Sighting Report and Correspondence — Chicago, Illinois, February 28, 1949

This document contains a correspondence and a formal sighting report regarding an unidentified aerial phenomenon observed in Chicago, Illinois, on February 28, 1949. The witness, whose name is redacted, reported observing a large, cylinder-shaped object traveling on a due westerly course at approximately 6:11 p.m. in a clear sky. The witness estimated the object's size to be larger than a Graf Zeppelin. According to the report, the object emitted exhaust for approximately 22 seconds, described as blue in color and flecked with red to orange darts, before the entire rear end—which was conical in shape—began rolling off in steam-gray balls. The total duration of the observation was noted as less than two minutes. The witness provided a sketch to assist in the investigation. The document includes a formal acknowledgment letter from the Intelligence Department, signed by Lt. Colonel A. J. Helmstreet, Jr., confirming that the report was incorporated into the official study of unidentified aerial phenomena. Additionally, the document includes a summary table of sightings from March 1949, which lists various reports from across the United States, including locations such as Fort Worth, Los Alamos, and Killeen Base, with evaluations ranging from 'Astro (METEOR)' to 'AIRCRAFT' and 'INSUFFICIENT DATA'.