What did the declassified documents reveal?

This is document one nine five two dash zero eight dash eight seven six five seven two eight, a Selfridge Air Force Base, Michigan, sighting report dated August fifteen, nineteen fifty‑two. It appears in the public archives of The Black Vault and has been cited by researchers studying mid‑century aerial phenomena. The record was released to the public through The Black Vault archive entry at archive dot org slash download slash one nine five two dash zero eight dash eight seven six five seven two eight dash Selfridge AFB dash Mich slash one nine five two dash zero eight dash eight seven six five seven two eight dash Selfridge AFB dash Mich underscore djvu dot txt. No specific Freedom of Information Act case number is listed; the declassification authority is identified as the United States Air Force, which made the file available without further restriction. The document itself is a field report submitted by airmen stationed at Selfridge Air Force Base. The report reads as follows: “On the night of August fifteen, nineteen fifty‑two, at approximately twenty two ten hours, a crew standing behind the barracks, near the south wall, observed a bright object and brought it to the attention of the watch. The object seemed to come from the general direction of the radar station, which was west of our location. At that time it was at a fairly reasonably low altitude and then started climbing over the direction of the jet bar. While on this course it maneuvered all of its own, zig‑zagging back and forth with a quick movement horizontally but still staying on the same course. It then obtained a relatively good height over the jet bar, hesitated a few seconds, and dropped southward over the jet bar until it disappeared below the low horizon. We watched awhile longer and at twenty two forty‑nine hours another bright object of the very same nature, following the very same course, came from the same direction, zig‑zagging also, only this time it did not drop, but kept climbing at a tremendous height and speed up along the stars until it stopped, completely motionless for about one to two minutes just past the jet bar. It then started moving again with the same actions as before, very bright, distinctive from any star, it stopped at twelve o’clock, and because it was motionless along the stars at that time we called over three other airmen. I was A slash ten, the other two were unknown. Though nine of us watched for about one minute, during which time it remained motionless. It was then that the staff duty officer was contacted. The three of us then returned about twenty five three hundred hours and four‑ten minutes later the object was still visible, only by that time it had moved from its position to five o’clock where we lost track of it. The staff duty officer told us to come over and make a report in the morning. He had been gone about five minutes when we heard a P‑nine make a quick warm‑up and take off immediately. The P‑nine had its after‑burner on

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.

1952 08 8765728 Selfridgeafb Mich

◆ BLUF — The short version

This is document one nine five two dash zero eight dash eight seven six five seven two eight, a Selfridge Air Force Base, Michigan, sighting report dated August fifteen, nineteen fifty‑two. It appears in the public archives of The Black Vault and has been cited by researchers studying mid‑century aerial phenomena.

Agency: Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
Date: JUL 18 · 2026
Release: Declassified · U.S. public record (FOIA)
Source document: View the primary source documenthttps://archive.org/details/1952-08-8765728-SelfridgeAFB-Mich

↯ Dispatch — press play2:58

0:002:58

↯ Share

X in r/

Episode notes

Source document: https://archive.org/details/1952-08-8765728-SelfridgeAFB-Mich

Questions about this case

What was 1952 08 8765728 Selfridgeafb Mich about?: This is document one nine five two dash zero eight dash eight seven six five seven two eight, a Selfridge Air Force Base, Michigan, sighting report dated August fifteen, nineteen fifty‑two. It appears in the public archives of The Black Vault and has been cited by researchers studying mid‑century 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.

intelligence-vault

Related cases

CIA

More from CIA

✉ Dispatches

A short dispatch when a new file is released — narrated, answer-first, and linked straight to the primary source. No spam; unsubscribe anytime.

↯ Subscribe to the feed

RSS feed Browse all cases

1952 08 8765728 Selfridgeafb Mich

Questions about this case

Related cases

1954 07 8714944 Bath Michigan

1954 07 8714516 Fairchildafb Washington

1954 05 6781726 50milesswofneedles California

1954 03 6780937 Oakpark Illinois

1954 04 6781291 Shawafb Southcarolina

More from CIA

1954 07 8714944 Bath Michigan

1954 07 8714516 Fairchildafb Washington

1954 05 6781726 50milesswofneedles California

1954 03 6780937 Oakpark Illinois

1954 04 6781291 Shawafb Southcarolina

Questions about this case

Related cases

1954 07 8714944 Bath Michigan

1954 07 8714516 Fairchildafb Washington

1954 05 6781726 50milesswofneedles California

1954 03 6780937 Oakpark Illinois

1954 04 6781291 Shawafb Southcarolina

More from CIA

1954 07 8714944 Bath Michigan

1954 07 8714516 Fairchildafb Washington

1954 05 6781726 50milesswofneedles California

1954 03 6780937 Oakpark Illinois

1954 04 6781291 Shawafb Southcarolina

Get the next declassified case in your inbox