What did the declassified documents reveal?

This is document one nine four nine zero five six three one one zero zero seven, St Louis, Missouri, number three two five, a United States Air Force Project Grudge report filed on May thirteenth, nineteen forty‑nine. It is notable because it records a detailed eyewitness account of an unidentified aerial phenomenon observed over the St Louis area, and it is part of the early Air Force investigations into such sightings. The source is the Black Vault archive, available at archive dot org slash download slash 1949‑05‑6311007‑StLouis‑Mo‑325‑. The document was released to the public through a Freedom of Information Act request filed with the United States Air Force. The Black Vault posted the declassified version on its website on an unspecified release date, citing the declassification authority as the Air Force Historical Division. The record is reproduced verbatim from the original file, preserving all original formatting and redaction markers. DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES AIR FORCE. Special Investigation to Commanding General, Air Materiel Command, Wright‑Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio. Reference is made to your request dated May second, nineteen forty‑nine, requesting an investigation of an unidentified aerial phenomenon reported on May thirteenth, nineteen forty‑nine at St Louis, Missouri. UNIDENTIFIED AERIAL OBJECTS Incident No.: three two five Date of Observation: May thirteenth, nineteen forty‑nine Exact time of observation (local): between ten o’clock and eleven o’clock hours, Central Standard Time Place of Observation: thirty‑six degrees thirty‑five minutes north, ninety degrees fifteen minutes west, Kansas City Sectional Aeronautical Chart, scale one to five hundred thousand Position of observer: seated in lawn chair in back yard, facing north‑west Observer and wife were watching gulls over the Mississippi River when the object was sighted. Number of objects observed: only one Apparent size: appeared to be about the size of a light private airplane; would have required a newspaper held at arm’s length to obscure it from view Color of object: dark reddish brown Shape: resembled a sting ray, but without a whiplike tail; described as “buff colored” with a “coal‑stove” appearance rather than a glint Altitude (angle of elevation): approximately eighty‑five degrees Direction from observer (clockwise from north): eleven o’clock Direction of flight: south‑by‑southwest Time in sight: approximately one

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.

CIA: Document One Nine Four Nine Zero Five Six Three One

◆ BLUF — The short version

This is document one nine four nine zero five six three one one zero zero seven, St Louis, Missouri, number three two five, a United States Air Force Project Grudge report filed on May thirteenth, nineteen forty‑nine.

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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Questions about this case

What was CIA: Document One Nine Four Nine Zero Five Six Three One about?: This is document one nine four nine zero five six three one one zero zero seven, St Louis, Missouri, number three two five, a United States Air Force Project Grudge report filed on May thirteenth, nineteen forty‑nine.
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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CIA: Document One Nine Four Nine Zero Five Six Three One

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