THE NAVY HERE SAID THEY HAD BEEN UNABLE TO HERE SAID THEY HAD BEEN UNABLE TO
IDENTIFY THE NAVY IDENTIFY. THE NAVY PILOT WHO WAS REPORTED TO HAVE SEEN THE FIREBALL. PILOT WHO WAS REPORTED TO HAVE SEEN THE FIREBALL• imey
BOTH SERVICES DENIED REPORTS THAT THERE HAD BEEN ANY SECRECY LID DENIED REPORTS THAT THERE HAD BEEN ANY SECRECY LID ON
THE FIREBALL.
(DX--AIR FORCE SEZ YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET EVERYTHING AVAILABLE
QN FIREBALL THROUGH A COL. MAYALL AT ADC, COLORADO SPRINGS--WA) QN FIREBALL THROUGH A COL• MAYALL AT ADC, COLORADO SPRINGS--WA)
GE145P
COPY
.
:

HX19A
FOLO VERNAL
ALAMOGORDO,N.M., OCT. 1O--(UP)--A SPOKESMAN AT THE AIR FORCE
MISSILE DEVELOPMENT CENTER NEAR HERE SAID TODAY A HUGE FIREBALL SEEN
OVER SEVERAL WESTERN STATES WAS NOT A MISSILE FI RE FROMTHETESTING.
CENTER.
LT..VIRGIL V DOMINIC, ASSISTANT CHIEF WITH THE PUBLIC INFORMATION
OFFICE AT THE CENTER, SAID NO MATADOR MISSILE FIRINGS WERE SCHEDULED
TODAY AND NO OTHER MISSILE TESTS I KNOU OF
THERE WAS CONJECTURE THE FIREBALL MIGHT HAVE BEEN A MISGUIDED MISSILE
OR ONE OF THE MATADORS, WHICH RECENTLY HAVE BEEN ESCORTED ON CROSS-
COUNTRY FLIGHTS FROM THE MISSILE DEVELOPMENT HERE TO A PRE-DETERMINED
TARGET AREA IN UTAH. HcsLe
..MG1134A
Dut Gudl F
.
1
.

1
WA14A
FOLO FIREBALL, DENVER
WASKINGTON OCT 10.--(UP)--A HUGE E FIREBALL SEEN OVER DENVER AT
7305 A. M. EDT TODAY VAS.NOT. SPUTNIK.
X RADIO TRACKERS HERE CLOCKED THE SQVIET SATELLITE OVER MID-UNITED
STATES AT 7:38 EDT THAT MOMENT IT WAS FLYING IN A NORTHWEST-
SOUTHEAST DIRECTION..WEST..OF BETWEEN DETROIT AND CLEVELAND.
HERE SAID SPUTNIK WOULD PASS..
WEST OF DENVER AT 9I3AA M. WEDT
OFFICIALS HAD NO WAY OE KNOWING IMMEDIATELY WHETHER THE FIREBALL
WAS ONE OF SPUTNIK'S COMPANIONS--THE THIRD STAGE ROCKET AND NOSE
CONE--WHICH ALSO-WERE CONE--WHICH ALSO WERE REPORTED TO BE CIRCLING THE EARTH. REPORTED TO BE CIRCLING THE EARTH.
..S937A.
6
5

NX47A FOLO FIREBALL, DENVER
1O. --(UP) --THE DIRECTOR OF THE SATELLITE TRACKING
PROGRAM SAID TODAY..HE., WAS. EXTREMELY DOUBTFUL* THAT THE FIREBALL BOSTON,OCT.
NISTEEONWHETES VHLHCRASHRUSSLASANAN-MADE MOON.
WHICK ARASNEKYNEK SZ1A
R2 HX DOUBTFUL THAT THE FIREBALL
PROGRAM M SAID TODAY HE WAS *EXTREMELY MAN-MADE MOON.
IN UTAH WAS COONNECTED WITH THE RUSSIAN CRASH:T LLITE AND
WHICH CRASHED CSAI ATTHE TIME OF E.OFE SOUTH.AFRICA.
J. ALLEN HYNEI J. ALLEN OF THE.ROCKET-SHOULD...HAVE.BEEN.SOMEWHERE.OFE-SUULA KETSHOULD..HAVEBEEN.SOMEWI CRASH INUTAH,
THIRD STAGE OF THE THIRD STAGE WOULD HAVE TO BE TWO HOURS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE TO AHEAD OF SCHEDULE TO I'M I'M EXTREMEL'Y EXTREMEL'Y
IT UNLESS THE ORBIT HAS CHANGED RADICALLY HAS CHANGED RADICALLY alle alle
HE SAID, THAT IT WAS EITHER THE SATELLITE OR ROCKET." UNLESS THE ORB IT THE SATELLITE OR ROCKET.
DOUBTFUL THAT IT WAS EITHER .VV946A VV946A
R
CY HX CY HX
.1
.
:

