UFO
SECTION 1
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
COMMUNICATIONS SECTION
AUG 11 1947
TELETYPE
FBI PORTLAND 8-11-47 1-17 PM PST KAM
DIRECTOR U R G E N T
FLYING DISCS. SECURITY MATTER DASH X. ONE
____ FORMER NAVY PILOT AND
PRESENTLY ____ MYRTLE CREEK, ____ OREGON,
REPORTS SEEING A MYSTERIOUS
OBJECT ON TWO OCCASIONS THE EVENING OF AUGUST
SIXTH WHILE FLYING AT
ABOUT FIVE THOUSAND FEET ABOVE MYRTLE CREEK.
HATFIELD TO BE
INTERVIEWED.
BOBBITT
END
5-18 PM OK FBI WASH DC GAR
[Stamped: RECORDED & INDEXED
30 OCT 1947
EX-60]
* * * * * * * *
STANDARD FORM NO. 64
_Office Memorandum_ · UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
TO : DIRECTOR, FBI DATE: August 12, 1947
FROM : SAC, MILWAUKEE
SUBJECT: FLYING DISCS
SABOTAGE
Reference is made to Bureau Bulletin No. 42,
Series 1947, dated July
30, 1947, Section (B), which advises that
all reports concerning flying
discs should be investigated by field offices.
Prior to the receipt of these instructions,
two instances were called
to the attention of this office concerning
flying discs. One report was
received July 7, 1947, the details of which
are set forth in Milwaukee
letter to the Bureau dated July 8, 1947, entitled,
"Flying Discs or
Saucers, Miscellaneous, Telephone Call from
Mr. Fletcher at the Bureau
at 8:30 a.m., 7-7-47." No investigation was
conducted concerning this
report.
The second report was received by this office
at 1:20 p.m. July 11,
1947, from ____ who is in charge of the Civil
Air Patrol of Wisconsin,
an auxiliary of the Army Air Forces. On that
occasion ____ calling from
Black River Falls, Wisconsin, telephonically
advised this office that
an object in the shape of a disc, nineteen
inches in diameter had been
found July 10, 1947, by one ____ city electrician
on the Jackson County
fairgrounds, near Black River Falls, Wisconsin,
about 3:30 p.m. The
disc might be made of a substance such as
cardboard covered by a silver
airplane dope material. The contraption has
a small wooden tail like a
rudder in the back and inside of the disc
is what appears to be an RCA
photo-electric cell or tube. Also inside the
disc is a little electric
motor with a shaft running to the center of
the disc. At one end of the
shaft is a very small propeller. In ____ opinion
that contraption might
possibly have been made by some juvenile.
____ stated that he desired
to return the contraption to Milwaukee and
eventually turn it over to
the Army Air Forces, but that the finder,
____ apparently wanted to get
some publicity on his find and wanted it returned
to him.
This information was telephonically called
to the attention of
Assistant Director D. M. LADD of the Bureau
on July 11, 1947.
Subsequently, SAC H. K. JOHNSON telephoned
Colonel ____ in charge of
Counter Intelligence, Fifth Army, Chicago
AC of S G-2 Headquarters
Fifth Army, East Hyde Park Avenue, Chicago,
Illinois, who stated he
would contact ____ of Black River Falls, Wisconsin.
No further investigation was conducted in
this matter.
The above constitutes the only two instances
in which this office was
contacted concerning flying discs. Unless
contrary instructions are
received from the Bureau, this office does
not contemplate taking any
further action in connection with the above
two cases, but will fully
investigate all future reports concerning
flying discs.
JGF/ddc
98-0
[Stamped: COPIES DESTROYED
270 NOV 18 1964]
* * * * * * * *
August 5, 1947
____
____
Omaha, Nebraska
Dear ____
I wish to acknowledge receipt of your letter
postmarked July 10, 1947,
together with its enclosure.
Inasmuch as the information which you furnished
is of interest to the
War Department I have taken the liberty of
furnishing it to that agency
for their consideration.
Sincerely yours,
John Edgar Hoover
Director
WVC:mjp:rb
62-83894
[Stamped: RECORDED & INDEXED
EX-8]
* * * * * * * *
STANDARD FORM NO. 64
_Office Memorandum_ · UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
TO : D. M. Ladd DATE: August 1, 1947
FROM : J. P. Coyno
SUBJECT: MRS. ____
INFORMANT
There is attached hereto a letter received
from the captioned
individual postmarked July 12, 1947, concerning
"flying saucers."
There is also attached a letter of acknowledgement
to ____ ____
together with a letter to the War Department
for approval.
It is recommended that the letter to the War
Department be forwarded to
the Liaison Section for transmittal to that
agency.
Attachments
WVC:mjp
[Handwritten: handled separately]
[Stamped: RECORDED & INDEXED]
* * * * * * * *
F.B.I. TELETYPE
D E C O D E D C O P Y
WASH FROM SFRAN S2 8-9-47 2-50 PM KC
DIRECTOR FBI AND SACS, SEATTLE AND PORTLAND
URGENT
FLYING DISKS, SECURITY MATTER-X. LT. COL.
____ OF G2, SAN FRANCISCO,
ADVISED TODAY HE HAS NO FURTHER INFORMATION
AND THAT OUR SEATTLE OFFICE
IS IN POSSESSION OF ALL INFORMATION KNOWN
BY HIM AND IS HANDLING THE
MATTER AT TACOMA, WASHINGTON.
KIMBALL
RECEIVED 8-9-47 8:15 PM EDST
SACS SEATTLE AND PORTLAND ADVISED
If the intelligence contained in the above
message is to be
disseminated outside the Bureau, it is suggested
that it be suitably
paraphrased in order to protect the Bureau's
coding systems.
