A newly declassified intelligence map from 1948 reveals the locations of hundreds of reported unidentified flying object (UFO) sightings across the United States during the immediate post-World War II era. The top-secret document, created by a joint study from the U.S. Air Force and Office of Naval Intelligence, details 210 encounters reported between 1947 and 1948.
The map indicates significant clusters of sightings near Philadelphia, Cincinnati, and Louisville in the east, and Los Angeles, Portland, and Boise in the west. Witnesses, including pilots, scientists, police officers, and civilians, reported observing a variety of craft described as 'disks,' 'cigar-shaped,' 'balls of fire,' and 'cones of fire.' Flying saucers were the most common description, while 'cones of fire' were frequently reported in Ohio and Kentucky.
These sightings occurred before the widely publicized alleged crash near Roswell, New Mexico, in July 1947. Reports include trained observers from the U.S. Weather Bureau in Richmond, Virginia, who in April 1947 spotted a metallic disk described as elliptical with a flat bottom and round top. In May 1947, a field engineer in Oklahoma City observed a disk moving at high speed without a visible engine trail. Later that month, a U.S. Air Force pilot reported seeing several white circular objects in formation near Lake Mead, Nevada.
Military officials considered these reports credible enough to investigate, especially given the similarity in descriptions and the quality of witnesses. They categorized the reported UFOs into three types: disk-shaped, cigar- or pencil-shaped, and balls of fire. Some witnesses provided detailed sketches, with one pilot describing a cigar-like rocket approximately 100 feet in length.
The military investigated potential explanations, considering the possibility of advanced U.S.-made experimental aircraft, such as 'flying wing' designs. However, a significant concern was that the observed technology might have originated from the Soviet Union, potentially incorporating recovered German technology from World War II. Officials feared that if the craft were foreign-made, they could be engaged in reconnaissance, testing U.S. air defenses, mapping routes to major cities, and potentially attempting to undermine confidence in the newly developed atomic bomb.
The military concluded that the volume, consistency, and witness credibility made widespread hoaxes unlikely. The identified geographic patterns of sightings, with concentrations along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and in the Midwest, suggested a deliberate pattern of observation or activity. Although the origin and nature of these objects remained undetermined, the investigation highlighted the military's early efforts to document and understand unexplained aerial phenomena.