Documents / Official release

U.S. Air Force Flying Discs File, 1952

U.S. Department of War · 1952 · 253 pages · text from the file's own layer

This 1952 file of U.S. Air Force intelligence correspondence on flying objects comes from the Directorate of Intelligence at Headquarters USAF. It records the return to the Coast Guard of a negative of objects photographed at Salem Air Station on 16 July 1952, and requests to Naval Intelligence to analyze the Tremonton film by Delbert Newhouse and the Great Falls film by Nicholas Mariana. It also holds Strategic Air Command report transmittals, letters from members of the public, and an Okinawa object said to have fallen into the sea.

From the source:Release of 2026-09-18 Incident: September - December 1952, Various. This file is an archival collection of U.S. Air Force Director of Intelligence records relating to reported “flying disc” incidents during the period from September through December 1952. Drawn from multiple governmental and non-governmental sources, it compiles a wide range of material associated with reported sightings and official handling of those observations, rather than presenting a single analytical conclusion on the nature or origin of “flying discs.” The contents include correspondence, memoranda, reporting forms, case summaries, distribution and routing material, and other administrative or intelligence-related documentation tied to flying-disc reporting and review during that period. Pages 26-36 of the file refer to an incident reported near Tremonton, Utah, in July 1952, in which a U.S. Navy Warrant Officer recorded film of unidentified objects that the Air Force later assessed were likely seabirds. Overall, the file is a broad documentary collection reflecting how such reports were recorded, circulated, and evaluated in late 1952.

Open the PDF at page 217 Original source ↗
DOW-UAP-PR159 · video · 1952-07-02 Historical Film of Reported UFOs, Utah, 1952 This archival footage is a digitization of a 16mm print of Kodachrome color motion-picture film shot on a handheld Bell & Howell Auto Master camera near Tremonton, Utah, on July 2, 1952. U.S. Navy Chief Warrant Officer Delbert C. Newhouse reported observing and filming a group of bright airborne objects and shortly thereafter submitted the footage to the U.S. Air Force. The film later became one of the visual cases reviewed by Project Blue Book, the 1952–1969 U.S. Air Force program that investigated the nature and origin of unidentified flying objects (UFOs). The film’s limited detail and lack of fixed reference points prevented a conclusive resolution. From the 55-second mark onward, the film transitions to unrelated footage appearing to show a demonstration of sewing equipment. The presence of unrelated sewing-equipment footage suggests that the surviving footage may be a composite or reused print, though the available record does not establish how or when the materials came to be combined. As documented in records submitted with the film, contained in this collection under the title DOW-UAP-D102, the footage originally was paired with mountain scenery from Idaho, which is not preserved in this digitization. Download (76.1 MB)