[Stamped: G.I.R.-9
RECORDED
EX-45]
* * * * * * * *
STANDARD FORM NO. 64
_Office Memorandum_ · UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
TO : Director, FBI DATE: August 8, 1947
FROM : SAC, Norfolk
SUBJECT: FLYING DISCS
Re Bureau Bulletin No. 42, dated July 30,
1947, Series 1947, wherein
information is set forth pertaining to flying
discs.
There is enclosed with this letter a newspaper
clipping from the
"Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch", dated July 9, 1947.
The photograph appearing
on this clipping is alleged to represent a
flying disc which was
observed by BILLY TURRENTINE, a Norfolk school
boy, who was successful
in photographing the object with his small
camera.
BILLY was interviewed on August 8, 1947 by
Special Agent (A) ____ at
which time BILLY informed that the original
negative was given by him
to a Mr. BROWN of the Photo Craftsman Service,
who in turn furnished
the negative to the International News Service.
BILLY advised that he
has an agreement with Mr. BROWN whereby the
latter will share equally
in any profits derived from the use of the
negative by commercial firms
or newspapers. As of August 8, 1947 BILLY
has not received any
remuneration for the use of this negative.
He informed that he was sitting on the front
porch of his apartment
which is located on the third floor at 410
West 14th Street, Norfolk,
Virginia, around noontime on July 8, 1947.
He had read numerous
newspaper articles pertaining to flying discs
and decided to sit on his
front porch in the hopes of seeing one and
attempting to photograph it.
On July 8, 1947 BILLY observed a large, black
object moving rapidly
through space proceeding from the southwest
to a northeast direction.
He said the black object was followed by two
smaller objects which also
proceeded in the same direction. BILLY explained
that the objects were
moving at a very fast speed which appeared
to him to be much faster
than the speed of an airplane, and further,
that the objects appeared
to be extremely high. He said that they were
much higher than the
average plane travels in the City of Norfolk
and appeared to be above
the clouds, and that a white mist followed
each of the three objects.
BILLY was unable to state what the black objects
represented, but
admitted that they could have been large balloons.
He indicated that he
has observed small, toy balloons flying through
the air, but that
definitely these were not the toy type balloons.
He said that when he
first observed the objects they were at such
a great distance from him
that it was not necessary that he raise his
head in order to see them
from his porch on the third floor of the apartment
building. He
immediately turned around to obtain his camera
and estimated it took
him approximately twenty to thirty seconds,
at which time the discs
were almost directly over his apartment and
it was necessary that he
stoop and look up almost perpendicular in
order to obtain the
photograph, which accounts for the porch railing
being shown in the
newspaper clipping. BILLY pointed out that
the day on which he took the
picture, the weather was hazy and somewhat
cloudy and there was a
slight breeze blowing from the southwest in
the general direction of
the northeast, which is the same direction
traveled by the black image
which he photographed.
Inasmuch as the Army authorities in the Tidewater
Area of Virginia are
cognizant of the above information, no further
investigation will be
conducted by this office in this matter.
Enclosure.
TJC:lab
62-182
[Stamped: RECORDED & INDEXED
COPIES DESTROYED
270 NOV 18 1964]
* * * * * * * *
FEDERAL 
BUREAU 
OF INVESTIGATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
COMMUNICATIONS SECTION
AUG 4 1947
TELETYPE
WASHINGTON FROM NEWARK 8-4-47 5-36 PM EDST
JFG
DIRECTOR U R G E N T
FLYING DISC REPORTED AT HACKENSACK, NJ AUGUST
THREE, NINETEEN
FORTY-SEVEN, MISC. INFORMATION RECEIVED THAT
____ AGE ____ ____ AGE
TWENTY, ____ HACKENSACK AND ____ ____ FT.
DIX, NJ ON LATE AFTERNOON
AUGUST THIRD LAST SIGHTED FROM GROUND OBJECT
DESCRIBED AS FLYING DISC.
____ CLAIMED IT WAS TWO HUNDRED ____ YDS,
IN AIR, REVOLVING SLOWLY,
MOVING RAPIDLY, AND NEITHER A KITE NOR A BALLOON.
____ TELEPHONED
INFORMATION TO HACKENSACK PD. INQUIRY BEING
MADE, BUREAU WILL BE KEPT
ADVISED.
MC KEE
RECORDED 62-83844-49
END ACK PLS
NK R 1
[Handwritten: Info. brought to the attention
of ____ 8/6/47]
[Stamped: RECORDED
EX-46]
