NSA Declares 1978 UFO Memo Original Unrecoverable
The NSA informed The Black Vault that the unredacted original of a 1978 UFO-related memo could not be located. This determination prevents any future declassification of remaining redacted sections.
Background
In response to a 2021 MDR request by The Black Vault, the NSA declared in a May 26, 2022 letter that the original, unredacted copy of the 1978 MUFON symposium memorandum could not be located. This admission means the agency cannot process further declassification reviews for the remaining redacted portions.
The letter, received in late July 2022, effectively permanently withholds the identity of the memo's author and potentially other operational details. The NSA stated they would never be able to disclose any still redacted information either now or in the future due to the loss.
This revelation sits atop a growing number of UFO-related documents that government agencies classify as lost or unrecoverable, significantly hampering historical research into government surveillance of civilian UFO research groups.