What did the declassified documents reveal?

COLD OPEN. This is a declassified record titled “1953‑12‑6779077‑CS4859‑MilGrid‑Korea‑”. It originates from the United States Air Force, dated twenty‑six December, nineteen fifty‑three, and it documents an aerial observation over the Korean military grid that has been cited in UFO research circles. The document is hosted on the Black Vault archive at archive.org. PROVENANCE. The file was released to the public through the Black Vault’s digital collection, reference number 1953‑12‑6779077‑CS4859‑MilGrid‑Korea‑, with the original PDF available at the same URL. The material was declassified under the authority of the United States Air Force’s historical division, and no FOIA case number is listed in the archive entry. THE DOCUMENT. DATr greater than TIMF CHOU number twenty‑six December nineteen fifty‑three twenty‑six slash two six two five Z. I. SOURCE greater than LOCATION CS four three five nine, Military Grid, Korea. Ten. CONSTRUCTION BALLOON. Four. NUMBER OF OBJECTS. S. LOCATION OF OBSERVATION. One one one. BRIEF TIMELINE AND ANALYSIS FIVE MINUTES. Four. TYPE OF OBSERVATION air visual. Seven. COURSE twenty‑two zero degrees A. PHOTO OF OCCUPIED M . PHYSICAL VIDEO. Y. Diamond shape, flat, semi‑transparent, end orange in color. Eight feet or less in length, speed eight hundred to one thousand two hundred knots. JHPCH thirty‑two a JAPY B2‑S JAPYC thirty‑one i PP J D J J Z D? DF JAPYC zero thirteen L. M. RFCI. ONE # T F I L W U C V C I H UU FI; COI‑IFEAF TOKYO JAPAN. TO JEDEM/COMDR AIRDKCCOH FrrITr JIIDWP/COMDR‑ AIR TECH INTEL CEN JEPHQ/DIR OF INTEL USAF IMSUDC MIGHT PATTERSON AF3 OHIO > PHIPIH|P^AK227 3F DI UFC3. UNIDENTIFIED FLY 03JEC SIGHTING?. TIME OF SIGHTING ONE S two I, two three FC COORD? CS AS59 APPROR. ^/EA twenty‑zero three three THIN OVERCAST VISIBILITY fifteen nautical miles. ALTITUDE three thousand three hundred thirty three feet. ALTITUDE OF SIGHTING three thousand three hundred thirteen. SPEED INDICATED one‑four‑three KPH. SPEED OF SIGHTING one thousand three hundred thirty three miles per hour APPROX. HEADING S DEGREES. HEADING OF SIGHTING two twenty‑three degrees. DISTANCE FROM WHICH OBSERVED three miles decreasing six thirty three to three three three feet. DURATION OF SIGHTING four minutes. PILOT nine B I I M I H L I P N H B K L S TAG CON SQ. REMARK?: FLY PILOTAGE IN A T‑5 FROM K‑16 TO K‑47 AT APPROV CS four eight five nine, L T BAR SAW UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECT CROSSING HIS COURSE APPROXIMATELY three miles away. L T BAR THOUGHT AT FIRST THAT THE SUN WAS REFLECTING OFF A FLAP. THE OBJECT WAS IN A PAGE TWO JAPYC thirty‑one B SHALLOW DIVISION C10 DEGREE S, MOVING AT A SPEED COMPARABLE TO A FLAP BUT IMMEDIATELY AFTERUPAD FIVE THE SPEED BEGAN TO INCREASE TO AN ESTIMATED ONE‑thousand three hundred thirty three miles per hour! BECOMING CURIOUS AS TO WHAT THE OBJECT WAS, L T BAR ALTERED HIS COUPLE TO APPROXIMATE FORTY‑five DEGREES, MAINTAINING three thousand three hundred thirty three feet AND PROCEEDED TOWARD THE OBJECT. THE 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 on this page so the citation chain is auditable.

Declassified USAF File

◆ BLUF — The short version

COLD OPEN. This is a declassified record titled “1953‑12‑6779077‑CS4859‑MilGrid‑Korea‑”. It originates from the United States Air Force, dated twenty‑six December, nineteen fifty‑three, and it documents an aerial observation over the Korean military grid that has been cited in UFO research circles.

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 USAF File about?: COLD OPEN. This is a declassified record titled “1953‑12‑6779077‑CS4859‑MilGrid‑Korea‑”. It originates from the United States Air Force, dated twenty‑six December, nineteen fifty‑three, and it documents an aerial observation over the Korean military grid that has been cited in UFO research circles.
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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