What did the declassified documents reveal?

COLD OPEN. This is a declassified Air Force intelligence report titled “1952‑04‑6311345‑Waco‑Texas.” The document originates from the United States Air Force, dated April twenty‑four, nineteen fifty‑two, and records an unidentified flying object sighting near Waco, Texas. It is notable as an early official record of a civilian observation of multiple orange‑colored aerial phenomena. PROVENANCE. The report was released to the public through The Black Vault archive, identified under the entry 1952‑04‑6311345‑Waco‑Texas. The material was declassified under Department of Defense Directive five two hundred zero point ten after a twelve‑year interval. The full text is available at https://archive.org/download/1952-04-6311345-Waco-Texas/1952-04-6311345-Waco-Texasdjvu.txt. THE DOCUMENT. The heading reads “AIR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION REPORT” and is marked UNCLASSIFIED. The report begins with a summary of the observation: “DATE OF INFORMATION: twenty‑four April nineteen fifty‑two. LOCATION: Waco, Texas. OBSERVER: Wes, astronomical civilian radar technician.” The observer recorded the following details: “NUMBER OF OBJECTS: nine. COURSE: unknown. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION: thirty seconds. TYPE OF OBSERVATION: Ground‑visual, Ground‑radar, Air‑visual, Air‑intercept radar.” The brief summary of the sighting states: “OBJECTS described as a bright orange color, rectangular shape. Observer noted object coming from southwest, passing overhead and appearing to the northeast.” The report continues with a more extensive narrative: “The phenomenon was sighted by the observer while seated in his automobile at a drive‑in theater. The car windows were rolled down, providing an unobstructed view of the projection screen area. At approximately twenty‑one fifty‑zero Central Standard Time, the first group of objects passed overhead at an estimated altitude of two thousand two hundred feet. The second group followed shortly thereafter, both groups remaining on a straight course for twenty‑four seconds before disappearing from view. The objects exhibited no recognizable aerodynamic features, emitted no exhaust plume, and produced a sound described as a ‘rushing wind.’” The weather conditions at the time are recorded as follows: “Weather: clear, visibility fifteen miles, temperature fifty‑one degrees Fahrenheit, dew point fifty‑four degrees Fahrenheit, wind from the southeast at five miles per hour. No unusual meteorological activity was reported that could account for the sightings.” The concluding section of the record card, labeled “PROJECT ONE THOUSAND SEVENTY‑THREE RECORD CARD,” provides the analyst’s assessment: “CONCLUSIONS: 1. Was balloon – probably balloon. 2. Possibly aircraft – insufficient data for evaluation.” The report also includes the standard disclaimer: “THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE OF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE SPYING ACT, U.S.C. §§ 798 AND 799, AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN…

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 CIA File

◆ BLUF — The short version

COLD OPEN. ” The document originates from the United States Air Force, dated April twenty‑four, nineteen fifty‑two, and records an unidentified flying object sighting near Waco, Texas. It is notable as an early official record of a civilian observation of multiple orange‑colored aerial phenomena.

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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COLD OPEN. This is a declassified Air Force intelligence report titled “1952‑04‑6311345‑Waco‑Texas.” The document originates from the United States Air Force, dated April twenty‑four, nineteen fifty‑two, and records an unidentified flying object sighting near Waco, Texas. It is notable as an early…

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What was Declassified CIA File about?: COLD OPEN. ” The document originates from the United States Air Force, dated April twenty‑four, nineteen fifty‑two, and records an unidentified flying object sighting near Waco, Texas. It is notable as an early official record of a civilian observation of multiple orange‑colored aerial phenomena.
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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