What did the declassified documents reveal?

This is a declassified record titled “xxxx xx 9078390 Jackson Mississippi.” It originates from the Federal Aviation Administration, a component of the Department of Transportation, and is dated May seventeenth, nineteen fifty‑seven. The document records an official inquiry into an unidentified flying object reported in the Jackson, Mississippi area. The record was made publicly available through The Black Vault archive. The entry is listed under the URL https://archive.org/download/xxxx-xx-9078390-Jackson-Mississippi/xxxx-xx-9078390-Jackson-Mississippidjvu.txt. The same text is available as a PDF at the identical address. The material was released as part of a broader declassification effort, with no specific Freedom of Information Act case number cited in the archive entry. The document begins with a memorandum from the Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, addressed to Colonel J‑D. Patterson, Civil Branch, Community Relations Division, Office of Information, Department of the Air Force, Washington, D. C., dated June nineteen sixty‑seven. It reads: “Reference to your letter of thirty‑first, nineteen sixty‑seven regarding the recovery of the report of an unidentified flying object sighted in the Jackson, Mississippi area on seventeen May, nineteen fifty‑seven at approximately twenty‑three hundred hours. The period May seventeen through twenty‑second, nineteen fifty‑seven, a Cessna aircraft, operating an electric sign van over the City of Jackson. The owner of the aircraft is Mr. V. J. Brennan, Radio Division, V/B/J‑i, Montgomery, Alabama. Your request for any records, including radar information, concerning the unidentified flying object that allegedly placed itself near Jackson, Mississippi on seventeen May, nineteen fifty‑seven at approximately twenty‑three hundred hours, is acknowledged. If any aircraft operated out of the Jackson, Mississippi area during that period, please provide any available information. If records are available, request positive or negative radar confirmation of any identified object. Any assistance you can provide would be appreciated.” Following the memorandum, the file includes a statement dated May nineteenth, nineteen sixty‑seven, submitted by Mr. G. S. I. I, a professional hydraulic engineer employed by the Department of Defense, Washington, D. C., titled “Statement Regarding Unidentified Flying Object.” The statement reads in full: “I am a professional hydraulic engineer, employed by the Department of Defense, Washington, D. C., telephone extension one‑nine‑nine. My title is Technical Director. On May seventeenth, nineteen sixty‑seven, I was on temporary duty. I left Vicksburg, Mississippi, where I was to spend the night, at seven fifty‑five p.m. on the evening of May seventeenth, nineteen sixty‑seven, by government automobile. The automobile was driven by the driver at the Waterways Equipment Station at Vicksburg, and was to take me to downtown Jackson to the Heidelberg Hotel where I…

Why was this case declassified?

This material was released by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) 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.

Declassified CIA File

◆ BLUF — The short version

” It originates from the Federal Aviation Administration, a component of the Department of Transportation, and is dated May seventeenth, nineteen fifty‑seven. The document records an official inquiry into an unidentified flying object reported in the Jackson, Mississippi area. The record was made publicly available through The Black Vault archive.

Agency: Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
Date: JUL 18 · 2026
Release: Declassified · U.S. public record (FOIA)
Source document: View the primary source document

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Episode notes

This is a declassified record titled “xxxx xx 9078390 Jackson Mississippi.” It originates from the Federal Aviation Administration, a component of the Department of Transportation, and is dated May seventeenth, nineteen fifty‑seven. The document records an official inquiry into an unidentified…

View the primary source document

Questions about this case

What was Declassified CIA File about?: ” It originates from the Federal Aviation Administration, a component of the Department of Transportation, and is dated May seventeenth, nineteen fifty‑seven. The document records an official inquiry into an unidentified flying object reported in the Jackson, Mississippi area. The record was made publicly available through The Black Vault archive.
Why was this case declassified?: This material was released by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) through the U.S. declassification and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process. The originating source document is linked in the case notes above so the citation chain is fully auditable.

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