PROJECT BLUE BOOK

PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD

wi.
~

2. LOCATION CONCLUSIONS
4O mi W of Santa Rosa Island, © Wos Balloon
16 Jan el et ew & Los Angeles, California O Probably Balloon
3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION O Possibly Belloon
1800 . 0 Was Aircraft
Local 0 Ground- Vi sual D Ground-Rodar GQ Probably Aircraft
emt____ (02002 0200Z___ BD Air Vi suol O Air-Intercept Radar 0 Possibly Aircraft
5. ‘PHOTOS 0 Was Astronomical M70 R
O Yes G Probobly Astronomicol
CX No Military and Civilian 0 Possibly Astronomical
7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS 9. COURSE O Other
; DO Insufficient Date for Evalvction
0 Unknown |

3-4 Sec One then Descend
0. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING Round object, size of 11. COMMENTS Desc

basketball. Blueish white, like am electric arc+e teristic a a alee ead i T

No definate formation. Object seen by pilot; the earth's atmosphere ,

passing off port side object broke into sever r

smaller pieces. Appeared 15°, 280°. Object

descended and broke up into many pieces, then |
faded out. 7

ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52)

.. oF ent —o-™ ae = . ™

Se ere ee

ST Pa i ke ny NOD .

OR ek A OA de Bes oF oe’

JOINT MESSAGEFORM

~~ - — + -- — —

SECURITY CLASSIFICA “

UNCLASSTFIED

SPACE BELOW RESERVED FOR COMMUNICATION CENTER

C3 Ng) 45 We Mkt Sth 2

PRECEDENCE TYPE MSG (Check)
ACTION ROU T INE BOOK MULTI
INFO
FROM:
ATIC WP AFB
at SANTA ROSA ISLAND AFS, CALIF
Joncnas/arctn-heex (1 7/

669TH ACWRON, YOUR MSG 1381, DTD 17 JAN 61,

ACCOUNTING | ORIG. OR REFERS TO CLASSIFICATION
SYMBOL OF REFERENCE
SINGLE
1381 UNCLAS

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS

FW 2789

RPTG THE SIGHTING OF A

UFO. THE INFO RPTD IS VERY LIMITED IN NATURE, PRECLUDING A VALID
CONCLUSION. REQ MORE DETATLED INFO BE RPTD IN ACCORDANCE WITH
; AFR 200-2, DID 1h SEP 59.
:
: WG 4B4>*%
DATE TIME
18 0845
MONTH ~ Ty¥maR
; = | J AN | 1961
SYMBOL SIGNAZURE c" cena
— seas Vie f a 4... me
Ww TYPED Nz ee - nf dre, ws g R vee fo f stamped) NAME AND TITL a
R Grea j cobert J, Friend 1 ae Bt) ee
} aE | oy ae
T/Apnoné 69216 | race Jee i 1a PHTLIP G, EVANS
™ SECURITY CLA SSIFICATION = aie 3 a PY OD! Lorel, — SAx
UNCLASSCPTID Oo Src Dasutee J ‘or Science and Components

DD

FORM
1 MAY 55

173

REPLACES DD FORM 173, 1 OCT 49,

WHICH WILL BE USED UNTIL EXHAUSTED

—_—~—— —_—

—

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LPI AiLJ3N HC

URGENT |
LOS ANGELES, JANe 16 CUPID <-A GIANT BALL OF FIRE FLASHED ACROSS

THE HORIZON IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TONIGHT, ALARMING RESIDENTS WKO
SWAMPED POLICE SWITCHBOARDS WITH INQUIRIES.

THE CONTROL TOWER AT LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT SAID IT
RECEIVED SEVERAL REPORTS OF SIGHTINGS FROM PLANES IN THE AREA AS. WELL
AS CALLS FROM MANY RESIDENTS«

A SPOKESMAN AT THE CIVIL AERONAUTICS TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER.
LESCRIBED THE FLASH AS “A HUGE BALL CF FIRE WHICH SEEMED TO SPLIT
INTO TWO. PARTS» ..1T. WAS. GOING. NORTH | } s

are ae Td

DESCRIBED: THE FLASH AS: ely HUCE. BALL OF FIRE WHICH SEEMED TO SPLIT |
INTO TWO'PARTSs | IT WAS GOING.- NORTHWEST.

