Project Blue Book File on Tremonton Film, Utah, 1952

Text

A machine read this text from the scan. When the text and the image disagree, the image is right.

COPY

UNCLASSIFIED

b. Tremont Case:

(1) We do not agree with the film's conclusion "not aircraft, not balloons, not birds." A comparative analysis was made of a copy from the original film strip, and that shown by Green-Rouse by Major Willner and Major Buckmaster, ATIC photo specialists. The original film shows the presence of sea gulls on a number of frames. This is not shown in the Hollywood version.

(2) Further, it is not necessary to state that a particular species of sea gull is prominent in certain parts of Utah. It should be pointed out that the Utah species is almost pure-white in color, in contrast to its smoky or grey-marked sea-coast cousin.

(3) In the opinion of ATIC photo specialists, any under exposure of these sea gulls against a high-lighted sky would tend to "wash out" details of the body and wing out-line of the gulls, giving them a white circular appearance at a distance. (Officer Newhouse openly admitted in the film that he under exposed his "shots".)

(4) This is confirmed by the original analysis in our files, made in early 1953 by the Photo Reconnaissance Laboratory, WADC. These reports were not shown to Majors Willner and Buckmaster for review until after their analyses (items 1, 2, and 3 above) were completed.

c. Mantell Case: Conclusions of the Air Force are that Capt. Mantell was apparently trying to intercept a fast riding "Sky Hook" balloon. The "Sky Hook" project was known only to few people at that time. Unlike weather balloons "Sky Hook" balloons were huge (100 feet in diameter), coinciding with Capt. Mantell's statement that "it's tremendous in size!" Capt. Ruppelt confirms the fact that it was a balloon in his book "Report on UFOs", page 60, 3rd paragraph.

d. Fargo Case: Our files indicate that this was undoubtedly an erratic moving balloon which Lt. Gorman encountered. Capt. Ruppelt also confirms this in his book, page 67, top.

e. Airline Pilots Case: As portrayed on the screen this is an apparent attempt to document the "Chiles-Whitted Case". If so, our comment: A description of the UFO alleged to have been closely observed by each of these veteran Eastern airlines pilots will be found in page 81 of the Project Bluebook's Report Nr. 14 "Analysis of Unidentified Flying Objects". Although both observer's were sitting next to each other and observed the same object together, the sketch made by each pilot separately cannot be said to be similar.

UNCLASSIFIED

DOWNGRADED AT 3 YEAR INTERVALS; DECLASSIFIED AFTER 12 YEARS.

DOD DIR. 5200.10

479 14 Dec 57

DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 923007