“Adams”57 pages

  • p. 4 …1" ....~11@00@) 0 ~ C"lWILLIAM A. ADAMS Colonel, US.\F' 0 ~ Chiet, Topical Division Deputy…
  • p. 5 …AFOIN-2A2, Col. W. H. Smith, Ext. 71016 AFOIN-2A, Col. W. A. Adams, Ext. 74072
  • p. 9 …lf}✓-l41AU. :,~ t? l~ 1 WILLIAM A. ADAMS , Colonel, USAF Chief, Topical Division ---._c..__"_irectorat• of…
  • p. 10 …71016 Jtt//~ AFOIN-2A, Col Adams, Ext. 74072 ~
  • p. 13 …71016tf4A1/,# AFOIN-2A, Col Adams, Ext. 71564 4,t AFOIN-2, Col Morrow, Ext. 7lllO AFOIN…
  • p. 18 …reaul.ts . 2 Incle t/ILLIAM A. ADAMS l . 16 DD Kodachrome movie film ~ Col onel…
  • p. 38 …Lt.r t:r Oliver Aml.1e to Colonel, USAl" Col Adams dtd Chief, Topical. Divim…
  • p. 39 …observations. (w/orig only) WILLI.AK A. ADAMS 1. Ltr fr 78th Air Base Sqdn Col…
  • p. 40 …1st ADAMS l Dl 1 1o , F r tor r E ima.t s I lUgcnco…
  • p. 41 …6 Incls (v/orig oalT) WILLIAM A.. ADAMS l . Ltr tr Mn. Grace Scott, Colonel• USA…
  • p. 42 …2 Inels . (W/Orig. Only) \fILLUM A. ADAMS l. l ·hotograph Colonel, USAJ' 2. Negative Ohief…
  • p. 45 …cs 0 cs 0 WILLUN :A. .ADAMS 0 ~Colonel, USAJ' Clhie!, fop1oal n1rt,1on I>eput7…
  • p. 46 …Sincerely, /2~ 095--- .,<6--d' It.LUM A.. :ADAMS Colonel, OSAI Chief, Topical ~iTision Deputy Director…
  • p. 51 …a ( w/ ori,:. on.lT) UILLUM A. ADAMS 1 . 8 Jun 52, ...w: Lir. ~ex Colonel…
  • p. 52 …c r ly, W!LLL~M Pi ADAMS Co on , USliF Chief, T pical Divl ion…
  • p. 53 …J.952 • .-<"~!ilil?, ~ - --¼~ ~ ..,.._ • y WILLIAM A. ADAMS lO8 Incl.a. (w/or1ginal only) Colonel, USAF…
  • p. 55 …S111oerel7 • )( tJ 46' d% ~ /'--nv,' WILLIAM .A. ADAMS Col onel , USA1 Chief, Topical Divition Deputy Director…
  • p. 62 …FY; j .., 'l 1( WII,LU? A. ADAMS Itpt tr 081 Colonel• mw? dtd 6 Oct…
  • p. 63 …rl. Incl: . ) w/orig. only \."ILLIAM A. ADAMS Photo c7 Spot Intel l'Jt Colonel, USAF…
  • p. 65 AFOIN-2A/ Col Adams/ fh/74072 wrtn 23 Oct 52 .. Mr . Leon l'!avidaon 8~ South…
  • p. 77 …consideration. Sincerel7, ~n®oorn,oo WILLUM A. ADAMS Colonel, USU Chief', Topical D1v1don Deput7 Director for…
  • p. 82 …NO M/R AFOIN-2A2 ~"ILLUH A. ADAMS Colonel. USAF Chief. Topicnl Division »eJ;Ut7 Director…
  • p. 83 …4. i C, f,l ~~ ~ LLUM A. ADAMS Colonel. USA.Jl' Chi et. ~op1co.l D1Tie1on…
  • p. 84 …ori g. on:iy) WILLI.Al' A. ADAMS 1 . Ltr fr i.r . !).L. Pef'lne…
  • p. 86 …We vill then return them ADAMS as soon as possible tliereatter. Your cooperation and consi deration…
  • p. 87 …2A1;.. 6 l,nc.ls WILLIAM A. ADAMS 1. G«ieral, G F Colonel, USAF 2…
  • p. 90 …s: (W/orig. onl y ) 7ILLIAU A. ADAMS l . Lt r fr llr. Varela dtd 28…
  • p. 96 …Incle (w/orig only) WILLI.AM A. ADAMS l. Pkg ot 3 photoa Col.onel, tJSAJ…
  • p. 99 …s Incl (w/orig only) WILLIAM A. ADAMS Photostat ey ot ltr to DI Colonel, usa…
  • p. 105 …careful consideraUon. us. Sincerely. V WILLIAM A. ADAMS Colonel, USAF Chief, Topical Division Daputy Director for…
  • p. 109 …to assist us. Sincerely, j\WILLIAM A. ADAMS Colonel, USAF Chief, Topical Division Deputy Director for…
  • p. 111 …U~ ..., " ....... , \l,"!l,IJ,,,I,;::~ ._f) ...LLIAM .: . ADAMS Colo el: US F Chief, To 1 Dlvl…
  • p. 125 …cgtst us are appreciated. Sincerely, ~LLIAM A. ADAMS Colonel, USAF Chief, Topical Division Deputy Director f…
  • p. 126 …w/orig only) l{li..LIAM A. ADAMS Colonel • USA? \ l . Map 3727-1 Sl1. 1…
  • p. 127 …J'eia of subject eamplea. WILLIAM .l.. ADAMS Colonel, USU Chief. ~opical D1•1eion ,. Deput7 Director…
  • p. 129 …Carr✓ ><3d ~ , 7 R-T113 4 lnela (w/orig only) YILLWf A. .ADAMS l. cc of…
  • p. 135 …ts to asslSl us. Sincerely, WILLIAM A. ADAM Colonel, USAF Chief, Topical Division Deputy Director for…
  • p. 138 …o a ssist us. Sincerely., ~WILLIAJ.r \ . ADAMS Colonel, US\F Chier, Topical Division Deputy Director…
