Pentagon Releases Third Set of UFO Files

The Pentagon has unveiled a series of previously classified files related to unidentified flying objects (UFOs) or unidentified anomalous phenomena. This third release contains 72 documents dating from the 1940s to 2024. These files highlight investigations into UFO sightings not only within the United States but globally as well.

The release includes reports from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and public sightings. One notable sighting involved a federal law enforcement agent who observed an object resembling a “flying car from the Harry Potter series.” In another 2024 document, an eyewitness reported seeing a light source just below the horizon in the northeastern U.S., hovering over a pond.

Despite the release of these documents, they may provide little comfort to those hoping to find evidence of extraterrestrial life. Official responses, as of 1998, continue to assert that the government has no evidence supporting the existence of extraterrestrial technology. A dedicated government site hosts these unresolved cases, indicating that definitive conclusions on these phenomena remain elusive.

The newly available files include contributions from several agencies: 29 from the FBI, 18 from the CIA, 12 from the Department of Defense, 11 from NASA, and others from the intelligence community. There are also references to historical and scientific literature discussing specific UFO sighting claims, such as a 2008 sighting at Zimbabwe’s Harare International Airport. Observers debated whether this sighting was due to a foreign government device or extraterrestrial origins, noting “beams” emanating from the object.

A particularly intriguing document from 1958 involved R.P.B. Lohman, believed to be a CIA officer, who informed Dr. Leon Davidson that records concerning space messages had been destroyed. The evasive nature of the response was attributed to the complexity of the situation and the need to align with previous statements made by involved agencies.

One document reveals that the CIA convened a “Scientific Advisory Panel on Unidentified Flying Objects” in the early 1950s. While the panel concluded that flying saucers did not pose a national security threat, it noted the potential impact of sensationalist media coverage and recommended debunking UFO-related mysteries.

The oldest files in this batch date back to the 1940s. A 1946 document from the Defense Department mentions an “Evaluation Study of the Phenomenon (Flying Saucers)” noting that 20% of 210 incidents had been explained, without ruling out extraterrestrial activities.

Another file, dating from 1949, includes correspondence involving then-FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, who engaged with Rev. Charles Barnes regarding observed “beams of light” in the Cascade Mountains. Hoover suggested these sightings could relate to military or scientific experiments.

Also included are excerpts from a 1962 interview with astronaut Gordon Cooper, conducted by CBS anchor Walter Cronkite. Cooper discussed the unexplained nature of many sightings and speculated on the presence of planets with livable atmospheres.