Catalina Island, CaliforniaNovember 1961

Insufficient Data

Summary

In November 1961, someone on Santa Catalina Island, California, found an object that had come down by parachute. They reported it to the Air Force for identification.

The Air Force investigated and discovered that the recovered object bore English-language markings, including one that read "Reg US Pat Off GENTEX CORP." These markings indicated the device was of U.S. origin, not a foreign technology concern. The Air Force concluded the object was probably a balloon.

The full case file is reproduced below as held by the National Archives, 14 pages.

Reported location

Catalina Island, California

Date of incident

November 1961

State / country

CA / US

Page count

14 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 44

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 14

View transcribed text

| ; PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD Fak
3 .. DATE 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS
| 8 eed : |G Wes Ball
: 11 Nov 61 Cataline Island, Californi@ |g Probably Bolleon
: 3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4 TYPE OF OBSERVATION 8. FOsnmy Rem
E Unknown Vi ” 0 Was Aircraft
| BUTT | 0 0 170 L000 2 ri ae cs 0 Ground- Visual 0 Ground-Radar 0 Probably Aircroft
E GMT 0 Air-Visuol O Air-Intercept Radar 0 Possibly Aircraht
3 5. PHOTOS Physical -wviazsnce . SOURCE O Was Astronomicol
0 Yes 0 Probably Astronomical
3 0 Neo Military O Possibly Astronomical
© | 7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION | 8 NUMBER OF OBJECTS | %- COURSE [§ Othe, DrOpe Scrie
3 0 Insufficient Dato for Evaluation
3 N/A 1 N/A gies
4 10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING Ub jt observed coming fn. COMMENTS Drop Sonde recovered -zentiiled
E down by parachute. Zzcovered and turned over (he belonging to U. S. Navy.
E to Air Force for Identification. |
4
.
4 ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 8XP $2)
b #
os: - '

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28995506