What did the declassified documents reveal?

Cold Open. This episode presents a declassified Central Intelligence Agency record concerning the secret war in Korea from June nineteen fifty to June nineteen fifty‑two. The document was originally classified and later released on July twenty‑seventh, nineteen ninety‑eight, and it offers a direct view into covert air and guerrilla operations conducted by the Agency during the early Korean conflict. The source is listed on the Black Vault website. Provenance. The record was made public through a Freedom of Information Act request filed by a private researcher, and the Agency declassified it under the authority of the Director of Central Intelligence on July twenty‑seventh, nineteen ninety‑eight. The full text is available at the Black Vault archive, which hosts the digitized copy of the original CIA historical paper. The Document. The opening paragraph identifies the paper as a historical summary of clandestine services published on July twenty‑seventh, nineteen ninety‑eight. It notes that the Central Intelligence Agency used United States Air Force aircraft to drop agents and materiel into North Korea during the first ten months of the war. “CIA first began dropping agents in the twelfth week of the war. A detachment of the 2nd Troop Carrier Squadron, eventually redesignated as Flight B of the Fifth Air Force, provided most of the support. The Air Force also provided photo‑intelligence support to agency operations.” The narrative continues: “United States Army unconventional warfare air operations began when an airborne ranger lieutenant with the Theater Intelligence Liaison Group in Korea asked an Air Force captain to drop some G‑2 (Army intelligence) agents into North Korea. That flight was the genesis of Flight E, which made hundreds of O‑47 night flights over North Korea in the first two years of the war. Despite frequent adverse weather conditions and fog in the valleys, there were a minimum of abortive flights. The Flight B aircrews always did a fine job and suffered no loss of aircraft.” Further details describe the scale of the effort: “One pilot made more than one hundred eight night flights over North Korea, dropping agents, propaganda leaflets, and needed supplies. When the enemy retaliated against CIA guerrillas in the winter of nineteen fifty‑one to nineteen fifty‑two, drop zones and drop times had to be altered on short notice. Simultaneously the Air Force increased its air support to the more vital conventional warfare, making it increasingly difficult to get clandestine aircraft into the theater.” The record notes the use of civilian aircraft: “A civilian operation and a Beechcraft C‑43 were obtained by the Agency. Two of the best planes were transferred to the Office of Intelligence from Flight B. A carrier aircraft from a CIA‑controlled civilian airline was used to support the guerrilla forces.” It emphasizes the close relationship between the Agency and the Air Force throughout the war. Cooperation with the Army is described…

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 Cold Open.

◆ BLUF — The short version

Cold Open. This episode presents a declassified Central Intelligence Agency record concerning the secret war in Korea from June nineteen fifty to June nineteen fifty‑two. The document was originally classified and later released on July twenty‑seventh, nineteen ninety‑eight, and it offers a direct view into covert air and guerrilla operations conducted by the Agency during the early Korean conflict.

Date: AUG 8 · 2026
Release: Declassified · U.S. public record (FOIA)
Source document: View the primary source document

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What was CIA Cold Open. about?: Cold Open. This episode presents a declassified Central Intelligence Agency record concerning the secret war in Korea from June nineteen fifty to June nineteen fifty‑two. The document was originally classified and later released on July twenty‑seventh, nineteen ninety‑eight, and it offers a direct view into covert air and guerrilla operations conducted by the Agency during the early Korean conflict.
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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