1994: Army CIC UFO files declassified

Over 300 pages of declassified Army CIC documents on Operation Harass were released following a FOIA request by researcher Timothy S. Cooper. They highlight wartime searches for the Horten brothers and a pre-1947 memo on flying saucer aircraft intelligence.

Date

January 1, 1994

Location

Unknown🇽🇽

Type

Disclosure

Country

🇺🇸 United States

Map

Read-only context

Source context

No explicit primary-source marker in current data

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Attached sources

Background

Declassification Event

In 1994, researcher Timothy S. Cooper submitted a Freedom of Information Act request, leading to the declassification of more than 300 pages of Army Counter Intelligence Corps (CIC) documents related to Operation Harass. These files primarily focus on intense wartime initiatives to locate the Horten brothers, known for their innovative flying wing designs during World War II.

Key Document Contents

A significant inclusion is an undated draft titled "Intelligence Requirements on Flying Saucer Type Aircraft: Draft of Collection Memorandum," prepared before October 20, 1947. This memorandum outlines collection needs for information on aircraft resembling flying saucers, suggesting early military interest in such phenomena predating major UFO incidents.

Evidence and Sources

The documents were discussed in a forum post titled "FOIA: Army CIC UFO Files Various Subjects Including ‘Horten Brothers: Flying Wing’" on the Above Top Secret forum, dated December 17, 2007. No specific witnesses are named beyond the researcher, but the files provide primary evidence of U.S. Army intelligence efforts linking Nazi-era aviation to post-war UFO reports.

Significance

This release underscores connections between historical German secret projects and early U.S. UFO investigations, fueling research into whether some sightings stemmed from advanced human technology rather than extraterrestrial origins. It highlights the role of FOIA in uncovering classified military UFO-related activities.