Releases / 6 / DOW-UAP-D102

Project Blue Book File on Tremonton Film, Utah, 1952

File

DOW-UAP-D102

Type

Document, 156 pages

Agency

Department of War

Date

7/2/52

Place

Tremonton, Utah

Released

Release 6, September 18, 2026

Open the original on war.gov

The government's description

This document records the Project Blue Book investigation and subsequent assessments of an incident near Tremonton, Utah, on July 2, 1952. Project Blue Book was a 1952-1969 U.S. Air Force program to investigate the nature and origin of unidentified flying objects (UFOs). The file describes the Air Force’s assessment of the principal witness, Delbert C. Newhouse, a U.S. Navy Warrant Officer specializing in photography, as honest and reliable, and as an expert with more than 1,000 hours of aerial-photography experience. Newhouse reported observing 12 to 14 reflective objects and recorded the event on color motion-picture film using a handheld Bell & Howell Auto Master camera.

The file reflects an evolving Air Force assessment of the imagery over several years. Early documentation considered several possible explanations, including sunlight reflecting from birds or balloons, and a mirage effect, and did not identify the objects conclusively. Later assessments became more confident that the objects were seabirds reflecting sunlight, citing identifiable seabirds and similar films showing seabirds as bright points of light under comparable conditions. However, the film’s limited detail and lack of fixed reference points prevented reliable determination of the objects’ distance, size, altitude, or linear speed from the film alone.

AARO Comment: The file contains conflicting references to the film format. Several documents describe a 35mm film, while contemporaneous submission documentation identifies the original as a 50-foot roll of processed 16mm Kodachrome color motion-picture film recorded with a handheld Bell & Howell Auto Master camera. Newhouse reported exposing approximately 30 feet of the roll during the incident and using the remaining film later that day to record unrelated mountain scenery in Idaho. Other records show that 35mm positive and negative duplicate blowups were produced from the original 16mm material. The file also indicates that the original film was duplicated for preservation, citing its deteriorating condition. The footage retained by the National Archives and Records Administration and presented in this collection as DOW-UAP-PR159 is a digitization of a 16mm print.

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SEVEN INCH BALL OF FLAME WITH EIGHT FOOT TRAIL SIGHTED• NO
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SOUND OR LIGHTS RESEMBLING KNOWN FLYING OBJ~crs.
(1)

(2) SIGHTED AT 0420 ON 2 JULY 1952 FOR 3 TO 4 MINUTES.

.
(3) VISUAL OVSERVATION FROM GROUND•

(4) FROM 1717 NORTH 1ST AVE, PHOENIX, ARIZ• OBJECT APPEARED NORTHWEST,
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TRAVELED ARC TO SOUTHWEST• AGLE OF ELEVATION 40 DEGREES NORTHWEST,
30 DEGREES WEST, 15 DEGREES SOUTHWEST• ESTIMATED DISTANCE SEVEN TO
~

TEN MILES•
..
(5) OBSERVER MRS ARTHUR WOLF, WIFE OF ARMY ORDNANCE ·coLONEL·
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PAGE TWO JWPUK 03
(6) WEATHER AT 0430 CEILING CLEAR: VISIBILITY 15 PLUS MILES: WIND
4 KNOTS FROM NORTH•
C7AND 8) NONE
PRESUME

(. 9)

OBJECT MADE GROUND CONTACT SOUTHWEST OF PHOENIX•

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SEARCH HAS BEEN REQUESTED •
..

(10) NO AIRCRAFT OR BALLONS REPORTED• POSSIBILITY OF CROP DUSTERS•
10/22212 JUL JWPUK
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DLi ODJS AND MOVIE FIUJ ON S!GliT!NC 2 JUL 52 NEAP TREMON'i'O."\J~ UTAIIa
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CPO NEGHOUSE~
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SON /-l!'JD Di11JGHTER
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TUE NEtr,.ou...,E HOME INBEillIBLEY, CALIF on 10 SEP 52 BY DIRECTOR O'F
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TRAILS ~:>BSERVED.~ .:,:. no A CRAFT

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DIRDS

BALLOONS

0~ OTHER

IDV.NTIFIABLE OBJECTS SEEN
.Y BEFORE, DURING» Oft
. lN , AIR U1r:1EDIA,E
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. i•JHEDIATELY .AFTER 0$EP.VATION • 4

SINGLE OBJECT '0HICH DETACHED

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iTSELF FRO 1 GROUP DTD BEAD IN DIREC'fION OPPOSITE ORIGINAL
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COURSE AND DISAPi.~EARED FROM VIEU UHILE S fILL 'ffil\VELING IN THIS
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DIRECTIOl"'iJ

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5e CAt1ERA POINTED AT ESTIHATE

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70 DEGREES EIJl:VAT'.'"ON

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AND ' DEsClUBED AND ARC FROi1 f¼PPROX DUE EAST TO , DUE trEST
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TilEN FROM DUE WES"' TO APPROX
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IN DIRECTION
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SUN tJAS APPROX OVJ1THIEAD
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OOOERVER#j 7 HEATHER CONDITIONS BRIGHT SUNUGHT,
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TO 5 t·lP-L
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CAUSED BY REFl.ECTIONi
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PPROX AS LONG AS THEY
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TO HAVE SM%" TYPE OF I·10T O~! EXCEPT
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COURSE~ H D SAPPEARED FROrl VIEH BY HOVING OUT OF RANGE OF

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(1~ Sep 52)

Page 2 of 3

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DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

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DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
STAFF MESSAGE DIVISION
•
PAGE THREE OF 201i'
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TIILL 2 OR 3 HILES TO
EYESlGllT • 10 • NO FILTERS
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FACING MORTJI.,1.0CATED
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APPROX !O f1!l.ES NORTH TREr-lONTorJ, UTAH-, 12 o OTHER PERSO!JS
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SIGHTING
OBJECTS . UEREt Ii?S D., Co , NEUHOUSF:
.
D~LBERT c,,
UIFE
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NE\<JHOUSE1 JRi $ON9 f-\GE 14t AUNE NEHHOUSE1 DAUGl-ITER, AGE 12 o WHOLE
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FAUILY INCLt.IDED
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CPO NEHHOUSE MID FllI·iILY
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HA~JE NEVER SIGIITED
UNIDENTIFIED
FLYING OBJECTS
DEFORE" NEWHOUSE
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STATED THAT
HE
NEVER
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REPORT ..NG SUCH OBJECTS PRIOR TO THIS OBSERVfi1' Oi.~
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CPO NEUOOUSE
A..f'v1) I-ms NEUlfOUSE APPEARED TO BE EXTnEr1E!.Y HONEST /\ND RELIABLE
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PERSONSi) Cf-0 NEHHOUSE STATED HE HAS !3EEtJ iiJ THE Ni\JAL sn:r~VICE FOR
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MID C,..AIIt; OVEl"' 1000 Hot.ms IN THE l-iIR ilS L. PHOTOGRAPHER CiJ ACTUAL
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AERIAL PH0703IlAPH Nl.SSimiS
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PHOTOGRl\PTIY.., !'r IS BELIEVED NEUHOUSE COULD BE CLASSIFIJ!D AS fill
EXPER..... PHOTOGRAPHE11.,
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DISPOSITION FORM
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FILE NO.
SUBJECT
o AFOIN,-2A2
Att.n:
FROM
35nm. F.ilm and Analysis
ATIC
DATE
Major Fournet,
1 5 OCT 1952
COMMENT NO. 1
Capt Ruppelt/jos
65365/B263D/PD2B
l . "As per your request inclosed herein f or your inspection is the 3~ film
from Tremonton, Utah, showing unidentified aerial objects.
2. Also inclosed is a photostatic copy of an analysis performed by the Photo
Reconnaissance Laboratory, Wright Field.
3.
The 35mm roll is the original film and no duplicate has been made•
4. It is the opinion of ATIAA-5 that the film should be submitted to an orni­
thologist, perhaps at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, to obtain an opinion
as to whether the objects may not possibly be birds in flight.
2 Incls
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REPLAcES NME FORM 96. 1 ocr 48. wH1cH w.v eE USED
DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007
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CopY TWX CAFIN 6~202
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INFO CG AOC ENT AFB 001.D SPRINGS COIO
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DECLASSIFIED AFTER 12 YEAkS •
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RES'l'RlCTJ?D/9171. Ami DIR OF INTEL.
D:l RE.PLY ro AFOIN-2A2 AND iiADF J!'SG
~DOID 2<ll49 FOL INFO ~ BI }l~ USAF Hi\S Bml OBTAINED Br INTERVIE Y wm
CPO DELBERT C. NE!mOUSB. 17/Z'/'J, AVN SUP DE?, llAVAL SUP CEN, OAKLAND, CAI.IF
REG/.RDING UNIOOOIFIED BLY OBJS .A?ID l!OVIE Filll ON SIGJfl'ING 2 JUI 52 llF.AR
TRWONTON, UTAH.
CPO NEiuIOUSE, HIS WIFE, SON AND DAUGilrER 17ERE ALL INTER,.
VIlfflED AT THE REraIOUSE HOllE IN BERKELEY, CALIF Oii 10 SEP 52 BY DIRroTOR OF
INTELLIGFWE, 28TH Am DIV (DEF).
FOL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS l. THRU l3
IN USAF WUEST ARE SUIDAITrED:
1.
NO SOUND HEARD DUPJ:NG OBSE'RVA'l'ION.
?lO EXHAUST TRAILS OR CONTR.UIS
2.
OBSERVED. 3. NO AIRCRAFT, BIRDS, BUJ..OONS, OR OTHER IDEtrrIFIABLE OBJECTS
SEEN IN AIR IlllEDIATELY BEFORE, DUP.DlG., OR Dl!EDIATELY AFI'ER OBSERVATION.
4. snmLE OBJECT mIICH DETACim> ITSELF FOOM GROUP DID HEAD DJ DIRmTlOU
01'1'0SlTE ORIGINAL COURSE AND DISAPPEARED FRl)Y VIFrl mIIE STILL TRAVELING
IN THIS DIRD'.:TION.
5. CAUERA POINrED AT ESTil.!ATED 70 D.IOC;REES ELEVATION
AtID DESCRIBED AND All: Fro!! APPROX DUE EAST TO DUE ~1&5'? Tflm FRC?.t DUE \'iEST
TO AP.PR.OX 00 DEGREES 0011 NORTH IN PHCJrOORAPHING DEI'ACHID OBJ HEADING m
OPP
Dnt:roTIOll OIIDOSITE ORIGINAL COURSE. 6. SUN WAS APPROX OVERHEAD OF OBSERVER.
OBJJ!PTS WERE AT APPROX 70 DEG-RI®, ABOVE TRRAIN ON A COURSE SEVERAJ, UI1.ES
FROU OBSERVER. 7• WEATHER COND:rrIONS:
DEGREE'S TEMPFllATURE, SLIGH!'
BRIGRr StmUGHl', CLEAR., APPROX 00
RrH EAST APPROX 3 'ro 5 l!PH.
=-"~" -
F
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8. NO HE:rEOROIDGICAL ACTIVlTJJiii jURDtC Tlwt DAY. 9. oPnUOH REGARDDm
rou.omuG CI.N A.
LIGHT
~
m ( OBJWTS CAUSED B R:EFI.mTlON: B.
- Y UNCLASSIFJED
ODJEOTS

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PR.OX s
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TS BEFORE.
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RANKS O T
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APPROX 10 IIF..S
OBJ
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CPO
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IS GRADU TE O •
HOURS IN THE AIR
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UNCLASSIFIED
7%t 50 [a
ACTION: ROUTINE INTO; ROUTINE
CG28th AIRDIV HAMILTON AYB CALIF CRYPTOPPRECAUTION: NO
CHIEY ATIC WRIGHT-PATTERSON APS ORIO IDENTIFICATION: 9171 is
(12 Sep 52)
CLASSIFICATION:
FROM;  APFOIN $9762
ATPRETION: Director of Intelligence. Reference your megenge
9171 dated 12 Sep 52. Request OPO Newhouse be asked following
additional question: Was triped used te photegraph mountain
seene in Idehe which arrenre on final footage of film in
question? Yoerward information by electrical means to ATIC with
information this headquarters. In response reply to APOIN-242
COORDIWATION: AFOIN-2A2__.
RELEASING OFFICER'S SIGNATURE:
ALD BR BRERE, Captain, USA?
Executive Officer, Topical Division
Deputy Director for Estimates
Directorate of Intelligence, 09/0
DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

•
UNCLASSIFIED
D.C.
1952.
DOWNGRADED AT S Y: . R 1N'rEEVA
DECLASSIFIED AFTER 12 YEARS.
DOD DIR p200..J.O
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74o96
(10 0c
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Requirements
1. 2 color duplicates and 1 black & white print (exclusive of portion
Vflth sound track whieh is spliced to the end of the film}.
2. Request the original be handled with utmost care (it is already 1fi
fairly poor condition, and wear very anxious that 1t suffer no further
damage).
3. Request the original be cleaned as carefu]y as posslble prior to
duplication.
4. Request utmost effort in controlling duplication to extent that resulting
copies wUl be as ldentlca.I to or.lglnal as po ible ln image and color
reproduction.
6. The loos (unspllced) porlton of 17 frames belongs at the end of the
footage havlrig a deep blue background and no sound track. The la t
frame of thls loo e portion s mmediat ly adjacent to the spllce with
the broken frame having the sound track.
6. Can the stripp d sprocket holes 1n·the loose portion of the orlgtna.l
(see 5) be repair d ln any way - sufficiently to make it possible to
run thls part a ong with the remamder of film without malfunction?

f
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NCLASSIFIED
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ACTIO
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TDB241
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DE JEPHQ 94A /
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FM HQ USAF WASHD<
TO JWPML/CG28TH AIRDIV HAMILTON AFB C ~
INFO JEDWP/CHIEF ATIC WPAFB OHIO . . /
FROM CLN AFOIN 59782 ATTENTION CLN DIRECTOR
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OF INTELLIGENCE. REFERE CE YOUR MESSAGE 9171 DATED 12 SEP 52.
REQUEST CPO NEWHOUSE BE ASKED FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL QUESTION CLN
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WAS TRIPOD USED TO PHOTOGRAPH MOUNTAIN SCENE IN IDAHO WHICH APPEARS
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ON FINAL FOOTAGE OF FILM IN QUESTION QUES FORWARD INFORMATION
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BY ELECTRICAL MENNS TO ATIC WITH INFORMATION THIS HEADQUARTERS.
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RESPONSE REPLY TO AFOIN-2A2.
07/20342 OCT JEPHQ
A ON
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COORDINATJON
INSERT
ORGNL CODE AND
PULL SIGNATURE
, 177283
Your coo . ,r tion
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DESIGNATE AUTHD OFPICE OF RECORD
OFFICIAL FlLE COPY
AMC Form 8
(Bev I 'I' llla,7 SO)
Sa11'e111edet1 AMC Form 8, Bev 1 £pr ,a, which wilt be used.
DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007
Air Forc•WPAFB-L-IS JUL 52. 3600

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TO : JWPHQ/DIRECTOR OF INTELLIGENCE
HEADQUARTERS USAF, WAHSINGTON 25,D.c.
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9171 IN REPLY TO AFOIN-2A2 FOLLOWING INFORMATION
BY HQ. USAF HAS BEEN OBTAINED BY TELEPHONE CONVERSATION
WITH OPO DELBERT C. NEWHOUSE, 177273, AVN SUP DEP, NAVAL SUP CENTER,
OAKLAND, CALIF . REGARDING AN ADDITIONAL QUESTION ABOUT MOVIE FILM ON
UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT SIGHTING ON 2 JULY 1952. QUESTION:"WAS TRIPOD USED
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TO PHOTOGRAPH MOUNTAIN SCENE IN IDAHO WHICH APPEARS ON FINAL FOOTAGE
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OF FILM IN QUESTION"? ANSWER: NEGATIVE, ENTIRE ROLL OF FILM WAS HAND
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COMMUNICATIONS CENTER NO.
JOINT MESSAGEFORM
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UNCLASSIFIED
,__ _ _ _ _ _ _ SPACE ABOVE FOR COMMUNICATIONS CENTER ONLY , - - - - - - - - - - - . -
FROM: (Orit1instor)
DATE-TIME GROUP
□ ORIGINAL MESSAGE
□ BOOK MESSAGE
CRYPTOPRECAUTION
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OFFICIAL TITLE
REPLACES WO AGO FORM 1H68, 15 JUN 1945, AND WO AGO FORM 0990.
i APR 1946, 9JHICH MAY BE lJSEb.
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GOVERN111ENT PRINTING OFFICE , mo--0-875948

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ATIAA-5/Lt Fiue.

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os/65365/ l; Dec -~2

MEMORANDUM FOR RECORD
PROBLEM:
-f'

Tremont~ Utah, sighting.

FACTS AND DISCUSSION:
On 15 Dec 52 Lt A.G. Flues telephoned Lt Malcom Ross, USN, at the Of­
fice of Naval Research, University of Afinnesota. The purpose was to deter­
mine whether pillow balloon releases could account for the Tremon~..,_,Utah,
incident of 2 Jul 52.
Lt Ross had seen the Tremon-tP1n'ovies and it was his opinion, as well as
that of Lt Lewis, ONR, that the objects photogr~phed were pill-0w balloons.
However, Lt Ross said that the Navy had not .f :el~ased any pillow balloons in
or near that area at that time. Lt Ross po~nted out that General Mills, Inc.,
Minneapolis, is, in so far as he knows, the ·sole manufacturer of pillow bal­
loons and suggested that ATIC contact-1,±'~ J. R. Smith of General Mills to
determine what organizations and ageheies had purchased pillow balloons. Lt
Ross also stated that in the winter of 1952, the 11 Crusade for Freedom" pur­
chased many pillow balloons from General Mills. These were sent to various
cities in the United States and released periodically. Lt Ross did not know
the exact times, dates, or points of these releases, but he suggested that
ATIC contact the 11 Crusade for Freedom".
REOOMdENDATI0N:

That ATIAA-5 contact Mr. J. R. &iith and the 11 Crusade for Freedom"~
.- .t:·?~

DECLASSIFIED Aulhority NND 923007

...,.,
TO:

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Whom it May Concern

SUBJECT:

Tremonton, Utah, incident of 2 Jul 52

On 16 Dec 52 Lt A.G. flues called l . J. R. Snith, Director, Balloon Re­
search, General N~lls, Inc., Atlnneapolis,
nnesota, to determine whether or
not a pillow balloon release could have caused the Tremonton incident.
'r. Smith pointed out that in the winter of 1951, his company, the only
known manufacturer of this type balloon, produced a large number of pillows
for the 11 Crusade for Freedom 11 • These balloons were distributed to both national
and local offices of that organization and GMI was unable to say exactly what
the organization did with them after receipt. However, G did say that they
were released sporadically for publicity purposes from widely separated areas
in the United States.
In the "Crusade for Freedom 11 organization there have since been 100%
personnel shifts, top to bottom and J. R. Smith was not too encouraging when
Lt F1ues suggested contacting the organization. However, he agreed to forward
all shipping lists which will tell A1IC iho the consignees ere and JJJSt what
numbers each received.

Mr. Smith pointed out that in 1951 and until Nov 52, helium and hydrogen
gasses were in short supply. The two companies which furnish these gasses are
Air Reduction Company and The Linde Company.
r. Smith suggested contacting
their distributors in the area of the sighting.
Reconnnendationa: That A'ITC follow-up with the lists Mr. Smith will provide and
that ATIC check distributors of hydrogen and helium in the Utah area.

