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DOW-UAP-D102: Project Blue Book File on Tremonton Film, Utah, 1952

Department of War · 2026-09-18 · 156 pages · text from the file's own layer

This Department of War release reproduces Project Blue Book records on the Tremonton, Utah film of 2 July 1952. In them, Navy Chief Photographer Delbert C. Newhouse explains how he filmed a group of bright objects near Tremonton. ATIC memos and a December 1952 travel report record Navy and General Mills balloon specialists judging that the objects closely resembled pillow balloons. A January 1953 memorandum discusses publicly releasing the film. The file also includes unrelated sighting reports from Phoenix and Massachusetts, plus material about Donald Keyhoe.

•UNCLASSIFIEDMemorandum for Record
1. 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. The subject
telecon is TT15, 5 Feb 53, Item 2. ~
2. 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
on the film exceeds that of any bird. ,8f:£~AJ_i~ 1.N'I'EftVA.'(.11,
b. '!he objects. are not spherical ;~el]~-~ -• DOD DIR Ai20o.~2.t.EAR& -
\(( • The objects could be aircraft. (Note: the absence 0£ sound
/11J -""~t rules out aircraft. 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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