Report of Investigation: Investigation of Unidentified Aerial Object in Vicinity of Cameron's Cone, Manitou Springs, Colorado

This report details an investigation conducted by the United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations into an unidentified aerial object sighted near Manitou Springs, Colorado, on August 8, 1949. The investigation was initiated following a telephone report from a civilian witness who observed a silver, balloon-shaped object hovering approximately 200 feet above a ridge between Cameron's Cone and Mt. Arthur. The witness, a 57-year-old unemployed pipe fitter, observed the object for approximately three minutes while performing chores. He reported that the object remained stationary, exhibited no signs of propulsion, sound, or maneuverability, and eventually disappeared while he was distracted. The investigator, Major L.J. Seibert, conducted an extensive follow-up, including interviews with the witness's acquaintances and a survey of the terrain. Despite the witness's reputation for reliability, no other individuals could be found who had observed the object. Weather conditions at the time were reported as having unlimited visibility, and meteorological data indicated that winds were blowing from the north and northeast. The report concludes that the object was likely a weather balloon, noting that the US Weather Bureau in Denver frequently launched such equipment and that the prevailing winds made it highly probable that a balloon could have entered the area. The investigation was officially closed with no further action taken.