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Travel Report -
Minneapolis, Minnesota
29, :30, 31 December 1952
On 29 Dec 52, Lt A.G. Flues went to Minneapolis, Minnesota, t.o contact
the Field Representative of ONR and the General Mills Corporation there.
The
purpose was to determine if' the UFO's in the Tremonton, Uteh, movies of 2 July
52 might be pillow balloons.
On 30 Dec the films were run off 1n the balloon room of the Physics Building,
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University of Minnesota.
The following were in attendance,
Lt Malcolm Ross, USN
S2C Leroy Harger, USN
CPO Lewis, USN
Dr. Nye, u. of Minn. Balloon lights and geophysics
Dr. Winkler, u. of Minn. Balloon nights and geophysics
Frank c. Jewett, Exec. Vice-President, Research Dept., General
Milla, Ino.
J.. · R. Smith, Chief', Meteorology Dept., General Mills, Inc.
There were various others present all of whom have had experience in
fiying pillow balloons.
The films were run off eight times, at various speeds, and were frequently
stopped at good frames.
All were informed of the background data.
It was the consensus of opinion that the objects resembled pillow balloons
1n flight very closely and did nothing that pillows would not do in similar
circumstances.
J. R. Smith was the least convinced of this hypothesis; however,
he felt that the objects were a bit too bright and maneuvered a bit too fast.
The head meteorologist of GMI pointed out that winds to' 8,000 rt.
at Hill
AFB would probably be different trom those at Tremonton because of topography
and land-sea effect.
The extreme stability of the atmosphere on that dq would,
he added, make aseent very slow and would tend to stabilize a pillow at a given
altitude .
.Additionally, wind direction is capable or a 180° shift within perhaps
DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

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500 ft. of altitude which could account for a high or low balloon, with relation
to the group, to proceed in an apparently- opposite direction.
If the objects are pillows, the consensus was that they- are not over
6,000 1 altitude, probably- much less.
If this is so, they cannot possibly- have
been aloft for more than 12 hours, and this only if filled with warm air or
underinflated with gas or ballasted for a given altitude.
There is a much
greater probability that they are ascending and have been released from a
nearly point not over 1/2 hour before.
None of the persons present placed much faith in the computations of
angular velocity, since all were predicated upon Newhouse's holding the camera
still.
Lt Flues went over to GMI later on and obtained. from J. R. Smith the names
and addresses of consignees who received. pillow balloons during the period Sep
51 - 2 Jul 52.
Also Lt Flues picked up some photos of pillow balloons and the
flight tracks of three Navy Skyhook.a released in Sept 52 from Tillamook, Ore.
eral Mills had no movies of pillows which approximated the Tremonton films aa
GMI 1s footage seemed to be, shot against cloud background and when the balloons
were lower.
However, they will be launching pillows from Wendover, Utah, in
Feb 5.3 and will make movies then.
The course of action recommended was for ATIC to check all persons in the
western u.s. who received pillows.
There were some other shipments to Gl1I home
and farm appliance stores, and J. R. Smith agreed to send ATIO the names and
addresses of such consignees.
List of consignees:
2
DECLASSIFIED Authority NNO 923007
Gen­

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DATE-TlME GROUP
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□ ORIGINAL MESSAGE
□ BOOK MESSAGE
□ MULTIPLE ADDRESS
CRYPTOPRECAUTION
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IDENTIFICATION
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RELEASING OFFICER'5 SIGNATURE
OFFICIAL TITLE
FOAM
DD I GCT 49 173
REPLACES NME FORM 173, I MAY 49.
WHICH MAY BE USED,
IG-53023-3
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U, S. GiOV~.tHlllf.NT .--RIHTIN(. 01',ICt

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JID
P
UP''L 35F
0718312
CG
28TH A!:R DIV (DEF) HAMILTON AFB CALIF
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CG AIR TECHNICAL INTELLIGENCE CE TER WRIGHT- PATTERSON AFB DAYTON
28TH OID 01176.
CITE: PROJECT BLUE BOOK . THE FOLLOW! G INFOR1ATION
REQUESTED BY AFOIN - ATIAE - 2-1-E HAS BEEN OBTAINED BY TELEPHONE
CO VERSATION WITH CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER DELBERT C. NEWHOUSE, 177273, AVN
SUP DEP,
NAVAL SUP CENT R, OAKLA 1D, CALIF.,
REGA DING ADDITIONAL
OUT :"!OVIE FILM O l !.%:IDE TIFIED SIGHTHG
iS NEWHOUS
DESIRE
HIS 02IGifAL FIL i RETUR ED OR
ACCEPT A COYP OF THEO IGINAL?"
TE ORIGINAL.
QUESTro,:
A 1SWEa:
'10ULD
HE 'ILL ACCEPT A COPY
"IS THEDE A ·y OBJECTiotl
TO USING
t EGP.T IV , BUT
ES I :-5
CORRECT TITLr.- STATED vY
.!.WHOUS[
.A:'-'t IN T ... OFF IC !AL RELEASE ?1 • A!-.S W::R:
CO...ECT OFFICIAL TITLE: US:SD.
ON 2 JULY 1952.
PAGE TWO JUPML 35F
IS CHL:.F PHOTOGRAPHER, A CO L'iISSIONED
WARRANT OFFICER IN USN.
B J •jPML
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DECLASSIFIED Aulhority NND 923007
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(See
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TELECONFERENCE MESSAGE FORM
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structions on reverse side oft. s page)
2. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
1.
ITEM NO.
4.
FROM: (Name & Symbol)
5.
J.
DATE TRANSMfflED
TOt (Nan-.e & Symbol)
(If more space 1s needed, continue on a plain sheet of paper.)
7. ORIGINATED BY : (Name, Symbol, Date)
9. AUTHORIZED BY:
Air Adj'!!i'tant General, ATIPA
8. COORDINATED BY: ( Name, 5-ymbol, Date)

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INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREPARING AND SUBMTI'TING FORM
1,
Si;a:tmit ONE copy of the completed form to ATIPA by 1000 hours of dAy
message is to be sent. Unless special arrangements are made with
ATIPA fer late submission, messages received after 1000 hours will
not be sent until the following conference.
2.
Complete fonr. as follows:
Block 1.
Preparing office cir.it.
Block 2.
If a classified messace, stamp in security classification.
not a classified messaee, enter "Unclassifiedu.
Block:-'•
Enter elate the message will be sent, not date prepared.
Block 4.
Enter name and symbol of sender.
Block 5.
Enter name and symbol of receiver.
Block 6.
If a classified. message, enter as the first two words of the
message "Security Information," then proceed with the message.
If not a classified messace, omit the words "Security Infor­
mation".
Block 7.
Originator enter signature an<l symbol. (:•1ay or may not be the
same person whose name appears in Block u.)
Block 8.
Coordinators enter name and symbol.
Block 9.
Air Adjutant General Enter signature.
Bottom of form.
Will be completed by telecon operator .
If
If a classified message, stamp in security classification.

Memorandum for Record
1.
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UNCLASSIFIED
During a trip to Washington, D. c., on 29 Jan 53 Capt Ruppelt was
informed that the press had learned about the Tremonton, Utah, movies and
that Mr. Al Chop of the Office of Public Information., Department of Defense,
Col Teaberg of AFOIN-2, and others believe that the movies should be re­
leased in accordance with the promise made this summer to the press that no
information on the subject of Unidentified nying Objects would be withheld.
Capt Ruppelt agreed with this point and it was decided that the factual data
on the incident would be sent to Capt Harry B. Smith, AFOIN-2A2, who would
pass it on to Mr. Chop who in turn would write the release.
The telecon also
requested that the release bef!orwarded to ATIC for coordination.
telecon is TT15, 5 Feb 53, Item 2.
2.
The subject
~
On 9 Feb 53 Mr. Chop called that het.!.:tten the release and shewed
it to Col Smith of AFOIN-2A.
They believe that there would be a question
asked as to the findings of the Air Force and Navy photo labs and that these
reports would have to be released.
If they weren 1 t released, the press would
begin to think they contained some "hot" material and that the Air Force was
holding back some important data.
ATIC concurred that this could happen.,
and that if it did happen it could create a great deal of excitement.
3. The Air Force lab analysis concludes that:
a.
They are reasonably certain that the brightness of the images
,8f:£~AJ _ i ~ 1.N'I'EftVA.'(.11,
on the film exceeds that of any bird.
\((
b.
'!he objects. are not spherical ;~el]~-~ -•
DOD DIR Ai20o.~2.t.EAR&
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The objects could be aircraft.
the absence 0£ sound
/11J -""~ t rules out aircraft.
(Note:
Aircraft in a "dogfight" can be heard at almost
~ltitude.
air ,spaee- area and it is
such flying would be carried on in the
airways.)
UNCLASSIFIELl
DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007
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c.

Have two aircraft do maneuvers at various altitudes and photo­

graph them.
d.

Request that the Navy re-do the study using the methods of

density measurement that are prescribed by the astronomers.
Conclusion

6. If it is deemed advisable to release the movies quickly, state that
the Air Force cannot positively identify the objects but they are reasonably
sure that they are balloons or gulls consequently no :further effort is going
to be put into the incident.

If tbe Navy and Air Force reports are requested,

state that due to the meager data they used, the reports must be discounted.
I,!.J!ould b~rather po~licy to state that the Navy had made a~ror in
t~beginning of their ana~ia...

7. If it is too much of a risk to do this (suggestion in paragraph 6)
immediately go ahead with items a, b, and c of paragraph 5 on a high priority
basis.
Recommendations
8•• It is recommended that the above plan be given to AFOIN-2A2 and let
them confer with the Director of Intelligence on the subject of a release.

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-a.
Self-luminous or light sources
b.
Could not be aircraft or balloons
The Navy report says the objects are:
ird is known is reflect enough light to cause the images
shown on the film,
It.can be noted that tbe Na:vy people deduced tbis from tbeir analysis
of t h e ~ o r the image on each frame.
manhours.
This required about a 1 1 000
It was brought out by two astronomers who heard a Navy briefing
on the analysis of the movies that the method used to measure the brightness
of each spot was wrong, therefore, the results of the entire study were wrong.
4.
The subject of the release was discussed with Lt Col Johnston and
Col McDuffy and it was decided that the movies would be released without com­
ment as to what they were and hope that no questions were asked about the
Navy report.
This is a "calculated" risk of another big "flap".
5. The other alternative is to quickly get more data on the subject.
Several things can be done and are listed below in the order of how soon they
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As far as gulls are concerned the big question is, how much
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could be accomplished:
a.
M
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light will be reflected?
Can you see a gull reflecting light and not recog­
nize that it is a gull?
To check this it would be necessary to go to a loca­
,.Jfff•
tion where you have a lot of gulls and bright sunlight and talce movies with
a 3-inch lens.
It would be necessary to know how far the gulls were away each
time a movie was taken. At this time of the year florid.a is the only place
where sunshine and gulls can be assured.
b.
Using special funds, have General Mills release a group of
pillow balloons arranged in the same sequence as the objects are in the reovies
and measuring the distance at which
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TT-27

26 Feb 1953
ATI

OLOUl, YOUNG

Reference Item 2 ATIC Telecon 15, 5 Feb 53 the following
statement is for ATIC coordination prior to release to PIO:

I- This color film provides an instance of a sighting being
substantiated by motion pictures and confirms the faith of
the USAF in the veracity of the many citizens who have
reported sightings of unidentified objects or phenomena in
the air. ' The film was forwarded to the USAF by Warrant Officer
Delbert c. Newhouse , Aviation Supply Depot, Naval Supply Center,
Oakland, California.1 Warrent Officer Newhouse stated that the
film was exposed 7 miles North of Tremonton, Utah, on the U.S.
Highway 30 at 11:00 a.m. MST, 2 July 52: and that he was using
a Bell and Howell Auto Master(hand-held) with a three inch
telephoto lens at F/8 for the first few feet of the film and
the balance at F/16 all at sixteen frames per second.
Examination of the film to date allows a deduction that the
images were caused by surfaces having good reflective qualities,
(:mch as seagulls o~ balloon~., or by bodies or substances possessing
high intensity light sources.

Images appearing on the film are

nonsufficiently defined to permit identification or determination
of form or substance and should have been caused by unknown objects
or undetermined known obJects.

The absence of any reference ooints,

even clouds, in the bac·ground has made it impossible to estimate
the distance of the obJects from the camera, thus precluding a
I

determination of aiz.e 'and linear speed.

Measurements of angular

UNCLASSIFIED
DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

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UNCLASSIFIED

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velocity have not indicated true linear speed as the apparent
motion is shown in only two dimensions .
To date the evidence on unidentified phenomena has shown no
threat to the United States , and the majority of the sightings
have been directly tied to known causes .
½:id CSAF ITEM NBR 2/

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DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

COQRDINARON
onani Cobe AND
FULL SIGNATURE ATIAE-5/EJR/vs
reply refer to
IN-ATIAE~5
Warrant Officer Delbert C, Newhouse
tion Supply Depot
Naval Supply Genter
end, California
A copy of the original movie film taken by you near Tremonton,
» on 2 July 1952 is being returned,
This Center and the Air Foree wish to thank you for submitting
¢ film, answering the many additional questions that arose during
e analysis of the film, and for allowing the Air Force to keep the
Yours very truly,
C. BROWN
AF #
xen.
DESIGNATE AUTHD OFFICE OF RECORD
OFFICIAL FILE COPY
AMC Form 8 (Rev 17 May 50) Supersedes AMC Form 8, Rev 1 Apr 48, which will be used. Air Foree-WPAFB-L-23 JUL 52. 3600M /
‘DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

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U . S . NAVAL PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION CENTER
U. S. Naval Receiving Station
Washington 25, D. C.
In reply refer to
Code 082
Jl2•1
MAR 1 8 1954
Serial:
From:
To:
Commanding Officer
C0mrnanding Officer, Air Technical Intelligence Center,
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
Subj:
Tremonton, Utah Film
Ref':
(a)
ATIC W•PAFB Ohio ltr AFOIN-ATIAE-5 dtd 27 Jan 1954
1. Reference (a) requested iot'ormation concerning the disposition ot
the original Tremonton, Utah f'ilm and whether or not any copies of the
f'1lm are currently heJ.d by the Center.
2. It is advised that this Center bas never had possession of the
original film and does not have in:formation concerning its whereabouts.
However, it is suggested that Major Fourney, an AF Special Investigator
who was formerly stationed in this area, be contacted regarding this
matter. Major Fourney at one time advised that the original "Would be
made available to this Center for spectrophotometric analysis. This
analysis never materialized, theref'o:rt. the original 'Was not requested.
3. This Center is presently holding one 16mm color film copy which
In addition, 35m col.or positive and
was received f'rom the Air Force.
35mm black and white negative duplicate blowups are held.
4. Reference (a) referred to the original. film as being 35mm. It is
understood tbat the photography was taken With a Revere., 16mm, magazine
loading type, with an Fl.9 wide-angle, telephoto l.ens.
(51.Q~
B. C. WHFA'll.EY
Acting
Copy to:
CNO ( Op 322V/ jc
DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007
32 5

INSERT
ORGNL CODE AND
FULL SIGNATURE
CAH/jos/73147
2 7 JAN 1954
;
(Vnci) 7remonton, Utah Film
Chief
Ott1ce ot a"8l. Intelligence
Uavy~tment
esb1~on 25, . 0.
l. !I'he ir Technical Intelligence Center: ia atteziQtUng to
oc te the o r i ~ ot a 35 mm film ot 14entU1ed flying obJecta
n ~ a • D. C. Rnb ee near 'l'relrlonton, Utah# on 2 Jul 52.
ie tilm s e.nalygecl by the
JC during the early ~ t ot
953.
2. In a report 1ea cl b7 NPJC, . u.'bj: 8 lnterpretation ot
lea at VA14entit1e4 ObJ_ecta", ■eial n: lber 0105, ftA1r-.-... 4 May
3, i t is stated in paai-t, "Tile :f'ilia. expo.ea in tall is in very
oor co ditlon, dry, bi'ittle, an4 ¥1th tenaency tQ br
• Mt.er
n1 tial nevtn , 4upllc tio or the t1la
pertormea in order to
,erve ti:.e tilll." t.rliere a: a.ra to -be no reference ea to ..............
'the original t1lJI was aeatroye4 or returned.
3. It 1• NqUeltea that any &"811 ble Warma"ti n be f\lrni•hed
o the Air Technical Intel.Ugence Center aa to the diepoaition of
• film after the 1nterpret&~ion vu completed.
4. Informat1
op1ea ot 'thi
ia turtber requested
ta
ther or not any
1'11111 are on banc1 there.
FO R THE COMMANDER
l'I
,A
1 1"\
[! AR o'}{
'
'• •
,- ,
V
.J
Nl ,,.., , -..!
...1. , ..,
1st Lt . USAF
P_ssistant Adjutant .
DESIGNATE AUTBD OFFICE OF RECORD
OFFICIAL FIL)] COPY
/dtJ7J
ELECTRONfCS BRANCH
OllTJCU.L FILE COPY
(Rev 17 lllaJ' 58)
Sa11ened1111 AMC Form 8, Bev l A.pr 48, whldl '!'Ill be uecl.
DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007
Office of Record
Afr Jl'oree-WPAi'B-L-U .JUL GZ
8608111

y
COOR&INATIO*
INSERT
ORGNL COD]: AND
FULL SIGNATURE
reply :reter to
CAfl/ jos/73147
IN-ATIAE-
2 3 FEB 1954
•
t
. e. nhouae
hotographer,
J)erby Stz-eet
ley, California
ue torwr41ng aa Inclosur 1. one capy or your Tremonton,
t1lm a pramieea in O\lr letter ot 27 Jan
The Ali 'l'echn1cal tntell1
1954.
ce Center hopes this v1ll tuli'Ul
re~ts.
1ncere17.
Incl
Env containing
ref film
COORDINATION:
ATIAELT CO
ti=
R C. SCHUM
CWO, USAF
Asst. Adj.
DATE
1
Zl-1td
AT
0I
I"
DESIGNATE AUTBD OFFICE OF RECORD
OFFICIAL FILE COPY
I007d
;fLfCTRONICS BRANCH
OFFICIAL FILE COPY
Supen,edeo AMC Form 8, Rn I Apr 48, which will be used.
f
':'i • •• •of i?""· •r,l
AF•WP-L-25 MAB 53
3,130,000

_ ue
“ re 7 ~~ \ “th
] x é a
‘]
& - oa

ai ae |

z\> o7 H44 8G
= i, ty ; FS taF hg
t
Hie ty \ |
‘i i

DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

•
INSERT
ORGNL CODE A.ND
FULL SIGNATURE
CAH./jos/73147
reply rder to
"I JAN 19 •
OD--Afl.Q-5
evhoUft
pber,
Street
Calitarn1a
•
•
nhouae:
chnical Intelligence Center 1a not 1n 1.mme41 te oaaea-
1g1.nal ot '1'10.'f ~!!llntlm'
Utah, f11JG; ha1Mver, eorre ■-
,
been initiate« to recowr it. It a:ppeara tbat the
1g1nal
y ha aeteriaratecl beyonl the pout where 1t caull be auc...
saf'uUJ copiet.
fter
are two copl • of the film here.
t to the 'Photographic Labarator7 "1th
a.pie •
mi c .
cop.lea will
One or th.ea ha1 been
reque■ t tor a44itional
letion, Vhicb will take about :three weeks, one of
mallet! to you. It 1a b ~ that thh v1U fill.­
ill your "tequtrements.
The Air Technical In:tell.igence Center Ylahee to e'Zpl'ea ■
pin
ta appreci tion to you tor your cooper t1on throughout the entire
nftlatiption of the cue.
incerely,
G0. L. WERTfl BAKE
DATE
:iF
~+-'!~~..,A-~_,,;
.
olone!, u A
mander
•
•
'...:ZSf.::t:fi~~~~::::;;DATE.,,~-,."
I ~~FMr~"'ll"iit-,,ib-......;DATE 2-.
JAJJ >
: / Colonel, USAF
Directorate of' Intelligence
DESIGNATE AUTBD OFFICE OF RECORD
r
•
j/Jd 7.J
Ol'l'JCIAL FILE COPY'
AMC Form B
(Re. 17 M&T 50)
Sapened• AMC Form 8, BeY l Apr ta, which will be a.ud.
Air Foree-WPAFB-L-U JUL 6%
H0~M

•

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE .
HEAOQUARTERS UNITEO STATES AIR°FORCE
WASHINGTON 25, D. C.

29 December 1953

AFOIN-2A

Brigadier General William M. Garland
commander
Air Technical Intelligence Center
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
Dayton, Ohio
Dear General Garland:
Inclosed is a copy of the letter sent, this date, to

Mr. Newhouse who provided us with the Tremonton, Utah, unidentified
flying object pictures.
Our records show that the original of the film is in your files .
If the original film is still of value to you, it may be more desirable
to give Mr, Newhouse another duplicate rather than to risk the loss of
it by loan.
With best personal wishes to you and your staff for a very
successful and Happy New Year,
Sincerely yours,

1 Incl
cy of ltr dtd
29 Dec 53 to
Mr. Newhouse

WILLIAM A. ADAMS

Colonel, USAF
Directorate of Intelligence

.,

f

r

. ,..

