Documents / FOIA release
This Federal Bureau of Investigation file section collects 1947 to 1949 correspondence, memoranda and newspaper clippings about flying disc reports. It includes Hoover's replies to citizens, a Maine woman's account of a drifting object judged probably a weather balloon, a Richmond memo on a cigar-shaped object seen over Radford, Virginia on May 12, 1949, clippings on the Chiles and Whitted sighting near Montgomery, a Flyin' Saucer toy promotion, and agent interviews with witnesses in Vermont and a pilot near Bethel, Alaska.
“Cooper”6 pages
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## O ## O ## Director Re: Flying Disc HO 12/28/48 While observing the object, Mr. noted an aluminum cylinder which had become detached from one of the wing tips and he brought this back with him as a souvenir. This cylinder conceivably could act as a rudder, a rocket housing, or fuel tank attachment. Mr. initialled the cylinder and surrendered it also. There are attached hereto for the Bureau two copies of a signed statement taken from Mr. dated Houston, Texas, 12/28/48. Two copies of the statement are attached for the Los Angeles Office, and one informational copy is being designated for the Cincinnati Division. The original is being retained in the Houston file. One copy of the statement is attached to the copy of this letter for the FBI Laboratory. During the interview with Mr. Mrs. a stenographer for O.S.I., Ellington Field, recorded the statement for O.S.I. use. Initial information obtained concerning this flying disc was furnished telephonically to Inspector at the Bureau, 9 A.M., 12/28/48. Mr. requested the Bureau be given a summary of the information by teletype, with interested offices being similarly notified, and that the signed statement of be submitted AMSD. He further instructed that he did not want the Bureau "side tracked" in the handling of this matter, but that FBI representatives should assume an active interest in the investigation throughout, cooperating, of course, with O.S.I. representatives. Mr. headquarters are the District Commander, 5th O.S.I. District, Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio. On the morning of 12/28/48 Mr. sent a telegram to his District Commander giving a general summary of the original complaint. Mr. was unable to advise how the 5th O.S.I. District would handle their inquiry in this matter. He stated this could either be handled by Wright Field dispatching a special plane to California or by having their District Commander, 18D, O.S.I., San Bernardino, California handle it. He stated in any event it would be necessary for O.S.I. representatives to first confer with Mr. named in this statement, as being the individual who initially discovered the flying disc and would know also its present whereabouts.
FOIA release, from the fbi-vault collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. The text was read from the page images by GLM-OCR; expect the odd misread word. 129 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.