What did the declassified documents reveal?

This declassified Central Intelligence Agency record, a Photographic Interpretation Report, concerns Mission G-R-C One-Thirty-Six from December twenty-eighth, nineteen-sixty-two, detailing intelligence targets in China and North Vietnam. It is available through the Black Vault archive at documents-two-dot-the-black-vault-dot-com. This document was approved for release on August ninth, two-thousand-one, under the authority of the C-I-A's historical review program. It has been declassified in accordance with executive orders and is now part of the public record. The document is titled, "Photographic Interpretation Report M-C-I Mission G-R-C One-Thirty-Six, Twenty-Eighth December Nineteen-Sixty-Two," and was issued by the National Photographic Interpretation Center in February nineteen-sixty-three. It bears the classification "Secret." A warning states: "This document contains information affecting the national defense of the United States, within the meaning of Title Eighteen, sections Seven-Ninety-Three and Seven-Ninety-Four, of the U.S. Code, as amended. Its transmission or revelation of its contents to or receipt by an unauthorized person is prohibited by law." The report’s preface states, "This Mission Coverage Index, M-C-I, furnishes a listing of intelligence targets covered by aerial photographic material from CHURCH DOOR Mission G-R-C One-Thirty-Six. The listing provides the latest description based on photographic interpretation for each target covered by the mission except for those targets in which no significant change was noted. Items in the listing are arranged by: one, country; two, W-A-C area within the country; and three, coordinates reading from south to north and from west to east." It continues, "An explanation of column headings and photo reference data used in presenting the information is contained in the appendix. For convenience of the user, a subject index to the intelligence targets has been included following the listing. Targets in the subject index are listed: one, by category; two, alphabetically by country within the category; and three, alphabetically by place name within each country." The preface offers a caution: "The user of this M-C-I is cautioned that the scan of photography from Mission G-R-C One-Thirty-Six was accomplished in a relatively short time and often without the aid of precise analytical and mensural equipment commonly employed in detailed photographic analysis. Consequently, although the information presented herein is essentially accurate, future detailed analysis may somewhat alter portions of the information." The document states, "Mission G-R-C One-Thirty-Six of Twenty-Eighth December Nineteen-Sixty-Two provided vertical photo coverage of the nearly completed Meng-tzu Airfield West, the cities of Kun-ming, Meng-tzu, and Kuei-yang on the Chinese mainland, and installations in the northeastern corner of North Vietnam." This is what the public record looks like at its most ordinary. Find this…

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.

Case File · ARCHIVE-358Declassified

Filed SEP 9 · 2026Runtime 1 min

This Declassified Central Intelligence Agency Record, A Photographic

U.S. public record · FOIAUpdated September 9, 2026

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◆ BLUF — The short version

This declassified Central Intelligence Agency record, a Photographic Interpretation Report, concerns Mission G-R-C One-Thirty-Six from December twenty-eighth, nineteen-sixty-two, detailing intelligence targets in China and North Vietnam. It is available through the Black Vault archive at documents-two-dot-the-black-vault-dot-com. This document was approved for release on August ninth, two-thousand-one, under the authority of the C-I-A's historical review program.

Date: SEP 9 · 2026
Release: Declassified · U.S. public record (FOIA)
Source document: View the primary source document

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What was This Declassified Central Intelligence Agency Record, A Photographic about?: This declassified Central Intelligence Agency record, a Photographic Interpretation Report, concerns Mission G-R-C One-Thirty-Six from December twenty-eighth, nineteen-sixty-two, detailing intelligence targets in China and North Vietnam. It is available through the Black Vault archive at documents-two-dot-the-black-vault-dot-com. This document was approved for release on August ninth, two-thousand-one, under the authority of the C-I-A's historical review program.
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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This Declassified Central Intelligence Agency Record, A Photographic

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