Pentagon Declassifies 1952 UFO Film and Recent Military Footage

The Pentagon released a sixth batch of declassified files on unidentified anomalous phenomena on September 18, 2026, featuring a newly digitized 1952 film of bright objects over Utah and recent military footage from locations including the Middle East and the Yellow Sea. The release, part of the Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters, or PURSUE, was directed by President Donald Trump to increase government transparency on the subject. The historical centerpiece is 16mm color film shot on July 2, 1952, near Tremonton, Utah, by Navy Chief Warrant Officer Delbert C. Newhouse. Newhouse, a trained aerial photographer, reported observing 10 to 14 bright, disc-shaped objects and recorded them on film. The case was investigated by the Air Force's Project Blue Book, which considered explanations including birds, balloons, and optical effects but did not reach a conclusive identification. A later official assessment cited in the files became more confident the objects were seabirds reflecting sunlight, while the Navy's photo lab analysis concluded they did not match birds or balloons and appeared self-luminous. The case remains officially unresolved.