1949 Air Force Memorandum Reveals UFO Reporting Procedures

Opening summary In 1949, the United States Air Force issued a memorandum detailing the procedures for reporting sightings of unconventional aircraft and unidentified flying objects UFOs . This document, dated 15 February 1949, was a significant step in formalizing the military's approach to handling reports of aerial phenomena, commonly referred to at the time as "Flying Discs." The memorandum highlights the Air Force's ongoing interest in collecting and analyzing information on such sightings. Background and context The late 1940s marked a period of heightened interest in UFOs, both within the military and among the general public. Reports of unusual aerial phenomena had become more frequent, prompting the U.S. military to establish protocols for documenting and investigating these occurrences. The 1949 memorandum from the Air Force Directorate of Intelligence was part of this effort, aiming to create a standardized procedure for reporting and analyzing sightings. Prior to this memorandum, the Department…