【Roswell UFO Declassification】FBI Urgent Telegram Exposed: Full Record of the Military’s Involvement from Intervention to Withdrawal—Hexagonal Disc + Balloon

The U.S. Department of War disclosed the first batch of “Presidential-Level Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Encounter Incident Declassification and Reporting System (PURSUE)” at 10:13 PM on May 8, containing multiple documents and videos, but no photos of aliens or clear footage of unidentified flying objects (UFOs). However, it includes the original files from the 1947 Roswell incident.

Download the 1947 UFO files

U.S. Department of War declassified files (VPN required)

No photos or clear videos of aliens or UFOs

The Department of War issued a statement: “These documents, long concealed in classified files, have always sparked reasonable speculation — now it’s time for the American people to see them with their own eyes.”

Complete timeline of the Roswell incident

Background of the Roswell incident: In June to July 1947, a rancher named Mac Brazel in Roswell, New Mexico, discovered a large amount of strange debris on his farm, including tin foil, rubber, wooden strips, and tough paper. He reported this to the local sheriff, and the military soon got involved. On July 8, the Roswell Army Air Field (RAAF) issued a shocking press release claiming the military “luckily recovered a flying disc.” Just hours after the announcement, Brigadier General Roger Ramey of the 8th Air Force held a press conference, completely overturning the previous statement. He claimed there was no disc, only a “weather balloon with radar reflector.” The military also arranged for intelligence officer Jesse Marcel to hold photos of the debris on camera.

In 1994, the Air Force admitted that the 1947 “weather balloon” was a lie, intended to cover up a top-secret project called “Mogul.” This project used high-altitude balloons equipped with microphones and radar reflectors to detect Soviet nuclear tests. The debris that crashed on the farm was actually this secret device.

			▲ 1947 Roswell Incident FBI Declassified Urgent Telegram

Original telegram about the Roswell incident: “Hexagonal disc found hanging beneath the balloon”

According to declassified documents, on July 8, 1947, an urgent telegram from the FBI, sent between 6 a.m. and 5 p.m., states: “Major Curtan of the Eighth Air Force headquarters reported by phone to this bureau that today near Roswell, New Mexico, a suspected flying disc was found. The disc is hexagonal and is suspended by a cable beneath a balloon approximately twenty feet in diameter.”

High-altitude observation balloon with radar reflector

Major Curtan further indicated that the object found resembled a high-altitude weather balloon with a radar reflector, but their bureau’s communication with Wright Field had not confirmed this hypothesis. The disc and balloon are being transported by special aircraft to Wright Field for examination.

No further investigation

“The reason this bureau is providing this information is because the matter involves national interests, and today NBC, AP, and other media outlets are attempting to publish exclusive reports about the discovery of the disc. Major Curtan said he would request Wright Field to inform Cincinnati bureau of the test results. No further investigation is being conducted.”

At the time, there was a “UFO craze”

The FBI’s decision to “not conduct further investigation” was due to the UFO craze at the time. The telegram, in the declassified file “65_HS1-834228961_62-HQ-83894_Section_1,” is in the middle of many other reports from citizens about UFO sightings, including a July 6 report of a “priest discovering a buzzing disc in his yard,” which also caused a sensation.

			▲ "Priest finds a buzzing disc in his yard"

Declassified documents cite FBI internal memos indicating that the priest was drunk at the time, and the “flying disc” he saw was actually just a “circular saw blade” rigged with firecrackers.

FBI initial attitude toward UFO investigations: avoiding responsibility and military secrecy struggles

Interestingly, an important FBI internal memo dated July 7, 1947, records the earliest stage of the “UFO craze,” showing that the FBI headquarters’ initial official stance on the “flying disc” incidents was to distance itself from responsibility and even doubt whether the reportees’ mental state was normal.

A special agent from the New Orleans bureau called back to headquarters, asking what policy the FBI should adopt as more “flying disc” reports flooded in. FBI leadership responded that, unless instructed otherwise, the bureau should let the military’s G-2 (military intelligence) handle the matter, and the FBI should not take jurisdiction.

FBI vs. military power struggle

FBI further instructed that they were very interested in the development of the incident and the “object photos” taken by the military (hoping for copies), but warned frontline agents: “Absolutely do not let yourself be jockeyed into a position where investigative responsibility… would fall on us.”

On July 7, a secret military intelligence report recorded a large-scale mass sighting event in Portland, Oregon, involving police and military personnel, classified as confidential.

The event began on July 4 (U.S. Independence Day) at 1:05 p.m., when Portland police issued an emergency broadcast over radio, alerting all officers to an unidentified high-speed flying object in the sky. Interviews with several police officers with WWII pilot backgrounds indicated these objects were unlike any aircraft they had seen, estimated at 30,000 to 40,000 feet altitude, moving at incredible speeds, with no engine noise or condensation trails, capable of sharp 90-degree turns or oscillating vertically.

