What did the declassified documents reveal?

This is Declassified. Today, a declassified C-I-A record, dated June tenth, nineteen-sixty-three, offering preliminary comments on an intelligence mission flown over the strategic Szechuan Basin in South China. It is notable for its detailed photographic reconnaissance of military and industrial sites during the Cold War. This document was released by the Central Intelligence Agency in two-thousand-seven, under declassification authority C-I-A-R-D-P-six-six-B-zero-zero-six-six-four-R-zero-zero-zero-two-zero-zero-one-eight-zero-zero-zero-one-eight, and is available at archive.org. The document is a memorandum for the Assistant Director, Current Intelligence, concerning a mission, G-R-C-one-five-four, flown on June fourth, nineteen-sixty-three. Quote. One. This mission, flown over the strategic Szechuan Basin area in South China, was designed primarily to round out our current photo-reconnaissance collection program on the Chinese Communist advances. This mission, together with [redacted], has given us fair to excellent photography of the most likely areas [redacted]. Military. Three. Several major military airfields were covered by this mission. Fifty M-I-G jet fighters were photographed at Tato airbase, about five miles south of Changsha. Tato field, which the Chinese Communists constructed in the [redacted]. Four. [Redacted] was obtained for the first time of Leiyang airfield — one of three active jet bomber bases south of the Yangtze River. This base was the former home station for the I-L-two-eight (Beagle)-equipped ninety-fifth [redacted] light bombers, probably a stay-behind contingent, were identified at Leiyang on this mission. There was no evidence that any attempt is being made to expand the facilities at this field. Five. The Chekiang Army Barracks, consisting of nearly three hundred troop buildings, was observed near the Hengyang rail junction in south-central China. This [redacted] probably houses [redacted]. Industry. Six. Photographic coverage of an airframe plant at Chengtu was again provided. The plant is obviously not in production — the adjacent airfield has deteriorated markedly and is probably no longer serviceable. Of the five major aircraft production facilities identified in Communist China, only one — a light transport plant at Nanchang — is known to be in production, and it operates at a much reduced scale from the banner years of nineteen-fifty-nine and nineteen-sixty. Seven. The Hsiangtan Iron and Steel Plant, [redacted], was covered by the mission. There was no apparent change in facilities except for continuing construction on a single open-hearth furnace. Only a coke by-product plant appears active. Construction [redacted] iron and steel plant was started [redacted]. Eight. A fairly large complex, initially detected [redacted] Leiyang, about thirty miles northeast of Chengtu, [redacted] photographed. It consists of approximately eleven light fabrication and processing buildings, several open storage area [redacted]…

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.

CIA Today, A Declassified C I A Record, Dated June Tenth, Nineteen Sixty Three

◆ BLUF — The short version

This is Declassified. Today, a declassified C-I-A record, dated June tenth, nineteen-sixty-three, offering preliminary comments on an intelligence mission flown over the strategic Szechuan Basin in South China. It is notable for its detailed photographic reconnaissance of military and industrial sites during the Cold War.

Date: SEP 7 · 2026
Release: Declassified · U.S. public record (FOIA)
Source document: View the primary source document

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What was CIA Today, A Declassified C I A Record, Dated June Tenth, Nineteen Sixty Three about?: This is Declassified. Today, a declassified C-I-A record, dated June tenth, nineteen-sixty-three, offering preliminary comments on an intelligence mission flown over the strategic Szechuan Basin in South China. It is notable for its detailed photographic reconnaissance of military and industrial sites during the Cold War.
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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CIA Today, A Declassified C I A Record, Dated June Tenth, Nineteen Sixty Three

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