DOW-UAP-D086
USNavy-Report-of-Flying-Discs_1948
- Agency
- Department of War
- Format
- Document, 3 pages
- Incident date
- Not given
- Place
- Not given
- Released
- Release 03, June 12, 2026
- Source
- war.gov
Description from war.gov
Page 1
DECLASSIFIED Authority: NND 740185 1948 DATE CLOSED Office, Chief Army Field Forces -SAGPOT A. G. Files NW 91215 Docld:34746269 Page 1 FILE NO. BINDER NO.Page 2
gentel -CONFIDENTIAL HEADQUARTERS FIFTH NAVAL DISTRICT Norfolk 11, Virginia Refer to: ND5(32),/VZ1 Serial 0430 13 Deo 1948 -CONFIDENTIAL 1) танам, Ou chill B Col Ely A Col Thompson. From: To: Commandant, Fifth Naval District Activities Indicated in Distribution List Subj: "Flying Discs" - Report of Ref: (a) CNO Conf Itr Op-322V P16-3/QN, Serial 0li,22P32, dta 4 November 1948 1. Reference (a) is quoted herewith for information and compliance: * From: To: SUBJECT: Chief of Naval Operations. Commandants, All Naval Districts. "Flying Discs" - Report of. 1. The Director of Intelligence, U.S. Air Force has informed the Navy Department that a oycle of reappearance of "Flying Disos" is be- coming apparent, and that the beginning of a new interval is imminent. They have requested that any such sightings be reported as quickly as possible, and that these phenomena be investigated. 2. It is requested, therefore, that all stations be direoted to report to the nearest Air Force command and to the Navel District Intelligence Office any reported sighting of "Flying Dises" or other unidentified aerial objects. It is desired, also, thet photogrephic evidence of the phenomene be obtained whenever possible. 00 DIO's will forward such information to the Chief of Navel Intelligence who will pass tho information to the Dircotor of Intelligenoc U.S. Air Force by the fastest moans. s/ Thos. B. Inglis THOS. B. INGLIS By direction" s/ R. C. Hudson R. C. HUDSON CHIEF OF STAFF 12 Distribution List (Rev. 7/148) Let LA (only 1, 32) 1 10, 10, 17. 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 27, 28, 36, 58, 60, aopy cach. 21 (only 1, 3, 4, 16) 1 сору ench. 3A (only 5, 6, 13, 34, 35, 63, 64, 66) 1 copy each. 6A 1 copy cech. 7A (only 1, 2, 10, 20) 1 copy eech. 85 copies. 12 NW 9112115 Dock 94746269 PemeDPage 3
CH18P CLA. ROSTANS GHANS (RECORDS) 194 a3la48 X000,9 DISTRISUTION CENTER REGENEN ENTER 1045€c) 1948 DEC 15 28The text is machine-read (OCR) from the scan and can contain errors. The scan is the record.
Machine summary
Written by Claude Sonnet 4.6 (Anthropic) on June 12, 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.
DOW-UAP-D086 is a one-page memorandum dated 13 December 1948, issued by the Commandant of the Fifth Naval District in Norfolk, Virginia. It relays a confidential letter from Chief of Naval Operations Thomas B. Inglis (dated 4 November 1948) directing all naval district commandants to instruct their stations to report sightings of "flying discs" or other unidentified aerial objects to the nearest Air Force command and to the Naval District Intelligence Office. The CNO letter notes that the U.S. Air Force Directorate of Intelligence had identified a recurring cycle of flying disc appearances and considered a new interval imminent. Photographic evidence was specifically requested.
The document is notable as an early, formal inter-service coordination mechanism for UAP reporting, predating the official Project Grudge and Project Blue Book frameworks. It confirms that by late 1948, both the Navy and Air Force treated disc sightings as a recurring, trackable phenomenon warranting systematic collection. No content appears redacted beyond routine classification markings. The reference letter from CNO (Serial 01422P32) is cited but not reproduced here, representing a gap in the available record.
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