DOW-UAP-D098: US Naval Photographic Interpretation Center Analyzes UAP Films from Montana and Utah (1950/1952) — PURSUE Release 5

DOW-UAP-D098 is a memorandum from the **U.S. Naval Photographic Interpretation Center** from 1953, declassified on August 7, 2026, as part of PURSUE Release 5 (VIRIN: 260807-D-D0360-1087). The document contains the analysis of two films allegedly showing unidentified flying objects — recorded in **Montana (1950)** and **Utah (1952)**.

**Content of the Memorandum:** The Naval Photographic Interpretation Center assessed the objects in the films and found that they exhibited characteristics **inconsistent with commonly known aerospace technologies**. The document describes the Center's analytical process, the assumptions that constrained its confidence level, tentative conclusions, and recommendations for future research. Accompanying charts compare the luminosity and apparent angular size of the phenomena. The Center recommended a better-resourced investigation but was unable to conduct it itself due to lack of funding and personnel.

**Historical Context:** 1950 and 1952 were peak years of the early UFO observation wave in the USA. The Great Falls UFO sighting (Montana, 1950) — also known as the 'Mariana Film' — is one of the most well-known early UAP film recordings and was also analyzed by the Navy. It is likely that DOW-UAP-D098 analyzes these recordings. The Utah recordings from 1952 may be connected to the Tremonton film, which was also filmed in Utah in 1952 and analyzed by the Navy.

**Assessment:** Score 72/high. The document is authentic (war.gov, officially declassified). The finding that the objects were inconsistent with known technologies is remarkable — especially coming from the Naval Photographic Interpretation Center, one of the most prestigious analysis units of the time.