What did the declassified documents reveal?

This is an Office Memorandum from the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, dated August thirteenth, nineteen forty‑seven, concerning a reported flying disc in Hackensack, New Jersey. The document is part of the United States government records released through The Black Vault, reference number 65HS1‑83422896162‑HQ‑83894Section2. The memorandum was made public as part of a bulk release of declassified files on unidentified aerial phenomena. The release was processed under Freedom of Information Act request number FOIA‑2023‑07‑001, with the declassification authority listed as the Assistant Director for Records Management, dated June twenty‑second, twenty‑twenty‑three. The files were uploaded to the archive at archive.org and are available for public download. The document reads as follows. To: Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation – Attention: Assistant Director Date: August thirteenth, nineteen forty‑seven Subject: Flying Disc Reported at Hackensack, New Jersey August third, nineteen forty‑seven – Miscellaneous Reference is made to the teletype from the Newark Division to the Bureau dated August fourth, nineteen forty‑seven stating that a “Flying Disc” had been reported to have been seen at Hackensack, New Jersey on August third, last year by one Charles Caselia, Jr., and William Truex. Charles Caselia, Jr., 287 Euclid Avenue, Hackensack, upon interview by Special Agent Arthur F. Williams of this Division, stated that on August third he had been standing with William Truex, a soldier stationed at Fort Dix, observing a “ham” radio rig atop a two‑story house on Simons Avenue, Hackensack. It was approximately seven forty‑five p.m., and they were in this vicinity for the purpose of meeting Truex’s girlfriend, one Joyce McFarland. Truex commented to Caselia that a child had apparently lost its balloon. Caselia looked and about a block or a half block away noticed a round, black object moving from south to north and east of the spot where he and Truex were standing. Caselia noted that it was moving too fast to be an ordinary balloon, but he could not discern whether it was globular in form or a disc. He said it was about thirty to forty inches in diameter moving north in a horizontal plane about two hundred yards above the top of the hill at Summit Avenue and Simons Avenue. It proceeded at a steady rate, emitted no rays, and was moving fast enough to require them to turn their heads steadily in order to follow it. Truex’s girlfriend came out about fifteen seconds after they first sighted it. They pointed it out to her, and she said that it looked like a bird on the horizon so small. It faded out of sight shortly thereafter. Caselia said that a line drawn along its apparent course of flight would go from the vicinity of Bendix, New Jersey to a point west of Westwood, New Jersey. Caselia also said that a man on the porch across the street also noticed it and pointed it out to the women. Caselia said that this man seemed…

Why was this case declassified?

This material entered the public record 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.

FBI: Office Memorandum From The Director Of The Federal Bureau

◆ BLUF — The short version

This is an Office Memorandum from the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, dated August thirteenth, nineteen forty‑seven, concerning a reported flying disc in Hackensack, New Jersey. The document is part of the United States government records released through The Black Vault, reference number 65HS1‑83422896162‑HQ‑83894Section2.

Date: JUL 18 · 2026
Release: Declassified · U.S. public record (FOIA)
Source document: View the primary source document

↯ Dispatch — press play3:06

0:003:06

↯ Share

X in r/

Episode notes

View the primary source document

Questions about this case

What was FBI: Office Memorandum From The Director Of The Federal Bureau about?: This is an Office Memorandum from the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, dated August thirteenth, nineteen forty‑seven, concerning a reported flying disc in Hackensack, New Jersey. The document is part of the United States government records released through The Black Vault, reference number 65HS1‑83422896162‑HQ‑83894Section2.
Why was this case declassified?: This material entered the public record through the U.S. declassification and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process. Storyflo narrates it directly from the public release.

the-unexplained

Related cases

✉ 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

FBI: Office Memorandum From The Director Of The Federal Bureau

Questions about this case

Related cases

Declassified Assessment On Covid 19 Origins

Army Conducted Germ Warfare Tests. In Washington's National Airport | By Stacy Young And Andy Lenarcic (declassified)

Declassified Documents About The Iran Iraq War

Communist Insurgency In Thailand

The Report Of "a"

Questions about this case

Related cases

Declassified Assessment On Covid 19 Origins

Army Conducted Germ Warfare Tests. In Washington's National Airport | By Stacy Young And Andy Lenarcic (declassified)

Declassified Documents About The Iran Iraq War

Communist Insurgency In Thailand

The Report Of "a"

Get the next declassified case in your inbox