CIA HQ: MDR Request Filed for 1976 UFO Evidence Memo
The Black Vault submitted a Mandatory Declassification Review request to compel release of the unredacted 1976 physical evidence memorandum. The filing initiated a three-year review process that ultimately revealed the original document had been lost by the agency.
Background
On January 24, 2019, researchers filed a Mandatory Declassification Review case seeking the complete unredacted version of the April 1976 CIA memorandum. The request aimed to force an internal agency review of the full record without censorship. After nearly three years of processing, officials informed the requesters that the original document containing no redactions could no longer be located. This loss represents a significant gap in the historical record regarding physical evidence investigations conducted by the intelligence community during the 1970s.