~ re Lo
} i; ab:
P toe
Mire De Ce Newhouse Ret File Ne. 177283
flying objects near ‘peniateen, Utah, was ‘feaverted te the Air
Technical Intelligence Center with the understanding that they
would ee op wise | & Ng Whe eT eM copy since the cae erg
May I take this opportunity of Semntelie to you once again
bow much we in the Air Force appreciate your cooperation in making
“a film available to ue. It still remains one of the most interesting
incidents that we have investigated.
Very truly yours,
ec: Brig Gen Garland WILLIAM A. ADAMS
Colonel, USAF Na
Directorate of Intelligence
DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

Colonel Webs Astama, Vobuisls
Topical Iwtelligenss Division, UpiA.Fs

the investigation of UWos end @ duplicate copy wee forwarded tome, ly
eopy of the film has been damaged by showing in a defective projectors

If the Air Force hat completed ite evaluation of the film and has
ae further vee for 26, I would approviate the return of the origional to me
at thie time, if, however, there is « continuing need for the Lilm, T
would dike to “borrow” the original file for a period of about four weeks
to enable we to amxe a good duplicate print from its

3 am forearding « copy of thio letter te the office of Ceneral
Gorland, in case the fila is now leented there,

four early attention to this request will be eppresiated.

DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

0JEC'£ 10073 WORKS!ili'ET
•
•
I. G~NERAL
2. LOCAT ON
....
• 'l'H!E
Ye~
C!fNakod Eye
CJ Binoculars
D 'l'eleacope
0 1'heodolita
0 Yos
D By Ona Set
□ By 1wo Sets
AR?
D
• WAS OBJECT OBSERVED FROM THE AIR?
□ Yes
Three Set.,
.
_A/C Observed Object
Cl Interception Attempted
0 No Intex-ce t Atta tad
D Yes
7 • WERE AIRCRAFT SCRAMBLED TO INTERCEPT?
.
A/ C Scrambled
D Visual Cont1.1ct Made
_
0 A/I Contact Made
0 No Contact Mada
NGE DIRECTION AT ANY TIME?
IF OBJE T WAS A "LIGH'ftt , WAS IT:
~
es
CEJNo.rmal
CJ-Violent
D gl..inking
ONo
[3"staad
- 5 Seconds
0 1-5 Minutes
LENGTH
IGH't:
HEPORTING AGENCY
Unit Number and Wailing Address
□
[7 Over 10 Minutes
~lJ
I
II. ASTRONOMICAL DATA
12. W.HAT ASTRLlNOMICAL AC'.rIVITY WAS NOTED?
] Yes
DID OBJECT HAVE A TAIL?
..J Yes
DID 0BJEC'r APPEAR TO DISINTEGRATg?
• TIME OF SIGH'rING RE:LATIV-E TO SUNRISE
R SUNSE·r
Data From
r Almanac
□ Night
C:1 Day
0 Sunrise
[ _1 Sunset
III. AIRCRAFT DATA
17. WERE AIRCRAFT NOTlD IN ARgA?
□ Yes
LJ One Aircraft
0 ~~re Than One Ait•craft
18. WAS AkY S0Ut/D HEARD?
~-------'J Yes
---·---=-N:-:-o---.
19. WETtE 1HERE lNDlCA711.UNS OFhlGH BACKGROUND NOISE:•..~ Yos
CJ No
20. WAS ,,'fHE 0BJEc·.r VH,'',Yl!:D ABOVE 450 ELEVA..,,..'1·-=-ro""'N"""?c----~p~Y,....es-------------=□
~N:-:-0-;
\
ATIC Test Form 334 (13 Au~ 52)

•
J
•
IV. BALLOON DATA
ONS RELEASE N AREA
ScJm:DULED BAil.oON RELEASE:
QNo ,
Minutes
DOWNWIND F SIOHTING:
- - -- - - - - Location
EVALUATION OF SOURCEz
D Excellent
□ Oood
□ Fair
□ Poor
D Unreliable
8
V. EVALUATION
22. DETAILS OF REPORTz
□ Good
□ Fair
□ Poor
D Insufficient to Evaluate
D F.xtremely Doubtful
□ Hoax
D Was Balloon
D Probably Balloon
D Possibly Balloon
D Was Airoratt
D Probably Aircraft
D Possibly Aircraft
CJ Was Astronomical
D Probably A
nomical
D Possibl:y A~ , . ,..11omical
D othert
---------
□ Insufficient Data For Evaluation
[22J'tJn1cnown
Test Fonu 334 (13 Aug 52)
DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

.. ' ..
CT 10073 ViEAThER DAT A S~'T
P.
J:. DATE OF OBSllRVATION
13•
2, THIE OF OBSERVJ.TIOIJ
~:Iv
•
STATION Oll<illRVING
;M ]' B
f;Z/ (J
,...4.t.. !IIDf§ Jµ,QF! :_ - - - - - - ,.... - - - - - - - - ,.... - - - - - - - - - - -
ALTITUDE
VELOCITY
DIRECTION
f
ALTITUDE
~- - DIRECTION
- - - - - -
'IE:LOCITY
l==~{=fe=e=t~)===.t::::::::~(kn=o=t==s~
}:t===(=d=e~g=re::e::::s=:):=::t-t:::=:::-::?-(::::
f e~~]_ ,,,_ _
( knots )
.{ge 17rees}
25,000
0
?-?V
-----+------1
-- -- -,-1 - - - - - -/(_
30.000
1,000
IS-
?--1l
- -- - + - - - - - - - + - - =~ ~
-
2,000
35,000
3,000
40,000
-----' 1)
- - -~
4,000
5,000
I
Q_'t-
/
'/1
~<
6,000
,
, sC
45.000
'360
50,000
~ ,.;e
551000
7.000
10,000
I
!"""')II_
1
16,000
70,000
I I 1
ur 'JJ~
12,000
14,000
65 ,ooo
'i\
-
9,000
-,JI
60,000
'i f-,, C
8,000
75,000
-
--
2~
,<
__L?_
20,000
,~
-
- --,1 - - - - - - - - - + - -- -- - r
80,000
\ I
18,000
~?o
'J-4()
85,000
90,,000
.
-
- - - - - t - - - - - --
95,000
;;lrt)
,:_q 0
100,000
5. WAS AN INVERSION LAn:RNO'IBD_?_ _ _....__ _......._______.__ __ _ _ _ _,~
□ Yes
)
_ _j.::If~y..:.e=..:s,~e.:.:.t....:.w::.::h=a:..:.t....:.e.l=.:t=..it:.:.u:.d--::.:.e:.. .?-==========-!~=----
6. WERE ANY THlJNDERSTORMS NOT.IW IN AREA?
( If yes, at what quadrant?
7. CLOUD COVER:
_ _ tenths at _ _ feet.
_ _ tenths e.t _ _ feet.
'9. ~I ll/1 "" "
RO
-
T,::H
□ Yes
----
_,,.
--------::[!l'=:,t"N"""o- - -
)
tenths at
- - tenths
- - - feet.
at
feet.
a. VISIBILITY WAS
~A I/ c/tiULES.
- -------- - - - - - - - - - - - - -- -
ATIC Test Form 333 (13 Aug 52)
DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

..
,
- ... ..
. ..
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3S'JO
loooo
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/6 /11f F,£-/7
..:TLtly z, /~r').....

fk e:-,-o/i)pf/)~ {.ff,trf; ,ve-~/,,4qscr
File 71=- /Jl>3:J>'-/S-

04-sfocJr VF Al/dlo- l//$'4AL ,fHd/Ve.s

JJNCLASS!f: lE:.B
1ti
rleor
I
1d
t1t1 d Fl 1118 Objects•
of
r
2.
rd
inion
f cul and doc
n
vitb
ry. a
tn tn
, oli
to
_
_.,
,.
--i
UNCLASSJf-'IED
DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007
r

iJNCLASSIFIED
~.

•

Tl'N&l91 Ca!t

(l)

(2)

\he tUa•• CvlWlluaiom •not alrcrart 1
4 OOililarathe analy1e ■ vae ade
of • oon trca the orts•al Illa atrlp. and. th.a\ ■ bovn
117 ClreeA-RouM "1 Major lllllller and MIJor Buclaouter, ATIC
pl&o\o 1peclalt ■ t1. The original tlla ahova the preeeDOf'
ot ... l'lll• on • llllaber ot tra..a. fl:lla la not ■howo la
U.. tlollJWOOd, 'Hr■ ton.
V. 4o ao, •ll'N vt
not ~lloooa, not•

rd ■.•

l'llr\ner, 1, h ""' aooe_.,. to ololo ,hot a perUcular
■pecloa of gull ore pr<alneat la certain Jll rta or
Olah, It ohow.4 N polnlod Ollt tbat tho Uteb • .,,...1 .. lo
alactit: JNN•vbhe ln oolor, l.a oontraat to it ■ aa:>k, or

are7...,r'.ad --cout C<NaJn.
C.,)

IA Ibo opllllcm of ATl~ pilot> apeclalhto, t.D1 ullder
, _ , . . of tbHO gull ■ ■caiD•t a hlgb-llgblod ak7
"""14 toa4 \o 'vaab
4elolla ot tb~ bod.7 and vlng o t•
llM ot tbe 11.ul•• &i'Yl.Ag th.ea • vb.he olrcu.l ■ r •~~aranl!e
&I a dleh.noe. (0tt1oer Hevbouaa openly ad..idUed in the
tUa tllat Ila Wider o:q,oaed bh 'ob>to•,)

°"''

(II)

Till• la o<Jlltlna4 by tho orlglaal analyolo In our rnee,
- . la earl7 195l "1 tho Photo flecoanala ■ance laboratory,
WJ.DC. Tb.ea ■ report ■ vere not abovn to Majors • lllllie:r and

llllclraat1r tor reTtew uctll after tnelr analyaea (1teu
l, •• and '

• - l VON •-l•to4,

a. Mu.Stll CpffL COnclua1'lll8 ot tbe Afr r1rce are th.at Ct:pt. •
i..nloll ... lljlpm'\lDtl7 tryioe to l•krcopt • f••t rUJ.na 'Sky Ho,:.k• balloo•·
Tllr'Slr;J Hool<' pl'Ojoc\ ,... known :G.17 to tew people at that ti..,, llnllke
••otnor baUocma •at, llook" llollocmo vere bu,. (100 fut 1D dl...ter),
cotnold\D.£ wHb C:..,pt. Mantell'• atateMn't tbat •it'• treirendou ■ lo lthel•
Capt, "'1pol\ otmflr• tloe fact tba\ I\ ,.. o llolloall la blo boolc •Aoport
011 crQa•, 60, Jr'll poragn,p1>,

cue,

4. br«g
Our tu,. !Dcllcalo tl>at tbla VH w,doubtedly on
enw\le aoTtDC Nlloca vMoA Lt. Cbrw.n eneouDtered.. Capt. ~ppelt aho CJ.l•
r l - tbh la Illa - . 67, top.

•• 4,lrllRt PUotl C.u• ,Mt POr1:nay9id OD th• 1creet1 tb1e Sa an
•.PJIIU'eAt attempl to 4 o ~ , \b.e •GbUe1-1tb.StW eue•. U eo, our coanent;
A 4o■ crlpUOD ot tho uro alhged to i,a,.. been alOHly obooned by each of
IMN ftteru Za•hl'D 1lrl!nN pllot ■ wfll be fCNDd 1n P8l• 8l. ot tbe Pro;ect
BllMboolc'• llopon 111', 14 'Allal1•la of ~llontlflo4 fl;log 0bJeot••.
Htougb
bo~ obMn.r•• wei. il '.int: ;· : lo
rrb. other u,11 obeel"Tn:d tbe NJll8 objoct
~tb•r• tile ■tetcb.
• ; Net llo N.PU"ltlly oannot be . id tv bt,- a ~ h:"" •
UNCLASSIFIED
•

DOWNGRADED AT
11
DECLAsSIFJED A ~JIR lNTFJRVA:f$­

DOD Dlll. 620~.112 YEARS.

•

'

... .. . . .
UNCLASSIFIED
r
DOWNGRADED AT S YEAR 1 1 '.,R \l~;
DECLASSIFIED Al•11'ER 12 YEARS.
DOD DlR 6200.10
. --
L• .J
UNCLASSIFIED
a

‘SECURITY
DISPOSITION FORM
FILE NO. SUBJECT
(Unel) Analysis of Photographs
E MENT NO.
10 “WoErP FROM aor AAAS DATE 16 sept 52 COMMENT NO. 1
Attn: Mr. Chapman Lt Rothstein/jos
65365/B263D/PD2S
Request following be completed as expeditiously as possible on 35mm film deli-~
vered by It Rothstein to Mr. Chapman:
ae A complete analysis of 35mm film to determine subject matter and to
answer inclosed questions.
b. A copy be made of the portion of film containing unidentified aerial
phenomena,
Ct. The portion containing the unidentified aerial phenomena be separated
from the rest of the film and the remainder be returned.
Le iui Pcl lgel v4F
2 Incls Oe L. BOWER, Colonel, USAF
le Ques regarding film " Chief, Technical Analysis Division
-2e Statement by source Air Technical Intelligence Center
1 1 , DaTOCT 40 1988 T NO. 2
Attn: “Lt Rothstein J Chapman/ms
31381/B17/R119
Kodachrome 4 as been examined in detail, and the best avail-
able answers to the submitted questions are inclosed, along th additional findil
2. The aerial phenon A portion of the f will be submitted for d cation
é spection has passed. It ubtiul i
inspection, as ex ined by the small
ler of the eee not a iated with tt 2erial phenomena, has
and has: bec f
Bboy S$ CLK
ERY, Colonel, USAF
Added 2 Incls ¢ Reconnaissance Lab
3 wers: to's i i
WCLFP->
16—54801-3 U. S, GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE :1952 0 ~ =]
om OG iene
DD aks REPLACES NME FORM 6, 1 OCT 48, WHICH MAY BE USED
DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

myr - "7 A .
- = “yf t } Pan

DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

r
QUESTIONS REGARDING ANALYSio OF Fillf

1. Are images made ~ light source or reflection?
2. Any indication of what kind of objects could have caused images?
Is there any bird sufficiently actinic to cause images? Could they have
been caused by aircraft or balloons?

3. What causes the impression that same objects at times appear to
become 2 or 3 objects,at times appear to merge into one?

4.

Do all objects have

same characteristics?

a. Same apparent shape?
b. Same relative size?
c. Same Color?
d. Same general motion?

5. What are shape(s), color(s), and relative size(s) of objects?
6. To what can the "fade-in" and "fade-out" of the objects be attri­
buted?
7. What type motion is attributable to the objects (about their own
axis as well as about the a.xis of flight path)?

g.

Is there any acceleration evident in their motion along flight path

axis?

9. Can the motion of the camera (panning and joggling) be allowed for
sufficiently to permit determination of the angular velocity of objects which
cross the field of view? (Reference particularly the single object which
crosses field; photographer states that camera was held motionless while ob­
ject crossed field of view.)
10.

Determine patterns of flight from position plots for each frame~ then:
a.

Is there any recurring pattern in the relative position of the

objects?
b. Do they maintain same relative positions in formation during ~
maneuvers,·particularly violent maneuvers?

c.
their axes?

Is relative position maintained coincidental with movement about

d. If undulating motion is present among a number of objects llhich
are maintaining a semblance of formation, do those objects undulate in phase?
Ditto for tumbling motion.
e. Is there any indication of abrupt changes in direction of flight
path through fairly large angles (e.g., 90° or more during interval of 2 or 3
frames)?

DECLASSIFIED Au thority NN D 923007

p
.
•
. •.
,,,
·,
If ...
•
'
'
,.
-
•
STATEMENT BY SOURCE
Place:About 7 miles north of Tremonton, Utah, on u.s. ~ghway No • .._
,,,,os
Time:1110 1 Wednesday, 2 July 1952.
Camera:B&H Automaster, magazine load, 3" telephoto lens, 16 frames per second.
Handheld.
Exposure:First few feet - f:S. Balance - f:16. Clear sun, cloudless sky. EKCO
Kodachrome film - Daylight. Exposure was changed with the mistaken idea of
darkening the sky to gain greater contrast. The result was merely general
underexposure.
Background:Driving from Washington, n.c., to Portland, Oregon, on the morning of
2 July, my wife noticed a group of objects in the sky that she could not iden­
tify. She asked me to stop the car and look. There was a group of about ten
or twelve objects that bore no relation to anything I had seen before, milling
about in a rough formation and proceeding in a westerly direction. I opened
the luggage compartment of the car and got my camera out of a aui tease. Load­
ing it hurriedly, I exposed approximately thirty feet of fila. There was no
reference point in the sky and it was impossible for me to uake any estimate
of speed, size, altitude or distance. Toward the end one of the objects re­
versed course and proceeded away from the main group. I held the camera still
and allowed this single one to cross the field of view, picking it up again
and repeating for 3 or 4 such passes. By thiE time all of the objects had
disappeared. I expended the balance of the film late that afternoon on a
mountain somewhere in Idaho.
DECLASSI FIED Authority NND 923007

•

U. S. NAVAL PHOI'OGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION CENTER
U. S. NAVAL RECEIVING STATION

Washington 25, D. c.

Code 01/HWW/lbll

.UNCLASSlflED

Jl2

(1

Serial:

I

From:
To:

Officer in Charge
Director of Naval Intelligence (OP-322H4D)

Subj:

Interpretation of Movies of Unidentified Obje/.;
progress report on

Ref':

(a)
(b)

(c)
(d)
Encl:

(1)

Cont ltr DNI OP:,22Y5/rtm., dtd 27 Oct 1952 Vi.th
enclosures thereto
Conf memo, Chief, Topical Division, USAF, AFOIN
2A2, dtd 24 Nov 1952 with enclosures thereto
PIC Conf ltr 01/RWW/gcl, ser 0263 dtd 5 Dec 1952
Rest memo, Chief, Topical Division, USAF, AFOIN
2A2, dtcl 16 Feb 1953
Charts 2-13

1. Reference (a) is a request from U, s. Air Force for the
i nterpretation of movies of unidentified objects taken in Utah,
2 J~y 1952. Included among the enclosures are approximately 30 feet
of processed, 16aun color motion picture film and a list of questions
for guidance in determining the type of analysis desired. Reference
(b) requested interpretation of additional movies taken in Montana,
1950. This report supercedes reference (c) and presents the test
procedures and methods designed to answer the questions contained in
enclosure 7 of reference (a). The results and analysis were performed
b y the Photogrammetry Division, Evaluation Department of this Center
and do not necessarily represent the official attitude of the Depart­
ment of the Navy or this Center.
2.

Tests and Procedure.
a.

Plots.

rThe film exposed in Utah ie i n very poor condition; dry,
brittle, a nd with a tendency to break. After initial viewing,
l
duplication of the film was peri"ormed in order to preserve the f ~ In the duplication process some color coITection was made to permit
better viewing of the objects. To prepare plots of the objects, a
stop trame projector was rigidly mounted at a fi.Xed distance from a
finely-ground glass screen. The magnification was 22 times giving
a format size or 14.2 11 wide. This proved very satisfactory a nd
provided a shadow free image upon which overlay plots could be made.
DOWNGRADED A! & YE A'R !N'l'Jm, 1 A~~
DECLASSIFIED AFTER 12 YEARS.
UNCLA
DOD DIR 5200.10 •

SSJFJED

DECLASSI FIED Authority NND 923007

r

•
.,. .
Code 01/mrw/J.bb
'112
Serial:
UNCLASSIFIED
""'
Subj:
MAY 4
1953
Interpretation of Movies of Unidentified Objects; progress
report on
A preliminary detailed stud of the Utah film 'W8.S ma.de and 1 t was
decided that:
a, Brightly colored spots of red and green lasting only one or
two frames were not to be considered.
b.
study.
Water spots could be detected easily and eliminated from the
c.
The color of the objects was fairly constant as blue-white.
d,
Size and luminosity of an object varied through-out the film.
For convenience in interpretation, the film was divided into three
parts, each part being considered a.n entity. Part I consisted of the
footage taken at f8; Part II, the :footage taken at fl6 with a panning
motion; and Part III, the footage taken at fl6 during which the camera
w.s held steady. Three definite groups of lights were observed through­
out the film and plots were recorded as follows:
TABLE I
PLOTS OF POSITIONS
Chart
Parts
Control
I II III
Holding to lOYer group
Not enclosed
I II
Holding to one object
and at.1muth of another
2 and 3
I
Arbitrary 1/2 inch
correction per frame
for panning
III
Holding to frame outline
I
One image held to base
6
line . Every tenth frame
to show changes withth
apparent formations
DOWNGRADED AT ~ YEAR INTER"V AL'S:
DECLASSIFIED' AFTER 12 YEARS.
DOD DIR 5200.10
7a. and '7b
Terrestial Objects
Utah
Montana
UNCLASSlfil.ED
2
4
5a and 5b

·code 01/Jrtrw/lbh
J12

Serial:

UNCLASSIFIED

Subj:
b.

