CIA-UAP-D022

Unidentified Flying Object Reported near Puerto Rico, 1965

Agency: CIA
Format: Document, 6 pages
Incident date: 2/1/65
Place: Caribbean Sea
Released: Release 05, August 7, 2026
Source: war.gov
Topics: Radar, Nuclear sites, Military aircrew, At sea

Description from war.gov

This file contains Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) memoranda exchanged between the Assistant Director for Special Activities (AD/SA) and the Assistant Director for Scientific Intelligence (AD/SI) regarding an incident allegedly involving unidentified aircraft in the vicinity of Puerto Rico. The AD/SI was then-responsible for analyzing foreign scientific advancements and technological threats, such as Soviet nuclear, chemical, and ballistic missile capabilities. The AD/SA managed the CIA’s classified overhead reconnaissance operations, including the deployment of advanced aircraft like the U-2 and A-12 OXCART. Together, these offices ensured the United States could both gather critical intelligence over contested territories and accurately evaluate the technical capabilities of foreign adversaries during the Cold War. The memoranda refer to an incident on November 19, 1964, in which a U.S. Naval aviator described observing an unidentified object as “delta-shaped, about the size of a jet fighter.” The pilot visually estimated the object’s velocity as Mach 3 (approximately 2,200 mph). A corresponding track from an AN/SPS-49 radar system aboard a U.S. Navy guided missile destroyer in the area, USS Gyatt, measured the object’s speed at 3,800 knots (approximately 4,373 mph). The memoranda indicate that, in the opinion of the AD/SI, the object was conceivably associated with foreign intelligence gathering activities, citing active missile testing within the AFWR, or Atlantic Fleet Weapons Range, as being an attractive reconnaissance target. The AD/SA and AD/SI also ruled out domestic experimental aircraft, such as the YF-12A OXCART, as a potential attribution.

Redactions war.gov lists this record as redacted. Withheld material is blacked out in the file itself.

Page 1

TOP SECRET Approved for Release 2026 CRET DENTIAL ( SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF ATTACHED MATERIAL SHOULD BE CIRCLED TOP AND BOTTOM ) ACTION SHEET UNCLASSIFIED DATE REC'D IN IC DESCRIPTION OF ATTACHED MATERIAL: TYPE OF MATERIAL FROM SUBJECT DELIVERED TO IC # DATED TO DEADLINE DATE FOLLOW-UP DATE DATE DIVISION ROUTING ACTION REQUIRED INIT. COMMENTS* 2. de 15) 3. 4. 5. 6. INSTRUCTIONS: Under each comment a line should be drawn across Sheet and each comment numbered to correspond with the number in the "TO" Column. • If comments bear a higher classification than the attached material, the security classifi- cation of this sheet be changed. FORM 964 USE PREVIOUS EDITIONS UNCLASSIFIED CONFIDENTIAL SECRET • • TOP SECRET

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REFERRED TO OFFICE ADB/ DSD/SI RECEIVED SIGNATURE TOP SECRET CONTROL NO. DATE TIME RELEASED DATE TIME Inod-frozech UFO's SEEN BY Tel u5195814 NAME & OFFICE SYMBOL DATE Handle Via Indicated Controls BYEMAN Access tothis document will be restricted to those persons cleared for the specific projects; OXCART .. ...... WARNING This document contains information affecting the national security of the United States within the meaning of the espionage laws U. S. Code Title 18, Sections 793 and 794. The low prohibits its transmission or the revelation of its contents in any manner to an unauthorized person, as well as its use in any manner prejudicial to the safety or interest of the United States or for the benefit of any foreign government to the detriment of the United States. It is to be seen only by personnel especially indoctrinated and authorized to receive information in the designated control channels. Its security must be maintained in accordance with regulations pertaining to BYEMAN Control System. 4 TOP SECRET GROUP 1 Excluded fram automatic downarodino and darlassificotion

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BYE-)5171/65 Copy Lol 8 Copies 11 FEB 1965 MEMOKANDUM FOR: Aseistair Director 1oz Special Activities SUBJKCT: RACERENCE: Unidentited Flying Object BYE-2061/v5 sad Attachmeato, 1 Feb 65 i. Detalled analysia of tha radar sbotography of 19 Novemaer 1704 and review of associatad correspoadence lacicate that tiere was, an lack, nu bigh altátudo ultra-high-apeod UFO norta ol Fuerto Baco duriag che 10-21 Novemoor 1964 period. Thare were, however, ayparandly valid tracke and/oz asservations di unidentifiec alscrait in the viciaity of che Atiantic Fleet Weapon Range on l6, 17, 18, 19, and 24 Novemoer 1954. 2. Relativo to tho laciceat during the evendag al 19 Novenzoer, the US Navy E -dC pilot was aule tu distiaguish the object as a dolta shape aboat the sisa al a jet fighter, reported it as having mauch bighar performance, and calimated object speed to be la excess ve Miach 3. The USS Gyatt raparted a radar track la oscesa di 3800 knote. a. Daring tale incident, radar abotographo more Laken of the SPS-49 radax F21 presanzaliza. Analysis af kacae photographs ahuw a good track in excade of 300 u.t. for the object in queatioa. The soject was flyiag a carse of asoui los" relativa to the Gyatt al à relative spatá al about dus kaote. HAMBLE VIA BYEAR CANTOL SYSTEM KHAR PROJECT TOT anchida Sas andrannes scongradag aud freineil cation

