FOIA: FBI Unidentified Flying Objects Part 2

FBI_UFO_FILES_PART_2.pdf
FBI Unidentified Flying Objects Files Part 2
Good Quality Scans of a large collection of letters, reports, newspapers and magazine clippings relating to the UFO phenomenon collected by the FBI
Document date: 1953-01-01
Department: FBI - Federal Bureau of Investigation
Author: Unknown Multiples
Document type: Report, Letters
pages: 677


Archivist's Notes: Letters to and from FBI officials requesting information on UFO activity and UFO programs. Space Review and New Yorker Magazines articles on UFO's, Newspapers clippings of UFO sighting, Witness reports of UFO sightings. Handwritten letter proprosal of how to deal with flying saucers.

There is no way to completely summarize these documents, as this is a very large file.There are references to a number of well known sightings, and others that are almost unknown now. This file would be a good subject for a detailed study, as it is the FBIs own viewpoint on UFOs, at least officially, and their compulsion to keep some information in their files, even while passing the reports on to the OSI.

It is well to note at this point that the documents are in reverse order, by date. Meaning that while each document/report, sometimes running to several pages, is in the correct order, each 'new' report or letter set is older than the one before it. This may be slightly confusing, but should prove no problem to a skilled researcher or a determined reader.

There is everything from a letter to J.Edgar Hoover asking if a certain UFO group were considered subversive to a scrawled letter detailing plans for the government to shoot down a UFO. There are copies of the newsletter sent out by the International Flying Saucer Bureau (the one the man wondered if it was a subversive group) that report a wide range of incidents. There is an extensive article from the New Yorker magazine, (complete with a lot of 50s ads in the margin). Also to be found are many internal memos detailing the handling of reports within the government.

There are too many reports here to give more than a taste, but one of the first to be found is from Franklin, Indiana, where on July 28, 1952 several police officers and civilians witnessed three UFOs for over four hours. The two smaller orbs seemed to engage in a dogfight, complete with loops and rolls, before being absorbed by the larger UFO. This performance lasted from the predawn hours until well after daylight, when the whole circus act flew away.

Some of the reports are part of the well known events such as the Flatwoods Monster and the Florida Scoutmaster story. Others are farmers complaining of lights over their fields and a remembered UFO/light that happened in 1917. (The latter is followed by a long rambling discourse by the author on magnets and possible propulsion methods.)

Many of the ideas and theories, especially those put out by the IFSB, sound like they were copied from the UFO Forum here at ATS. In many respects the newsletter was the forum discussion of it's day, complete with reports and input from those who subscribed. About the only thing missing that can be found here today are the skeptics.

There are juicy little tidbits littering these pages, such as a quote attributed to Eddie Richenbacker saying "Too many good men have seen flying saucers for us to dismiss them lightly as hallucinations." Or an FBI letter dated October 27, 1952, from Mr. A.H. Belmont to V.P. Keay where it is mentioned that "some Military officials are seriously considering the possibility of interplanetary ships."

All that I can advise is to take a little time and start reading. There's something for almost anyone interested in UFOs. It is interesting on other levels to see how much things change and yet how much remains the same, both in the UFO field and the human mind when confronted with the unknown.

Documents like that are a nightmare for the archivist

Long read and a lot of pages but worth the time IMO. There is a good website with a great collection of FOIA documents related to FBI investigation of the phenomena. This is an excerpt from that site:

FOIA # 1

Document #: 1
Date Sent: 06-09-1986
Subject: 1947 J. EDGAR HOOVER FBI

CUFON - UFO INFORMATION SERVICE SEATTLE, WA

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT DOCUMENT FILES
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Memorandum for Mr. Ladd

Mr. ________ also discussed this matter with Colonel L. H. Forney of MID. Colonel Forney indicated that it was his attitude that inasmuch as it has been established that the flying disks are not the result of any Army or Navy experiments, the matter is of interest to the FBI. He stated that he was of the opinion that the Bureau, if at all possible, should accede to General Schulgen's request.

SWR:AJB

ADDENDUM

I would recommend that we advise the Army that the Bureau does not believe it should go into these investigations, it being noted that a great bulk of those alleged discs reported found have been pranks. It is not believed that the Bureau would accomplish anything by going into these investigations.

DML

(Clyde Tolson) - I think we should do this. (Dated 7/15)

(J. Edgar Hoover) - I would do it but before agreeing to it we must insist upon full access to discs recovered. For instance in the SW case the Army grabbed it and would not let us have it for cursory examination.

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT DOCUMENT FILES