Interpretation o:f Movies of Unidenti.f'ied Objects;
progress report on
Densitometric teets:

Densitometric data were obtained with a Densichron, Mod.el 2150
manufactured b : - the Welch Scienti.f'ic Company. The 'D,nsichron has a scale
range or 0-3 . The procedure was to project each f'rame at approximately
22 times magnification onto a finely-grained-glass screen. The back­
ground. (sky) was then measured at several places and the density set to
3.0 (variations in background densities were in the order of 0.02 and
were regarded as uniform) . A set of three readings were made of each
of seven objects in Part I, and of the single object in Part III of
the Utah Film. Readings were made o:f the entire Montana film.
Enclosure (6a and 8b) are graphs ot the density readings
obtained of the two lower groups of objects in frames l-129 of the
Utah film. Enclosure (9) is a density graph of the single object (94
frames) in Part III. Enclosure {10) is a graph where six successive
Densichron readings were averaged and advanced one reading each deter­
minant.
Of the M:>ntana film, densities were plotted as above and are
enclosures (ll) and (12).
The results of' the density readings may be questioned in that
these objects varied in size so that at the minimum sizes the densichron
probe was measuring the entire object, and at the maximum size the probe
was measuring only a portion of the objects . Because of this situation
only the largest readings obtained b scanning the objects were uaed.
It is understood that normal procedure would be to read the entire object.
This was illlpossible with the equipment on hand.
In addition the film, with which this investigation was conducted,
is a duplicate of a copy. Thie raises the question as to whether the
central portion of the objects were burnt out during the duplication
processing. Density readings were made to compare the clear areas and
the objects. It was :found that the minimum difference is 0.4. This
indicates that relative luminosity may still be obtained with the pro­
cedure used. Concurrent with the density readings, relative sizes of
the objects were noted in order to correlate distance and luminosity.
Enclosure (13) is a plot of the same object wherein the relationship of
distance and luminosity can be detected in Utah .film.
•

3

•

Answers to Questions

•

l>OWNGRADED AT S YRAR ~'.J,...T"T>Y n .-n.
DEC.LASS
~ L"i"''
IFIED AFTER 12 YEARS.
DOD DIR 5200.10

Answers keyed to the questions contained in enclosure {7) of
reference {a) are hereb:,- presented. They supercede those contained in
reference (c) and present the final analysis as requested.

UNCLASSIFIED

.n2

Serial:

•

e

·co~ 01/IDIW/lbh

UNCLASSIFlED
n

Subj:

MAY 4

1~5 ·

Interpretation of Movies of Unidentified Objects;
progress report on

L Analysis of the graph correlating luminosity and size
indicate that as the luminosity of the objects increase, the size
is larger also. This couJ..d be the effect of viewing directly, a
reflecting surface. This is considered not probable because of
the length of time they were viewed continuously on the film, approxi­
mately 90 seconds, and because of the angle through which they were
photographed, approXimately 6o degrees.

'

It is felt that if these images are reflective surfaces,
blinking would occur during a period of 90 seconds while passing
through a n angle of E,o degrees when photographed at the rate of
16 frames per second. This premise would permit highly reflective
ball oons or spheroids to be a possibility . However, the velocit :,, and
acceleration computations (sub paragraph 8) rule this possibility out.
It appears, therefore, that if these objects are a reflecting surface,
they are of a design, speed, and power not commonly known. The velocity
and acceleration attributed to the objects may be caused by light
reflected off a highly refl ective surface onto a n atomospheric screen
where a slight angular turn of the reflective surface wouJ..d appear as
high acceleration. This possibility is considered not probable because
of the sun angle and atmospheric condition reported at the time of
photography and because of the variations in luminosity which, under
the above conditions would remain constant.
It is the majority opinion of the group conducting this analysis
that these images are light sources. This will explain the non-blinking
and variations i n luminosity - but not the velocity or acceleration
faciors. In either case, light source or reflective surface, it
appears as ti' the objects are of a nature which we are not able to
identify in terms of natural phe nomena or cpmmonly known man-taade objects.
2. There is no indication of what kind of objects could have
caused the images except that they must be of a construction , design,
and mater ial not commonly knovn. This is indicated b y the computed
acceleration rate and elocity (answer 8). For the same reasons, birds,
airers.ft and balloons are ruled out.
3. An analysis of the charts relative to movement indicate that
there were group and ind.1vidual moveme nt. W1thin a group it appears
as if the individual objects were moving counter-clock-wise aJ.ong an
elliptical or similar track. Thus \then two objects crossed the camera
line of sight they will appear to fuse i nto one. As they continued
along their paths it will appear as if one objec t became two. Thie
occured at reglar intervals at approXimately every 25th frame as
plotted in chart s 5a and 5b.
DOWNGRADED A'!, 3 YEAR Th'T'J'ERVA'u13;
DECLASSIFIED AFTER 12 YEARS.
DOD DIR 6200.10

4

DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

•

' COdi! 01/m,w /lbh
Jl2

UNCLASSlFLED

Serial:

MAY 4

Subj:

Interpretation of Movies of Unidentified Objects;
progress report on

4. All objects appear to have the same characterist ics in
regards to shape, color, size and rel&tive motion.

5. The shape of the objects appears to be oblate or disk
shaped, color; blue-white, and maximum and minimum size; 98 and 16
feet. The size is baaed on the assumpt ion that the objects are five
miles from the observer.
6. Fade in and fade out of the objects were ana.J.-rzed as i n
3 above.

In this case the group movement was such that the distance
between the objects and camera was increased so that the objects
could not be recorded on the film thereby ca.using the apparent fade­
out. Fade-in as attributed to a shortening of the distance from the
fa.de-out area to the c.e.mera station .

7. Plots of the groups i ndicate that the objects move counter­
clock-wise relative to the axis of flight path. However, nothing he.a
been detected which indicates motion of t he i ndividual objects about
their own axis although this motion appears to be likely .
8. In determining the velocity of the objects three assumptiorus
were ma.de:
a.

The camera was held steady during Part III of the film.

b.

The objects were moving perpendicular to the optical

c.

The objects were five miles from the camera.

axis, and

It is obvious that (b) is a fallacy; however, this assumption
will give the minimum velocity and the actual velocity is greater than
computed. The assumption that the objects are five miles f'rom the
camera is a n arbitrary one. However, based on the emulsion speed and
focal length, an object 50 feet in diameter and five miles -from the
camera will be recorded on the film with sufficient resolution to
identify major details of the object. It is felt that if these objects
were closer than five miles at the time of recording, <ll.etails would
appear on the film.
Velocity is computed to be 3780 mph for a snift of 1 mm per frame
1f the object is five miles from the observer. From 55 measurements
taken from Pa.rt III of the Utah f'ilm, the maximum and minimum velocities
DOWNGRADED A'f 8' ffiAR 11'1TERYAL"8.
DECLASSIFIED AFTER 12 YEARS
'
DOD DlR 6200.10
•

5

-

.

..
.
Code 01/INW/lbh

.,. •

Jl2

Serial:

•

.UNCLASSIFIED
n ·l ,,

MAY .i

lJ

Subj:

' Qr_':'

Interpretation of Movies of Unidentified Objects;
progress report on

were 2457 and 378 mph respectively. These figures differ from those
given in reference (c) and were computed from measurements obtained
under more controlled conditions. Acceleration was determined from the
formula :
a: Vf - VO

T

.-.1.e e·
wu r

.

a= Acceleration
Vf: final velocity
VO= initial velocity

T: time= 1/16 second
Since "g" is equal to 32.17 .ft/sec2 it was computed that:
Maximum acceleration= 21,168 mph/sec= 965 g
Minimum acceleration: 1,104 mph/sec= 50 g
Maximum deceleration= 32,448 mph/sec ■ 1479 g
Minimum deceleration:
272 mph/sec= 12 g
Velocit and acceleration determinations were also made from
the Montana film. I n this case, terrestial objects appeared in the
film and were held to as control. Subsequently, the velocity and
acceleration determinations are considered to be more reliable. On the
assumption of (b) and (c) above the maximum and minimum velocities of
the le.ft object are 1374 and 361 mph respect.fully . For the right object
they are 1117 and 189 mph. Accelerations vere computed as:
Le.ft Object
Right Object
Maximum acceleration mph/sec 14,016.639 g
12646. 576g
Minimum acceleration mph/sec
0 :r O g
O•
Og
Maximum deceleration mph/sec 13,184: 6o1 g
14288 = 651g
Minimum deceleration mph/sec
0 •
0 g
O "'
Og
The above determinations were ma.de from a total of 322 measure­
ments. It was noted that the acceleration and determinations were i n
multiples o.f 12.5 approximately . This may be of significance although
no study has been conducted to determine this.

'9. Velocity and acceleration were treated in sub-paragraph 8

above. Paragraph 2a indicates the controls used during this investigation.
DOWNGRADED AT B

DECLASSIFIED' ~AR IN'.rERv .\ 1:5{.

UNCLASSIFIED

6

DOD DIR 620~.1~2 YEAR&
•

DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

,
,4

•

I

O

C~ ·of/f!WW/lbh
J12 '

Serial:

OIOS"
Subj:

UNCLASSIFIED

Interpretation of Movies of Unidenti:f'ied Objects;
progress report on

10. a. There is no recurring pattern in the relative position
of the objects i n :formation . It appears however, as i f the shi:f't
in relative positions were regular a nd that the origi nal format ion
would be recovered i f the continuing action has been recorded.
b. No. However, the same formation is maintained with
objects changing positions.
c. No detection of relative positions being maintained
coincidental with movement about their axis.
d. No detection of unduJ.ating motion of objects i n phase
either i n format ion or tumbling motion.
e . There is evidence of abrupt changes i n direction of
flight path through fairly large angles.
f. Certain objects dD appear to remain motionless while
other move about.
g. Certain objects disappear while still well within the
field of viev. This is discussed i n sub-paragraph 6 above.

4. Discussion .
During the study and i nvestigation of the unidentified objects,
tb.e preliminary data uncovered were revealed to experts (with proper
seourity clearance) in the fields of astronomy a nd physics. Although
they presented certain natural phenomena theories to explain the
cause o:f the objects under certain conditions they were not able t o
do so under the conditions during which the photography was taken,
nor were they able to recognize these objects as man-made.
As to the resuJ.ts of the investigations being reported, no
attempt was made tooorroborate the ppinions presented. Because of
the lack of proper e ui ment, money and e onnel the in
on
was 1
. There are ob OWi
sts which can be conducted to prove
or disprove some of the findinge presented. It is suggested that these
be undertaken.

5. Reference ( d) requests spectrophotometric anaJ.yeis of the Utah
f'ilm be made.

Preliminary plan of test is underway .

y~I ~~:,/
UNCLASSIFIED
Copy to:

CNO {OP553)

L.W.

~
DOWNGRADED AT 8 YEAR lNrr<~ 'RV Al,1;:
DECLASSIFIED AFTER 12 YEARS.
DOD DIR- 5200.10

BuAer (PH)
DECLASSIFIED Aulhority NND 923007

. ..

TELECONFERENCE MESSAGE FORM
(See .
1.
TI'EM NO.
tructions on reverse side oft.
2•
page)
).
SECURrrY CLASSIFICAT ON
UNCLA SIFIED
4.
DATE TRANSMITTED
3 F ebrue:M' 1953
5.
FROM: (Name & Syn-.bol)
TO: (Name & Symbol)
C
epho
C tor ooordin&tion.
30S at lllO
v1
•
:1c1i11iowM, 1712?3 kd Uon
1'ro
.c., to
ot 2 Juq 52
ot
r no
lation to
h
n
l
th p1o
or, he
1n an
nt o
t
a ut in a
tar~
n.
, g t
int in
•
it
(If rr~re space is needed, continue on a plain sheet of paper.)
7. ORIGINATED BY: (Name, Symbol, Date)
8. OOOR.DINATED BY: (Name, Symbol., Date)
9. AUTHORIZED BY:
ANALY~I:> DiVUON FILE
I
I
DOWNGRADED AT ~ YEhR TN 'ERVAL~t
DECLASSIFIED AF''l'ER 12 EARS.
DOD DIR 5200.10
Air Adjli't,ant GeneralJ ATIPA
DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007
l
~> 7 -~
i.. ~
- ----"='•··" - - - -
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Fil[ N.UM '.J[R
L IN'!!A~s___DAT£ _J

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INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREPARING AND SUBMITTING FORM
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1.
Submit ONE copy of the c:tompleted form to rA.TIPA by 1000 hours of da.y
message is to be sent. Unless special arrangements are made with
ATIPA fer late submissioa, messages received after 1000 hours will
not be sent until the following conference~
2.
Complete fonn as follows:
Block 1.
Preparing office orr~t.
Block 2.
If a classified messace, stamp in security classific~tion.
not a classified message, enter "Unclassified".
Block
,.
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Will be completed by telecon operator .
If
Enter date the m.-ssage will be sent, not date prepared.
Enter na.Jr.e and symbol of sender.
s. Enter name and symbol of receiver.
Block 6.
If a classified message , enter as the first two words of the
message nsecurity Information," then proceed with the message.
If not a classifieit messar.e, omit the words "Security Infor­
mation".
Block 7.
Originator enter signature and symbol. (Aay or may not be the
same person whose name appears in Block 4.)
Block 8.
Coordinators enter name and symbol.
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Bottom of form.
If a classified message, stamp in security classification.
DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

•
UNCLASSIFIED
him to make any estimates as to size, speed, or distance.· Toward the end of
his observation one of the objects reversed course and proceeded ava, from the
rest of the group.
He held the camera still and all owed this
ingle obj ect to
pass aaross the fiel~ of view of the cpmera picking it Up again later in ita
travel.
He repeated this for two or three passes.
By this time all the objects
had disappeared.
The movies have been studied by the Photo Beconnaiaeance J.abora~~ \ l r ~ A1r
Develo~nt Center y right-Pat'kuon AFB, Ohio 1 and by the u.s. Navy Phou, Inter­
pretation Center, Washington, D. C. Since there was no known obj ect auoh a.a a
cloud, tree, or mountain 1n the film, it waa hipose1ble to make even a. rough
eatimate as to the speed, di tanae, or size.
The size of the images on the
movie film were too small to show BJlT details.
~e movie
have been studied by
persons engaged in work with balloons end the appearance and action of the objects
ve s1mUar to that of pillow belloona.
These balloons are called pillow bw.loona
due to their e1mile.r1ty to a pillow.. Hundreds of these balloons were JllSde and
nown 1n the u.s. end overseas during the Crusade for Freedom.
Attenq)ts to
trace these balloons to determine whether &n7 left over from the Crusade for
Freedom ootild have been launched 1n the Tremonton area. were negative. Another
strong
poeeibility is t.bat the objeot vere sea gulls soaring thermal. a1r current•
.
~
• Movies of sea
s taken una.er e1m'3ar lighting conditions showed the sea gulla
------
-
-
present time the Air Force contemplates no :future action will be taken to ident1f'y
the objeats.
ANALYSIS DIVIS:ON F,LE
--'/O _o].3
FILE NU, BER
INITIALS
UNCLASSIFIED
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COMMWNICATIONS CENTER NO.
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t-
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t - - - - - - - • SPACE ABOVE FOR COMMUNICATIONS CENTER ONLY ,...._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
DA~tJ!t::z
FROM: (Originator)
SECURITY C
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TO:
□ BOOK MESSAGE
INFORMATION
~IGINAL MESSAGE
□ MULTIPLE ADDRESS
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REFERS TO MESSAGE:
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FORM
DD I OCT
49 173
REPU.CES NME FORM !73, I MAY 49,
WHICH MAY BE USED.
DECLASSIFIED Authorily NND 923007
l&---G89'23-3
*
u. s. GO'l£RNMENT HINTING o,r1ct
..,...

I
- - - AIRERAFT EOfflPADY, IDE.
Analysis of Photographic x~?terial
P.d0'..:GG:?.A.:i:~ 1-.!iTRIC AHALYflIS OF rr·•:IE. "U'7l\.H" FILM
'I' JACKING UFO I S
SANTA MONICA DIVISION
.I ,~
DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007
I
'
•
'

/

Analysis ot Photographic Material

Serial

02

PHorOJRAMM:rfi'RIC ANALYSIS CF THE "ur.AH" FIIM
TRACKOO UFO'S

Several Unidentified Flying Objects (UFO'e) were sighted and photo­
graphed at about 11:10 MST on Juzy 2, 1952 by Delbert c. Newhouse at a
point on State Highway 30, seven miles north ot Tremonton, Utah (latitude
41° 50', longitude 112° 10' ).

Mr. Newhouse, a Chief Warrant Officer in

the U. s. Navy*, wee in transit f'ran Washington, D. c. to Portland,
Oregon. A map or the area is included as f'igure l.

He, his wife and their two children were making the trip by car.
Shortly af'ter passing through the city of Tremonton, his wife noticed a
group ot strange bright shining objects in the air off towards the east­
ern horizon. She called them to her husband's attention and prevailed
upon him to atop the car. When he got out, he observed the objects
(twelve to f'ourteen ot them) to be directly overhead and milling about.
He described them as "gun metal colored objects shaped like two saucers,
one inverted on top ot the other". He estimated that they subtended
11 about the same angle as B-29's at 10 000 :feet" (about halt a degree - Le.,
1
about the angular diameter of the moon). Next, he ran to the trunk of hie
car, took out his Bell and Bowell Autanaster lanm movie camera equipped
with a 3" telephoto lens, loaded it, focused it et in:fiD.ity and began
shooting. There was no reference point above the horizon so he was unable
to estimate absolute size, speed or distance. He reports that one of the
objects reversed its course and proceeded away fran the rest of the group;
he held the camera still and all.owed this sil'.lgle object to pass across
the f'ield ot view of the camera, picking it up later in its course. He
repeated this for three passes.
4

,,,..-V4s

During the filming, Newhouee 1changed the iris stop of the camera fran
t/8 to t/16. The density ot the film can be seen to change markedly at a
point about 3~ through the sequence (figure 5(b) at t/8 and the other
blowups at t/16). The camera was operated at 16 fps.
The color film (Daylight Kodachrane) af'ter processing was submitted
to his superiors. The Navy forwarded the f'ilm to the USAF-ATIC where the
:film was studied tor several. months. According to Al Chop (then with
ATIC and present'.cy vi th DAC) Air Force personnel were convinced that the
objects were not airplanes; on the other hand the eypothesis that the camera
might have been out of' focus and the objects soaring gulls could neither
be confirmed nor denied. Mr. Chop's remarks are essentially substantiated
by Capt. Edward Ruppelt, reference (1) then head at Project "Blue Booktt
tor ATIC.

* At the time he had already logged sane 2,200 hours as a chief photographer
with the Navy.

•

Photogrammetric
~ s i s ot "utah" Film

-2-

Serial

~

This "utah" tilm clip together with a ''Montana" UFO tilm clip ( ~ i s

ot Photographic Material, Serial 01) came into the possession of Green-Rouse
Productions at Samuel Goldwyn Studios, 1041 North Fo:nDOsa Street, Hollywood,
vho incorporated both tilm clips as s:f8n1t1cant evidence in a Documentary
Film, "Unidenti.tied FqiDg <J,jects'1 tor release by United Artists to public
theaters by May 9, 1956.

A 35mm reprint ot the Newhouse "Utah" film was submitted by the Studio
Visual study ot the reprints
on the Recordak and astronomical plate measuring engine revealed the toll.ow­
ing: the tilm comprises about 1,200 frames; on most ot the frames there
appear JDBDY' round white dots, some elliptical. The dots often seem clustered
in cODStellations, or formations which are recasnizable tor as long as seven­
teen seconds. A relatiTe motion plot (obtained tran an overlay vellmn trace
on the Recor4ak) ot two typical formations are presented 1n figures 2a and 2b.
The objects seem to cluster 1n groups ot two's and three's, see actual blowups,
4a, 5b, and 6c. On same t'remes they flare up and then disappear tran view
in 0.25 secon4s or less and sometmes they appear as a rand~ scattered
"tv1nkling" of dots. The dot images themaelTes show no stnicture; they are
White and have no oolor ~inges. Exam1n.-tion under a microscope shO\ls the
camera to be well focused as the e<!ges ot the inlagee are sharp and clear on
many ot the properly exposed ~emes. .Angular diameters range from about
0.0016 to O.ooo4 radians. Their pattern of motion is essentially a curvi­
linear milling about as shown in tigure 2a and 2b. Sam.etimes the objects ap­
pear to circle about each other. There are no other objects 1n the field at
v1ev- which might give a clue as to the absolute motion of the cluster.
to Douglas Aircraft C ~ tor e.xamin.Btion.

