Alberton, MontanaMay 1956

Insufficient Data

Summary

On May 30, 1956, near Alberton, Montana, a civilian reported two objects. It was a ground visual sighting. The report came in on an Air Force Form 112. The objects were in view for 47 minutes.

Both objects had the size and shape of parachutes. They were seen in the west. The estimated altitude was 40,000 feet. Their color was white like a magnesium flare. The color changed to red as they disappeared. The objects appeared to be descending.

The Air Force checked with weather service records. Four balloons released from Vernalis, California were in the Montana area. Their exact location was unknown because of a telemetering equipment failure. The balloons were known to be at a preset altitude of 40,000 feet. The Project 10073 record card, the official record for unidentified flying object reports, concluded the sighting was possibly caused by two of these balloons.

Reported location

Alberton, Montana

Date of incident

May 1956

State / country

MT / US

Page count

1 scanned page

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 25

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 1

View transcribed text

| |
bat aky PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD gives. iy |
1. DATE 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS |
D Was Bolloon |
30 May 1956 Alberton, Montana O Probably Balloon
3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION RX Possibly Balloon
JY fe EE XX Ground-Visual 0 Ground-Radar a ln BA
oMT_31/0359Z2 - 0 Air Visual O Air-Intercept Radar O Possibly Aircraft
5. PHOTOS .» SOURCE 0 Was Astronomical
DO VYes O Probably Astronomical
XDNo Civilian O Possibly Astronomical
7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE RAE CJT Se A RE |
O Insufficient Dato for Evaluation
47 minutes two descending |B Unknown a
10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 11. COMMENTS
Two objects both the size & shape of | Received by AF Form 112, A chec
parachutes, sighted in the West (anglle by this hq w/ADC WX Service re-
of elevation unknown), estimated vealed that four balloons our o |
altitude of 40,000 feet. Color of a Vernallis, Calif. were in the |
: white magnesium flare-changed to red Montana area, location unknown
at disappearance. Objects appeared due to failure of telemetering
to be descending. equipment, It is known that these |
| balloons were at a presettalti-
: tude of 40,000 ft, It is the '
: opinion of this hq that this
sighting was possibly caused by
No Report In File two of these balloons.
"ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 82) :
ik
: a 0 - :
i : :
4 : i i . : \ ; \ [

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28965750