This file contains two pieces of FBI correspondence about UFO sightings from different years. In 1967, an eleven-year-old in Chicago reported seeing a flash of light in the sky, which the FBI passed along to the Army-Air Force radar squadron. In 1974, a researcher asked the FBI for documentation about a 1954 UFO sighting and other case files, but the FBI responded that it does not collect information on UFO sightings because Congress has not authorized it to investigate such matters.
What was the 1967 sighting?
On September 16, 1967, an eleven-year-old boy in Chicago called the FBI to report that he had heard a "weird" noise and seen "a flash of light going north in the sky" at approximately 8:30 PM. He claimed this was a UFO. The FBI agent who took the call, SA C. Leonard Treviranus, forwarded the information to Sergeant Eugene Ripka of the Army-Air Force 755th Radar Squadron in Arlington Heights, Illinois.
What did the researcher ask for in 1974?
In September 1974, a researcher named Larry W. Bryant wrote to the FBI's Chicago office requesting documentation about an alleged April 8, 1954 UFO sighting that he said involved Coast Guard personnel and civilian observers. He also asked the FBI for copies of any other UFO case files from 1954 and for the current contact information of a principal witness, Mrs. Lelah H. Stoker.
How did the FBI respond?
On October 10, 1974, Special Agent in Charge Richard G. Held replied that the FBI has no information about the 1954 sighting Bryant described and does not collect information on UFO sightings in general. Held explained that the FBI is authorized by Congress to investigate only specific matters, and UFO sightings are not among them. The FBI also had no information about Mrs. Stoker's current residence or telephone number.
Full Document Text
Text extracted directly from the source PDF. Text extraction via abigailhaddad/ufo-releases; original file at war.gov.
Read the full text (23,693 characters)
--- PAGE 1 ---
'
{MA'fEIRIIAI!.. MllJ~u NJ(Q)u IS~ IRIEM(3-)V[EID) !FIRl©M ©~ .ADJQ)~ID) 'fO YHIIS FiL!E)
IFIEDIERAL IBURIEAU
I
IlNVIE§TilGATilON
• 8 ureau File tN umber·
,· .
eclass ification i
J .•
uth ority derived
rom FBI Automatic _
eclass ification
r
uide, issued < l•
a 24, 2007 0
c I
3
j Cl)
z
C
3
cr
CD
""'I
. ---..
:ilso Nos.
f
' •-
.J
NW
• Docld:M1281ML~~e....::::;!1~~~~:;;:;;::~;::===--~~:-,:---____:__:==:=::===::=::::~:==::~~~::;;;;;;;;~;;;::;:~:;:::=:_--=-:_.::::
.. -.=---=-_:_JJl1
--- PAGE 2 ---
OPTIONAL FORM NO, 10 5010-107-02
MAY 1882 EDITION
GSA GEN. REG. NO. 27
UNITED STATES GO ,•.,.,_.~_NMEN;r <·
- j , ._,
Memorandum
TO ~CHICAGO(~ DATE: 9/22/67
FROM SA Co LEONARD TREVIRANUS
-
SUBJECT: U O-~~G
''-..
- MISCELLANEOUS
-
'!'OM MITCu(LL, 7825 South Colfax, Chicago (375-9258)
telephonically ad/i;~d the writer at 9:110 PM on September 16,
1_967, as follows:
He is eleven years of age. Al approximately 8:30
PM he heard a "weird" noise and looked out the window of
his resid,ence and saw a "flash of light going north in the
skyo" He could furnish no additional information but claimed
this to be a UFO.
The ab~ve information was furnished to Sergeant
EUGENE RIPKA, Army-Air Force 755th Radar Squadron, Arlington,
Heights, Illinois, telephone 763-8638.
CLT/cah
(l)~_
Buy U.S. Savings Bonds Regularly on the Payroll Savings Plan
------------
Page2
--- PAGE 3 ---
- -, ,·1
·1 I
'I
w 111
I
.?_., ----
t...--, ~ r _ , .....,.,...
2904 South 13th Road - Apt 2 lg.,,
, /4<.~G TO !\I, F-~
Arlington, Virgin~~ f.?.?04
-
;::p I , '
''-
,<- .0 ~ j(l;,i- -,;_4 v1·i,1 n~P
.. ,·-
{v) • A f\Jl o ~ --·-' " -1- .. _ , j
i,,.-f'"'
~,~l.JLL.u,__ i, ~d 11! n I i:: n
(' ··11 n c ,hi f-'ll~,,,
l\ ~~'.:,
,~7 , ,- ...,. 1\)
•::, ,, 1 ·IL,,
"- 2 (_,"' c:-,, ~,-r,::;1-0T c:::r-D\nr., _
..... •
'19 · - I',
,. ..., '~ ( u (\ C ,) i L'L)lil:HJL
V [ . i"! ,j I !...1 t ~-
,,r-..:'. :2:,,. " ' · ~..- ...
i . .,,.---..,,...___=.,-.._,...,..,~~-....;:.,--~-..-'----.:-.;~---
~
r
'
1.-
~}
Special Agent in Charge
I ,.l
(()
l
lI
Federal Bureau of Investigation
]
Chicago, Illinois
FIRST CLASS U.S. MAIL
-, _ _ _ _ _ _ .......--------•.v • • • - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - ~ - - - - - - ~ - - - - - - - - - ~ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~ - - ~ ~ -~-~·'
'1i1:
I
I"'
--- PAGE 4 ---
t. ~.