* * * * * * * *
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
COMMUNICATIONS SECTION
AUG 6 1947
TELETYPE
FBI PORTLAND 8-5-47 8-50 PM HHS
DIRECTOR AND SACS SEATTLE AND SAN FRANCISCO
U R G E N T
FLYING DISCS, SM DASH X. RE TELEPHONE CALL
FROM MR. LADD, ONE PM TODAY
REQUESTING TELETYPE SUMMARY CONCERNING NEWSPAPER
REPORTS OF RECENT
REPORTED FLYING DISCS IN PORTLAND AREA AND
A REPORTED CONFERENCE OF
ARMY OFFICIALS IN PORTLAND CONCERNING FLYING
DISCS.____ ____ THE
OREGONIAN, ADVISED THAT A CAPTAIN WILLIAM
L. DAVIDSON AND LT. FRANK M.
BROWN OF FOURTH AAF HEADQUARTERS SAN FRANCISCO
WERE IN PORTLAND JULY
TWENTY SEVEN LAST AND INTERVIEWED ____ AN
EXPERIENCED PILOT, WHO HAD
REPORTED JUNE FOURTEEN LAST SEEING A FORMATION
OF TEN FLYING DISCS OVER
BAKERSFIELD, CALIF. ACCORDING TO ____ THEY
HAD ALSO INTERVIEWED
FOLLOWING FOUR EXPERIENCED PILOTS WHO WERE
AMONG FIRST WHO REPORTED
SEEING DISCS--____ TO ASCERTAIN THE PURPOSE
OF THE INTERVIEWS ____
CONTACTED MAJOR GENERAL TWINING OF WRIGHT
FIELD, OHIO BY PHONE AT
ALBUQUERQUE, NM, AND FROM HIM GAINED THE IMPRESSION
THAT THE AAF
INSTITUTED THIS INVESTIGATION TO WASH OUT
THE DISC REPORTS, SINCE THEY
ARE DEFINITELY NOT OF AAF ORIGIN. ON FRIDAY,
AUGUST FIRST, THE PLANE IN
WHICH AAF INVESTIGATORS CAPTAIN DAVIDSON AND
LT. BROWN WERE RIDING,
CRASHED AT KELSO, WASH. AND BOTH WERE KILLED.
THE WRECKAGE WAS SCREENED
BY AAF INTELLIGENCE FROM MCCHORD FIELD. THE
TACOMA NEWS TRIBUNE AND
THROUGH THEM THE UNITED PRESS PUT OUT A STORY
THE PLANE WAS CARRYING
PARTS OF A DISC WHICH HAD STRUCK A BOAT OWNED
BY HAROLD DAHL AND FRED
CRISMAN, TACOMA, WN. ____ ADVISED THAT TODAY'S
ISSUE OF THE OREGONIAN
CARRIES A UP STORY STATING THAT DAHL DENIES
SAYING THE METAL FRAGMENTS
HE FURNISHED WERE FROM A DISC, AND ANALYSIS
OF THE FRAGMENTS SHOWS THEM
TO BE FROM A TACOMA SLAG MILL. NO AAF INTELLIGENCE
PERSONNEL AVAILABLE
PORTLAND. NO RECENT SUBSTANTIVE REPORTS OF
FLYING DISCS IN THE PORTLAND
AREA. SEATTLE VERIFY AT MCCHORD FIELD AND
SAN FRANCISCO VERIFY AT AAF
HDQRTS. SF, SUBMITTING TELETYPE SUMMARIES
TO THE BUREAU. NO FURTHER
INVESTIGATION PORTLAND.
BOBBITT
END AND ACK
WA 0157AM OK FBI WA DW
SE
S OK FBI SE KLS
SF OK FBI SF NCW
DVIMSC
[Handwritten: b7C
8/6/47
cc Mr. Ladd.]
[Stamped: 67C
RECORDED & INDEXED
EX-30]
* * * * * * * *
STANDARD FORM NO. 64
_Office Memorandum_ · UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
TO : D. M. LADD DATE: August 6, 1947
FROM : ____
SUBJECT: FLYING SAUCERS
Special Agent ____ of the Liaison Section
contacted Lieutenant Colonel
____, Army Air Forces Intelligence, inquiring
about an article which
appeared in the West Coast newspapers recently
stating in substance
that an airplane carrying recovered flying
saucers crashed in route
from Portland, Oregon, to Los Angeles, California.
____ advised ____ that the only information
that has been received by
Headquarters of the Army Air Forces is that
a CIC Agent of the 4th Air
Forces Headquarters, Hamilton Field, San Francisco,
was killed in an
airplane crash. The Headquarters of the Air
Forces have been advised
that he was on a top secret mission. ____
indicated that he was under
the impression that the CIC Agent was either
on route to or from an
interview with ____ who is one of the individuals
who first saw one of
the flying saucers.
____ stated that the Air Forces have no additional
information and will
receive none until the report is received
from the 4th Air Forces. ____
suggested that the San Francisco Field Office
contact Colonel ____
Headquarters 4th Air Forces, Hamilton Field,
San Francisco, who
undoubtedly would be able to furnish the details
regarding this matter
which are at this time unknown by the Headquarters
of the Air Forces.
____ pointed out to ____, however, that it
was his belief that no
flying saucers have been recovered but that
it was merely an attempt to
reinterview an individual who previously had
reported seeing one of the
flying saucers.
SWR:rnr
[Stamped: RECORDED
EX-25]
* * * * * * * *
Date: August 5, 1947
CONFIDENTIAL
To: Director of Intelligence BY SPECIAL MESSENGER
War Department General Staff
The Pentagon
Washington 25, D.C.
Attention: Colonel ____
From: John Edgar Hoover--Director, Federal
Bureau of Investigation
Subject: ____
There are attached hereto copies of a letter
received from the
above-captioned individual concerning "flying
discs."
____ letter has been acknowledged and he has
been advised that copies
of his letter have been furnished to you for
your consideration.
Attachment
WVC:mjp:rb
[Handwritten: declassified
2040
8/31/87
HM]
[Stamped: RECORDED
COMMUNICATIONS SECTION
MAILED 10 P.M.
AUG 7 1947
FEDERAK BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE]
* * * * * * * *
Invoice of Contents from L-26
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Date 9-10-47 Case References Flying Saucer
Consigned to ____
Estill, South Carolina
List of Contents
Powered Soap Stone.
SPECIAL INSTRUCTION [illegible] Room, place
date of shipment and
registry number; Shipping Room, above date
of this invoice; then return
it to person whose name is checked in column
at right. After this
checked name has been initialled, invoice
should be placed in
administrative file.
