What did the declassified documents reveal?

Cold Open: We're reading from a declassified National Reconnaissance Office record, specifically a 1968 memorandum detailing a mission over China. The document is part of a larger collection released by The Black Vault, and can be found online at archive.org. The mission, codenamed C228C, took place on November 12, 1968. Provenance: The document was released through a Freedom of Information Act request, and is part of a larger collection of declassified intelligence records. The release date is not specified, but the document itself is dated November 26, 1968. The Document: Memorandum for the Record, Subject: Resume of Mission C228C, dated November 26, 1968. 1. General: Mission C228C was alerted on 12 November 1968. Preplanned Mission Data: Distance | 1535 NM Mission Duration | 4+15 Hours Mission Profile Maximum Altitude Takeoff Fuel 1020 Gallons Fuel Reserve at Hi Cone . 205 Gallons This route was designed to collect ELINT data along the southeast coast of China from the northeast tip of Hainan Island to a point 35 nautical miles northeast of Hai Tan Island (Formosa Strait). This mission was routed 20 nautical miles off the coast of the China mainland. 2. Actual Mission Data: The scheduled takeoff time was 0930 hours. The mission was good, a. Target Coverage: No primary camera was on board, so no targets were programmed for this mission. It was an ELINT collection mission. [four lines redacted under exemption B1] b. Weather for the mission was forecast to be Category II (1/8 to 2/8 cloud cover). The pilot reported weather generally as briefed except for some isolated areas of Category III and IV enroute. Pilot was able to visually maintain the desired track throughout the mission. 3. Air Defense Reaction: 6. Maintenance: Article 383 was flown on this mission. No aircraft discrepancies were noted. 7. Communications: Radio, navaids and communications operated satisfactorily. 8. Critique for Mission C228C was held on 21 November 1968. No action items were presented that had not been handled in post-mission traffic. Context: This document is part of a larger collection of declassified intelligence records, and provides insight into the operations of the National Reconnaissance Office during the Cold War era. Outro: This is what the public record looks like at its most ordinary. You can find the full document online at archive.org, under the URL provided.

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.

NRO Cold Open: We're Reading From A Declassified National Reconnaissance Office

◆ BLUF — The short version

Cold Open: We're reading from a declassified National Reconnaissance Office record, specifically a 1968 memorandum detailing a mission over China. org. The mission, codenamed C228C, took place on November 12, 1968. Provenance: The document was released through a Freedom of Information Act request, and is part of a larger collection of declassified intelligence records.

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

↯ Dispatch — press play3:08

0:003:08

↯ Share

X in r/

Episode notes

Cold Open: We're reading from a declassified National Reconnaissance Office record, specifically a 1968 memorandum detailing a mission over China. The document is part of a larger collection released by The Black Vault, and can be found online at archive.org. The mission, codenamed C228C, took…

View the primary source document

Questions about this case

What was NRO Cold Open: We're Reading From A Declassified National Reconnaissance Office about?: Cold Open: We're reading from a declassified National Reconnaissance Office record, specifically a 1968 memorandum detailing a mission over China. org. The mission, codenamed C228C, took place on November 12, 1968. Provenance: The document was released through a Freedom of Information Act request, and is part of a larger collection of declassified intelligence records.
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

NRO Cold Open: We're Reading From A Declassified National Reconnaissance Office

Questions about this case

Related cases

CIA Cold Open: This Is A Declassified Central Intelligence Agency Record Titled

Cold Open: A 1968 CIA Report Detailing Alleged Grc Military Activity In

CIA Cold Open.

CIA This Episode Presents A Declassified Central Intelligence Agency Intelligence

Declassified CIA File

Questions about this case

Related cases

CIA Cold Open: This Is A Declassified Central Intelligence Agency Record Titled

Cold Open: A 1968 CIA Report Detailing Alleged Grc Military Activity In

CIA Cold Open.

CIA This Episode Presents A Declassified Central Intelligence Agency Intelligence

Declassified CIA File

Get the next declassified case in your inbox