Washington, August 7 — The CIA released briefing notes Tuesday for Mr. Walter N. Elder, Executive Assistant to the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, detailing a 1964 incident involving an unidentified object near Puerto Rico.
The document, part of the PURSUE tranche published August 7, 2026, outlines radar data from the USS Gyatt, a guided missile destroyer, which tracked a contact moving at over 3,800 knots for 21 minutes. This speed, roughly 4,373 miles per hour, remains one of the highest recorded in military logs. On November 19, 1964, the USS Gyatt’s radar detected the object after the fighter aircraft it was pursuing had lost visual contact. The briefing notes state the radar system recorded the contact’s rapid movement, though specifics about its trajectory or behavior beyond the speed are not provided.
The object reappeared near the fighter, closing within a few miles before accelerating away again. Another entry in the briefing, dated November 24, 1964, mentions a high-speed, high-altitude target observed by the Atlantic Fleet’s radar.
This target moved in tandem with an F-8 Crusader aircraft flying at Mach 99,000 feet. The note does not specify the object’s altitude or exact speed during this encounter, but it suggests a coordinated or simultaneous movement with the human-operated jet. The F-8 Crusader pilot, present during the November 19 incident, described the object as a “Delta-shaped craft” under full moonlight.
Visibility was optimal at the time, with clear weather conditions. The pilot’s assessment is the only firsthand account included in the document, though it lacks technical details about the craft’s propulsion or materials.
The briefing emphasizes the object’s apparent ability to outmaneuver both the fighter and radar systems. Military collection systems, including the USS Gyatt’s radar, were active during both incidents. The briefing notes mention “sensing capabilities” but do not quantify their effectiveness against the object.
No further technical data about the radar’s parameters or the UFO’s interaction with these systems is provided. The document focuses on the timing and relative movements rather than technical analysis.
Investors will note the document’s release as part of a broader pattern of declassifying UAP-related materials. The CIA’s decision to include this briefing in the PURSUE tranche aligns with recent efforts to provide historical context on unidentified aerial phenomena. However, the lack of verifiable measurements or independent corroboration limits its analytical value for contemporary policy or technological discussions.
What to watch next: The Pentagon has not commented on the release, but analysts expect further briefings to emerge as part of the ongoing PURSUE tranche. The public and congressional inquiries into UAPs may intensify if additional details about the 1964 incident surface.
For now, the document remains a historical record without immediate implications for national security or defense strategy.