11 12/01402 C
NNNN 1Wituces ATC 22
(
0754 Oct 12 04 24'57 \424
1 4! Oct 57
144x20 C
T WPA037 YDA037 TYC048 TMB055N
0O RJEPHQ RJEPNB RJEDWP RJEDEN EQ
C
DE RJEPNY DE RJEPNY 2
0 1202402
FM COC 26ADIV ROSLYN AFS NY FM COC 26ADIV ROSLYN AFS NY
TO RJEDEN/CMDR ADC ENT AFB COLO
RJEDWP/CMDR ATIC WRIGHT PATERSON AFB OHIC RJEDWP/CMDR ATIC WRIGHT PATERSON AFB OHI (
RJEPHQ/DIR INTEL HQ USAF WASH 25 DC (
AFB NY
BT .
I
MOM

VL 2 arn's length, ion
1. DESCRIPTION haf of niee shy.
A. ROUND AREA OF LIGHT
B. LARGER THAN A BASKETBALL
C. BLUE - GREEN (
D. ONE (
E.N/A -
F. N/A ↑ J
G. TRAIL - 3-4 TIMES SIZE OF OBJECT (
H. NONE
I. NONE C
S• NONE
2. DESCRIPTION OF COURSE J (
A APPEARED AHEAD OF CAR WHILE A APPEARED AHEAD OF CAR WHILE TRAVELING f
B. 75 DEGREES FROM HORIZON C (
C. 30 DEGREEZ FROM HORIZON C. 30 DEGREEZ FROM HORIZON tre tims he tims
(
D. STRAIGHT LINE OR A SLICHT ARC
E. FADED FROM VIEW C
3. MANNER OF OBSERVATION:
AGROUND/VISUAL C
B. NONE (
C. N/A
4.TIME & DATE OF SIGHTING (
01Y02-8=2070
A. 12/0140Z C
B. NIGHT B. NIGHT 840$n) 8!40 Pn)
5 LEVITTOWN, NEW YORK (
5. LEVITTOW
6. IDENTIFYING INFO OF ALL OBSERVERS (
A.EM A.BH YEARS YEARS LEVITTOWN, NEW YORK OWN, NEW YORK
—
B.N/A is
7WEATHER
A NONE C
B. SURFACE 360 DEG 10 KT (

6,000 DEG KT
(
10, 000 290 DEG 25 KT
i6, 000 DEG KT .
20, 000 270 DEG 59 KT
30, 000 260 DEG 65 KT (
50, 000 DEG KT (
80, 000 260 DEG 60 KT
C. CLEAR
D. 20 MILES
E. NONE
(
F."
8 NONE 8. NONE I −
NONE 9NONE
10. NONE (
10. NONE
11. NONE (
12. NONE
BT
12/0254Z OCT RJEPNY
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Oct 11 C
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11

.
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Pleace Pleace anzare daf
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St willle pumianily fom
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FROM NAME OR TITLE DATE
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ORGANIZATION TELEPHONE .
AND LOCATION
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Repinces DA AGO ForI S9S, I Apr 48, and AFHQ DA AGO ForIm S95, I Apr 48, and AFHQ GPO :1951-O 925369 GPO : 1951- 925260
DDF30 95 DDF0 9 Form 12, I0 Nov 47, whicn may be used. I0 Nov 47, which may be used.
5

MEMO ROUTING SLIP NE CURRENCES-OR-SIMILAR USE FOR APPROVALS DISAPPROVALS. ACTIONS
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ORGANNZATION AND LOCATION DATE COORDINATION
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2 Colonel@tlbeat- G nLe
APCER-4706 INFORMATION
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APCIN-4X2- NOTE AND RETURN
Colonel Long ch Colonel Long cw SEE ME SEE
APCIH-1X2 APCZH-4X2 SIGNATURE
REMARKS gen.lotoon gen.watoon
Info re thinking of some scientists on "fireballs
and meteorites observed during last l years - and
how they may "trigger off" some grave international how they may "trigger off" some grave international
incident.
acin
Belive this shned
be st Jon Partridge
and prince I
be yonnd
suk.a
may te fo Sn dawin sig. Haw
FROM NAME OR Capt G.T. Gregory 173/58
Capt G.T. Gregory DE6 DEO 173/58
ORGANIZATION AND LOCATION oRGAnZATIon AND LOCATION 6 6216 TELEPHONE
AFCIN-4E4 AFCIN-4E4 9216
DD  95 DD 95 Replaoes DA AGO Form 89s, I Apr 18, and AFBQ Replaoes DA AOO Form 89s, I Apr 18, and AFBQ Forw 12, 10 Nov 67, whiods mnay be ueuk Form 12, 10 Nov t7, whiod mnny be ueod GP0:196--403461 GPO19--403461
1