C~--~~~ • C
},
I
/
2904 South 13th "Road!- Apt 2
Arlington,• Virginia/ 22204
~nft:fflr"':,er,s-1o//t(rljM1-fffil"""' ie•D i
I
Special Agent in Charge .
Federal Bureau of Investigation I
I
I
/
Chicago, Illinois I
I
!
I
i'
I
i
Dear Sir: I
!'
j
Through inquiry of the Department of the Air Fore~, I 1 ve obta· ed a copy
J
I
of a U.S. Army report of an alleged April 8, 1954 sighting of an : cupied Un-
1
I
identified Flying Object (UFO) which was pursued by W- S. Coast Gu d personnel,
,- ·:: I
• ' t
landed briefly on the ground (discharging the occup1nt, who stroll about and
returned to the object), and which was seen by at /east three civi ian observers
before it departed. The report's distribution no/ation cites you office as
I
receiw~ng a copy. I
I
So that I might complete my research into ubis case, will u please send
mea copy of any documentation of all FBI follr-up actions th
I may have been
taken on the matter? Also, does your office possess any other. UFO-sighting case
I
. -I
I
files covering the period January 1, 1954 through December 3, 1954; and, if so,
I .
I
will you please send me a copy of your recor1s of ally, will you please
tell,me the current mailing address and/or tk: of the principal
observer, Chicago resident Mrs. Lelah H. forementioned sighting
of April 8, 1954?
;oo-1/t-JS-Cl I - ;;;)-. •
i ours si erely,
I{. ~v
10~ -ry, - _,___,,., o u.-~--r sEARCHEo__~-~JNDEXeo.-R/r,_
/ Larr W. Bryant SERIALIZED~FILED---· ---.
i• -➔r ocr 101974
~l'11 ~v
Page4
--- PAGE 5 ---
j
/ \
~
219 Soutb Dearborn Street:
Chicago, Illinois 60604
·October 10, 1974
, Mr,. Larry W. Bryant \..,
2904 South Thirteenth Road I .J
Apartment 2
.Ar~ington, Virginia 22204
i
·nealr Mr. Bryant:
i
I .
.. I have received your letter dated Septe~ber 30·,.
1914, regar.ding UFO .sightings. I am sorry to advise you I
I
·\th~t the Federal Bureau. of Investigation (FBI) has ·no I
I
I
.information regarding the UFO sighting you describe in
yo"r letter, and, in fact, the FBI does. not collect informa
t1Qn regarding UFO sightings in general. As you are
prdbably aware, the FBI is the investigative arm of the
U'ni\:ted States Department of Justice, and is authorized to
.ilnvestigate only those matters .specifically delegated to
tt.~y Congress. UFO sightings are not such matters.
In a.ddition, our files contai.o no information
regii.rding the current residence or telepho~e number of
'Mrs·...Lelah H.. Stoker, mentioned in your letter .
..
' Very
RICHA· D G. HELD
Special Agent in Charge
~j,, . ~ . ~ , c ~ .~:::•· ~--~:.,.,'"~ ~ ·• N
., .'}]
Addressee
Chicago (100-44501)
1 - 100-36363 I 00 -·l/1/SO I_,3
!JMF:nss
1(3) .
Page 5 View the official fileFrequently Asked Questions
What did the eleven-year-old report seeing in 1967?
The boy reported hearing a weird noise and seeing a flash of light going north in the sky at approximately 8:30 PM on September 16, 1967. He claimed this was a UFO but could furnish no additional information.
Who did the FBI contact about the 1967 sighting?
The FBI forwarded the information to Sergeant Eugene Ripka of the Army-Air Force 755th Radar Squadron in Arlington Heights, Illinois.
The ab~ve information was furnished to Sergeant EUGENE RIPKA, Army-Air Force 755th Radar Squadron, Arlington, Heights, Illinois, telephone 763-8638.
Why did the FBI say it doesn't investigate UFO sightings?
The FBI stated that it is authorized by Congress to investigate only specific matters that Congress has delegated to it, and UFO sightings are not among those matters.
the FBI is the investigative arm of the U'ni\:ted States Department of Justice, and is authorized to .ilnvestigate only those matters .specifically delegated to tt.~y Congress. UFO sightings are not such matters.
What information did the FBI have about the 1954 sighting?
The FBI stated it had no information regarding the 1954 UFO sighting that the researcher described in his letter.
Congressional Context
No confirmed links between this file and the congressional record yet. Connections are added only when the source text supports them, never inferred.