[Stamped: COMMUNICATIONS SECTION
MAILED 7 P.M.
SEP 13 1947
FEDERAK BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
REGISTERED]
* * * * * * * *
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
To: COMMUNICATIONS SECTION. AUGUST 7, 1947
Transmit the following message to: SAC, DETROIT
"URGENT"
UNSUBS, ____ INFORMANTS, FLYING DISC, MISC.
REURTEL AUGUST 5 MATERIAL
SHOULD NOT BE FORWARDED TO FBI LABORATORY
FOR EXAMINATION BUT SHOULD BE
TURNED OVER TO THE ARMY AIRFORCE INTELLIGENCE.
HOOVER
RGF:mae
[Stamped: RECORDED & INDEXED
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
COMMUNICATION SECTION
AUG 7 1947
TELETYPE
COPIES DESTROYED
270 NOV 18 1964]
* * * * * * * *
Date : August 1, 1947 PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL
To : Director of Intelligence
War Department General Staff
The Pentagon
Washington 25, D.C.
Attention: ____
From : John Edgar Hoover, Director--Federal
Bureau of Investigation
Subject: ____
There are attached hereto copies of a letter
received from the
above-captioned individual concerning "flying
saucers."
____ letter has been acknowledged and she
has been advised that copies
of her letter have been furnished to you for
your consideration.
Attachment
WVC:mjp
[Handwritten: declassified
2040
8/31/77
HM]
[Stamped: RECEIVED & INDEXED]
* * * * * * * *
STANDARD FORM NO. 64
_Office Memorandum_ · UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
TO : DIRECTOR, FBI DATE: July 22, 1947
FROM : SAC, EL PASO
SUBJECT: ____
FLYING OBJECTS IN AIR
____ has come to the resident agency at Santa
Fe, New Mexico on several
occasions to report that she has received
information concerning flying
objects passing through the air. Some of the
reports that she has
received concern light objects seen at night
which have allegedly been
followed by explosions. She advised that one
of such objects was
reported by ____ ____ who works near Canjilon,
New Mexico. She claims
that others were seen near Park View and Tierra
Amarilla, New Mexico.
____ called attention to clippings from various
newspapers concerning
"disc-like" objects seen in New Mexico and
other parts of the country.
____ claims to be a student of radio waves
and ray forms, and contends
that the above mentioned objects may be missiles
similar to those
appearing over Sweden some time ago.
____ has discussed the above with officials
of the Atomic Energy
Commission, and has written the Secretary
of War and other government
officials concerning her theories. ____ for
the A.E.C., has advised
that officials at Los Alamos consider ____
____ unreliable and possibly
not well balanced mentally. She has mentioned
to agents of this office
that she was struck by lightning when a child.
On July 15, ____ came to the Santa Fe resident
agency and advised that
she had written to WALTER WINCHELL, promising
him a story in connection
with the "flying discs."
The foregoing information is being submitted
to the Bureau, inasmuch as
____ has written to several government officials
and Mr. WINCHELL.
62-0-3594c
FTM:GH
[Stamped: RECORDED & INDEXED]
* * * * * * * *
STANDARD FORM NO. 64
_Office Memorandum_ · UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
TO : D. M. LADD DATE: 7/24/47
FROM : E. G. Fitch
SUBJECT: FLYING DISCS
Reference is made to my memorandum to you
in the above captioned matter
dated July 10, 1947, indicating that Brigadier
General George F.
Schulgen of the Army Air Corps Intelligence
had requested that the
Bureau cooperate with the Army Air Corps intelligence
in connection
with the above captioned matter. The Director
noted on the referenced
memorandum, "I would do it but before agreeing
to it we must insist
upon full access to discs recovered. For instance
in the La. case the
Army grabbed it and would not let us have
it for cursory examination."
This is to advise that Special Agent ____
has recontacted General
Schulgen and advised him in connection with
the Director's notation.
General Schulgen indicated to ____ that he
desired to assure Mr. Hoover
of complete cooperation in this matter and
stated that he would issue
instructions to the field directing that all
cooperation be furnished
to the FBI and that all discs recovered be
made available for the
examination by the FBI Agents. General Schulgen
pointed out to ____
that he will from time to time make the results
of the studies of his
scientists available to the Bureau for the
assistance of the FBI Field
Offices. General Schulgen indicated to ____
that there has been a
decrease in the reported sightings of the
discs which might be because
of the fact that it has lost much of its publicity
value. He indicated,
however, that he believed it necessary to
follow this matter through to
determine as near as possible if discs were
in fact seen and to
determine their origin.
General Schulgen inquired of ____ the method
by which the Bureau would
make the information obtained from the Bureau's
inquiries, known to the
Air Corps, in the Field as well as at the
War Department level. Mr.
____ pointed out to General Schulgen that
the best procedure appeared
to be through the regular established channels.
It was pointed out to
General Schulgen that the Bureau Field Offices
maintain close liaison
with the Intelligence Divisions of the various
Armies as well as close
liaison with the Intelligence Division of
the War Department. General
Schulgen indicated that he would be satisfied
to receive information
through this means.
General Schulgen indicated to ____ that he
believed that there was a
possibility that this entire matter might
have been started by
subversive individuals for the purpose of
creating a mass hysteria. He
suggested that the Bureau keep this in mind
in any interviews conducted
regarding reported sightings. General Schulgen
stated to ____ that he
would make available to the Bureau all information
in the possession of
the Air Corps regarding the sightings which
were first reported so that
the Bureau could conduct some investigation
regarding these individuals
to ascertain their motives for reporting that
they had observed flying
discs. When General Schulgen makes the information
available regarding
these individuals, it will be promptly brought
to your attention.