In the overlay trace, tigure 2, the trane ot reference is determined by
a certain object whose relative motion during a sequence of frames remains
rather constant (indicated 1n the figures). T'h.1e object is used as a refer-­
enae PQint and the lower edge ot the trame as abscissa. Assuming the camera
to have been kept reasonabl;y uncanted., the abscissa vould be horizontal and
the ordinate vertical. In the overlay trace, figves 3a and 3b, the particular
frame 1tsell 1e used as the ref'erence. Assuming the camera vae held ste~
(there is an unconsciCIIJS tendency to pan with a lDGVing object) the coordinate
system is (llasi-ti.xed. It is realized that both of these coordinate systems
are in actuality moving, possibly possessing both velocity and accelerati011.
No alt1t\14e or azimllth determination can be made because ot lack ot
The only measurable quantities of interest &re theref'ore the
relative angular distances between the objects and their time derivatives.
Graphs ot two typical time variations ot relative angular separation and
velocity are 1nclJ1ded as figures 7 and 8. The relative angular velocity is
seen to vary t'rom zero to O.oo65 radians per second. The relative angular
acceleration had a maximum value at 0.0036 radians per second squared.
Bupposing the camera vas kept stationary the average angular velocities tor
the object moving across the tield. are 0.039 and 0.031 radians per second
tor tigu.res 3• and. 3b. The angular velocities in these sequences scmetimes
vary erratic~ t'rcm 0.07 to 0.01 radians per second. This variation may
be attributed in part to camera "JiggliDg" and in part to the object's
background.

DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

·Photogram:netr1c
~ i s ot "Utah" Film
Serial
-3-
C12
Th decrease in average angular veloc:1ty between 3(e.) and 3(b) could
be due to the obJeot's hav1Dg regressed betveen f'ilminge J\lat as was reported
by Bewhouse. Also the average image diameter decreases about 3~ ayer the
entire tillll, 1ndicat1Dg a possible over-all regression of the obJects.
motion.
The tollow1.ng tabulation imlicates the hypothetical transverse companent
ot relati-,e Tel.ocitie■ and accelerations at various distances. It is noted
that th transver e Telooity may be cmq a fraction ot the total velocity so
that the numbers act\tal..q indicate m1 n1mn Y&lues.
It the obJeat'a
distance vae
Its transverse
veloai~ was
o.6, tt/sec
100 teet
0.36
n/sec2
01"
o.44 Jll'h
or 0.011 g
or
6.~ tt/sec
4. mph
or 0.11 8
1000 teet
2000 teet
or
-
Its transverse acceleration vas
13
tt/sec
8.8 mph
3.6
7.2
-rt/sec2
ft/sec
or 0.22 g
Velocity ot
single obJect was
3!'8 ft.sec
or
2.7JJJPh
or
39
-rt/sea
27
mph
or
78
54
mph
2
-rt/sec
lllile
23
mph
0.56 8
135
1IQ}h
5 miles
u,
2.8
s
670
J!U)h
10 miles
230
•
5.6
I
1300
m,ph
mph
The objects in the "Utllh" and "Montana" tilE can ~ be correlated on
the basis at two :rather weak points. First, their structure, er rather lack
at it, 1s fl1m1Jar. Tims as shown 1n the "blow-ups", figures 6a and 6b, there
are no recognizable ditterenoes between them*• Seccnd, the objects on the
"Montanan t1lm are numit'est~ a s~le pair J CJD the "Utah" tilm perhaps 3~
ot the trames ahoW ehstera at objects aeemiJlsq also grouped in pairs. See
figures 6c and. 5b.
The veather report was obtained by- the author tram the Ail'port Statian at
Salt take City. The nearest station Yith available data is Corinne wich reported a. maxt.mnm t
rature ot 84°, a m1n1'DI\Jm at 4.7° and no precipitation.
A high pressure cell
the Pacific Northwest spread over Northern Utah dur·
1Dg ~ 2, the pressure at Tl'elllO.Uton would hne
ri.811:lg trend, the vis1-
bilit)r good, and the v1.n4s relatively light. The absence ot clouds and the
apparentq excellent Visiblllt7 shown on the ti
wow4 seem to be 1n agree­
ment with this report. ~ use at references (2) and (3), the sun's
az
th :Nl.32°E &ltitude 650 was oaupgted. Ro shadows were anilable to coa:tim
the time ot f1Jm1ng.
* The 11MSea on the "Utah" film appear to be a little br1ghter.
However,
possible nriations in dEJV'elopllent techniqaes wotild not allow qunti­
tative ~ i s in this regazid.
DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

•

•

-4-

Photogrammetrio
Analysis ot "utah" Film

Serial 02

The image size being roughly that of the ?oontana film (a tew at the
objects being perhaps 1~ larger than the largest on the Montana) the eame
remarks as to airplane reflections apply, i.e., they might haVe been caused
by sun reflections tram airplanes Within one to three miles at the observer,
although at these distances they should have been identif"ied as conventiOZJ.al
aircraft by the til.m or the observer.

No specific conclusions as to sun

reflection angles oan be drawn since the line of motion of the objects cannot
be confirmed. However, the reported E to 'W motion of the UFO and their pass­
ing overhead coupled with the SE azimuth of the sun would make the achieve­
ment of optimal sun reflections rather di.:f'tioult.
That the images coul.d have been produced by aluminum foil "chaff"*
seems possible, et least on the basis of the images shown, as very intense
specular sun ref'leotions from ribbons of ahaft might flare out to about
the size ot the UFO.
Examination ot figures 4b, 5a, and 5c, obtained f"rom the pbotogrammetric
experiment-· reference Analysis of Photographic Mater1a1, Serial 01 1 Appendix II,
show that no significant broadening is produced by flat white di.tf'use reflectors such as birds, bits of paper, etc. at f/16 under the conditions of the
filming. Actual measurements shOW' a slight "bleeding" or flar1.Ilg ate.bout
1~ to 2()%.
The rectangular flat Vhite cardboards ot the aforementioned experiments
represented verz !"9'1&),Jy the cont:tsurati ot l>irds. The light reflected
by such a surtace is probably greater than that fran a curved f'eather surface
ot • bird. Figure 4(b) shows the appearance of one and two foot birds. ff
(Se arrows.) as they might appear on a 16mm trame taken With a 3" telephoto
lens f/16 at a distance ot 1200', tigure 5(a) at 3000' and figure 5(c) at 3300•.
Maey of the images on the "Utah" t'ilm have an angular diameter ot 0.0012
radians (acme as large as 0.0016 radians), thus they might be interpreted as
mie foot birds at 600 1 to 8oo 1 , two toot birds at 1200' to 1600 1 or three
:toot birds at 2400 1 to 3200'.

At these distances, it is doubted it birds

would give the appearance or round dotsJ also they would have been identifi­
able by the c era if' not visually. H011ever, actual movies of birds in flight
would have to be taken to completely confirm this conclusion. The toll.owing
type ot gulls have been known to fly at times over th1e locali : California
rr
G
a CCl!DOn summer res
n , R nged. Gull and the Fork-Tailed
Gull, see reference (4).
The images are probably not those ar balloons as their number is too
great aud the phenanenon ot tlaricg up to a constant brightness for several
seconds, and then dying out again cannot well be associated with au:, known
balloon observations.

*
H

Bita of a1nm1 mm toil dumped overboard by planes, often utilized as a.
countermeasure against ant1-a1rcratt radar. This material might possibly
be in the form ot large ribbons several feet lODg and several inches across.
The dimensions refer to ving spread. The actual exposed white area of a
bird is usua1ly less and depends upon the perspective of the observer.
This dif'terence has been roug~ accounted tor 1n the data given, bowe'Yer,
~ t h e ~ were the principal. reflector the distance given show.d be re­
duced by tactor ~ 2 c,r 3.

DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

Photogramnetric
Ana.l ysia ot HUtah" Film

Serial 00

-5-

Certain soaring insects - notably "ballooning spiders" (reference (5)
The author has witnessed
such a phenomenon. It is produced by sun reflections ott tbe streamers of
silken threads spun by many types ot spiders. Caught by the wind, these
streamers serve as a means ot lecanotion floating the spider high into the
air. They oocaeionally have the appearance of vast numbers of silken tlakes
which till the air and 1n some recorded instances extend over many square
miles and to a height of several hundred feet. The reflection, being off
silk threads, is not as bright as ditruse reflection h-om a flat white
board. Thus no :t'laring ot the images could be expected. The author noted
that the sections at the "web" that reflected measured f'ran 1/411 to 1/211
tor the largest specimenS. Thus the images might be ttributed_to balloon­
iIJg spiders at distances ot 50 to 100 feet. However, these web ref'lections
ordinar1]3 show u p ~ against a rather dark background and it is doubted
U their intensity would be great enough to produce the intense UFO images
against a bright sq.
and (6)) produce bright moving points of' light.

No quantitative densitaneter examination at image brightness could be
made,
the
was
available.
is
that the gOYermnent analysts did make measurements ot this kind on the
original films and touud the Utah images to be very intense*•
as

original

film

not

It

understood

from

Al

Chop

Besides the above remarks, pertinent to the actual. images, several
tacts can be gleaned trcm the motion of objects. The observations are not
apt to support the supposition that the objects were cOIIVentional a1rcra1"t
as the maneUTers are too erratic, the relative accelerations probably ruling out aircraft at distances ot aver five miles. Several observers familiar
with the appearance of chatt have seen the
and concluded that the per­
sistence of the nontwinkHng oonstellationa, their small quantity, and the
reported absence ot aircratt overhead makes chatt unl.ikely. Furthermore,
the single object passing across the tield. or view would be most d.1.tticult
to explain on the basis or chatt. These same remarks would apply also to
bits of paper swept up in thermal updrafts.
film

The relative angular velocity might be canpatible with soaring bird
speeds at distances at less than one mile, the angular velocity ot the
single objeot coul.d be attributed to a bird within about one thousand feet.
There is a tendency to pan With a movillg object - not against it - so the
Telocities in the table probably represent a lower bound. The motion of
the obJects is not exact~ what one would eJr:pect tran a f'latlt of soaring
birds (not the slightest indieation of a decrease in brightness due to
periodic turning with the Wind or f'lapping) and no cumulus clouds are present
which might betray the presence of a strong thermal updratt. On the other
hand the s1Dgle object might represent a single soaring bird Which broke away
in search of a new thermal -- quite a ccmnon oocrurrence among gulls -see reference (7).

*

In tact, "burned right down to the cellu1oid baokiDg".
ref'erence (l).

DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

See also

Photogramnetric
Analysis ot "Utah" Film

-6-

Serial

0'2

That the air turbulence necessary to account tor their movement if' they
were nearby inspects (even the single obJect's motion!) is possible, can be
concluded. trom examination of reference (8). However, if the objects were
nearby spider vebs the lack ot observed or photographed streamers is unusual.
Furthermore, the f'aet that they were visible from a moving car for several
minutes is hard to reconcile with localized insect activity.
The phenomenon of atmospheric mirages, reference (9), might conceivabJ.¥
account tor the images. Such a hypothesis is hampered by the clear weather
conditions and the persistence and clarity of the images. Also no "shi.Jmler­
ing" can be detected end the motion is steady. Again the object which breaks
awec, would be dif'f'icult to explain.
It has been suggested that spurious optical ref'lect·1ons or light leaks
in the camera might be responsible. Examples of' such effects have been ex­
amined and found to be quite different from the UFO's.
The evidence remains rather contradictory and no si:cgle hypothesis of a
natural phenomenon yet suggested seems to completely account for the UFO
involved. The possibility of multiple hypotheses, i.e. that the utah UFO's
ere the result of two simultaneous natural phenomena might possibzy yield
the answer. However, as in the case of the "Montana" analysis, no definite
conclusion could be obtained.

R. M. L. Baker, Jr.
May 16, 1956

GA Ricewse* elton’ Snowville’ aS BB
dountains res ;
cette” "Park Val he Pet.
Kelton”
~S
- : a Pee v}
Gunnison Island |
Pas 698s
q@ Desert Peak
“4
»
og a aes
DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

Fi:3 u re
2..
Rela.-five Mo t-/6tJ of LIFO Systent
0
m
0
i;
(J)
(J)
:;:;
iii
0
)>
C:
5'
0
:J.
'<
z
z
I
.,,0
<f
"'g"'
....
b.)
/_00 Second Jh t~rw, I
0 .0). Rad/011s/ Inch

Serial
Photogremet:ric -A
Anaqs1s ar autah9'1lm
02
~
~
~
-~
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~
~
,'()
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cr
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DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007
'()
-
~

Photogrmametric
.Anal1'81s ot "Utah" Film
..J.Q..
Serial
02
FmUHE 4
Enlaz'Sed trlllles taken tran 16nm Da711ght Ko4achrme film at f /16,
16 tps.•
a) The array at obJects
photographed.
b)
Photograph tram the
phot~B111Detric experi­
ment.
c) Actual shot taken frcm
tbe "Utah" film.
* All trws are et the same magnffi.catiOn.

PhotogrSDIJletrio
~ i s or "Utah" Film
-u-
Serial
00
FJDURE §
Enlarged trmnes taken trcm lcmn Dalyigbt Kodachrane film at r/Jf,,
16 tps. *
.
a)
Photqp-am frcm the
photC61"amnetric eJ;per1ment.
b)
c)
Actual shot taken from
the "Utah" film (at f /8).
Photcgraph from the
pbotogr81!111etr1c exper1•
ment.
•
All trame1 are ot the saae megntftcation.
DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

Photc,grammetric
-14-
Serial
02
Analysis of "Utah" Film
FIDURE 6
Enlarged frames taken tram. 16:mn Daylight Kodacbrcme film at t/lf:,,
16 rps. *
a)
Actual shot taken tran
the .. utah" tilm.
b) Actual shot taken frca
the "Montana" film (at
t/22.).
e) Aatllal shot taken trcn
the "Utah" film.
* All tranes are~ the same magnification.

Photcgraametria
F O R M 25 BS
CREV. '1•421
Ana~1s or "Ut
Prepared by
Date
-
.J
-
..J
..
..., .
.
~
z
,:
~
:;10
IAI
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~
ilm
-13-
K.f1. L. 8Atx£t1 :f.i. DOUGLAS AIRCRAFT C
Aets[J
11 J, 1 r;c,
I
(12
Serial Page,_ _ _ __
PANY, INC,
Mode..__ _ _ _
Plant
Report No
02_

Photqpwwwtnc ~ i s or "utah" Film
.ir...
f< M , J . . & .
M
. DOUGLAS AIRCRAFT COMP..
~REP>.RE~ BY:
PORM 25 ua
RE:V. 3•54)
A aiJ. 8,
CHECKED I I Y : : - - - - - - - ~ -~
D>.TE:
,,a
Serial
Y, INC.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ DIVISION
TITLE·---------------------------------
02
l">.GE: _ _ _ _ _ __
MODEi.· -------

•
-15-
Photogrammetric
Analysis ot "Utah" Film
(1)
•
Serial
02
Ruppelt, E. J. "The Report on Unidentified Flyi.og Objects".
Doubleday and Co. , 1956.
(2) The "American Nautical Almanac'', 1952.
(3)
H.O. No. 214z. ''Tables of Computed A1titude and Azimuth for
Latitudes 4ou to 49°.
(4)
"Report on Ornithological Specimens", Engineering Department,
U.S. Army, Washington, 1874.
( 5) Warburton, C.
"Spiders" , Cambridge 1921, p. 34.
(6) McCook, "American Spiders and Their Spinning Work",
Philadelphia, 1893.
(7)
Headley, F. W. , "The Flight of Birds", Witherby and Co. , 1912.
(8) Geiger, Rudolf, "The Climate Near the Ground", Harvard Univ.
Press, 1950.
(9) Menzel, D. H., "Flying Saucers", Harvard Univ. Press, 1953 •
•
•

PP at
2-H LL’
= ne menos she
oe
‘DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

ANALYSIS OF 16 MM. MOTION PICTURE PHOTOGRAPHY OF UNIDENTIFIED AERTAL OBJECTS.

INTRODUCTION

The motion picture was examined both by normal and slow motion projection,
and by low power microscope. At the start it was found that the images are
much too small to show any detail in the objects; the only effect visible on
the film by microscopic examination is a collection of small white spots. They
are frequently elongated in the direction of motion with respect to the camera
position, but no other sisnificant shape features can be seen.

A Bell & Howell Model D-1-B projector was used to exemine the motion of the
objects. This vrojector permits the operator to reverse the motion during motor—
driven projection, or to examine any length of film frame-by-frame, by means of
a hand crank and frame counter. It wes found that the objects are ten in number,
in every one but the last of the motion sequences photographed. Occasionally
some of these objects moved out of the camera's field of view momentarily.

A list of questions, accompanying the recuest for this evaluation, are
answered below.

ANSWERS TO STATED QUESTIONS

It cannot be stated definitely whether the objects are seen by reflected
s or because they are self~powered light sources. However, it can be de-
duced that, if they are light-reflecting only, they are decidedly non-svherical
in shape. During part of their flight paths they shine brightly, while at other
times they are so dim as almost to escape detection. Furthermore, those objects
which are following similar courses show similar brightness fluctuations, which
could be caused by their taking similar flight attitudes.

2. It is believed to be reasonably certain that the reflection brightness
of these objects exceeds that of any natural diffusing type of reflecting object,
such as white birds against the sky. Also, there is no mown bird that could
emit such a radiation as would be required to produce the observed brightness.
Hither a lerge metallic surface of nearly flat shape, or a self-luminous source,
is thought to be responsible. This statement, end the deduction of a non-spheri-
cal shape, combine to rule out large translucent spherical balloons, but not
bright aluminum-surfeced aircraft.

3. Slow motion studies of the objects disclose that, in several instances,
two objects on a nearly parallel course pass very close to each other, producing
the blending effect. However, in each instance the two separate objects reappear
after a moment.

4. and 5. As stated above, the only detail that can be seen is the small
‘nt spot on the blue film, so no object shape can be determined. However,
the maximum brightness of all the different spots appears to be the same, when
they do become bright. The color at maximum brightness appears to be a clear
white. At reduced brightness the spots remain essentially a neutral or grayish

‘DECLASSIFIED Authority NND

t

y

white; no strong colors are note#. As to similar motion, e definite grouping

of objects is noticeable. The first two sequences, taken with the sky as a
light blue, show what probably are two groups of three objects each, and two
groups of two each. The final sequence, against the dark blue sky, shows four
pairs of objects, with the fifth pair having drifted upwards, out of the camera's
field of view.

6. If the objects are reflecting, the "fade-in" and fade-out" are caused
by changes in attitude of decidedly non-spherical objects, as in Answer 1 above.
On the other hand, if they are light sources, the variation could be associated

with their maneuvering activity.

7. and §. As explained in the opening paragraph, the objects are only
small bright spots on the film. When they dim sufficiently, they become invis-
ible; no dark spots can be identified with these objects. The only visible
motion in any single frame is with respect to the camera's field of view. Slow
motion examination of successive frames suggests a general flight pattern of
sweeping skew curves in space. This concept of object motions produces no sharp
breaks in their apparent flight paths, and also makes it practically impossible
to detect rapid accelerations or decelerations along these paths.

9. In the sequences during which the camera was held motionless, to record
the angular velocity of a single object, it is possible to measure this velocity.
Three such passes can be seen. The first was incomplete, picking up the object
near the center of the frame. The second and third passes were comolete, from
one edge of the field of view to the other.

Figure I shows the actual tracings of the object from frame to frame for
both Passes No. 2 and No. 3. The distance from lens to screen was 100 inches.
The focal length of the projection lens wes 2 inches. The enlargement of
Figure I over the actual negative size is therefore 50 times. Camera and pro-
jector errors, plus small hand-held camera motions, probably account for the
deviations from a straight line path. The average calculated angular velocity
for both paths is about 2.1 degrees per second. Detailed computations are given
in Appendix I.

10a. A slow motion viewing, plus single frame position plots, suggest that
the objects are maneuvering in definite formations. However, successive identical
positions are not indicated when position plots from any two frames in a sequence
are superimposed. For instance, the first seouence of movement lasts 160 frames
or 10 seconds. During the first seven seconds, clear plots for all 10 objects
can be madé. These plots were mde at half second intervals or § frames apart.

10b. Figure II represents a possible set of flight paths for this interval,
derived as explained in Appendix II. It should be remembered that Fisure II
very likely contains some indeterminate and non-constant camera motion, both
horizontal and vertical, caused by tracking the formations. This means that the
directions and curvatures as shown may be appreciably different from what a
-stationary camera would have recorded. However, Figure II does help visualize

—

the type of motion shown by the objects, moving from right to ieft, or generally
from east to west as the camera was situated. This agrees with Figure I, show-
ing the single object reversing course from left to right, or west to east.

