What did the declassified documents reveal?

The document I am reading today is a Central Intelligence Agency memorandum concerning a proposed U‑two detachment for overflight of the Chinese mainland, dated June sixteenth, nineteen sixty. It appears in the public record as a declassified intelligence assessment and is notable for revealing the logistical planning behind a Cold War aerial reconnaissance operation. This memorandum was released to the public in two thousand three under the CIA’s routine declassification review. The material was made available through the Black Vault archive, which reproduces the original CIA record. The declassification authority is the Central Intelligence Agency, and the release date is listed as January two thousand three for the first portion and December two thousand three for the final portion. The full text can be accessed at the Black Vault URL for the document. The memorandum reads as follows: “Twenty‑one eleven approved for release two thousand three slash one. CIA‑RDP thirty‑three dash zero two four one five A zero zero zero three zero zero one five zero one zero nine dash one. Copy three of memorandum dated sixteen June nineteen sixty. Reference is made to your memorandum dated two June nineteen sixty, cited above, and this “State of the Situation” memorandum pertaining to the feasibility portion of such proposal. After deliberations with APCIO‑5, the program. The base from which such aircraft will operate will be situated at twenty‑eight will be treated as [four lines redacted under exemption B1]. It is extremely important at this point to emphasize the role of the project depot in the support of Detachment “A”. Considerable support is being furnished by contractors in the program as beta’s napa bonita trang. The depot has remained “clean” and its operation appears to have only been compromised; the CHALICE system to date. Should a decision be reached to proceed with this proposal, the cost of any of those proposals will increase: anova. Kev chinnsis h remaining states interested in paragraph three. Be for funneling supplies into the operation to some extent. When the base is selected, another factor to consider is the base support. Provided by the Armed Forces, should this become a permanent operation, over sixty days, it is highly desirable that we be situated on or relatively near an established base for comfort as well as economy of operation. Such services presently furnished for detachments approximate sixty percent of total cost. The formal requirements were submitted to the Administration Branch on twenty‑first June nineteen sixty to cover the areas for which material is responsible. Such figures included one staff materiel officer, for supply airmen and ten Lockheed Air Corporation maintenance technicians. Cost on facilities, power, and other unknown, however, will be furnished within the next two weeks. This includes communications facilities which may be considerable based on past experiences. Equipment presently will be ubiquitous…

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.

Central Intelligence Agency Memorandum Concerning A Proposed U‑two Detachment

◆ BLUF — The short version

The document I am reading today is a Central Intelligence Agency memorandum concerning a proposed U‑two detachment for overflight of the Chinese mainland, dated June sixteenth, nineteen sixty. It appears in the public record as a declassified intelligence assessment and is notable for revealing the logistical planning behind a Cold War aerial reconnaissance operation.

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

↯ Dispatch — press play1:00

0:001:00

↯ Share

X in r/

Episode notes

View the primary source document

Questions about this case

What was Central Intelligence Agency Memorandum Concerning A Proposed U‑two Detachment about?: The document I am reading today is a Central Intelligence Agency memorandum concerning a proposed U‑two detachment for overflight of the Chinese mainland, dated June sixteenth, nineteen sixty. It appears in the public record as a declassified intelligence assessment and is notable for revealing the logistical planning behind a Cold War aerial reconnaissance operation.
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.

intelligence-vault

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

Central Intelligence Agency Memorandum Concerning A Proposed U‑two Detachment

Questions about this case

Related cases

Government Record: A Memorandum From The Joint Chiefs Of Staff To Brigadier

Central Intelligence Agency Memorandum, Dated November Twenty Fifth

CIA Communist China

Today, We Present A Declassified Central Intelligence Agency Record From April

This Declassified Central Intelligence Agency Record, Dated January First

Questions about this case

Related cases

Government Record: A Memorandum From The Joint Chiefs Of Staff To Brigadier

Central Intelligence Agency Memorandum, Dated November Twenty Fifth

CIA Communist China

Today, We Present A Declassified Central Intelligence Agency Record From April

This Declassified Central Intelligence Agency Record, Dated January First

Get the next declassified case in your inbox