®wS ASSUME IT WAS A METEOR,.BUT A LOT OF CALLERS SAID IT LOOKED
LIKE A SATELLITE REENTERING THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE."

THE FLASH OF BRILLIANT CRANGE-RED FLAME WAS REPORTED FROM
SANTA EARBARA, 110 MILES UP THE COAST, FROM PALMDALE, A DESERT CITY
ABOUT 199 MILES NORTHEAST. OF HERE, AND THROUGHOUT THE METROPOLITAN

LOS ANGELES: AREA.
THERE WAS .NO OFFICIAL. WORD FROM ANY SOURCE AS TO WHAT THE

FIRE BALL WAS.

IT WAS THE FOURTH SUCH INC IDENT THAT HAS KEPT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIANS
ELDGYe FIRST WAS A SLIGHT EARTHQUAKE FRIDAY NIGHT. A SONIC
DOOM RATTLED THE AREA SATURDAY. AND HUGH 15-FOOT WAVES--SO FAR

UN EXPLAINED=-HAVE BEEN BATTEBING THE SHORELINE.
"I HEARD: A SWISHING SOUND§*% SAID FCNTANA POLICEMAN WILLIAM-:

TENNEY. TENNEY, AT HOME AT $HE TIME, SAID KE HUSTLED HIS CHILDREN INTO
THE HOUSE AFTER IT PASSED OVER.

POLICE IN°FONTANA, A SUBURB 42 MILES EAST OF KERE, SAID THEY
HAD RECEIVED RADIO REPORTS OF SIGHTINGS FROM AS FAR AWAY AS SAN
DIEGO TC THE SOUTH AND BAKERSFIELD TO'THE NORTH. eo
MITOS A GIANT: Woops : we | “ce are

IT WAS. A GIANT. WHITE BALL oF FLAME TRAILING A GOLD TALL, *

sALD POLICEMAN TENNEY |.

eT heeear ete RESMPPSo6

Rees ay te eR 2
ig a Satine ae Dee Nee e by -—e ; oe ai ; }.

ck. »

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USt Ax

: DAY LEAD: FIREBALL :
EVITORS NOTE=<WHEN A LARGE METECR FLASHEL ACRC ss CALIFORNIA

LAST NIGHT, IT TOUCHED OFF A SERIES CF WILD--AND FALSE--REPGRTS THAT
PROVIDE A CLASSICASTUDY, IN THE BECINNING- GF PANIC Gah THES FOLL OWING
STORY IS A PROFILESOF THE INCIPIENT PANIC, HCl IT DEVELOPED AND How
ITLFINALLY WAS: URESOLVED. meg Se 4 : a age g eee
ee @BY DONALD: LEONEFF A. < | eset)

ie RM Oe: UNITED. PRESS INTERNATIONAL |
| 381 os ANGELES: SJANe 17 (UPL)S-IT BEGAN CALMLY ENGUGKs A MYSTERIOUS
SRIGHT LIGHT whe SEEN FLASHING ACROSS THE SKY TRAILIN: A GLOWING ~~
TAIL.
ee BEFCRE IT ENDED, TKERE WERE REPCETS THAT FIRES WERKE RAGING

THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA, THAT. METAL DELRIS AND. SPARKS WERE RAINING
ah THE SKY ANDOTHAT A°MAN“MADE SATELLITE HAD PLUNSEL TO. EARTH. ©
ALL THE REPORTS: WERE FALSE EXCEPT THE FIRST-CNE. THERE HAD. >
ISD BEEN A BRIGHT -}LASHe®. IT WAS CAUSED, ASTRONOMERS BELIEVE, BY
bo ones METEOR THAT) BLAZELoTHROUGH THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE, ‘LEAVING A
PEERY TRAIL THAT ®AS SEEN. IN MUCH OF CALIFORNIA AND. AS PAR AS °
DY MILES INLAND IN NEVADA.”
WIT WAS NEARLYSAN HOUR BEFORE THE MYSTERIOUS FLASH COULD BE
IDENTIFIED. DURING THAT TIME A RISING TIDE CF PANIC SEEMED TO CVERTAKE
MANY: GENER ALLY: RELIABLE OFFICIALS WHO SOON WERE RE PEATING FANTASTIC
RUMORS » Fey. i i
“PeUPI’S LOS: ANGELFS BUREAU FIRST GOT TIPPED. ON TKE FIREBALL SHORTLY
ART ER. 6 PeoMs BY#ITS. PHOTO BUREAU MANASER, RAY. MARCNEY, WHC SIGHTED THE
FLASK WHILE AT HONE.
“OA SER LES, OF<CALLS. TO POLICE, LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
THE CIVIL AERONAUTICS AGENCY AND VANDENBFRG AIR FORCF BASE BROUGHT
FORTH ENOUGH INFORMATION TO WARRANT AN. URGENT STORY THAT AN APPARENT
HUGE" METEOR: HAD FLASHED ACROSS’ THE AREA. 7
WETHEN A FLOOD.OP@IRCOMING CALLS FROM CORRESPONDENTS THROUGHCUT '
“CALIFORNIA TO BUREAUS IN LCS ANGELFS, SAN DIEGO, SAN FRANCISCO

“AND. SACRAMENTO’ BEGAN TAKING ON. AN AS OFCT OF RUMOR AND PANICe
GaeIN. SAN FRANCISCO) 1T- WAS REPORTED FIRE WAS RAGING IN MONTERREY.
‘OFFICIALS IN MONTERREY SAID NO FIRES WERKE THERE, GUT THEY HEARD
o STRAT FIRE TRUCKS.ARE ROLLING ALL CVER LCS ANGELES." THERE WERE
,NONE® IN, LOS. ANGELES » ALTHOUGH THERE wERE SOME FALSE. ALARMS. ©
SMBRAN AR FORCESOFFICIAL FROM HAMILTCN AIR FORCE BASE SAID KE UNDERSTCOD
st EXCALIFORNIA: DISASTER | OFFICE) IN SACRAMENTO HAD REPORTS OF FLRES IN
BAKERSFIELD AND SANTA BARBARA, BUT. OFFICIALS IN THOSE CENTRAL CITIES

aD THAT OUTSIDE OF NUMEROUS: FALSE ALARMS. THEY THOUGHT. FIRES WERE

GING IN THE: MODESTO AREA,

“AUS THE FIRE ‘RUMORS HAD GONE FULL CIRCLE. THE ONLY INDICATION OF WHAT
ae STARTEDATHE RUMORS WAS SCME CONTROLLED BURNING OF WEEDS
THAT TIME BY°OFFRICIALS IN SANTA BARBARA COUNTY>
Ue PASS ERS -BYPIN@THE AREA APPARENTLY CONNECTEL THE CONTROLLED FIRES
WITH THE PIREDALL eee ee
~)-

FROM EDWARBS AIk FORCE BASE NEAR LC ‘ ANGELES THEN CAME.THE REPCRT--
UNOFFICIAL©*THAT IT WAS BELIEVED THE AIK FORCE TRACKING STATION AT
‘OXNARD HAD TRACKED THE FIREBALLe ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, THE FIREBALL
FELL IN THE PACIFIC 12 MILES OFF SAN CLFMENTE ISLAND IN TRE GENERAL
SAN LIEGO AREA.

THREE TELEPHONE CALLS TO OXNARD AND CALLE TO THE TRACKING STATIONS
aT POINT ARGUELLO AND POINT MUGU OF THE PACIFIC BALLISTIC MISSILE
RANGE ALL FAILED TO CONFIRM THE REPORT.

THEY ALSO FAILED TO CONFIRM REPORTS FROM WIDELY SCATTERED AREAS
THAT THE FIREBALL ACTUALLY WAS A MISSILE ON MAN-MADE SATELLITE BREAKING
UP IN THE: ATMOSPHERE.