SWR:rnr
[Stamped: Copies Destroyed
270 nov 18 1964
50 SEP 30 1947
RECORDED
EX-43]
* * * * * * * *
MEMORANDUM FOR D. M. LADD 7/23/47
RECOMMENDATION
There is attached a Bureau Bulletin to the
Field for their assistance
in handling this matter.
Attachment
* * * * * * * *
July 30, 1947
____
____
Brooklyn 27, New York
Dear ____:
I desire to acknowledge receipt of your letter
dated July 14, 1947, and
to express my appreciation to you for bringing
this matter to my
attention.
The information set forth in your letter has
been carefully reviewed
and is being maintained in this Bureau as
a matter of record.
Sincerely yours,
John Edgar Hoover
Director
NOTE: ____ has been a previous correspondent
with the Bu file ____. No
record could be located in the Crime Records
Section indication that
the correspondent might be a mental case.
[Stamped: RECORDED
COMMUNICATIONS SECTION
MAILED 10 P.M.
JUL 31 1947
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE]
* * * * * * * *
STANDARD FORM NO. 64
_Office Memorandum_ · UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
TO : D. M. LADD DATE: 7/10/47
FROM : E. G. Fitch
SUBJECT: FLYING DISKS
At request of Brigadier General George F.
Schulgen, Chief of the
Requirements Intelligence Branch of Army Air
Corps Intelligence,
Special Agent ____ discussed the above captioned
matter with him on
July 9, 1947. General Schulgen indicated to
____ that the Air Corps has
taken the attitude that every effort must
be undertaken in order to run
down and ascertain whether or not the flying
disks are a fact and, if
so, to learn all about them. According to
General Schulgen, the Air
Corps Intelligence are utilizing all of their
scientists in order to
ascertain whether or not such a phenomenon
could in fact occur. He
stated that this research is being conducted
with the thought that the
flying objects might be a celestial phenomenon
and with the view that
they might be a foreign body mechanically
devised and controlled.
General Schulgen also indicated to ____ that
all Air Corps
installations have been alerted to run out
each reported sighting to
obtain all possible data to assist in this
research project. In
passing, General Schulgen stated that an Air
Corps pilot who believed
that he saw one of these objects was thoroughly
interrogated by General
Schulgen and scientists, as well as a psychologist,
and the pilot was
adamant in his claim that he saw a flying
disk.
General Schulgen advised ____ that the possibility
exists that the
first reported sightings of the so-called
flying disks were fallacious
and prompted by individuals seeking personal
publicity, or were
reported for political reasons. He stated
that if this was so,
subsequent sightings might be the result of
a mass hysteria. He pointed
out that the thought exists that the first
reported sightings might
have been by individuals of Communist sympathies
with the view to
causing hysteria and fear of a secret Russian
weapon.
General Schulgen indicated to ____ that he
is desirous of having all
the angles covered in this matter. He stated
that reports of his
scientists and findings of the various Air
Corps installations will be
available in his office. He advised that to
complete the picture he
desired the assistance of the Federal Bureau
of Investigation in
locating and questioning the individuals who
first sighted the
so-called flying disks in order to ascertain
whether or not they are
sincere in their statements that they saw
these disks, or whether their
statements were prompted by personal desire
for publicity or political
reasons. General Schulgen assured ____ that
there are no War Department
or Navy Department research projects presently
being conducted which
could in any way be tied up with the flying
disks. General Schulgen
indicated to ____ that if the Bureau would
cooperate with him in this
matter, he would offer all the facilities
of his office as to results
obtained in the effort to identify and run
down this matter.
____ advised General Schulgen that his request
would be made known to
the Bureau and an answer made available to
him as soon as possible.
____ also discussed this matter with ____
of ____ ____ 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
[First Handwritten Note: I think we should
do this.
7-15
Second Handwritten Note: I would do it but
before agreeing to it we
must insist upon full access to discs
recovered. For instance in the La. case
the Army grabbed it & would not let us
have it for cursory examination.
H.]
[Stamped: RECORDED]
* * * * * * * *
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
COMMUNICATIONS SECTION
AUG 14 1947
TELETYPE
FBI SEATTLE 8-14-47 5-15 PM FB
DIRECTOR ROUTINE
FLYING DISCS SIGHTED BY ____, TACOMA.
WASHINGTON, SM X. REURTEL INSTANT DATE. PLEASE
BE ADVISED THAT ____ DID
NOT ADMIT TO ____ THAT HIS STORY WAS A HOAX
BUT ONLY STATED THAT IF
QUESTIONED BY AUTHORITIES HE WAS GOING TO
SAY IT WAS A HOAX BECAUSE HE
DID NOT WANT ANY FURTHER TROUBLE OVER THE
MATTER. COMPLETE REPORT NOW
EN ROUTE TO BUREAU AMSD, WHICH INDICATES PROBABLY
____ MADE THE
ANONYMOUS PHONE CALL IN THE HOPE OF BUILDING
UP THEIR STORY THROUGH
PUBLICITY TO A POINT WHERE THEY COULD MAKE
A PROFITABLE DEAL WITH
FANTASY MAGAZINE, CHICAGO ILLINOIS. ____ WILL
NOT BE REINTERVIEWED
UNLESS ADVISED TO THE CONTRARY BY THE BUREAU.
WILCOX
A AND HOLD PLS
9-16 PM OK FBI WASH DC GAR
[Stamped: 18 Aug 26 1947.
RECORDED & INDEXED
G.I.R.
