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.
“Socorro, New Mexico”1 page
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been any piece of one recovered from any source whatever in order that analytical study of its nature could be made. Insofar as was known to him, the only actual material which would be of any value in determining its nature are telephoto photographs which are now in the possession of engineers at Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio. How detailed and how clear these photographs are, he was unable to state. He stated that one report has been received concerning a collision of these missiles with another type of aircraft. This report, according to him, took place a short time prior to the report of numerous discs over the United States, and the report emanated from Czechoelovakia. This report was that a Czechoelovakian transport had collided with some unidentified missile while in mid-air over the ocean, and that said missile and said transport had been completely disintegrated without recovery of parts or survivors from either. It was the belief of the authorities that this undescribed missile was perhaps the same type of thing as the flying saucer. Another factor of notice, according to the report, and as is portrayed by the photographs, it would appear that the missiles can be maintained at a certain altitude above the contour of the ground. This could be done by means of some type of radio altimeter or radio control. Naturally, the path of the missile is not in exact parallel to the contour, as its purported great speed would create considerable lag in its flight. Another factor which is worthy of note, according to the report, is that it is normally reported as being seen at tremendously high altitudes and always traveling in a straight line. He stated that he himself observed, on one occasion, a single vapor trail coming from some type of aircraft at unbelievably high altitudes, which vapor trail extended from horizon to horizon in a perfectly straight line. He observed the vapor trail while it was in the process of formation and states that it was completely unlike any vapor trail he had ever observed before in all of his experience with the air force. It was his judgment that whatever created the vapor trail was traveling at an unbelievably tremendous speed. This, together with reports that when close to the ground, the missile travels at speeds which make possible visual observation of its actions, would reflect that there is some ability to control the speed of these missiles as well as the altitude. concluded that this matter, while still purely a matter of guesswork, is nevertheless a source of great concern to the military establishment of this country. Great efforts have been expended by the service to determine just what the nature of these missiles might be and, upon so determining, decide whether or not an adequate defense can be established. He also stated that it has given impetus to the research being done by the air force in their own program of nuclear energy for the propulsion of aircraft to develop guided missiles. He also advised that insofar as was known to him, there was absolutely no connection between these missiles and the fact that they were observed close to Oak Ridge, Tennessee. He stated that this was perhaps, and probably, a matter of coincidence and they were seen in this area merely as they were seen in forty-six of the forty-eight states of the United States during the Month of July when so many reports were being received. This information is being submitted to the Bureau for whatever value it may be, and no further action in the matter is being contemplated by this office, unless advised to the contrary. CCM:bk 65-11 Enclosures - 3
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.