OTHER REPORTS--ALL CHECKED OUT AND ALL PROVED FALSE--WERE THAT THE
FIREBALL SMASHED INTO THE HOLLYWOOD HILLS (WHICH ARE DENSELY POPULATED), ;
THAT IT CRASHED INTO A VALLEY NEAR BORON AND THAT METAL PIECES FROM |
IT WERE FOUNDs }

THE REPORTS, AGAIN PROVED TO BE FALSE, AND. AS IN CTHER CASES APPARENT-

LY GREW UP'AS A’ MISUNDERSTANDING BETWEEN AT LEAST THREE SOURCES,. IN
THIS CASE’ THE LANCASTER SHERIFF'S STATION IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY, 3
‘LWARDS AFB AND THE CIVIL:DEFENSE WARNING SYSTEM,

ALL TOLD, AN ESTIMATED 60 TELEPHONES VERE MADE TO THE UPI Los
ANGELES BUREAU DURING THE FIRST FRANTIC HOUR CF THE FIREBALL REPORT,
‘AND ABOUT 62. OUTGOING CALLS TO CHECK THE STORY WERE PLACED.

IT ENDED AS CALMLY AS IT BEGAN, WITH THE STORY REPORTING THAT A
METEOR HAD FLASHED ACROSS THE SKY. THE STORY GUCTED A SPOKESMAN FROM
MOUNT WILSON OBSERVATORY. IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SAYING SHOWERS OF
METEORS WERE COMMON PERIODICALLY--THLS BACKING UP REPORTS OF BRIGHT
YETEOR SIGHTINGS SUNDAY IN CREGON AND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND LATE

/ MONDAY, IN HOLLAND.
THERE WAS NO FALSE REPORT OF RUMORS IN UPI'S STORY-=-BUT REPORTERS
LEARNED AGAIN THE STANDARD OBJECT LESSON TC DCUSLE CHECK THEIR SOURCES
AND THEY WERE LEFT WONDERING AT THE DISTORTION AND PLAIN FALS EHOODS:

THAT SOMEHOW SEEM TO SPRING UP AT THE FIRST SIGNS OF PANIC. :

-j-
ALTERNATE: DAY LEAD FIREBALL

BY DONALD Le NEFF ;
: UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL

LOS ANGELES, JANe 17 CUPID<-A HUGE FIERY METECR FLASHED ACROSS
CALIFORNIA LAST NIGHT, TOUCHING OFF WIDESPREAD FEAR OF FIRES.

THE BRIGHT FLASH WAS SIGHTED FROM SAN DIEGO AT THE MEXICO
BORDER TO,.NORTH OF SAN FRANCISCO, A DISTANCE OF ABOUT 6)) MILES, AND
AS FAR AS°300. MILES INLAND IN NEVADA.

IT WAS THE SECOND BRIGHT FLASH SIGHTED CN THE WEST COAST IN TWO
NIGHTS AND IT BROUGHT ABOUT A SERIES CF NEAR-PANICKY KEPORTS THAT
FIRES WERE RAGING IN MUCH-OF CALIFCRNIA, CAUSED EY FALLING EMBERS.

OTHER: REPORTS INCLUDED FINDINGS CF METAL PIECES SUPPOSEDLY DEBRIS
FROM THE FIREBALL AND TRE BELIEF THAT IT WAS A MISSILE OR SATELLITE

EREAXING UP- IN THE SKYe.
' ALL WERE FALSE. ‘
ASTRONOMERS AT MOUNT WILSON CBSERVATORY IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
SAID THEY BELIEVED IT TC BE A METEOR. THEY SAIQ PERIODIC .
SHOWERS OF METEORS WERE COMMON.
SOME HOURS APTER THE FIRESALL FLASHED ACRCSS CALIFORNIA ABOUT 6
Pee PST, A SIMILAR BRIGHT FLASH WAS SISKTED IN HOLLAND. IT ALSO Was
ELIE EVED’ TO HAVE BEEN A METEOR BURNING UP IN THE EARTH'S SURFACE.
4 TAL APPEARANCE’ OF THE METECR IN CALIFORNIA AND THE RESULTANT SPREAD

-
ectr F

CY WILD RUMORS AND. BEGINNINGS CF PANIC PROVIDED A CLASSIC EXAMPLE C:
HOW PANIC STARTS. | |

(PICKUP ATH PGHs IT WAS)
SLLSWIAES |

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