During its investigation of a July 1952 film of an incident reported near Tremonton, Utah, Project Blue Book examined whether the objects recorded on film might have been “pillow balloons.” Project Blue Book was a U.S. Air Force program active from 1952 to 1969 that investigated the nature and origin of unidentified flying objects (UFOs). In December 1952, investigators contacted General Mills, Inc., the only known manufacturer of pillow balloons at the time, to determine whether a balloon release could account for the incident. The file includes example imagery of pillow balloons supplied by General Mills Research Laboratories. In late December 1952, Project Blue Book personnel, balloon specialists, and representatives from General Mills reviewed the Tremonton footage. The group’s consensus was that the objects closely resembled pillow balloons in flight and behaved consistently with that explanation. One General Mills representative was less convinced, noting that the objects appeared somewhat too bright and seemed to maneuver too rapidly. The reviewers also questioned previous angular-velocity calculations suggesting that the objects moved at a high rate of speed because those calculations depended on the unverified assumption that the camera operator had held the camera still during filming. Subsequent efforts to identify a pillow-balloon release in the Tremonton area were unsuccessful. The file also considered seabirds as a possible explanation, citing similar films showing seabirds as bright points of light under comparable conditions. Later Air Force assessments favored the seabird attribution.

✦ AI summary

This is a 5-page excerpt of a Project Blue Book photo file relating to the Tremonton, Utah film. Page 1 is a file header reading 'Files 1377 & 1415, Tremonton, Utah, 2 photos', with a date line (July 1952) carrying a handwritten correction. Page 2 is a caption sheet: CPO Delbert C. Newhouse, 7 miles north of Tremonton, Utah, 1110 MST, 2 July 1952, driving on the highway when his wife noticed the objects; a group of objects 'milling about in rough formation'; no reference points by which to estimate speed, distance or size; size too small on the photo to show detail; and a possible explanation noted as 'Pillow balloons or Birds', with 'Pillow balloons' circled by hand beside a small grainy photo of a dark, irregular cluster against a cloudy sky. Page 3 has no legible text. Page 4 is a black-and-white photograph labeled 'FIG. 6' showing three people in winter coats, seen from behind, walking across a snow-covered field toward a cluster of small bright, irregularly shaped objects in the sky. Page 5 is a General Mills Research Laboratories (Minneapolis) photo laboratory sheet with a handwritten note that these are 'pillow balloons' 2' x 2' which, at altitude and against a cloud or adverse background, could give a 'saucer' appearance when lying flat in a horizontal position, plus pencil sketches of lens-shaped balloon outlines at different tilt angles. Each page is stamped with the authority number NND 923007.

Generated with AI from the official file — may contain errors.

▸Transcript(3 of 5 pages legible)

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[PAGE 1] Files 1377 & 1415 July 7, 1952 [date "2" overwritten in blue ink over "1952", i.e. corrected to 2 July 1952] Tremonton, Utah 2 photos NND 923007 [PAGE 2] CPO Delbert C. Newhouse 7 miles north of Tremonton, Utah 1110 MST 2 July 1952 Driving on highway -- Wife noticed objects Group of objects milling about in rough formation No reference points by which to estimate speed, distance or size Size too small on photo to show detail Poss Explanation -- Pillow balloons or Birds [handwritten, "Pillow balloons" circled] [Photo inset, captioned in hand: "PILLOW BALLOONS" -- small grainy black-and-white photo of a dark, irregular cluster of shapes against a cloudy sky.] NND 923007 [PAGE 3] [no legible text — blank or heavily redacted scan] [PAGE 4] [Diagram: black-and-white photograph, labeled "FIG. 6" (handwritten along left edge), showing three people in winter coats, seen from behind, walking away across a snow-covered field toward a cluster of small bright, irregularly shaped reflective objects suspended in the sky above the horizon -- a staged reenactment photo of "pillow balloons" released against the sky to test their visual appearance.] NND 923007 [PAGE 5] General Mills Research Laboratories 2010 E. Hennepin Ave. Minneapolis 13, Minn. Photo Laboratory No. [illegible] Date [blank] [Handwritten note, upper right:] These are "pillow balloons" 2' x 2'. At altitudes and with a cloud or adverse background -- these could give a "saucer" appearance when lying in a flat, horizontal position. [Several hand-drawn pencil sketches of elongated lens/saucer-shaped balloon outlines at different tilt angles, illustrating how a flat pillow balloon could appear disc-shaped depending on orientation.] 1377 NND 923007

Generated with AI from the official file — may contain errors.

Source: U.S. Department of War / AARO — public domain · war.gov/ufo