10c and d. The relative positions of these objects in the first sequence
follow a definite formation plan of either three pairs, a trio, and a single,
or perhaps five pairs (if one of the trio and the single are actually a nearby
pair). It appears that the objects tend to remain in position for curved path
meneuverine. A possible shift in formation appears at the start of the trio
paths. Otherwise, the objects definitely appear to undulate in chase in this
sequence; as in the other sequences also.

and f. Several repeated slow motion viewings of the entire film do not
clearly any abrupt ci ght path of any part of the formation.
At times the c. pears to ‘fine the entire group, and some of the
ten objects. thi outside the field of view momentarily. Whether or not a
particular object remains motionless for a moment depends upon the relationshio

of group movement to camera movement.

10g. As expleined in Paragraph 10f, sometimes objects may move out of the
field of view. In a few instances, however, certain objects may change in
brightness considerably, and practically appear or disappear well within the
field of vi In the second sequence, which lasts about 14 seconds, the lower
two oairs in Figure II flere up suddenly near the center of the field of view,
being invisible a moment pefore. As they flare up, they appear to curve more
ly to the left and upwards than the center trio. Reversing this sequence
in slow motion shows that these four objects were faintly visible just before
they disapveared at about the same position.

A tabulation of flight sequences and durations is listed in Appendix III.
CONCLUSION:

1. Subject motion picture film apparently records the motions of ten un-
known aerial objects, all alike in observed characteristics of movement and size.

2. The exact nature of these objects cannot be determined, because they
are visible only as small spots of light. It can be deduced, however, that they
are either non-spherical in shape and similar to bright metal in reflectance, or
else variably self-luminous by some means.

3. There is apparently a coordination of movement to some extent among
these objects. They seem to move in formations which are probably three-dimen-
sional in arrangement. The largest anguler size of the entire group is on the
order of 6 to % degrees of arc.

4. The movements of these objects suggest flight paths consisting of skew
curves in space. In one instance a single object changed course and followed a
nearly straight line path with reasonable uniformity of motion at an angular

velocity of about 2.1 degrees. During this straight line flight it remained
reasonably uniform in brightness.

¢ we he |
STATEMENT BY SOURCE |
Place:=
About 7 miles north of Tremonton, Utah, on U.S. Highway No. 305.
Time:=
1110, Wednesday, 2 July 1952,
Camera:=
B&H Automaster, magazine load, 3" telephoto lens, 16 frames per second.
Handheld,
Exposure:=

First few feet —- f£:8. Balance — f:16, Clear sun, cloudless sky. EKCO
Kodachrome film ~ Daylight. Exposure was changed with the mistaken idea of
darkening the sky to gain greater contrast. The result was merely general
underexposure.

Backgrounds:—

Driving from Washington, D.C., to Portland, Oregon, on the morning of
2 July, my wife noticed a group of objects in the sky that she could not iden
tify. She asked me to stop the car and look, There was a group of about ten
or twelve objects that bore no relation to anything I had seen before, milling
about in a rough formation and proceeding in a westerly direction. I opened
the luggage compartment of the car and got my camera out of a suitcase, Load
ing it hurriedly, I exposed approximately thirty feet of film. There was no
reference point in the sky and it was impossible for me to make any estimate
of speed, size, altitude or distance. Toward the end one of the objects re-
versed course and proceeded away from the main group. I held the camera still
and allowed this single one to cross the field of view, picking it up again
and repeating for 3 or 4 such passes. By this time all of the objects had
disappeared. I expended the balance of the film late that afternoon on a
mountain somewhere in Idaho,

DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

Appendix I
Calculation of Angular Velocity of Single Aerial Object:
Pass No. 2: 48 spot positions are plotted, representing an elapsed time interval
o: 47 frames. At 16 frames per second, this gives:
i ¥ 3-0 seconds elapsed time
The measured distance on the screen is 15.1 inches. This gives approximately
15.1 or 5.0 inches per second for image velocity on the screen,
“5.0
Pass lo. 4. goot positions are plotted, for 43 frames of elapsed time. This
time is 4% 9,7 seconds.
6 =
The distance travelled is 15.7 inches. This gives 15.
5.8 inches per second
—s=
in
on the screen. Average of these 2 values is 5.4 inches per second; with an es-
timated precg¢sion of +15 per cent.
Conversion to Angular Velocity:
Distance from projector lens to screen = 100 inches
Focal length of projector lens = 2 inches
Enlargement of film on screen = 50 times
Image velocity on film = gel ell inches per second
OD =
Focal length of camera taking lens = % inches
It is adequately precise to divide the image velocity by the focal length
to get tne angular velocity in radians per second, then to convert to degrees.
Tal 1 7% &
bi e nave a]
Angular velocity = .11 x 5/.3 = 2.1 degrees per second
The precision of this value is also conservatively set at +15% or +0.3 degrees
per second. |
DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

Appendix IT

Plotting a Set of Flight Paths from Single Frame Position Plots, with no Reference
Points |

a 1. Ina case like this, it would be highly desirable if the movement of |
; | these objects could be recorded with a stationary motion picture camera. Position |
~~ plots could be superimposed by observing proper registery of frame edges to in-

dicate the speed and direction of object flight paths.

2. However, it apparently was necessary in this case to follow the form-
ation of objects, to keep them all in view. Therefore no position guide for
registering the position plots is available, since no fixed points appear in the
sky. Other principles must be used instead.

3. It is stated that the general drift of the entire formation was to the
west. A later secuence shows a single object, which had reversed course, moving
from left to right in the camera'syiew. It can therefore be sunvosed that plotted
paths should show a drift from right to left.

4. This is one guide to be used. Another is that position plots should be
superimposed without any rotation, since the frames were plotted without rotation.
This assumes that the camera was not rotated; but merely moved in combined
horizontal and vertical motions.

5. Another general guide is that most of the objects should appe:r to move
in smooth, continuous paths. Several plots, at least 4, should be suverimposed
on & viewing table, and should be shifted until all or nearly all paths are smooth
and show reasonably uniform motion. This compound plot can be transferred to a
single sheet, and further plots can be added in the same manner.

6. Figure II was prepared in just this way, using the same 50 diameter en-
largement as in Figure I. It will be noted that the final positions of two
objects in the central trio are missing. They became so faint that they were lost;
no further plotting of this sequence was tried.

7 " ; - SE ee SS LYLE ~ = = a ae ae

DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

QUESTIONS REGARDING ANALYSIS OF FIIM
1. Are images made by light source or reflection?
2. Any indication of what kind of objects could have caused images?
Is there any bird sufficiently actinic to cause images? Could they have
been caused by aircraft or balloons?
3. What causes the impression that some objects at times appear to
become 2 or 3 objects, at times appear to merge into one?
4. Do all objects have same characteristics?
a. Same apparent shape?
be Same relative size?
c. Same Color?
d. Same general motion?
5. What are shape(s), color(s), and relative size(s) of objects?
6. To what can the "fade-in" and "fade-out" of the objects be attri-
buted?
7e What type motion is attributable to the objects (about their own
axis as well as about the axis of flight path)?
8, Is there any acceleration evident in their motion along flight path
| axis?
9. Can the motion of the camera (panning and joggling) be allowed for
sufficiently to permit determination of the angular velocity of objects which
cross the field of view? (Reference particularly the single object which
crosses field; photographer states that camera was held motionless while ob-
| ject crossed field of view.)
10. Determine patterns of flight from position plots for each frame, then:
&e Is there any recurring pattern in the relative position of the
objects?
be Do they maintain same relative positions in formation during any
maneuvers,' particularly violent maneuvers?
c. Is relative position maintained coincidental with movement about
their axes?
d. If undulating motion is present among a number of objects which
are maintaining a semblance of formation, do those objects undulate in phase?
Ditto for tumbling motion.
, 4 e. Is there any indication of abrupt’ changes in direction of flight
os +a fairly large angles (e.g., 90° or more during interval of 2 or 3
ames
oe /
DECLASSIFIED Authority NNI

(/2t's
CA-5€
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•
Addna Repb' To
OFFICElt-IN-CBARGR
And Refer To No.
NT4-28/ 8310/177283
AVIATION SUPPLY DEPOT
NAVAL SUPPLY CENTER.
OAKLAND 4, CALIFORNIA
11 August 1952
Chief Photographer Delbert C. Newhouse, 177283, U. s. N.
Comm.anding Officer, Hill Air Force Base, Ogden, Utah
From:
To:
1
Subj:
Motion Pictures of Unidentified Objects in Air
El:l,cl:
(1) One (1) fifty-foot roll of processed 16mm color motion
picture film
1. Enclosure (1) is forwarded herewith for whatever value it may have in con­
nection with your investigatio~ of the so-called nFlying Saucers". Pertinent
data follows:
Place:
About 7 miles north of Tremonton, Utah on U.S. Highway No . 30S.
Time:
1110 Wednesday 2 July 1952.
Camera:
B&H Automs.ster, magazine load, 311 telephoto lens, 16 frames per
second. Handheld.
Exposure:
First few feet - f:8. Balance - f:16. Clear sun, cloudless sky.
EKCo Kodachrome film - Daylight. Exposure was changed with the
mistaken idea of darkening the sky to gain greater contrast. The
result was merely general under exposure.
General Background: Driving from Washington, D. C. to Portland, Oregon, on
the morning of 2 July my wife noticed a group of objects in the
sky that she could not identify. She asked me to stop the car and
look. There was a group of about ten or twelve objects - that bore
no relation to anything I had seen before - milling about in a
rough formation and proceeding in a westerly direction. I opened
the luggage compartment of the car and got my camera out of a suit­
case. Loading it hurriedly, I exposed approximately thirty feet of
film. There was no reference point in the sky and it was impossible
for me to make any estimate of speed, size, altitude or distance.
Toward the end one of the objects reversed course and proceeded away
from the main group. I held the camera still and allowed this
single one to cross the field of view, picking it up again and re­
peating for three or four such passes. By this time all of the ob­
jects had disappeared. I expended the balance of the film late that
afternoon on a mountain somewhere in Idaho.
DECLASS IFIED Authority NND 923007

'·· .
.
UNCLASSIFIED
~
.-.,,~,·. :.7'".~ ;7!;~~ _.,_,_.-
,
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. ~~:-, 4;':-. ,~ ..,. ~-· ,._ · _ ·. -... ( ... - . ~ ~·
Nt4-28/8310/177283
Subj:
00I (11 Aug 52)
-
Motion Picture s of Unidentified Objects in Air
1st Ind
HQ 00AMA, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, 28 August 19.52
TO:
1lirector of Intelligence, Headquarters, USAF, Washington 25, D. C.
1. This report of unidentified flying objects is submitted in accor­
dance with AFL 200-5, dated 29 April 1952.
2. This report is submitted in this form in lieu of submission of
AF Form 112, Air Intelligence Information Report, since all information
available on this subject is contained in the basic communication.
FOR THE COMMANDING GENERAL:
{
l Incl
/
KERMIT R.
Colonel, USAF
Inspector General
50 1 roll of processed
film
Info cy:
Air Technical Intelligence
Center, Wright-Patterson
AFB, Ohio
~
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R 12 YE · • ••• '
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DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

..
ATION (If an11)

•

_
DISPOSITION FORM
UNCLASSIFI D

I

SUBJECT (Restricted) Movie Film of Flying Objects Taken
2 Jul 52, Vicinity of Tremonton, Utah

FILE NO.

FROM

TO

Dept of the Air ~orce
Hq USAF - Air0IIT-2A2

Chief, Air Technical
Intelligence Center
Wright-Patterson AFB

DATE

t7'

~-

£;-,_,/

COMMENT NO. 1

Maj Fournet/fu/

71016

L
Subject i'ilm, received this o:ffice 5 Sep 52, is inclosed for appropriate
action. Duplicate of report submitted by the photographer, CPO Delbert C. Newhouse
(177283, usn), is inclosed for your information in the event that the copy forwarded
to you by the IG, Hill AFB, Utah has not been received .

2 . A message was dispatched to the CG, WADF on 6 Sep 52, with information copy
to you, requesting that an intelligence officer interview CPO Uewliouse and determine
additional details of the sighting, if available .

3. A message was~lso dispatched to the CO, Hill AFB, Utah requesting weather
informa.tion for the pe~d and vicinity in question . An information copy was
dispatched to you.
4 . It has been ascertained from the Naval Observatory , Washington, D. C. that
the position of the sun at the time(1810Z hours, 2 July 52) and the location
(4145N - ll210W) in question was 64.5° elevation and 131° azimuth .
•

5. Suggest the film be submitted to the WADC Photo Lab for complete analysis
as soon as possible. The following are suggested questions for this analysis which,
if answered, should facilitate evaluation of the incident:
a . Are images made by light source or reflection'?
b . Any indication of what kind of objects could have caused images? Is
there any bird sufficiently actinic to cause images? Could they have been caused
by aircraft or balloons?
c . What causes impression that some objects at times appear to become 2 or
3 where there was originally one, or, conversely, 2 or 3 objects at times appear to
merge into one .
d . Do all objects have same characteristics?
(1) S0llle apparent shape?
(2) Sa1ne color?
(3) Same relative size?
(4) Same general motion?
e . What are shape(s), color(s) and relative size(s) of objects?
f . To what can the "fade- in" and 11 fade-out 11 of the objects be attributed?
g. What type motion is attributable to the objects (about their own axis
as well as about axis of flight path)?
h . Is there any accelleration evident in their motion along flight path axis .
i. Can the motion of the camera (pa.M.ing and joggling) be allowed for
DOWNGRADED AT~ YEAR IllTE!fVAl&i
DECLASSIFIED· AFTER 12 YEARS
_.
DOD Dm 6200.10 .
'
,, ,~ ..... -. •• ~<,¾-~, L .

DA I OCT 47 897
AGO FORM

-·--UNCLASSIFIED.

Replaces WD AGO Fo1m 897, 1 May 46, which may be used.

DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

a&-16-54.801-1

UT S, GOV£RNMEHT PRINTING OFFICE

.;

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UNCLASSlF!i;.u

..

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1

sufficiently to permit determination of the angular velocity of objects
which cross the field of view? (Reference particularly the si ngle object
which crosses field; photographer states that camera was held motionless
while object crossed field of view.)
j.

Determine patterns of flight from position plots for each

frame , then:
(1) Is there any recurring pattern in the relative
position of the objects?
(2) Do they maintain same relative positions in formation
during any maneuvers, particularly violent maneuvers?
( 3) Is relative position maintained coincidental with
movement about their axes?
(4) If undulating motion is present among a number of
objects which are maintaining a semblance of formation,
do those objects undulate in phase? Ditto for tumbling
motion?
(5) Is there any indication of abrupt changes in direction
of flight path through fairly large angles (e . g. 900 or
more during interval of 2 or 3 frames)?
(6) Do any objects appear to remain motionless at the same
time that others move about?
(7) Can all objects be accounted for at all times or do
some literally disappear while still well within field
of view?

6. Although CPO Newhouse did not request that the film be returned
to him, it is reco:imnended that the final footage (of the mountain scenery) be
returned to him immediately and that he be asked if he . is willing to accept
a duplicate of the initial footage in lieu of the original. If his reply
is affirmative, suggest the duplicate be forwarded whenever available,
7,

Request advice of the analytical results as soon as available .

2 I ncls : (w/orig only)
1 , Cy of ltr fr CPO Newhouse,
dtd 11 Aug 52
2 . Roll of exposed 16nnn film .

WILLI.AM A. ADAMS

Colonel, USAF
Chief, Topical Division
Deputy Director for Estimates
Directorate of Intelligence

DOWNGRADED AT C: " r,>, ,, ,,;':"t:-n v "·u-n •
DECLASSIFIED Alil'DR 12- YEAH& :> •
DOD DIR 5200.10
. -··

UNCLASSIFrED
2

DECLASSIFIED Aulhority NND 923007

Nt4-28/8Jl0/17728J Subj:
!Otior. rict.ur s or Unidentiried Objects in Air
OOI (11 Aug 52)
1st Ind
HQ OOAUA, !Iill Air Foroe Base, Utah, 28 August 1952
TO:
DirMtor o! Intelligence, Headquarters, U~AF, Washington 2S., D. C.
1. Tuis ruport ot uni entitled £lying objects ie uub'!i'.itted in aooor­
dnnee 1'11th AFL 200-5, dated 29 April 19,2.
2.
This report ia subl%1ittej in this for~ in lieu of eub:nimaion or
AF Form 112, Air Intelligence Inrorrcation Report, sinoe all inrorf:iation
available on thifl subject is c
tained in the basic comt!un1o tion.
1 Incl
50 • roll ot processed
film
Colonel, UtAF
Iru,pector Oene~al
v1Info cys Air Teohnio~l Intell.igev.ee
Center, l'fright-Patternon
AFB, Ohio
DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

..
COPY
N1'4-28/8310/177283
.,
AVIATION SUPPLY DEroI'
VAL , UPPLY .CENTER
OAKLAND 4, CALIFORNIA
11 August 1952
From:
To:
Chief Photoarapher Delbert C. Newhouse, 177283, U.S. N.
Coomanding Officer, Hill Air Force Base, Ogden, Utah
Subj:
Motion Pictures of Unidentified Objects in Air
Encl:
(1) One (1) fifty-foot roll of propessed 16mm color motion
picture film
1.
Enclosure (1) is forwarded herewith for whatever value:it may have in con­
nection 1th your investigation of the so-called "Flying c>aucers 11 • Pertinent
data folla,rs:
Places
About 7 mil snorth of Tr~monton, Utah on U. S. Higmray No. 30S.
Time:
1110 ednesday 2 July 1952.
Camera:
B&H Automaster, magazine load, 3 11 telephoto lens, 16 frames per
second. Handheld.
Exposure:
First few feet - r:B. Balance - f:16. Clear sun, cloudless sky.
EKCo Kodachrome film - ll!lylight. Exposure was changed With the
mistaken idea of darkening the sky to gain greater oort rast. The
result was merely general under exposure.
General Background: Driving from Washington, D. C. to Portland, Oregon, on
the morning of 2 July my wife notioed a group of objects in the
sky that she could not identify. She asked me to stop the car and
look. There was a group of about ten or twelve objects - that bore
no relation to acyth.ing I had seen before - milling about in a
rought formation and proceeding in a westerly direction. I opened
the luggage compartment of the car anJ uot my camera out of a suit­
case. Loading it hurrie ly, I exposed approximtely thirty feet of
film. There was no reference ooint in t e sky an:i it was impo sible
for me to make any e stimate of speed, size, altitude or istance.
Toward the end one of t he objects reversed oourso and proceeded away
from the main group. I held the camera still and allowed this
single one to cross the field of view, picking it up again and re­
peating for three or four SJ.ch passes. By this t i me all of the ob­
jects had disappear d. I expended the balance of t e film late that
afternoon on a mounta l n scrnewhere in Idaho.
/s/
lbert c. Newhouse
DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

•
----- ------------ ----- ------------ -- ..... ---- ---------- ---------;--- ----
UNCLAss1F;£L;
A
DOWNGRADED .AT g '!.'l N.r. U'lT1>v , , ..,;
DECLASSIFIED AP1'ER 12 YE \.RS.
DOD D.IR 0200.10
. .. . ......___
UNCLASSIFIED

AFOIN-2A2 vo Qurre net, /fh/'75990/Rm 4B 864
wrtn 24 Got $2

ONCLASSIF ep

MEMORANDUM FOR: Director of Haval Inteiligence
: Attention: Op 322¥5

SUBJECT: Interpretation of Movies of Unidentified Flying Gjecte

1. Tho ettached movies (see Incl. i) ore possibly the best
dotwumntary evidence yot citedaed on wildentified flying cbject«.
They have bewn antiiyacd by an Aix Force photographie isboratary.
liowever, it is ow desire tc cbtein en independent enalycia by o
ggperate laboratory in order that we may better interpret the
inblications of these data. For thia reason, it is requested
that ao complete on interpretation as possible be rendered by «
Havy activity.

CLrcusstemtes murrounding the photography ase summarized
in Inclogure 2. Additional detalles were requested by secuages
vhich ere included a6 Inclosutes-3 and 5 and were obteined in the
repiies attached as Incliogures 4 and G. With regard to Inclocures
5 emi G, the final footage af film referred to has been detachad
ond weturned te CPO Newhcause. However, it was deduced frem this
portion that Hevhouke cStained excellent results while hand~
holdisg the camera; there Wes simost no casera moticn evideait.

Tals decuction waa applied t the analysis of that psorticn of the
film Gapicting the motion of the cingle object which detached itself
vom the group aa explained in Iaciogure 2.

