Webb AFB, TexasAugust 1961

Unidentified

Summary

On August 14, 1961, at about 0340 (3:40 a.m.) local time, a military observer at Webb Air Force Base, Texas, reported an object in the sky. The witness was the staff duty noncommissioned officer and stepped outside the wing headquarters building. The report was filed on the Project 10073 record card, the Air Force's official record for unidentified flying object reports.

The object was described as elliptical, dull grey metallic, and about the size of a baseball. A blast of greenish white exhaust seemed to come from the rear, about half the size of the object. It came from the east at about 200 yards high and moved to the southwest in level flight, with no sound. The sighting lasted about one minute. The night was clear with no moon and many stars.

The Air Force concluded the object was a meteor. The card cited the greenish white color, the sighting lasting less than one minute, the level flight, lack of sound, and small size.

Reported location

Webb AFB, Texas

Date of incident

August 1961

State / country

TX / US

Page count

5 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unidentified

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 43

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 5

View transcribed text

ee PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD :
I. DATE 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS
14 Aug 61 Webb AFB, Texas a Prebobly Balloon |
3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4 TYPE OF OBSERVATION FORTY WINN | |
0340 ' 0 Wes Aireraft | |
Local X8 Ground-Visuel 0 Greund-Rador a Prob obly Air orale | |
OMT anh ns 0 AirVisal O Air-Intercopt Radar |B Tony Yes"
5. PHOTOS . 3X Was Astronomical Mere 2
0 Yes O Probably Astronomicel
Ne Military O Possibly Astrenomicel |
7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION : 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE i WO ination.
DO Insufficient Data for Evaluation
y sds 1 SW 0 Unknown |
10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTINGEl iptical dull grey 11. COMMENTS All indications point to obser-| |
metallic color w/blast of greenish white vation of meteor. Color greenish white,
exhaust 1/2 size of objt. In level flight fm | duration of sighting less than 1 min, |
E to SW. No sound. : level flight, no sound, small size, etc.| |
ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26-0RP $2) : i
| Er : ' | 8
bi. a Br Ss RB Rs i ii j int
7 4 / : -
: ¥

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28994079