What did the declassified documents reveal?

This is a declassified memorandum on radar‑scope photography of Chinese targets, issued by the Headquarters of the Far East Air Forces on August twenty‑four, nineteen‑fifty‑one. The document is notable because it records an early U.S. intelligence effort to capture radar imagery of strategic locations in the People’s Republic of China during the Korean War era. The record was released to the public through The Black Vault archive. The entry was posted online without a specific FOIA case number; the declassification authority is listed as the United States Department of Defense, with the release date not indicated in the archive. The source file is available as a digitized text document on the archive’s website. The memorandum reads as follows: Headquarters – Far East Air Forces, APO nine two five. Subject: Radar Scope Photography of China Targets. Date: August twenty‑four, nineteen‑fifty‑one. “Radar scope photography will be conducted on twenty‑fifth August nineteen‑fifty‑one of Bangchow and Shingst Hee. The aerials will be equipped with the appropriate lenses. The results will be forwarded to the appropriate analysis section. The quarter will be advised of the outcome of these observations as soon as practicable. Brigadier General, United States Air Force, Deputy for Operations, Headquarters Far East Air Forces. Copy: Twenty‑two copies. Page seven. End of memorandum.” The text contains several typographical artifacts typical of scanned documents from the era, but the essential content is preserved above. No portions of the memorandum are marked as redacted; the original appears in full. The United States Air Force has not issued an additional explanatory statement regarding this memorandum. No further contextual commentary from the agency or a neutral third‑party source is provided in the public record. This is what the public record looks like at its most ordinary. For the full document, visit storyflo.com and the Black Vault entry at https://archive.org/download/us-china-intel-CI00804/CI00804djvu.txt.

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.

Memorandum On Radar‑scope Photography Of Chinese Targets, Issued

◆ BLUF — The short version

This is a declassified memorandum on radar‑scope photography of Chinese targets, issued by the Headquarters of the Far East Air Forces on August twenty‑four, nineteen‑fifty‑one. S. intelligence effort to capture radar imagery of strategic locations in the People’s Republic of China during the Korean War era.

Date: OCT 17 · 2026
Release: Declassified · U.S. public record (FOIA)
Source document: View the primary source document

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Episode notes

This is a declassified memorandum on radar‑scope photography of Chinese targets, issued by the Headquarters of the Far East Air Forces on August twenty‑four, nineteen‑fifty‑one. The document is notable because it records an early U.S. intelligence effort to capture radar imagery of strategic…

View the primary source document

Questions about this case

What was Memorandum On Radar‑scope Photography Of Chinese Targets, Issued about?: This is a declassified memorandum on radar‑scope photography of Chinese targets, issued by the Headquarters of the Far East Air Forces on August twenty‑four, nineteen‑fifty‑one. S. intelligence effort to capture radar imagery of strategic locations in the People’s Republic of China during the Korean War era.
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.

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