3: A List of representative qoostions for the interpretation
is atteched ea Inelcoure 7. These questions arw indicetive of the
type data dgeired. Any eGditional data which can be abteined
would te most weleome, partiqularly os concerms the light intensity
of the objects, the formations (including three-dimenaional randi tions,
if poustble), comments regarding the peesibi lity thet the feages were
cousel by ailreralt and the conditions which must buve preveiled for
eivarart te produce such images, etc.

fdoo yoeqkeys Zye-NIOdV

%. It weg Geterained from the Neval Gbeervatory, Waghington,
B.C. that the position of the aun at the time and logation of the
photogragty wes 6+.5° elevation and 131° axciauth.

Your couperation in estifying this request at the earlicst

i,
a .

DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

Mr: M. A. Monts

Air Force Press Room
Room ZE761, Pentagon

1 Jun 19 6

g

ME ORANDU

b.O
n1

~Q.)
~

s

SUB

CT

l"O

DIRECTOR OF INTELLIOENC
Attu: Lt Colonel T. . John•on, AFOIN-X

(Uncl ) UFO Movie

l. Th f 11 wing •tatem ta conceming two of the UFO
aightl ga d •crib din the rec ntly relea ■ ed
vie, ar aubmitted in re•pon•e to r.
onta' r que ■ t of 29 May 956.

0

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Q.)

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a. Th
aria.nna Ca1e - ontana - 1950. The ol'lginal
Air Force concluaion.
■ ed on the interrogation of witn •• •
and th evaluation of the ata, aa that the UFO,
e, i all
probability, two Air F rce F-94 fighter aircraft own to
in th vicinity at the time.
Shnulat d
otogr b ■ of aircraft at v riou1 dl1
c ••
made by an &il'craft manufacturing firm in a recent independent
and un ■ olicited analyst• of the Marl
a film, •how atrl ing
■ imilarity to the two white blopa in thi ■ film.

1,-1

<

u d on th d gre of credibility accorded tbla early
A IC evaluation aiMl the tron corroborative vidence aupplte
y the recent independent analyaia. the Air Fore ha1 o com­
llin r aaon to alter tta original concluaion.

b. Th New ouae Ca ■ e - Ut
- 1952. The ori inal film
w s a lYJSe by
Air ore Photo Recormaiaaance Laboratory
■hortly after the •iahttn1. Th concluaion reac ed waa that a
•trong poa ■ ibiUty exlated that th ri1ht apot• of light appearing
on the film were cauaed by • agull11 ■ oaring in thermal air cur­
rent ■. Th credibility 0£ the concl
ion waa undoubtedly ■ up­
ported by th pr ■ ence of identifiable ea3ulla in •ome f the
frame ■.

Thia concluaio wa• further strengthened by movie• of
seagull ■• ta.ken at varioua diatancea, which ■howed them aa
bright apota of light aimllar to thoae
th New ouae film.

Memo to D/1 (OIN-X). (U) UFO Movie, 1 .Jun 56

A recent analyaia of the Newhouae film, male by Air
.Force photo apeclali•t• totally unaware of the previous hiatory
o! thi• case, yielded the opinion that the bright spote of light
on the film were bird refiecti0t1a in the strong aunlight.
The unanimity of opinion preeent in all evaluations
made in thi• caae leaves little reasonable doubt that the UFO•
in the Newhoue film were indeed •eagulla.

o;

2. Attached is a 'lt-y
thi• memo to be given to Mr. M. A.
Monts in the Air Force Presa Room in the Pentagon..

JOHN G. ERIKSEN

Colonel, USAF
Deputy Commander

2

.,
..
DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
OFFICE OF T H E CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS
WASHINGTON 25, D. C.
UNCLASSIFIED
IN REPLY REFER T O
Op•322Y5/rt■
S December 1952
FIRST ENDORSEMENT on PIC ltr ser 0263 of 5 Dec 1952
From: Director of Naval Intelligence
To:
Chief', Topical Division, USAF, AFOIN 2A2
Subj:
Interpretation of Movies of Unidentified Flying Objects; progress
report on
Ref:
(c) Dept of Air Force ltr file AFOIN-2A2 of 24 Oct 1952
1. Readdressed and forwarded in compliance with the request contained
in reference (c) above aDd reference (b) of the basic letter• .
UNCLASSIFIED

..
UNCLASSJFlED
U . S . NAVAL PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION CENTER

01/HWW:gcl
All

U. S. Naval Receiving Station

SAVINGS
BONDS

Washington 25, D. C.
EC

'
From:
To:

Officer 1n Charge
Chief', Naval Operations

Subj:

Interpretation of Movies of Unidentified Flying
Objects; progress report on

Ref:

(a) Conf ltr DNI OP322Y5/rtm, dtd 27 Oct 1952 ~1th
enclosures thereto
(b) Memo, Chief, Topical Division, USAF, AFOlN 2A2
dtd 24 Nov 1952 with enclosures thereto

Encl:

(1) Copy of enclosure 7 of reference (a)

l. Reference (a) directed the interpretation of movies
of unidentified objects taken in Utah, 1952. Included
among the enclosures are approxima.tely 30 feet of pro­
cessed 16mm. color motion picture film and a list of ques­
tions for guidance in determining the type of analysis
desired. This progress report presents the procedures
a.nd methods designed to answer some of the questions con­
tained 1n enclosure 7 and the results obtained as of this
date by the Photogrammetry Division, Evaluation Department
of this Center.
2. Tests and Procedure. The film exposed in Utah is in
very poor condition; dry, brittle and with a tendency to
break. After initial viewing, duplication of the film
was performed in order to preserve the one originally re­
ceived. This conswned approximately two weeks. In the
duplication process, some color correction was made to
permit better viewing of the objects. For convenience
in interpretation, the film was divided into three parts,
each part being considered an entity. Part I consisted
of the footage taken at f8; part II, the footage taken
DOWNGRADED AT 8 YEAR 'IN't'rnR'V:
DECLASSIFIED AFTER 12 YE'aiJ.
DOD DIR 6200.10

UNCLASSIFIED

•

11.NCLAS.SIFIED

DEC 5

195~

at fl6 with a panning motion; and Part III, the footage
at fl6 during which the camera was held steady. Three
definite groups of lights were observed throughout the
film and plots were recorded as follows:
Control

~

Par1B I and II
Parts I and II
Parts I and II

Holding to one group
Holding to one light and
direction of another
Arbitrary 1/2 inch correction
per frame for panning

Part III

Holding to frame outline

Parts I and II

None. Every tenth frame to
show changes in two apparent
formations.

In addition to the above plots; blowups of exposures on
opaque and transparent materials were made for stereoscopic
study, assignment of magnitudes of light intensities were
made frame by frame, and preliminary studies of colored
lights conducted.

3.

Comments. From the above plots and studies, the following
comments keyed to the list of questions contained in enclosure
l are:

1. It appears to be a light source rather than reflected
light.
.
2. No indication of kind of objects. No bird known to
be sufficiently actinic. Could not have been caused by air­
crart or balloons.
3. Comments held in abeyance until further stereoscopic
study.
4. Objects have same apparent shape, color,and general
motion. Relative size is still under study.
5. Images are circular in shall) and bluish-white in
color.
6. Comments in abeyance.
7. Comments in abeyance.
8. Acelleration is evident.
9. Velocity was computed to be 3780 mph for a shift of
1mm per frame if the .object is five miles from the observer.
Do~gftfs,?1EA:,DT Ar. YRAR lN"f'ERV_AJ~ •
n ~ D FTER 12 YEARS.
'
~v~ IR 6200.10
-2..,.. ..,.
,
UNCLASSIFlED
I
DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

~UNCLAS.SIFIEO

DEC 5

1952

From 34 measurements taken from Part III of the film,
the maximum and minimum per frame were 0.2889 and 0.0667mm
respectively with a mean shift of 0.1729mm. On this basis
the mean velocity is 653.5 mph. Differences in mean vel­
ocities due to assumption of variance in distance from the
observer may be determined by x/5 times 653.5.
lOa. There is no recurring pattern in the relative
position of the objects in formation. It appears, however,
as if the shift in relative positions were regular and that
the original formation would be recovered if the continuing
action had been recorded. This should be substantiated or'
refuted upon completion of the stereoscopic study.
b. Comments held in abeyance
c. Comments held in abeyance
d. Comments held in abeyance
e. Yes
f . Comments held in abeyance
g. Certain objects disappear while still well within
the field of view.

4. Discussion. There are many theories and conditions

concerning the images photographed ~hich can be explained
as natural phenomena. In the analysis conducted, no attempt
is made to explain the phenomena nor are the comments tem­
pered by knowledge of present day science (although its
influence was felt). Comments are as seen, as analyzed,
and as computed; and as such, are partly at variance with
the natural phenomena theories.
a. Light Source. The opinion that these images are
light sources is based on the time they can be viewed
continuously on the film, approximately 90 seconds, and
on the a.Dgle through which they were photographed, approx­
imately 60 degrees. It is felt that if these images were
reflected light, blinking would occur during a period of
90 seconds while passing through an angle of 60 degrees
when photographed at the rate of 16 frames per second.
Although this premise would permit aircraft and balloons
to be the source, they are ruled out because of the velocity
determination. If aircraft is assumed to be close enough
to permit velocities of present aircraft, they would be
close enough for positive identification. If they are too
far away for positive identification, then the velocity is
too great for any aircraft as we know them.
b. Color. Colors were noted as shades of red, green,
blue .and- lu h-white. It appears however, that except for

•

D01NGRADED A.T R Yl"A

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.UNCLASSIFIED

ECLAssrFJJi:.P A.l"1'ERn IN>rEnv Arr~;

·N~,-

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DOl) DLR 6200. 12 YEA.RS .
U)

UNCLASSIFIED

DEC 5

1952

the bluish-white, the colors noted are due to color aber­
rations in the lens and to processing defects, and are not
of the objects themselves which can be observed throughout
the entire or major portion of the film. It should be
pointed out at this point that unless an image appeared in
at least five successive frames, it was regarded as a pro­
cessing defect. This process of elimination left only 11
images analyzed as the objects.
c. Velocity. In the determination of the velocity
of the objects, two assumptions were made; (a) the camera
was held steady during Part III of the fim, and (b) the
objects were movi~ perpendicular to theoptical axis. It
is obvious that (bJ 1s a fallacy; however, this assumption
will give the minimum velocity and that the actual velocity
is greater than computed. It may be possible to apply a
correction factor after the completion of the stereoscopic
study, although thi s is doubtful . With these assumptions
and knowing the focal length of the camera, the only unknown
in the determination of the velocity is the distance from
the observer to the object. This was arbitrarily set at
five miles.
d. Size, Pattern and Formation. Analysis ha.snot
progressed to the stage where the relative sizes of these
images can be stated. This applies also to patterns and
formations although it appears as if they do occur. It
is expected that stereoscopic analysis of the objects will
furnish much information on this subject.

5. Reference (b) requested interpretation of additional
movies, approximately 10 feet, taken in Montana, 1950. This
film is also in poor condition but is suitable for analyzing
the movie. One plot wa.s made of the light path in the area
where stationary objects are visible to hold to as control.
Analysis of this movie is not sufficiently complete to offer
any comment other than the pa.th of light is undulating and
. is similar to that plotted for the Utah movie. In the ana­
lysis of the Montana movie it will be most helpful if the
following information can be furnished~
a.. Focal length of taking lens.
b. Location and actual distance of observer to
the center of the tower.
c . Dimensions of the tower.
d. Lengths of bracing on the tower .
e. :Vertical spacing of the bracing or the spacing
between bracing measured along the legs of the tower.
It is felt that, since this movie was taken in 1950, the

-4-

DOWNGRADED AT s
DECLAsSIFIED A};" '~:nJ.r-.~vA~;
DOD DIR 6200.10 EARS.

UNCLASSIFIED
DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

UNCLASSIFIED
DEC 5
1952
above requested information has been obtained for other
agencies to assist in their interpretation of the uniden­
tified objects and therefore is available.
6.
Interpretation of movies of unidentified flying objects
are continuing and upon completion of the analysis a final
report will be prepared. Two copie~ of the report and
reference {a) will be sent to your office.
7. Conclusions: None.
8. Recommendations: None.
DOWNGRADED AT' s 1'. :Z·~R IN'rER
DECLASSIFIED AFTER 12. YEAiis'\i,~ :
DOD DIR 6200.10
UNCLASSlFlED
DECLASS IFIED Authority NN D 923007
•

•
~ S FOR ANALYSIS
UNCLASSIFIED
The following questions are suggested for guidance regarding the
general. type of aialyeis desired:
l.
Are imagis made by light source or reflection?
2.
Any indication of what kind of objects could have caused images?
Is there any bird sufficiently actinic to cause images?
Could they have
been caused by aircraft. or balloons?
3. What. causes impression that. some objects at times appear to
become 2 or 3 'Where there -was originally on~ or, conversely, 2 or 3 objects
at times appear to merge into one.
4. Do all objects have same characteristics?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Same apparent shape?
Same Color?
Same relative size?
Same general motion?
5.
What are shape(e), color(s) and relative size(s) of objects?
6.
To what can the ·n:rade-iri" and '"fade-out·n of the objects be attributed?
7. What type motion is attributable to the objects about their own axis
as well as about axis of flight path)?
8.
Is there any accellerat ion evident in their motion along light,
path axis?
9.
Can the motion of the camera (panning and joggling) be allowed
for sufficiently to pennit determination of the angular velosity of objects
Vihich cross the field of Viewl
(Reference particularly the single object
which crosses field; photographer state• that camera was held motionless
while object crossed field of view.)
I
DOWNGRADED
DECLASSIF1;ff & l''Ji\~\~ fNT
DOD Ddt'I'ER, 12. y1}VAt.I!,:
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0200.10
.Rs.
UNCLASSIFIED
DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

'
10.

. .."
0NCLA$$JFIED

Detemine patterns of night from position plots for each

frame, then:
a.

Is there any recurring pattern in the relative position
of the objects?
b. Do they maintain same relative positions in formation during ·
any maneuvers, particularly violent maneuvers?
c. Is relative position maintained coincidental with moVE111.ent
about their axis?
d. If lllldulating motion is present among a number of objects
which are maintaining a semblance of fomation, db those
objects undulate in phase? Ditto for tumbling motion?
e. Is there any indication of abrupt changes in direction
of flight path through fairly large angles ( e.g. 90 degrees
or more during interval of 2 or 3 frames)?
f. Do any objects appear to rsa1n.·• ~ lilt tM ma t1Jlt& •
that others move about?
g. Can all objects be accounted for at all times or do sane
literally disappear while still well wi.thin field of view?

DOWNGRADED AT 8 n,An Th""TERVA1'.153 .

DECLASSIFIED Af."TER 12 :YEARS. • '
DOD DIR 6200.10

UNCLASSIFIED

•·.

~1ilLALYSIS OF 16 i!U . MOTI ON PICTURE PHOTOORAPHY ill"' tnUDENTIFIElJ .AERIAL OBJECTS.

IlilTRODITCTIOi1

The motion picture was examined both by normal and slow motion projection,
and by low nower microscope. At the start it was found that the images are
much too small to show any detail in the objects; the only effect visible on
t he film by microscopic examination is a collection of small white spots. They
are freouently elongated in the direction of motion with respect to the camera
position, but no other significant sha;oe features can be seen.
A :Bell & Rowell Hodel D-1-B projector was used to examine the motion of the
objects. This nrojector permits the operator to reverse the motion during motor­
driven projection, or to examine any length of film frame-by-frame, by means of
a band crank and frame counter. It was found that the objects are te::i in number,
in every one but the last of the motion sequences photograpnect . Occasionally
some of these objects moved out of the camera's field of view momentarily.
A list of questions, accompanying the reouest for this evaluation, are
answered below.

1 . It cannot be stated definitely whether the objects are seen by reflected
sunlit;ht or because they are self- powered light sources. However, it can be de­
duced that, if they are light-reflectiug only, they are decidedly non-spherical
in shape. During part of their flight paths they shine brightly, while at other
times they .are so nim as almost to escape detection. Furthermore, those objects
which are following similar courses show similar brightness fluctuations, which
could be caused by their taking similar flight attitudes.

2. It is believed to be reasonably certain that the reflection brightness
of these objects exceeds that of any natural diffusing type of reflecting object,
such as "'hite birds against the sky. Also, there is no knm"ll bira. that could
emit such a radiation as would be required to produce the observed brightness.
~ither a large metallic surface of nearly flat shape, or a self-luminous source,
is thought to be responsible. This statement, and the deduction of a non-suheri­
cal shaue, combine to rule out large translucent spherical balloons, but not
bright aluminum-surfaced aircraft .

3. Slow motion studies of the objects disclose tha.t, in several instances,
two objects on a nearly uarallel course pass very close to each other, producing
the blending effect . However, in each instance the two separ2.te objects reanpear
after a moment.
4. and 5. As stated above , the only detail that can be seen is the small
bright spot on the blue film, so no object sba.pe can be determined. However,
the maximum brightness of all the different spots appears to be the same, when
they do become bright. The color at maximum brightness appears to be a clear
white . At reduced brigntness the spots remain essentially a neutrcl or grayish

DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

white; no strong colors are notea. As to similar motion, a definite grouping
of objects is noticeable. The first two sequences, taken with the slcy as a
light blue , show what probably are two groups of three objects each, and two
groups of two each. The final sequence, against the dark blue slcy, shows four
pairs of objects, with the fifth pair having drifted upwards , out of the camera' s
field of view.
6. If the objects are reflecting, the 11fade-in 11 and fad.e-out 11 are caused
by changes in attitude of decidedly non-spherical objects, as in .Answer 1 above.
On the other hand, if they are light sources, the variation could be associated
with their maneuvering activity.

7. and 8 . As explained in the o'Oening paragraph, the objects are only
small bright s-oots on the film. When they dim sufficiently, they become invis­
ible ; no dark spots can be identified with these objects. The only visible
motion in any single frame is with respect to the camera's field of view. Slow
motion examination of successive frames suggests a general flight pattern of
sweeping skew curves in space. This concept of object motions -produces no sharp
breaks in their apparent flight paths , and also makes it practically impossible
to detect rapid accelerations or decelerations along these patns.
9. In the seouences during which the camera \\'as held motionless , to record
the angular velocity of a single object, it is possible to measure this velocity.
Three such passes can be seen. Tae first was incomplete, picking up the object
near the center of the frame . The second and. third passes were complete, from
one ec..ge of the field of view to the other.
J?i;..";tll'e I shov,s the actual tracings of the object from frame to frame for
both Passes No. 2 and No. 3. The distance from lens to screen ~,as 100 inches.
The focal length of the projection lens \.,as 2 inches. The enlargement of
Figure I over the actual negative size is therefore 50 times. Camera and pro­
jector errors, plus small band- held camera motions , probably account for the
deviations from a straignt line path. The average calculated angular velocity
for both paths is about 2.1 degrees per second. Detailed computations are given
in Append.ix I.
10a. A slow motion viewing, plus single frame position plots, suggest that
the objects are maneuvering in definite formations. However, successive identical
positions are not indicated when position plots from any t~o frames in a sequence
are superimposed. For instance, the first sequence of movement lasts 160 frames
or 10 seconds. During the first seven seconds, clear plots for all 10 objects
can be made. These plots were made at half second intervals or 8 frames apart.
10b. Figure II represents a possible set of flight paths for this interval,
derived as explained in Appendix II. It should be remembered that Figure II
very likely contains some indeterminate and non-constant camera motion, botn
horizontal and vertical, caused by tracking the formations . This means th?.t the
directions and curvatures as sho1:-m may be a9oreciably different from ,,·bat a
--stationary camera would have recorded. However , Figure II does help visualize
2

DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

...
.

.A

.

•

the type of motion shown by the objects, moving from right to left, or generally
from east to west ~s the ce.mera was situated. This agrees with Figure I, show­
ing the single object reversing course from left to right 1 or west to east.

10c and d. The relative positions of these objects in the first sequence
follow a definite formation plan of either three pairs, a trio, and a single,
or uerhaps five pairs (if one of the trio and the si le are actually a nearby
pair). It ap!)Ek'U'S that the objects tend to remain in -oosition for curved uath
maneuvering. A possible shift in formation aunears at the start of the trio
paths. otherwise, the objects definitely anpear to undulate in -obase in this
secuence; as in the other seouences also.
lOe and f. Several repeated slow motion viev.riri~·s of the entire film do not
indicate clearly any abrupt chP..nges in flight nath of any part of the formation.
At times the camera am:>ears to lag in followin{r the entire grou;p 1 and some of the
ten objects then move outside the field of view momentarily. Whether or not a
particular object remains motionless for a moment deuends uuon the rela.tionship
of group movement to camera movement.

