Documents / FOIA release

FBI file: UFO, UFO Part 06

Federal Bureau of Investigation · 129 pages · text by GLM-OCR

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.

  • p. 66 …Your cooperation in furnishing photographs and negatives, together with information contained in your letter of 16…
  • p. 73 …an active interest in the investigation throughout, cooperating, of course, with O.S.I. representatives. Mr…
  • p. 82 …officially, but as a personal matter of cooperation. He stated that the matter was being given…
  • p. 102 …This Division will appreciate your cooperation in this matter. Very truly yours. Incl James J. Hauser…
  • p. 107 …Your cooperation in this instance was deeply appreciated. Cordially yours KENNETH S. WHERRY KSW:f* RECORDED…
  • p. 117 …this headquarters, D 355.3 EX, subject, "Cooperation of FBI with AAP on Investigation of 'Flying…

Read from the scan by GLM-OCR; expect the odd misread word.

vapor trail being left by an aircraft moving at extremely high speeds or extremely high altitudes, the vapor trail usually will be from the wing tips and/or the exhaust of the engines, thus presenting several lines. But, in any event, even though only one line were visible, it would be rather quick to dissipate. This indicated to him that the vapor trail represents some atmospheric change along the path of the missile, which would not be the case were it any presently known type of aircraft.

He continued that information furnished by him should be treated with the most confidence, in that he was not speaking officially, but as a personal matter of cooperation. He stated that the matter was being given absolutely no dissemination by the air force or other military personnel, and that they had not deemed it advisable to advise him of all information pertaining to the missile. He continued, however, that in his conversation with representatives at Wright Field and in reading reports returned to this country by foreign agents, he had gathered certain information which might be of assistance in determining whether or not these so-called missiles were authentic, usable and of danger to the United States. First, he pointed out that knowledge of such a possible aircraft is not by any means new, it having been known as early as four years ago that some type of flying disc was being experimented with by the Russians. In addition thereto, he stated that more recent reports have been received from representatives of the Central Intelligence Agency in Southern Europe and Southern Asia to the effect that the Russians were experimenting with some type of radical aircraft or guided missile which could be dispatched for great distances out over the sea, made to turn in flight and return to the base from which it was launched. This fact was extremely worthy of notice as experiments in this country have so far only developed to the point where we are concerned with delivering a missile to the required point of impact, and no consideration has been given to imparting to that missile the ability to return. Secondly, he stated that it is a known fact that the Russians are attempting to develop some type of nuclear energy, that they received a wealth of information concerning nuclear energy at the time of their occupation in Germany, and that they too have at their disposal the limited supply of the necessary fissionable materials. He stated that insofar as any opinion as to whether or not they have the ability and scientific knowledge to create such a nuclear-propelled missile is strictly a matter of conjecture, and that he would hesitate to make any definite statement. He pointed out, however, that the Russians have some very capable scientists in the field of atomic energy and that, in addition thereto, they took into their custody some of the most advanced and capable scientists of the German Nation.

He also stated that a peculiar fact concerning the missiles exists from reports he has received which is worthy of notice, and that is that from all appearances, they usually approach the United States from a northerly direction and have been reported as returning in a northerly direction. None have ever been known to crash, collide or disintegrate over American soil, but it would appear that they come to the United States, cruise around, and go back over the North Pole. He states that insofar as is known to him, there has never

Cases discussed

About this file

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.