Another July 7 document records the military’s request for the FBI to investigate, as it contains a formal military report of close-up UFO sightings by active-duty military pilots.

U.S. military close-up UFO sightings: suspicion of Soviet secret weapons and psychological warfare

Lieutenant William G. McGinty of the Navy, flying a P-80 jet at 25,000 feet over the Grand Canyon at 9:10 a.m. on June 30, saw two light gray, circular objects (about 8 feet in diameter) plunging vertically at “unimaginable speeds.” The two objects followed each other within seconds. He even estimated that these objects might crash about 25 miles south of the south rim of the Grand Canyon.

An FBI internal memo on July 10 records a meeting between Army Air Forces intelligence and FBI special agents. The military was taking the UFO reports seriously, mobilizing scientists to determine whether these were astronomical phenomena or “foreign objects controlled by machinery.” The military assured the FBI that these UFOs were definitely not secret projects of the U.S. Army or Navy. They highly suspected that the initial UFO reports might be “Communist sympathizers” deliberately spreading rumors to create social hysteria and fear of a “Soviet secret weapon.”

Based on these suspicions, the military hoped the FBI would investigate and question the initial witnesses to clarify whether their motives were for fame or political reasons (e.g., Communist infiltration).

The documents note that in the appendix, officials recommended the FBI avoid involvement in these investigations, reasoning: “Most reported flying discs are just pranks, and these investigations are unlikely to yield any results.” However, a handwritten note in red ink states: “I think we should do this,” indicating some high-level support for taking on the task.

FBI accuses military: Army directly took control of debris

At the bottom of the document, Hoover wrote: “I am willing to do this, but before agreeing, we must insist on full access to the ‘discovered flying disc’ debris.” He complained about the military: “For example, in the Louisiana case, the Army took the object directly and didn’t even allow us to perform a cursory inspection.”

Brigadier General Schirren responded, promising “full cooperation,” and that all recovered discs would be handed over to FBI agents for examination. The military again emphasized their main concern — that the entire incident might be a psychological warfare operation by “subversives” aiming to create “mass hysteria.” He urged the FBI to thoroughly investigate the motives of witnesses who initially claimed to see the disc.

FBI intervenes to “actively seize control of debris”

On July 10, 1947, following the Zeweiler incident, the U.S. government, including FBI Director Hoover, realized the seriousness of the event. The FBI officially announced that it was ordered to fully intervene in “flying disc” investigations, shifting from a wait-and-see attitude to “actively seizing debris control.”

“Although there is no current evidence that these objects are hostile or connected to foreign powers, the military wants to clarify whether these reports are mass illusions, natural phenomena, or some unknown mechanical device.”

• Agent operational guidelines:

• Witness interviews: Agents in each bureau must conduct detailed interviews with reliable witnesses in their jurisdiction, collecting precise data on shape, speed, altitude, and flight path.

• Object examination: If suspected “flying disc” debris or fallen objects are found, agents should immediately take control and cooperate with the military for scientific analysis.

“Maury Island Incident” crash tragedy: FBI withdraws active investigation, Hoover approves policy shift

Declassified files show that on August 6, 1947, the “Maury Island Incident” involving a crash death was ultimately dismissed as a prank by the military and FBI.

Two individuals claimed to have seen a flying disc drop debris and hit their boat near Tacoma’s Maury Island. An urgent FBI telegram states that on August 1, 1947, two military investigators involved in the Maury Island case, returning with supposed “flying disc debris,” crashed their plane in Kelso, Washington, killing both. Analysis of the so-called debris showed it was just waste material from a local slag factory in Tacoma. The Portland bureau ceased further investigation.

This crash also shocked and angered FBI Director Hoover and high military officials, leading to a more cautious and dismissive attitude toward UFOs.

The memo notes that since most UFO reports were later proven to be pranks or fabrications, FBI involvement had become “embarrassing” and unproductive. Senior officials recommended that unless future reports involved “verified flying debris” requiring FBI lab assistance or clearly threatened “national security,” the FBI should cease frontline active investigations of UFO sightings.

The bottom of the memo bears Hoover’s handwritten “OK, H.,” indicating he officially approved the policy shift. By mid-August 1947, Hoover authorized the change, with the FBI stopping active frontline investigations and returning investigative authority to the military. Unless there was a clear national security threat or need for FBI lab analysis, the FBI would only passively receive intelligence.

Common questions about the 1947 UFO declassified files (FAQ)

Q1: Do the files released by the U.S. Department of War include photos of aliens or flying discs?

A: No. According to the latest statements and files, there are no photos of extraterrestrials or clear footage of UFOs in this declassified batch.

Q2: What exactly was the crash in the 1947 “Roswell incident”?

A: The declassified files confirm that the military’s claim of a “weather balloon” was a cover-up for a top-secret project called “Mogul.” The device that crashed on the farm was this secret high-altitude equipment used to detect Soviet nuclear tests.