10g. As exo12ined in ParafTa-;:>h lOf, sometimes objects may move out of the
field of view. In a few instances, n0Fcver 1 certain objects may change in
brightness considerably I and uractically appear or disanpear ,rell within tne
field of view. In the second seouence, which lasts about 14 St::Conds, the lower
two pairs in Figure II flare up suddenly ne&r the center of the field of view,
being invisible cl moment before. As they fl<.Xe uo, they appe
to curve more
rapidly to the left and. u:p,.\iards than the center trio. Reversing this seauence
in slow motion shm·1s thc.t t.nese four oojects were faintly visible just before
they disanoeared at about the same position.
tabulation of flight sequences and durations is listed in .A_?pendix III.
COllCIBSICJllJS
1. Subject motion picture film apparently recora.s the motions of ten un­
known aerial objects, all alike in observed characteristics of movement and size.
2. The exact nature of these objects cc.nnot be determined, because they
are visible only as small spots of light. It can be deduced, however, that they
are either non-s _Jherical in shape and similc1__r to bright mete.l in reflectance, or
else variably self-luminous by some means.

3. There is apparently a coordination of movement to some extent among
these objects. They seem to move in formations \·'hich c:-re probably three-dimen­
sional in arrangement. The l ar gest anoue.r size of the entire group is on the
order of 6 to 8 de~rees of arc.
4. The movements of these objects sug,_o-est flight paths consist~· of skew
curves in space. In one instance a single object changed course ana. followed a
nearly straight line path with reasonable uniformi t--,1 of motion t an a.ngu.lar
velocity of about 2.1 dee,;rees. During this straight line flight it remained
reasonably uniform in brightness.
3

DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

...
,
...
5. It would nrobably be extremely difficult to imitate this nhotograpey
for fraudulent purposes .
4

Appendix I
Calculation of Angular Velocity of Single Aerial Object:
Pass o. 2: 48 spot positions c..re plotted, representing an elapsed time interval
of 47 frames. At 16 frames per second, this gives :

3. 0 seconds elapsed time
The measure distance on the screen is 15.1 inches. Ta.is gives approximately
15 .1 or 5.0 inches per second for image velocity on the screen.
~
.
Pass Ho .
time is

44 spot nositions are plotted, for 43 frames of elapsed time. This

2.7 seconds.

The distance travelled is 15.7 inches.

This gives

15.
'°l .
I':

t_ 5.8 inches -oer second
-

on the screen. Average of these 2 values is 5.4 inches per second; with an estimated prec4sion of ±15 per cent.
Conversion to Angular Velocity:
Distance from projector lens to screen= 100 inches
Focal length of projector lens= 2 inches
EnJ.areement of film on screen= 50 times
Image velocity on film=~= ,11 inches per second
Focal length of camera taking lens= 3 inches
It is adequately precise to divide the in:age velocity by the focal length
to get the angular velocity in radians per second, then to convert to degrees.
1•re ba.ve:
Angular velocity= .11 x 57.3 = 2. 1 degrees per second

3

The ~recision of this value is also conservatively set at ±151 or ±0.3 degrees
per second.

.. .

•

Appendix II

Plotting e Set of Flight Pats from Single
Points

rame Position Plots, with no Reference

1. In a case liKe this, it would be highly desirable if t e ovement of
these objects could be recoro.ed with a stationary motion picture camera. Position
plots could be s~r· 2ose by observing proper registery of frame edges to in­
dicate the speed an direction of object flight paths .
2. However , it apparently was necessary in this case to follow the form­
ation of objec~s , to keep them all in view. Therefore no position guide for
registering the position plots is available , since no fixed points appear in the
sky. Other ~rinciules must be used instead.

3. It is stated that the general drift of the entire formation was to the
west . A later secuence shows a siDFle object , hich bad reversed course , moving
from left to right in the camera 1 svi.ew. It can therefore be suouosed that ulotted
paths should show a drift from right to left .

4. This is one guide to be used . Another is that uosition ulots should be
superimposed ~~thout any rotation , since the frames were ulotted without rotation.
This assumes that the camera was not rotted. ; but merely moved in combined
horizontal and vertical motions.
5. Another general guide is that most of the objects should appe(" r to move
in smooth, cont·nuous paths . Several plots, at least 4, snould be superimoosed
on a viewing table, and should be shifted until all or nearly all paths are smooth
and show reaso:nabJ..i uniform motion . This co _ound plot can be transferred to a
single sheet, anu further plots can be added in the same manner.

6. Figure II was prepa.red in just this ,,:ay, using the same 50 diameter en­
largement as in Figure I . It will be noted that the final positions of two
objects in the central trio are missing . They became so faint that they were lost;
no further plotting of this sequence was tried.

DECLASSIFI ED Authority NND 923007

....
Appendix I II
Sequence
Number
Frame Number
Start Finish
Number of
Frames
Approx time of
Sky Color
Seq. in Seconds
1
0
160
160
10
Light
2
161
386
225
14
Light
3
387
700
313
19 1/2
Dark
4
700
970
270
17
Dark
5
6
970
1010
4o
2 1/2
Dark
1010
1080
70
4 1/2
Dark
7
1080
114o
60
4
Dark
DECLASS IFIED Authority NND 923007

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DECLASSIFIED Authornty NND 923007

(111,
.
,
,'
I
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'
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'
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f
MAJOR /JONAUJ £. KEYHOE, U.S. MAIUNE CORPS.RET.,IN A TELEGRAM SENT TO 8RIGAOIER GENERAL SORY SMITH
MOTO SECRETARY OF THEAIRf'"ORCE HAROLD E. TALBOTT, TOLD THIS STORY1 ON .IULYI. /95#, NAVY WARRANT
OFFICER IJ£1./IEIIT C. NUHOU$£ WAS EN ROUTE TO PORTL NO, 0 ~ • AT 11!!0 A;_ .,
A POINT ON HIGHWAY 30, SEVEN MILES NORTH OF rREIIONTON, UTAH.
OENLY, He SAW A GROUP CK' ROUNO, EXTREMELY BRIGHT
OBJECTS MOVING WEST AT A VERY HIGH SPEED.. _-
•As A NAVAL AVIATION PHOTOGRAPHER,NEWHOUSE
l<NEW THEY WERE NOT AIRCRAFT. USING A BELL
ANI'> HOWEU AUTO MASTER MOVIE CAMERA WITH A
"'NEAR TI4E EN01 ONE OF THE OBJECT~ REVERSED ITS COURSE
AND LEFT THE FORMATION ... ''
.;;;..;;~.;...,;,.;.;.;...:..;:;.:.;;;.;:.;.;..;,.;.:.;,;.;;;__..,__ _ _ _ _ _ ___,
THREE INCH TELEFOTO LENS, HE SHOT ABOUT
40 FEET OF FILM...''
c:::::' c:?
"THE PICTURES WERE STUDIED FOR IIONTH$ BY THE
AIR FORCE PHOTO- RECONNAISSANCE LABORA­
rDRY AT OAYTON,P.NO LATER .9Y THE NAYY PH0i0IN7ERPll£TAT/ON CENTER AT WASHINGTON:"
"THE LABORATORIES CAME TO THESE
CONCLUSIONS:
6. THE SIGHTING COULD OT BE
EXPLAINED BY ANY CONVENTIONAL
ANSWER ..:'
• •
DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

.

.

"THE AIR FOftCE HAD-PLANH£0 TOSHO"
IS
Fl LIii TO TH!'. PIIE86 AND TO MAK£ A8TA~IIENT
TO TH£ PV/IUC. THIS STATEMENT,'tlQ.IU)Al!)FAL
THE OFFICIAL ANALYSIS-·"
PREPARE FOR A PRESS $HOWIN8
AND PU8l/C STATEMENT CON­
CERNING THE UTAH PICTURES/

THERE WILL BE NO PRESS
SHOW/I#, CANCEi. PLANS...

MAJOR K£YH0£, WHO HAO BEEN fJIV£N THE
A1Rf'ORC£0ATA ON THE UTAH PICTURES BEFORE
THE .OFFICIALS WHO FAVOREO A PU8UC STATE­
MENT HAO IEEN OVERRULED, THEN DECIDED TO
INC/.U/)£ THIS INFORMATION IN HIS BOOK,
..F/.YIN8 SAUCERS FROM OUTER SPACE"...

*

THE CAT WAS OUT OF THE BAG. IN
IMMEDIATE RETALIATION,THE OFFICE
OF AIR FORCE INFORMATION ISSUED A
PRESS RELEASE ON SEPT. 29, 1953 ...
THE TIIEMOTON PICTURES WERE
RETURNED TO WARRANT OFFICER
NEWHOUSE. THEY WERE OF NO
IMPORTANCE.'

"WHE TH£ COMIIIIEO AIR FORCE ANO NAVY ANAl.YSIS
SHOW!:O TMAT tN£ AUCEltS CO&M.0 IIOT et ANY IXJIIIIEN­
TIONAI. OIi.iS/i'S. AUt fORCEOfFICIALS IJl8A8REE/J AJ
TO WHAT SttOUUl IE TOI./J THE PUBLIC. THE PLAN FOR A
PUBLIC DISCLOSURE WAS THEN K/1.I.E/J.....

------

IN A llltESS IIEL£ASE, DAt'ED SEPT. 2t, lte:J, 4 P..... HENAY
HOLT ANO COMPANY ANNOUNCED .••

ntE A/II FORfJE HA$ SECRET I/OT/ON PICTVllES OF
Fl.YINtl SAV(JERS WHICH PROVE THn ARE INTER­
PLANETARY CRAFT, MAJOR DONALD E. KEYHOE, A
RETIRED Ml\lUNE CORPS OfflCER...DECLAREO TODAY.HIS
CLAIM ,HE SAl~,IS /IACKEIJ BY OFFICIAL A/II FOIi&,(
POCUMENi"8 CONTAINED IN HIS FORTHCOMING BOOK •••

TH/$ WAS TltE IIEA$0N FOR MAJOR
KEYHOE'S TEt.£8RAII. HE SAID!

THE TELEGRAM WAS DATED
OCT. 2,1953. MAJOR IC!YHOf.
. - - - ~ ~ ~ = ~ ~ = " " ' : " : = " : " ! : ' ~ - - - - . WAS NEVER BROUGHT UP
OPt SEPT. 29, YOUR OFFICE
'IUCLY
FOR DISCIPLINARY ACTION.
II/PLIED THAT 1 1118/tEl'ltEGENTED
TH£ AIR FORCE ANALYSIS OF THE UTAH
WASN'T THE OTAH.
FI.YINIJ SAUCER l'ICTVIIES tN MY
FILM RE.TURNED TO
SOOK ... IF THIS IS TIIV£, THEN AS A
W. 0. NEWHOUSE MEREU'
HETIIIED I/ARIN£ CO/IP8 OFFICER,
A 'POOR COPY?
t SHDULO 8IE: $118.IECTF.IJ TO IJl8CI•
I
PI./NA/fY ACTION... IF MY IJl.A/118
WEREN'T THERE MANY
~ INCORRECT, TH£N I. ftnPECTFULLY
COPIES MADE AND
SUGGEST THAT••. I BE COll/fT•MAlfTIALEIJ
STUDIED?
FOR MAKING FALSE STATEMENTS ABOUT
THE AIR FORCE ANM.YS/8.*
WHERE IS THE ORIGINAL?

WHAT NEWSPAPER
CHAIN HAS BEEN
DENIED A SHOWING
WITH THE CLAIM THAT
ALL COPIES WERE
BURNED UP FROM
OVERUSE?
ZI

DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

ae GAs ey TP iCenpes
D drat ae Conte ben)
pictave FE, Ip |
of ee Sure es

eS = A 4) yy SW ean What
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DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007.

l.I).-0$1 24-0-257
SUDJEO'i's
SfCT I?;'T:,tt n?.Rc,s Rf.f2R1'
f
(Unolus1fied) Reporting o! Ini'ormtion on
Unconventional Airoratt
SPECIAL INQUmt
TOt
D1rectQr of Special Investiga~iona
Headquarters, US.AF
,asbington 25, D. O.
SlNOPSISa
On 2 July 1952, ctaptain ROBERT E. m:trCAµ", lOOl Ma.eoachueett.s
AYenue, Le~o.u,.Jlau...aq.l}_~ett.s1 reported that he and two ot.ber
persons o1,served one unidentified airborne object bet'l1een 0730 and
0740 hours, wr, on 1 Jul.1 l952. No activity or condition developed
that acoounta for eighting.
DETAILS,
At appronmately 2000 hotU"e, 2 Jl.lly 1952, Capte.in ROBERT E. lIB?CAI.1',
lOOl M.aesa.chueett• Avenue, Lexington,, Massacbuaette, reported the obs-el'­
vation o! on., unidentified airborne- ob~et. betl'jeen 0730 and 0740 houre
on l July 1952 tc Special Agent USLIE S. HUBBSU>. On ) July 19"52,
Captain METCALF was interviewed by Special Agent JULIUS B• .POPPltlGA, and
tu.rm.shed the foll.<miag Wormation:
a. Description ot objects O.ne (1) milky ,white object, shaped
like an ne1ongated oval" bu:t, ittatt'E>r than a cigar", about 100 feet in
length or slightly larger than a f olll'-engine &irline-r, having indistinct
outlines at the rear r~sembling either a vary short emaust or a blurr~d
tail section, with a narrow ridge along the top side, but t'lithout ~ings
o~ any clear aet"od,Jnamic features, Object p?'od.uced no sound, and left
~
no vapor trail ox- exhaust other than described above. Speed was estimated
to be approxima.te1.y that or jet aircraft, bu,t observer believed the object
, ,. - -~
\
"hung" in mid-air for a few aeconds on two occasions and then proceedtd.
'ADED' AT 3 YP..AR iNtF.l\~ ASSU'lED AFTER 12 ~
DOD. DIR 6200.lQ
~
DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007
ONlT
• •

' .
D,OWNGMA1lED AT 3 YJt~<\R J.N:f'~Y·

DECLASS]}'I~D AFTER 12 YEAT~
bOD um 5200.1.0

ll),.,O 1 24-o.:l57

........

3 Jul.f 1952, STlNfl nn4 00.SH 'ltcre aeparatol_y intvnettod by Spooial
,igent JUUUS o. roP.?lNGA. Tim.01 locot1on_, :!ICthod ot eigbtlna, wea.tbff
eondiUona, db-eotion ot flight, and dli~pellranee JR)Jte iden't1cel t.o
that, ~rt.Gd b,- W!rCAl.P. Several dllterencea ~m be noted, howcwor,

r•lo.t.ive w tho desaript..ton or ~hfJ object.

j. S'l'lN.&n de,croibed tho obJeet at1 1"0t.1embliile a omall bl.imp,
hav1ng & blunt. trontt, cigar-eh&~, Md a:ledl&l" to an "aiJlplAn• m.tbout
winge or tail nasombl.r." STlHm notioed no oxbaust or noise~ and M
change~ of alt.1.tutle or coarae. Lm,t.b ot the object•• oatiml:&ted u
two tQ three hlindrod fNt. 1 and no ta.it teAt.uroo, mnti, or ~ O
f~tllf.W of an, kind,._.. obtened, fitI.NEll aatimted the altitude of
th• object to be about 20,ooo teGt.. Be doaor1bod itu rornard aotion to
be irregular, til'at ba~ imrrlrltl, 4n4 then p;rt>aNdif.la o.t "about th•
apeod of a.~?."

k. OOSH advieed that ml ,could not eat:iutlt.e the BUO or the
object., but deeoribed it ae o,al--ahat>$41 and bel10YOd that it wu
tr»ile4 b1 t,'IJO dlft-1.not ft}>Or tr.-.ile I ojmilar to that uaociated :dt.h <»n­
Yentiooal &ircr•tt o.t Yff-1 greut oltitUdf.lS • OOSH not1old no Tarl.at.ion 1n
the apoed, eJ.tituwa. or lin ot tllght., and ut.ooted 'the apee(I to be
about 130 tnllea per- ho\11" and the altitude t.o bo ''OYOl' 30;000 .r--..a &:)SH
not.iced no noi••. tUld stated that he collld di.atinsnah no ld.ng or ta.U

eurtaees. lie added tho.t. 'ltbUe both STUUU a.nCS UEl'CAlJl used &WI glaas..

whil• obeentng tha obJeate, he did not.. Md that. bis vision was .tmpaiNd

b7 the brightneoa or t.h& •kf and the auu.

l. ldentitying 1ntom-1t.ion on ~ l t and lllSJb 11 Sgt. STIWll
ia ,0 ,eai-a <>f o.ge, and nae eorved 19 ,oara with the l;l'OWld forces and
4 yecu,s "'1th the Ail' Force. Ile lae nO'Nl' been on an air crew, and ol.Aima
m apociel MO"lllodge pertaining t,o iu.raratt.1 but adTisi!kl that he ?iaa
~ cbeer\'ed en airplane 1n £light, nt. ~ anglo > Naemblins the object.
deaerJ.bod, and.,., li.itsre ot no known obJoct :which aigbt Q<:Count. tor it.
s~ oosn 1• ,2 :,eara of age, and hae sel"Ved 117-.rs with the Au Fora.,
~ in 11,speot.ion nnd ittvest~ation work. OOSlt adrined he ~t'J dona
considerable reading in NlAt!Qn to un.conTentional a.b'cratt• but eouJ.d not
a.QcOQnt tor the ohJeat ctesor:1bcd ill an, ua,.
•• Thia sif)lttng appt>llt'a to bo o veritioation a.tad on$ o.nd the
• N!WON 'bctlfOon O'!Jl and 0734 flour•
wr on l Jul.J' 19'2 arid r e ~ in lat Ui:ttrict. 051 tUe 44....Q..2'6 on
3 Jul¥ 19'2.
•
eue u eigl\ting Obscn'ed by ~rJIN

DOWNGRADED AT 3 y ,gAR ,J N}'~-,Y~•
' DECLASSIFIED AFTER lll Y"EJ\l-1S.
non· DIR 6200.1.U

DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007

•
-
FOR OFFICIAL USf OM.T
'I."'-
. -..:.. ..... ~
--~,
·- . ,_....~.:...........
A01QN:
Ho further action is contemplated by Wa Viatr1ct Offj,Ce. Two (2)
eopiee of thils report will " !Ol'YW"ded to the Coms.nding General, Air
M.ntc·l.oul ~ d • Attention, UC:W •
ROBEhT ., •
UN
Lt Colonel,
JF
D1 st.Pict; Colriml.nder
cc,
001 A~C (du.p)
~ OFFIEIAL USE OW
4
•

{.

22.

23.

24. Bef'erenco CIRVIS ~port 030ull2Z J1.Lcy' submitted by Marcil Fllght Service Oentor.
~ An oxtremo4" b:r.i,8ht object was oboorwd for poriod or evoi-Dl. ~ a at 194SJ> on 2
~ July 1952. 11:~ observer plotted objoct 11it.h n F9tractor and estin:ated it to be 34 to
, 38 do3roas alx>vo the. horizon nt ·on aDJlo of 175 degrees. ' Cbjcct broke up into 6 or 8
piocen ,mich ep];>earcd to descond to-ward tho IJX'()und at a high ra.to or q,aod.

•25.

oather unlalown.

•26. itnoss1 Ur. Subl.otte, ~ l " Lt>s Angeles Police D o ~ .
nidonco
~otu b924 J4ncoln Awnue., lljghland Park, Call.fornia. Telephone not given. •
•l
.....
:-J 27. Air trllffic information nnt given.

1

I

28. Commonts of PrEl~ orticar:
a. Tho sigh'Ung reports 1:liltcd abow are unaonti.nradJ i.ricoq,loto1 end, in
eone oases, orronooua~ aubmitted. lumawr, in tho interost or maintninin3 cO!ltirm.ity
of no,, of sighting reports throueb the maey concarncd agonc:ios1 it no considored
d.osi.reable to sulxlit ell for informo.tion pui:poses. fhe evident laol~ of value of
ih~l.oto 1•8PQ11;a hna boon brought to tbo attention of CM and Flight Sorv1ca units
and, w:tthin tho Flicht Servi.cs otructure 1 lU)eci.81 trainine; progrs:lS havo boan insti­
tuted Gicb hould preclude future r 1e_v errors.

UNCLASSiflED

DECLASSIFIED Aulhority NND 923007

J
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I
C
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C.
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- ....
.
XI
rn
c:-;
rr
C)l
CJ)
c..,
.....
DECLASSIFIED Aul.horny NND 923007
'--
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