July 9, 1947; Bet. Meridian and Boise, Idaho (BBU)

12:17 p.m. (PDT). Idaho Statesman aviation editor and former (AAF) B-29 pilot Dave Johnson was flying  an Idaho Air National Guard AT-6 heading on a easterly course pointing toward Gowen Field. He had flown that course about a minute when there appeared in the left hand portion of his field of vision a round black object. Due to its erratic movement he first thought it was a weather balloon. Calling the weather station he ascertained that a release had not been made for several hours. He then exposed 10 secs duration of 8 mm motion picture film. Continuing his gaze once more on the object he observed it to roll so that its edge was presented. At that time it flashed once in the sunlight and appeared as a thin black line. It then performed a  maneuver that looked as if it had started a slow roll (barrel roll) which instead of being completed was broken off at about the 180 degree point. The object then rolled out of the top of the maneuver at this point and observer lost sight of it. This performance was viewed against a background of clouds. Johnson described the object as relatively the size of a twenty-five cent piece (but probably not at arm's length???). Observer could not estimate speed but it was thought to be very great.

2014 Sept. Update:
It was considered during our research that this case was a potential EOTS sighting, but we didn't have the docs on it from the unpublished Ruppelt manuscript posted  until Jan 2011. * I very recently discovered that 1) Instead of two witnesses there was only one. 2) The duration, although not stated, had to include spotting the object, being concerned enough about its unusual behavior to seek information, radioing the weather station and obtaining records on a balloon launch, getting his camera and filming the object for 10 seconds, then continuing his gaze until the object vanished. The fact that motion pictures were taken, and in the hands of the Army Air Force (just days after Roswell) would make this case an obvious EOTS candidate. Officially written off as a balloon. **