Incident 4AF 1208 I: Investigation of Flying Discs and Related Reports

This collection of documents, primarily dated July through September 1947, details the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) involvement in the early investigation of 'flying disc' or 'flying saucer' reports. The documents center on the FBI's efforts to determine if these sightings were related to secret military experiments or potential foreign espionage. A significant portion of the file concerns the interview of Kenneth Arnold, who reported seeing nine objects flying above the Cascade Mountain Range on June 26, 1947. The FBI conducted interviews with Arnold and other witnesses, including pilots and individuals who claimed to have found physical evidence. The Bureau's internal correspondence reveals a growing skepticism regarding the utility of these investigations. FBI officials, including D. M. Ladd, argued that the sightings were likely a military matter and that the Bureau was merely acting as a 'bird-dog' for the Army. The documents show that the FBI repeatedly contacted the War Department, the Army Air Forces, and other intelligence agencies to inquire about potential secret projects. These agencies consistently denied that any such experiments were being conducted. The file also includes reports on a 'coded message' received by a newspaper, which was dismissed as a prank by a 'screwball,' and investigations into physical materials submitted by citizens, which were identified by the FBI Laboratory as common substances like powdered soapstone. By September 1947, the FBI's stance had solidified into a policy of declining to investigate these reports, citing a lack of evidence and the belief that the matter should be handled by military authorities.