10 a.m. (EST [sic; PST?] 11 ? a.m.). Pilots Capt. Ernest W. Spradley of Aerial Photo Lab and Capt. James E. Cocker of All-Weather Flying Division both AMC, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, a General Mills Aeronautical lab project engineer Mr. McAleese [sp?] and an airman, were flying in a C-47 heading E [ESE?] at about 10,000-12,000 ft and tracking a Project GOPHER plastic balloon at about 50,000-70,000 ft when they saw a bright star-like object seemingly next to the pear-shaped balloon or above and to the side. As they approached and flew under the balloon they noticed the object descend to the balloon's level and grow larger in apparent size until about 1/4 to 1/2 the 70 ft balloon, when it appeared to be round and flat like a dime, milky white or silvery in color with a clear outline. Cocker and McAleese left the cockpit went to the astrodome to observe the object. After 3 mins they saw the object separate from the balloon and head W at high speed, after about 1 min it emitted a series of 3 bright flashes like photoflashes at 1 sec intervals and disappeared from sight. (Jan Aldrich; FUFOR Index)