FBI Files Show 1949 Flying Disc Sightings Referred to Air Force

In May 1949, Bureau desired to pass along newspaper clippings concerning what was described as a flying disc sighted at Radford on May 12, 1949. Crucially, the document reveals that the FBI had no independent information beyond the news items themselves. The memo explicitly notes that the matter was not reported directly to the FBI office, that no investigation or inquiries were being made, and that none of the individuals who allegedly saw the object had been interviewed.

This referral underscores the FBI's jurisdictional boundaries at the time: while the Bureau collected and forwarded such reports, it deferred investigative responsibility to the Air Force, which held primary interest in potential threats to national airspace. The Radford case thus illustrates a procedural pattern in early UFO reporting, where civilian sightings were routed through federal channels without immediate field investigation. The memo's existence also highlights the documentary trail that later became public…