1
(2 Jannng 1958
l. The attached correspondence, reviewed by a number of IGY scientists
was passed on to the undersigned by Dr. Hynek, with the suggestion that it
be brought t attention of the Air Force.
2. The grave consequences of military pilots, or members of the military
or public, mistaking (and officially reporting) metecrites or "fireballs"
striking the earth -• 88 Soviet missiles, during tense international situation
or periods of or periods of impendinghostilities impending hostilities (such (such as as existed the few days existed the few days before Pearl before Pearl
Harbor)is recognized. Harboris re ognized. It was It was discussed at length by the undersigned with the discussed at length by the undersigned with the
Office of the Scientific Advisor last sunmer, as Office of the Scientific : Advisor last summer, as a prime a prime reason for a "new"
UFO regulation and the need for UFO regulation and need for "UFO ident iden ation and on and guidance material."
3. New UFO regulation is now in the process 3. New UFo regulation is now in the process of publication. A "UFO of publication. A "UFO
guidance and identification" manual is also in the process guidance and identification" manual is also in the process of completion by of completion by
undersigned, workloade and other priorities permitting. undersigned, workloade and other priorities 1 aitting.
Jeargn
GEORGE/T.
Captain, USAF
AFCIN-4E4
!
' •
7

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION Form No. 6
(Feb. 1, 1951)
MEMO ROUTING SLIP
TO THE FOLLOWING IN ORDER INDICATED
NAME OR TITLE INITIALS-DATE
Ar Nyekb an Camplell
6
Your information Note and return
Your comments Your comments Proper signature
Necessary action Note and file
Prepare reply Prepare reply See me E
Your recommendation Your initials
REMARKS
Jvue
Rekurved
PROM Darz
FRED L. WHIPPLE 12/13
PRONE PHONE •
JcY TCY
U. S. GOVERNMENT U.S. GOVERI PRINTING OFFICE PRINTING OFFICE 16-63985-1 * "
,

bnes
METEORI
MUSES
t 07 Datt
H AND ADOE D
5CkT
BOX 146, SEDONA, ARIZONA
47
December 2, 1957
Dr. Fred Whipple
Director.
Astrophysical Obgervatory
Canbridge 38, Maas.
Dear Dr. Whipple:
Recently I made a fireball'survey which reveeled a
ituation that is frightening and think perhaps you are
the man in best position to do something about it.
office and w Ihed dis-
cuosing the subordinates resllv
and truly n I tried not to reveal state
nind to th bad revealed that the meteor-
ite had diaintegi than 150 miles from where-
they searched ye is event the Colonel snd i is
etarr were in a state stat omplete iplete confusion and had reached the nfusion and had reached the
conclusion that nothing more conclusion that nothing could be done concerning the loca- our done concerning the loca-
tion or nsture of that object. tion or nsture
y inta on all sides the end roin: the end point
of thefireball and
correct was the ipre Lrectior sd come.
That direction was approximately the same direction from which
a Rusaian misaile would be most likely te as unabin
to find that our radar screen had detected snything.
Now there is no question but that this was a meteor!
anc that it cisintegrated at en sltitude above'ten miles,

8
the DENVEk POST office çoncerning inyone who
understands the methods dealiny with subhreports could have
sat there at his desk and telephone and in i0 minutes could heve
*1 known positively that this was s meteorite and could have hnown
the general area over which it passed and where it landed.
Fron now On, it appears to Te that unless thein is s:
such reoorts will be entered.
of it until it landing could be use correct
their ain and erally blanket our count th atomic destruct-
lon,or2)a met orite could be mistaken fo a missile and our
retalitoryn
destruction.
There is no cuestion sbout the lack of preparation in
pilots to deel with this situation. found it almost
e chief duti this propos ocessing
office would be the proper instruction of pilots,nil person-
a contro)
towers are of utmost import ance -in handling the problen,provid-
ing they know what to do.
I hope you will find some means of correcting this
extremely dsngerous situation. extremelyrdsngerous situation.
Sincerely yours,
HN:AN De H. H. Nininger D.H. H. Nininger
D_m
is nithig n. Thue
bringut The αt= if ~1ohsmmag
genlly onrked cspent yde upo. pusblam.
cst2

Decomber 12, 1957
Dr. H. H. Miningor
The Meteerite Jaaseuum
Box 146
Sedona, Arixona
Dear Harry:
Your lotter of December 2 is a very important one
and I certainly share with you misgivings of the type
more in alleviating the situation, I appreciate
your rerring good description of exactly how
the observations of fireballs should be made so that
the proper interpretations can b reached. If there is
not a really of this that might be usable
by pilots and other military observers, I suggest that
you write down a few ideas and pass them around among
the various meteorite students.
I rally think there is a userul field of endeavor
in this direction and will cooperate in any way possible.
Hope everything is going well with you.
Sincerely,
Fred L. Whipple
Director
FLW/CP
8