Secure Archive // Public Release
UFO / UAP
Unidentified aerial phenomena documented in officially released government archives.
558 published articles
Declassified FBI files show that in 1949 the Bureau considered investigating a man who reported seeing a metallic, top-shaped flying saucer in the mountains near Los Angeles in 1947. The files also include J. Edgar Hoover forwarding a citizen's letter to the Air Force in 1952.
Declassified FBI files from July 1947 detail multiple sightings of disc-like objects, including a United Airlines pilot's report of a barrel-rolling object over the Cascade Mountains and an Air Corps sergeant's observation of three high-speed objects.
A declassified FBI file contains a letter from a Civil Defense official in Franklin, Indiana, to J. Edgar Hoover, inquiring about the International Flying Saucer Bureau, along with a detailed report of a multi-hour UFO sighting over the town on July 28, 1952.
Newly released FBI files from 1947 show the Bureau tracking flying disc reports across the country, including a recovered disc in Wisconsin, a pilot's sighting in Oregon, and a memorandum claiming the discs were crewed by beings from another world.
Declassified FBI files include a Portland police report of a round silver object that changed shape, and a Louisville newspaper photographer's film of a flying saucer, both forwarded to military intelligence.
Declassified FBI files show that in September 1957, radar stations at Montauk Point and Benton, Pennsylvania tracked an unidentified object at 50,000 feet and speeds up to 4,500 mph. The Intelligence Advisory Committee concluded it was 'highly improbable' that a Soviet operation was responsible, though the Air Force later suggested atmospheric phenomena could explain the radar returns.
A FOIA release titled 'Flying Saucers from Denmark' has been made available via The Black Vault, but the document's text is largely illegible due to scanning issues.
Declassified FBI files show that in the 1950s, the Bureau explicitly declined jurisdiction over flying saucer investigations, deferring to the Air Force, while still monitoring civilian clubs like the Detroit Flying Saucer Club under an espionage classification.
Declassified FBI files reveal that in May 1949, the Bureau received reports of flying discs over Virginia and referred the matter to the Air Force, while noting that no investigation was conducted. Newspaper clippings in the file describe cigar-shaped objects with red lights and smoke trails seen across Virginia and Tennessee.
In August 1967, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover received a letter introducing 'UFO CONTACT,' a magazine dedicated to the work of the late George Adamski, a prominent UFO contactee. The magazine included an open letter to Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, urging her to hear evidence from Adamski's successors.
Declassified FBI files from 1947 show field offices investigating flying disc reports, including a recovered disc in Wisconsin and a pilot's sighting in Oregon. One memorandum, based on 'supernormal means,' warned that the discs were peaceful but could disintegrate attacking planes.
Declassified FBI memoranda from 1947 show the Bureau actively investigated flying disc reports, including a sighting near Seattle, before discontinuing its role and referring future cases to the Army Air Forces.