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-100 1; SUBJECT: Unidentified Flying Object b.. At tas time, the AN/SFS-49 rader aboard che Gyatt was undergoing an evaluation toot prograza - hence, the use of a recording caspera. 3, la view of the radar photographa and pilot observation it is concludes thal the so-called UFO on 19 Noveraves was probauly à delta wing figator of a type having a aigolficantly higher climu perforiance than the F-§C at the 50, 000 foot altitude regimo. Basod on the Liaited information provided in the associaled correspundeace, thor sojects reported during the perina al 16 to 24 Novemiar would appoar to se unidentitied aircrait. Apparently, missile test lizlags were scheduled for the AF'WA during taia time period, and it la conceivable that the area In ‹juancion could have voea an attractive target los reconnaissance. I'he USa Gyatt was located 325 a,na. {ruca the easters tip of Cuba nuring the 19 Noramuer incidant, well within MiGi-21 raage. Ibe USSR has a MiG-Ll reconazissance cunfiguration with AFA-39 aerial camera and poisioly SIGIN I equipment. There la no avideace at hand to suggust of deny any MiG-21 recosaaissance activity unsad in Cuba, either with Soviet of Cubaa pilota. DONALD &. CHAMBERLAIN Assistadt Director Scientific Intelligence Attachmenta: Three attachmeata to BY& 2001/b3 Distribution: Cy l & 2 - Addressee (w/attach) Cy 3 8ed - AD/31 Cy a se 6 - DSD/SI Cy 7k d - ADB/DSD/SI OSI/DSD/ADE: 1dl/6021 (10 Fob 65) CASE VA BEMAN CONTIGI SYSTEM TOP Spret

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TOP SECRET CONTROL NO. - BYE 2081-65 REFERRED TO OFFICE AD/OST RECEIVED SIGNATURE urn DATE TIME RELEASED DATE TIME SEEN BY NAME & OFFICE SYMBOL DATE Handle Via Indicated Controls BYEMAN — Access tothis document will be restricted to those persons cleared for the specific projects; . OXCART. WARNING This document contains information affecting the national security of the United States within the meaning The law prohibits its transmission or the revelation of its contents in any manner to an unauthorized person, as well as its use in any manner prejudicial to the safety or interest of the United States or for the benefit of any foreign government to the detriment of the United States. It is to be seen only by personnel especially indoctrinated and authorized to receive information in the designated control channels. Its security must be maintained in accordance with regulations pertaining to BYEMAN Control System. -TOP SECRET GROUP 1 downgrading and declassificalior

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Handle sa D'EMAN Consch System ..*+ TOP SECRET OXCART BYE 2081-65 Copy 1 1 FEB 1965 MEMORANDUM FOR: Assistant Director for Scientific Intelligence SUBJECT: Unidentified Flying Object 1. OSI and OSA, we believe, received similar information regarding a UFO in the vicinity of Puerto Rico during period 18-24 November 1964. As you can see by the cable originated by the Commander, Caribbean Sea Frontier, to Commander in Chief Atlantic Fleet, date time group 01/2048Z December, CINCLANTELT was informed that UFO identified by CO Ramey as being YF-12A. We think ONI finally convinced, through our efforts, that UFO in fact not YF-12A or similar category Lockheed Aircraft. 2. Navy has provided, at our request, pertinent traffic on this subject, as well as original radar film, Attachment 1, with accompanying prints of same. Request OSI, possibly in conjunction with OEL, evaluate the radar photography to determine if any further information can be gotten through a thorough scientific analysis of the material relative to a high speed, high altitude UFO. 3. Request on completion of OSI study that the attached documents, film and prints be returned to the TCO/BCO/OSA for return to Navy. LEDFORD Assistant Director (Special Activities) Attachments - As stated above GROUP T Excluded tom autematte Crepay ng sad OXCART TOP SECRET Monto via SYMAN Corush System

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Machine summary

Written by Claude Sonnet 4.6 (Anthropic) on August 20, 2026, from the record's text and war.gov's description. It is not part of the record and can contain errors; check it against the document.

CIA-UAP-D022 consists of two internal CIA memoranda dated February 1 and February 11, 1965, exchanged between the Assistant Director for Special Activities (AD/SA, Ledford) and the Assistant Director for Scientific Intelligence (AD/SI, Chamberlain). The subject is a series of unidentified aircraft observations near the Atlantic Fleet Weapons Range north of Puerto Rico during November 16–24, 1964. The central incident, on the evening of November 19, 1964, involved a U.S. Navy E-2C pilot who observed a delta-shaped object estimated at Mach 3, corroborated by AN/SPS-49 radar aboard USS Gyatt recording a track exceeding 3,800 knots. The Gyatt was approximately 325 nautical miles from the eastern tip of Cuba at the time.

The record is notable for several reasons. Both offices formally ruled out domestic experimental aircraft, specifically the YF-12A/OXCART, as the source, overturning an earlier attribution by Commander Ramey. The AD/SI assessed the object as likely a high-performance delta-wing aircraft, raising the possibility of Soviet MiG-21 reconnaissance activity—potentially operating from Cuba—targeting scheduled U.S. missile tests in the AFMR. The documents were classified under the BYEMAN control system and restricted to OXCART-cleared personnel, reflecting the sensitivity of the domestic programs being excluded. Radar film and prints were obtained from the Navy for analysis; the results of that analysis are not included in this release.

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