  • p. 148 …to assist. COORDINATION: WILL'f.AM A. ADAMS Colonel, L"S.AF Chief, Topical Division Deputy…
  • p. 156 …75990~~ AFOIN-2A, Col Adams, Ext. 74072NV~ I',./, AFOIB- 2, Col Morrov, Ext. 7lllO ~ AFOIN, Maj…
  • p. 170 …4 Incle ( v/orig only) WILL~ A. ADAMS 1 . lat Ind tr OCSigO dtd Oolonel• USAJ…
  • p. 172 …facte to our attention. Sincerely, WILLIAM A. ADAMS Colonel, USA.I' Chief,.:RPjefH. DivieionCOORDINATION: AFOI.N…
  • p. 173 …your efforts on our behalf. WILLIAM A. ADAMS Colonel . USAJ' Oh1ef. Topical Divieion Deputy Director for…
  • p. 174 …our careful eonaidera- tion. Sinoerel7, WILLUM A . ADAMS Oolonel• USAJ' Oh1et. Topical D1Tieion Deput7 Director tor…
  • p. 178 …HILL.IAM .A. .ADAMS L Ltr fr Mr. G. Francis Co1oncl., USAF NaUhe1mer dtd 29 Jul…
  • p. 187 …is therefore not mandatory. L3llILLIA!I A. ADAMS 3 . Incle Colonel, USAJ' l. Ltr fr Mr…
  • p. 188 …a~owlodging receipt . ~{' 2 Incls. WILLIAM A. ADAMS 1. Ltr h Pinecastle .J!'l3 Colonel., USAF…
  • p. 191 …Incl WILLI.AN A. .ADAMS Rpt o~ U/I :tlyobs, Colonel., USAF v/ 2 Incls - &to…
  • p. 192 …1~~ dU~ T, -s·n:LLIAM A. ADAMS Colonel, U3AF Chiet, Topical Division De~uty Director…
  • p. 193 …AFOIN- 2A, Col Adams, Ext. 74072~~ AFOIN- 2, Col Morrow, Ext. 71110
  • p. 202 …75990/'/W~ AFOIN - 2A, Col Adams, Ext. 74072 AFOIN- 2, Col Morrow, Ext. 71110~ ~ SEC:.JRITY…
  • p. 209 …1. ~ I ~ ~ J ---J ~ t;WILLIAM A. ADAMS Colonel., USAJ' Chid'., Topica1 D1T1sion Deput.y- Director…
  • p. 213 …1 Incl (W/Orig only) WILLIAM A. ADAMS Ltr dtd 2 Aug 52 Colonel, USAJ' (Anonymoua…
  • p. 224 …1/J~ "· ~ COU l'N WILLIAM A. ADAMS Colollel, USA!' Cbier, Topical Diviaio• Deputy Director for…
  • p. 227 …Ext 75990 1/,,J Col W. A. Adams, AF0ll- 2A, Ext 71564 ~ ,!!QJ.. J J.. Morr01et…
  • p. 230 …ma:tc.r1ala. S Incl.• WILLIAM A. ADAMS l. SUmmary or ci.rcumstecea Colonel., lJSAJ' 2…
  • p. 248 …2A2, Ext. 75990 -'(p Col W. A. Adams, AFOIN-2A, Ex:t. 71564 Col J. J…
AFOIN-2.A.2
MaJ Fo'flJI.D.et /dbv/71016
.. wrtn 8 Sep 52
(Unclaesif'ied) Su"eated Beply- to Mr. Bern.dp (P. rUal) ...
J.J1 P.reae Desk. OSAF- OPI
Deputy- l>1rector for Estimatea, D/1, DOS/0
- 9 t95
.::-n.-~•-t/Alw/11016
l . ln addition to \he usual com=ents to be incorporated into a repl7 to
I-Ir. Berridge b7 7our office, 1t 1B SU&Bented that the following paragraph be
1ncludedt
8 fhe details of the observation which 7ou made vere referred to our
Intelligence anal7eta tor their study and comment. They have i~ol'llad me
that • al though the obJect could poss1bl.7 havA b en a hidl altitude balloon
aacending throut)l dU'terent· vind strata, they ~ind it 1mpoaa1ble to arrift
at a det1n1te conclusion. HoveTer. the7 were .happy to receive the
in.torantion and to add it to the clnta trom other e1g11i1nsa which the7
procesa nnd ~7•• conetantly-."
2. It la alao roca:cended that appropriate comments be cade regarding
General ~ord' a atatementa during hh recent preaa coDf"erence, particularly- thoae
dealin& with CIU'rent USAF atUtude towards the subject and plnna tor the future.
Stresoing h1a etate~ent about •acteqnate wt not trantic attentionn ahould also help.
3 . Mr. 1'err1dge' letter 1a returned herel11th.
• j D q.5, g~ ft~ >.,, lu ~1
•1 Incl l ~.{IlLIP.M W, WILCOX
Ltr ~r rm. A. llerr1d&e / ~olonol, USAF -
dtd 30 Jul 52 Chief, Policy and 1.!nnagement Group
Off ice. Deput y Director for Estimates
Dir ectorate of Intelligence
t!CUpop -
COORDINATION: AFOIN-2A2 AFOIN-2
-

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About this file

Official release, from the pursue collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. 253 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.