View original document (4.6 MB) PDF viewer unavailable in this browser. Download the PDF to view. According to the Department of War document, titled ’18_100754_ General 1946-7_Vol_2′, released under PURSUE on May 8, 2026, the Air Materiel Command was concerned about flying disc/saucer sightings as early as 1947. The document, dated December 30, 1947, contains memorandums and correspondence related to these sightings, which were considered a matter of concern for the Command.
Specifically, the document mentions that “Continued and recent reports from qualified observers concerning this phenomenon still makes this matter one of concern to Headquarters, Air Materiel Command.” The document reveals that the Intelligence Department of the Air Materiel Command was tasked with collecting and analyzing all available reports on flying discs. It also mentions that the Command’s policy was not to ignore reports of sightings, but to collect, collate, evaluate, and distribute information on this nature.
The document assigns a project to collect, collate, evaluate, and distribute information on aerial phenomena, with a priority classification of 2A and a security classification of “Restricted”.
Context and Significance
The Department of War document provides valuable insight into the concerns and actions of the Air Materiel Command regarding flying disc/saucer sightings in 1947. The document’s release under PURSUE offers a glimpse into the government’s handling of these sightings during that time period. Per Wikipedia’s entry on “Flying saucer”, the term was coined in 1947 by the United States news media for the objects pilot Kenneth Arnold claimed flew alongside his airplane near Mount Rainier, in Washington State.
This event preceded a wave of hundreds of sightings across the United States, including the Roswell incident and the Flight 105 UFO sighting. Wikipedia’s entry on “Flying saucer” notes that early reports speculated about secret military technology, but flying saucers became synonymous with aliens by 1950.
The more general military terms unidentified flying object (UFO) and unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) have gradually replaced the term over time. The Department of War document, however, does not mention aliens or extraterrestrial life, focusing instead on the collection and analysis of reports on aerial phenomena. The document’s emphasis on collecting and analyzing reports on flying discs/saucers suggests that the Air Materiel Command was taking these sightings seriously and was attempting to understand the phenomenon.
The assignment of a project to collect, collate, evaluate, and distribute information on aerial phenomena also indicates that the Command was committed to investigating these sightings. According to the document, the project’s objectives included preparing and distributing an initial report, as well as issuing quarterly supplemental reports.
Unanswered Questions and Future Releases
While the Department of War document provides valuable insight into the Air Materiel Command’s concerns and actions regarding flying disc/saucer sightings, it also leaves many questions unanswered. The document’s official summary offers limited detail beyond the fact that the Command was concerned about these sightings and was collecting and analyzing reports. Readers may wonder what specific incidents or sightings prompted the Command’s concern, and what conclusions were drawn from the collected data.
Future PURSUE releases may shed more light on these questions, as well as provide additional context and information on the government’s handling of flying disc/saucer sightings during the 1940s and 1950s. As more documents are released, readers can expect to gain a deeper understanding of the historical context surrounding these sightings and the government’s response to them.
For now, the Department of War document titled ’18_100754_ General 1946-7_Vol_2′ provides a fascinating glimpse into the Air Materiel Command’s concerns and actions regarding flying disc/saucer sightings in 1947. As the PURSUE program continues to release documents related to UAP and UFO sightings, readers can expect to learn more about the government’s handling of these incidents and the historical context surrounding them.
The release of the Department of War document titled ’18_100754_ General 1946-7_Vol_2′ is an important step in this process, providing a unique insight into the concerns and actions of the Air Materiel Command regarding flying disc/saucer sightings in 1947. By examining these documents and releases, readers can gain a deeper understanding of this fascinating topic and its significance in American history.
