18_6369445_General_1948_Vol_1

Official Conclusion

Under investigation; no conclusive determination stated in the documents

Official Description

This file contains memorandums, correspondence, and forms related to the reporting of information on flying discs and investigations into sightings.

Key Findings

• →Air Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson AFB was formally designated as the central USAF agency to collect, collate, evaluate, and distribute all information on atmospheric sightings construed to be of national security concern, per a 30 December 1947 directive.
• →A sighting at Hobson, Ohio on the night of 8 May 1948 was reported via FBI Special Agent D.K. Brown (Cleveland) involving multiple New York Central railroad employees; the object was described as round, phosphorescent in color, moving at great speed, at 6-8 miles altitude, heading 90 degrees, with a phosphorescent trail in the sky.
• →A SECRET endorsement dated 4 June 1948 notes that a T-2 report titled 'German Flying Wings Designed by Horten Brothers' was retained by AFOIR, with the Horten tailless aircraft design considered significant in relation to the alleged 'Flying Saucer' case; a US Military Attache report from Moscow (9 June 1947) indicated 1800 aircraft based on the Horten VIII design were being built for Soviet bomber use.
• →Major General C.P. Cabell (Chief, Air Intelligence Requirements Division) proposed on 12 February 1948 that all Air Force installations maintain fighter aircraft on continuous alert with gun cameras to photograph flying disc phenomena; this proposal was rejected as unfeasible by the Director of Plans and Operations on 3 March 1948.
• →The Fourth Air Force reported on 11 March 1948 an incident near Bakersfield, California where two witnesses observed objects falling to earth on 5 and 8 March 1948 resembling falling aircraft with smoke and debris, with search parties unable to locate any wreckage.

Extracted Entities