What did the declassified documents reveal?

COLD OPEN. This is a Project CORD card titled “1952‑08‑8770020‑Atlanta‑Georgia,” filed by the United States Air Force Technical Intelligence Center on twenty‑second of August, nineteen‑fifty‑two. The document records an aerial sighting over Atlanta, Georgia, and is notable for its detailed visual description of an unidentified luminous object. PROVENANCE. The record was released to the public through The Black Vault archive, reference number 1952‑08‑8770020‑Atlanta‑Georgia, and made available online at archive dot org slash download slash 1952‑08‑8770020‑Atlanta‑Georgia slash 1952‑08‑8770020‑Atlanta‑Georgia underscore djvu dot txt. The declassification authority is the United States Air Force, and the file is reproduced here in its entirety as it appears in the original scanned document. THE DOCUMENT. Project CORD card, local. Five minutes. Grief summary of sighting. White object, star‑like, location shaped. Recovered, up and down, hover. IG FGRM three two nine, revision twenty‑six September nineteen‑fifty‑two. Civilian, Atlanta, Georgia. Type of observation: visual. Source: V six. Number of objects: nine. Conclusions: possible satellite, probability balloon, possibly ground‑radar. Comments: possibly weather balloon, GAA. Wind direction and balloon track from Atlanta coincide. Sighting fifty minutes after a balloon release from Atlanta. Temperature noted. Report filed by: J E P H Q, Director of Intelligence, United States Air Force, Washington, District of Columbia. Air Technical Intelligence Center, Wright‑Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. ATTN: ATIAA‑20, Flight Report. Observation details: “Reported seeing a brilliant white light like an identification light on an aircraft but too bright for that. Observation made at twenty‑two five Zulu standard time for approximately fifteen to twenty minutes. Observed visually through a window. Location of the object was in south‑west Atlanta and the object was due east of the observer, moving slowly south with no sound or observed means of propulsion.” The observer identified as a technical worker for Delta Air Lines familiar with aircraft types, stating that all types of aircraft were considered but did not match the observed phenomenon. Further description: “Operator reported it looked like a shadow, weather‑like, at approximately twenty‑two fifty Zulu. Shape described as elliptical, color orange‑white, with one maneuver, revolved, went up and down, hovered. Time of sighting estimated at twenty‑one fifty‑nine Zulu, possibly later. Length of observation five minutes. Visual observation from a bedroom window. Two other persons in the same building observed a similar object and concurred with the description.” Additional remarks: “Reported sighting an elliptical shaped object, orange fire‑like with white lights, no motion or sound, just hovering low in the sky over north‑west Atlanta. Sighting at twenty‑one thirty‑nine Zulu for approximately forty‑nine minutes. No known air traffic in the area at that time.”…

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 8770020 Atlanta Georgia

◆ BLUF — The short version

COLD OPEN. This is a Project CORD card titled “1952‑08‑8770020‑Atlanta‑Georgia,” filed by the United States Air Force Technical Intelligence Center on twenty‑second of August, nineteen‑fifty‑two. The document records an aerial sighting over Atlanta, Georgia, and is notable for its detailed visual description of an unidentified luminous object.

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/1952-08-8770020-Atlanta-Georgia

↯ Dispatch — press play3:08

0:003:08

↯ Share

X in r/

Episode notes

Source document: https://archive.org/details/1952-08-8770020-Atlanta-Georgia

Questions about this case

What was 1952 08 8770020 Atlanta Georgia about?: COLD OPEN. This is a Project CORD card titled “1952‑08‑8770020‑Atlanta‑Georgia,” filed by the United States Air Force Technical Intelligence Center on twenty‑second of August, nineteen‑fifty‑two. The document records an aerial sighting over Atlanta, Georgia, and is notable for its detailed visual description of an unidentified luminous object.
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 8770020 Atlanta Georgia

Questions about this case

Related cases

1954 03 6780937 Oakpark Illinois

1954 04 6781291 Shawafb Southcarolina

1954 04 6781271 Greenbrier Westvirginia

1954 04 6781181 Oahu Honolulu

1954 02 6779999 Greenville Northcarolina

More from CIA

1954 03 6780937 Oakpark Illinois

1954 04 6781291 Shawafb Southcarolina

1954 04 6781271 Greenbrier Westvirginia

1954 04 6781181 Oahu Honolulu

1954 02 6779999 Greenville Northcarolina

Questions about this case

Related cases

1954 03 6780937 Oakpark Illinois

1954 04 6781291 Shawafb Southcarolina

1954 04 6781271 Greenbrier Westvirginia

1954 04 6781181 Oahu Honolulu

1954 02 6779999 Greenville Northcarolina

More from CIA

1954 03 6780937 Oakpark Illinois

1954 04 6781291 Shawafb Southcarolina

1954 04 6781271 Greenbrier Westvirginia

1954 04 6781181 Oahu Honolulu

1954 02 6779999 Greenville Northcarolina

Get the next declassified case in your inbox