What did the declassified documents reveal?

This is a declassified United States Air Force report dated April fifth, nineteen fifty‑four, identified as file number one‑nine‑eight‑seven‑one‑two‑nine‑one, concerning an observation over Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. The document is notable because it records an unidentified aerial phenomenon, including a description of its color, size, and flight characteristics, and it is part of the public record released through The Black Vault archive. The record was made publicly available by The Black Vault, hosted on archive.org, under the entry titled “1954‑04‑6781291‑ShawAFB‑SouthCarolina.” The release does not cite a specific Freedom of Information Act case number, but the declassification was authorized by the United States Air Force’s historical division, and the document was posted on the archive on an unspecified date. The canonical URL for the PDF version is https://archive.org/download/1954-04-6781291-ShawAFB-SouthCarolina/1954-04-6781291-ShawAFB-SouthCarolinadjvu.txt. The document reads as follows: I « t. DATI • TIMI OmmP av April fifth, nineteen fifty‑four / 0 ^10E a. souRci elTlllu 4. NUMMt OP OftJICTt ^ROJia 10073 RCCCMO 2. LOCATION V AFB# South CAROLINA 10 CONCLUtlON f. LINOTN OP OMIAVATION IL MttP MMMAIIY AND ANALYftlS 0. TYPI OP OUMVATtON fTOUaS VlMAl BX 7. COURM north 0. PNOTOt gwn vith •ahMiAt, 5 C‑I19 la ATM. m Nrtoor ol^htlj^. lAOgth of objoet O Vm f. PHYSICAL IVIOffNCS O Ym AA VS h lii ■ C3 53 , t rO. Cc. f < ux^ii " n t" ' ifr ^ s 15' JTRCJl 7TO yPEC4<i TYA’?3S JEPJn 3?3 3 ?P JE!):J? OE jEPHa t » P 251S352 7:1 HI USAF WASH DC TO CHIEF ATIC WRIGHT PATTERSON AFB OHIO i r V < T A‑2C rOL3 :SG HZCB 7S COCTI raoH Aroifj ass?? 'jtob att:!i ASATK TRP CAR GP SZYKCSE JOHNSON AFB X C:« DIG 25‑34132 CLM CIRVIS COtlFIVI N2 NILES WEST SHAW AFB C:« SOUTH CAROLINA P3 t^v. Jii ■JNIDENTIFIED FLYOB COLOR GREEN A:iD ROUTS WITH GREEN KAVST LENGTH OF FIVE OIAMETERS OF OBJECT PD OBJECT SI2E APRX OIANETER POP BOTTLE P3 OBJECT HEADED NORTH AT

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.

United States Air Force Report Dated April Fifth

Q: 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.

◆ BLUF — The short version

This is a declassified United States Air Force report dated April fifth, nineteen fifty‑four, identified as file number one‑nine‑eight‑seven‑one‑two‑nine‑one, concerning an observation over Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina.

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 United States Air Force Report Dated April Fifth about?: This is a declassified United States Air Force report dated April fifth, nineteen fifty‑four, identified as file number one‑nine‑eight‑seven‑one‑two‑nine‑one, concerning an observation over Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina.
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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United States Air Force Report Dated April Fifth

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