Project 10073 Record — Dillon, Montana, 3 April 1949

This document is a formal Report of Investigation (File 100-0) dated 28 April 1949, concerning an Unidentified Aerial Phenomena sighting that occurred on 3 April 1949, near Dillon, Montana. The investigation was conducted by Special Agent Frank E. Seigal of the Office of Special Investigations, United States Air Force. The primary witness, an owner of a local construction company, reported observing a 'Flying Disc' at approximately 1150 hours. The witness, who was in his construction yard, described the object as a metallic, disc-shaped craft, approximately 20 feet in diameter and 4 to 5 feet thick. He noted that the object appeared to be composed of two plates joined together, with a bright upper surface and a blue-gray or greenish-gray lower surface. The object exhibited a rocking or rotating motion and moved in a semi-circular fashion. It was observed to descend from an altitude of 3,000 to 5,000 feet down to 700 or 1,000 feet, before moving rapidly in an easterly direction, then southwesterly, and finally disappearing over the mountains east of Dillon. Three additional witnesses, including an oil station attendant and employees of local construction and trucking companies, corroborated the account. The investigation noted that the object produced no exhaust, smoke, odor, or sound, and lacked any visible fins, stabilizers, or duct openings. The witnesses estimated the speed to be in excess of 1,000 miles per hour, noting that the object appeared to blur during its rapid transit. The weather at the time was clear with visibility reaching 40 miles. The report includes enclosures such as local weather teletypes, wind reports, and a regional map of the Bitterroot Range. The investigation was closed by the Office of Special Investigations on 28 April 1949, with the conclusion that all logical leads had been investigated, leaving the object officially 'UNIDENTIFIED'. The document emphasizes the high credibility of the witnesses, stating that their reliability was considered 'beyond a question of doubt' by the local community.