EX-67]
* * * * * * * *
(B) FLYING DISCS--The Bureau, at the request
of the Army Air Forces
Intelligence, has agreed to cooperate in the
investigation of flying
discs. The Air Forces have confidentially
advised that it is possible
to release three or more discs in odd numbers,
attached together by a
wire, from an airplane in high altitudes and
that these discs would
obtain tremendous speed in their descent and
would descend to the earth
in an arc. The Army Air Forces Intelligence
has also indicated some
concern that the reported sightings might
have been made by subversive
individuals for the purpose of creating a
mass hysteria.
_______________________________
7-30-47
BUREAU BULLETIN No. 42
Series 1947
You should investigate each instance which
is brought to your attention
of a sighting of a flying disc in order to
ascertain whether or not it
is a bona fide sighting, an imaginary one
or a prank. You should also
bear in mind that individuals might report
seeing flying discs for
various reasons. It is conceivable that an
individual might be desirous
of seeking personal publicity, causing hysteria,
or playing a prank.
The Bureau should be notified immediately
by teletype of all reported
sightings and the results of your inquiries.
In instances where the
report appears to have merit, the teletype
should be followed by a
letter to the Bureau containing in detail
the results of your
inquiries. The Army Air Forces have assured
the Bureau complete
cooperating in these matters and in any instances
where they fail to
make information available to you or make
the recovered discs available
for your examination, it should promptly be
brought to the attention of
the Bureau.
Any information you develop in connection
with these discs should be
promptly brought to the attention of the Army
through your usual
liaison channels.
[Stamped: RECORDED 78 AUG 4, 1947
252 AUG 18 1947]
* * * * * * * *
July 10, 1947
____
____
Darlington, South Carolina
Dear ____
I wish to acknowledge receipt of your Western
Union telegram dated July
6, 1947. Your interest in bringing this information
to my attention is
greatly appreciated.
Inasmuch as the contents of your telegram
appear to be of interest to
the War Department only, I have taken the
liberty of turning this
information over to that Department.
Sincerely yours,
John Edgar Hoover
Director
cc--Savannah
NOTE: The telegram referred to "flying-discs."
[Stamped: COMMUNICATIONS SECTION
MAILED 2 P.M.
JUL 14 1947
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
RECORDED & INDEXED]
* * * * * * * *
July 10, 1947
____
____
San Marcos, Texas
Dear ____
I wish to acknowledge receipt of your Western
Union telegram dated July
7, 1947. Your interest in making this information
available to me is
greatly appreciated.
Inasmuch as the contents of your telegram
appear to be of interest to
the War Department only, I have taken the
liberty of making the
information furnished by you available to
that Department.
Sincerely yours,
John Edgar Hoover
Director
cc--San Antonio
NOTE: The telegram referred to "flying discs."
[Stamped: COMMUNICATIONS SECTION
MAILED 2 P.M.
JUL 14 1947
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
RECORDED & INDEXED
EX-64]
* * * * * * * *
July 23, 1947
____
____
Westport, Connecticut
Dear ____
Your letter dated July 27, 1947, together
with enclosures, has been
received and I want to thank you for submitting
the letter you
mentioned to me.
Sincerely yours,
John Edgar Hoover
Director
BHI:pib
[Stamped: COMMUNICATIONS SECTION
MAILED 2 P.M.
JUL 23 1947
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
RECORDED & INDEXED
EX-57]
* * * * * * * *
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
COMMUNICATIONS SECTION
JUL 18 1947
TELETYPE
WASHINGTON FROM BOSTON 3 18
DIRECTOR
METAL FRAGMENTS OBSERVED AT WEST RINDGE, N.H.,
JULY SEVEN, FORTY SEVEN,
SECURITY MATTER-X. ____, SECURITY OFFICER,
M.I.T., CAMBRIDGE, MASS.,
ADVISED THAT TODAY HE WAS IN CONTACT WITH
ONE ____ ____ OF WEST RINDGE,
N.H., A RETIRED ____ OF THE NEW ENGLAND TEL.
AND TEL. CO. ____ ADVISED
THAT AT APPROXIMATELY THREE PM ON JULY SEVEN
LAST SEVERAL PEOPLE
SITTING ON A PORCH OBSERVED ON THE LAWN OF
____ ROUTE ____ WEST RINDGE,
N.H., LITTLE CUP OF SMOKE, WHICH ON INSPECTION
DISCLOSED SMALL BURNED
____ SPOTS ABOUT ONE AND ONE HALF INCHES IN
DIAMETER ON THE GREEN LAWN.
ALSO IN THE LONG DRY GRASS ON BOTH SIDES OF
ROAD IN A CIRCLE
APPROXIMATELY TWO HUNDRED FEET IN DIAMETER
SEVERAL LITTLE BLAZES HAD
STARTED AND THE FIRE ____ DEPT. WAS CALLED.
FIRES WERE APPARENTLY
CAUSED BY METALLIC FRAGMENTATION WHICH WERE
TURNED OVER TO ____ OF MIT
BY A ____ ____ OF THE TELEPHONE COMPANY. ____
HAS ADVISED ____ THAT
THEIR GENERAL ____ APPEARANCE ARE SIMILAR
TO THE LINING OF V DASH TWO
BOMBS, WHICH HE HAD OBSERVED AT NEW MEXICO.
