What did the declassified documents reveal?

COLD OPEN. This is a declassified Air Force Intelligence report titled “1949 04 6309701 Indianapolis Indiana 303,” dated April twenty‑nineteen, nineteen‑forty‑nine. The document records an unusual aerial observation reported from Indianapolis, Indiana, and is notable for its early description of a balloon‑like object moving at high speed and altitude. PROVENANCE. The record was released to the public through The Black Vault, the online repository for government documents. The entry was posted on the archive at archive dot org under the identifier 1949‑04‑6309701‑Indianapolis‑Indiana‑303, with both the text file and the PDF available at the same URL. No specific FOIA case number is listed; the declassification authority is indicated as the United States Air Force, Air Intelligence Division. THE DOCUMENT. “On the night of twenty‑eight April nineteen‑nineteen, Staff Officer D, Cast. G, J, Meithley, received a long‑distance phone call from a Mr. … who reported that he had observed an object shaped like a balloon on that date at one‑twenty‑four hundred hours, traveling on a heading of three‑one‑zero degrees, at twenty‑to‑one hundred miles per hour, over Indianapolis, Indiana, at an altitude of approximately four‑thousand feet. The only information available was the telephone report. An effort was made to trace the call to locate the caller, but the call was said to be from a private line, and because no record of incoming paid calls is maintained as available, we were unable to determine the caller’s full name or address. Captain Yeithley stated he believed the caller lived about ten miles north of Indianapolis. Conclusion: Project One‑zero‑zero‑seven‑three record citation – insufficient data for evaluation. Brief Summary and Analysis: “Round, like a balloon. Very high, very fast. Only information received, report was made by phone.” UNCLASSIFIED. Headquarters, Chanute Air Force Base, file zero‑zero‑zero point nine, twenty‑nine April nineteen‑forty‑nine, subject: “Unconventional Aircraft.” Attached report is submitted in accordance with paragraph thirty (three), Air Intelligence Memorandum number four, fifteen February nineteen‑forty‑nine. UNCLASSIFIED. Air Intelligence Form One‑twelve, approved one June nineteen‑forty‑four. [Four lines redacted under exemption B1] End of document.” CONTEXT. The Black Vault’s archive entry notes: “This Air Intelligence report documents an early post‑World War II sighting of an unidentified aerial phenomenon, described as a balloon‑shaped object moving rapidly at altitude over Indianapolis. The record reflects the Air Force’s routine process for forwarding unconventional aircraft reports directly to the Commanding General, Air Materiel Command, at Wright‑Paterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio.” OUTRO. This is what the public record looks like at its most ordinary. For the full source, visit storyflo dot com and the document’s canonical URL at archive dot org.

Why was this case declassified?

This material was released by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) through the U.S. declassification and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process. The originating source document is linked on this page so the citation chain is auditable.

Declassified Case File

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COLD OPEN. This is a declassified Air Force Intelligence report titled “1949 04 6309701 Indianapolis Indiana 303,” dated April twenty‑nineteen, nineteen‑forty‑nine. The document records an unusual aerial observation reported from Indianapolis, Indiana, and is notable for its early description of a balloon‑like object moving at high speed and altitude.

Agency: Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
Date: JUL 18 · 2026
Release: Declassified · U.S. public record (FOIA)
Source document: View the primary source document

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What was Declassified Case File about?: COLD OPEN. This is a declassified Air Force Intelligence report titled “1949 04 6309701 Indianapolis Indiana 303,” dated April twenty‑nineteen, nineteen‑forty‑nine. The document records an unusual aerial observation reported from Indianapolis, Indiana, and is notable for its early description of a balloon‑like object moving at high speed and altitude.
Why was this case declassified?: This material was released by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) through the U.S. declassification and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process. The originating source document is linked in the case notes above so the citation chain is fully auditable.

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