____ PROFESSOR ____ AN
OUTSTANDING METALLURGIST AT MIT, STATED THAT
THEY ARE POSSIBLY THE
LINING FROM A JET TURBO PLANE. AT PRESENT
TIME HE IS IN PROCESS OF
ANALYZING TWO OF THESE PIECES. THESE SCIENTISTS
IN ROUGHLY
RECONSTRUCTING THE METALLIC OBJECT STATE IT
WAS APPROXIMATELY FOURTEEN
INCHES IN DIAMETER, THREE SIXTEENTH OF AN
INCH THICK, AND MACHINE
TOOLED, AND SOME FRAGMENTS INDICATED THEY
WERE BURNED AND ____ APPEARED
TO HAVE BEEN SUBJECTED TO TERRIFIC HEAT. THESE
SCIENTISTS ARE TREATING
THIS MATTER AS CLASSIFIED INFORMATION. MR.
____ ____ AT WEST RINDGE,
N.H. IS ALSO ENDEAVORING TO COLLECT ADDITIONAL
FRAGMENTS AND HAS STATED
THAT THE FIRE CHIEF AT WEST RINDGE HAS ALSO
SEVERAL FRAGMENTS IN HIS
POSSESSION. ____ INDICATED THAT THE ____ RESIDENCE
IS SEVEN TO EIGHT
HUNDRED FEET EAST OF THE RAILROAD TRACKS.
____STATED HE WILL MAKE THE
RESULTS OF MIT RESEARCH AVAILABLE IF SIGNIFICANT.
OPINIONS OF
SCIENTISTS AS SET FORTH ABOVE SUGGEST POSSIBLE
MILITARY INTEREST.
MILITARY AUTHORITIES AT BOSTON HAVE NOT BEEN
NOTIFIED.
SOUCY
HOLD
[Stamped: COPIES DESTROYED
270 NOV 18 1964
RECORDED & INDEXED
EX-64]
* * * * * * * *
STANDARD FORM NO. 64
_Office Memorandum_ · UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
TO : DIRECTOR, FBI DATE: July 18, 1947
FROM : SAC, NEW HAVEN
SUBJECT: "FLYING SAUCERS"
EDWIN M. BAILEY, JR.
STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT, INFORMANT
ATOMIC ENERGY ACT
For the information of the Bureau this is
to advise that on July 7,
1947, ____ Stamford, Connecticut, appeared
at the Stamford Resident
Agent's office and furnished the following
information:--
____ prefaced his remarks by stating that
he is a scientist by
occupation and is currently employed at the
American Cyanamid Research
Laboratories on West Main Street in Stamford,
Connecticut, in the
Physics Division. ____ further indicated that
during the war he was
employed at MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts,
in the Radiation Laboratory
which Laboratory is connected with the Manhattan
Project. ____ advised
that he is thirty years of age and is a graduate
of the University of
Arizona.
____ stated that the topic of "flying saucers"
had caused considerable
comment and concern to the present day scientists
and indicated that he
himself had a personal theory concerning the
"flying saucers". Prior to
advancing his own theory, ____remarked that
immediately after the
conclusion of World War II, a friend of his,
____ allegedly observed
the "flying saucers" from an observatory in
Milan and Bologna, Italy.
He stated that apparently at that time the
"flying saucers" had caused
a little comment in Italy but that after some
little publicity they
immediately died out as public interest. ____
stated that it is quite
possible that actually the "flying saucers"
could be radio controlled
germ bombs or atom bombs which are circling
the orbit of the earth and
which could be controlled by radio and directed
to land on any
designated target at the specific desire of
the agency or country
operating the bombs. He stated that one of
the items of interest which
he personally has observed is the fact that
the saucers have been
observed in Mexico City, New Orleans, Philadelphia,
New York, Boston,
Halifax, Newfoundland, Paris, Milan, Bologna
and Yugoslavia as well as
Albania. By placing a string around the globe
of the earth it would be
noticed that all of the above-mentioned cities
form a direct orbit or
circle around the earth and would be more
or less in line of any path
in which the saucers could be circling.
____ further stated that he had recently talked
with ____ ____, one of
the owners of ____ in Glenbrook, Connecticut,
and had been informed by
____ that his company is making a large powerful
telescope to be used
in searching the stratosphere for atom bombs.
FXM/clb
117-0
[Stamped: RECORDED & INDEXED
EX-36
G.I.R.-6
COPIES DESTROYED
270 NOV 18 1964]
* * * * * * * *
STANDARD FORM NO. 64
_Office Memorandum_ · UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
TO : Director, FBI DATE: July 3, 1947
FROM : SAC, Butte
SUBJECT: FLYING DISCS
Mr. ____ of the Idaho Daily Statesman, Boise,
Idaho, telephonically
contacted the Butte Office and asked if the
FBI was checking on the
flying discs reported to have been seen by
many citizens. He advised
that so many had reported having seen them
that it undoubtedly was not
a figment of the imagination. He said that
these discs had been seen on
July 1, 1947, in the vicinity of Trail Creek
near Sun Valley, Idaho, by
reputable citizens.
The writer informed ____ that this office
was not making an
investigation and inquired as to whether he
had contacted Army and Navy
officials. He said that he was inquiring of
these agencies.
WGB:LB
AIR MAIL
[Stamped: RECORDED & INDEXED
EX-46]
* * * * * * * *
STANDARD FORM NO. 64
_Office Memorandum_ · UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
TO : Director, FBI DATE: July 17, 1947
FROM : SAC, Los Angeles
SUBJECT: RECOVERY OF "FLYING DISC"
NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA,
JULY 9, 1947
On the evening of July 9, 1947, a report was
received at the Los
Angeles Office that a so-called "flying disc"
had landed in the
vicinity of Radford and Magnolia Streets in
North Hollywood,
California, the contraption being briefly
described as approximately 30
inches in diameter, all metal, disc shaped,
and having a radio antenna.
It was reported to have burst into flames
upon landing. At the time of
the report the disc was being held at the
Valley Fire Department in Van
Nuys, California.
SA ____ went to the fire department immediately
at which time it was
found that a number of people had gathered
including newspaper
reporters and photographers who were taking
pictures of the disc.
Battalion Fire Chief ____ advised Agent that
at approximately 10:30
P.M. an unknown woman called on the telephone
and excitedly reported
that the disc had dropped into her garden
where it began to flame, her
residence being located at 11858 Magnolia
Boulevard, North Hollywood. A
fire department truck was sent there and put
out the flaming object
with the fire hose, after which the object
was taken to the fire
station. SA ____ thereafter arranged to transport
the disc to the
office.
The device is briefly described as consisting
of two convex steel discs
approximately 2 feet in diameter, fused together
at the outer edge and
fastened together in the center by a hollow
cylindrical connection. A
vertical galvanized iron fin was screwed to
the top of the disc, and a
short length of pipe closed at one and ran
from the outer circumference
into the interior of the contraption. What
appeared to be a radio tube
was installed in the center of the top side.
The contraption had a
total weight of approximately 20 pounds.
At the Bureau Office a series of photographs
were taken of the device
from various positions, and a set of these
photographs are being
forwarded herewith for the Bureau's inspection
and information.
The "flying disc" was thereafter turned over
to Major ____ ____ A.C.,
G-2, Fort MacArthur, San Pedro, California,
who subsequently reported
that the object was definitely a hoax and
under no circumstances could
have flown under its own power.
[Stamped: RECORDED & INDEXED
EX-64
COPIES DESTROYED
270 NOV 18 1964]
* * * * * * * *
Director, FBI July 17, 1947
Re: RECOVERY OF "FLYING DISC",
NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA,
JULY 9. 1947
On the following day, July 10, 1947, one ____
____ North Hollywood,
reported that on this morning he was at the
North Hollywood Service
Station eating at which time there was considerable
talk about the
flying disc having been found in the vicinity.
A number of what
appeared to be young high school students
were present and were having
quite a laugh about the excitement caused
by the finding of the disc.
____ stated that he received a definite impression
that these young
students either had themselves or knew of
someone who had been working
for the past two weeks making this "flying
disc". ____ was unable to
furnish the names of any of these young men
but identified one of them
who was making the statements as being employed
in a Chevron Service
Station at the corner of Victory Boulevard
and Whitsett Street. He
described the youngster as about sixteen years
of age.
The above information was also furnished to
the G-2 Office at San
Pedro, California.
MMB:MGM
100-9099
ENC. (3)
* * * * * * * *
STANDARD FORM NO. 64
_Office Memorandum_ · UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
TO : MR. LADD DATE: July 10, 1947
FROM : ____
SUBJECT: FLYING SAUCERS (DISCS)
INFORMATION CONCERNING
At 6.45 AM this date, SAC Hood telephonically
contacted the Bureau and
advised at approximately 11:30 PM, July 9,
1947, the office in Los
Angeles had received information from the
Resident Agent at Burbank,
California, that a "flying disc" had landed
in or near Burbank and had
been seen to burst into flame when it landed.
Further, that it had been
the cause of a fire in some woods, this fire
either in Burbank or
possibly in the city limits of Los Angeles,
which Mr. Hood could not be
certain. The fire chief at Burbank had called
the resident agent at
Burbank and told him he would hold the disc
for him.
Coincident with the information received from
Burbank, the Los Angeles
Office received calls from the newspapers
requesting information. The
newspapers stating they had called the Army
Air Force Intelligence who
had stated "we are not interested". According
to Mr. Hood, this comment
had aroused the newspapers and they stated
they intended to publish
this quotation and belabor same in their first
issues, Mr. Hood stated
that he had refrained from making any statement
to the press other than
to admit possession of an object and that
it was being turned over to
military authorities in the morning (this
AM), it being Mr. Hood's
opinion that he did not want any quotes in
the press and certainly not
one to the effect that we were not interested.
As described to him, Mr. Hood stated that
the object was an aluminum
disc about 2' in diameter weighing about ten
pounds, painted with
aluminum paint and having some sort of a radio
tube in the center of
the disc. This object was in possession of
the resident agent at
Burbank and would be turned over to military
authorities (G-2) in Los
Angeles this morning.
Mr. Hood's purpose in calling was to place
the Bureau on notice
regarding the above described object and any
further information would
be transmitted to the Bureau at once.
Action: None indicated.
PEW:da
[Stamped: RECORDED]
* * * * * * * *
July 18, 1947
____
____
Chicago, Illinois
Dear ____
I wish to acknowledge receipt of your letter
postmarked July 7, 1947.
The information contained therein has been
carefully reviewed and is
being made a matter of permanent record in
the files of this Bureau.
Your interest in writing as you did is indeed
appreciated.
In the future should you have information
which you feel might be of
interest to this Bureau you might find it
convenient to contact the
Special Agent in Charge of our Chicago Office,
which is located at 1900
Bankers' Building, Chicago 3, Illinois.
Sincerely yours,
John Edgar Hoover
Director
cc--Chicago (With incoming. There is no identifiable
information in
the Bureau's files concerning the writer of
this letter.
Despite the fact that this letter refers to
"flying
discs", it is not believed that the information
furnished
is sufficiently important to refer to Army
authorities.)
WVC:WMJ
[Stamped: COMMUNICATIONS SECTION
MAILED 10 P.M.
JUL 18 1947
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT 
OF JUSTICE]
