CUFON Computer UFO Network

Document #: 4
From: UFO INFO SERVICE
Date Sent: 06-09-1986
Subject: 1949 FBI MEMO RE: PHOTOS

CUFON - UFO INFORMATION SERVICE SEATTLE, WA

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT DOCUMENT FILES
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Office Memorandum - UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT

TO : DIRECTOR FBI DATE: January 10, 1949
FROM : SAC KNOXVILLE
SUBJECT : "FLYING SAUCERS" OBSERVED OVER
OAK RIDGE AREA
INTERNAL SECURITY - X

There are being submitted herewith two photographs of reputedly
"flying saucers" which were seen at Oak Ridge, Tennessee, sometime during
July of 1947. All of the information contained in this letter was
received from George Rateman, Resident Engineer, Air Material Command,
United States Army, who is the principal army technician at the Nuclear
Energy for the Propulsion of Aircraft Research Center at Oak Ridge,
Tennessee.

Mr. Rateman advised that the attached photographs were taken by ------
in July of 1947. He stated that interview with ------- revealed that he
had been snapping photographs of his family in front of his residence at
218 Illinois Avenue, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, late in the afternoon, when he
looked into the sky and observed the vapor trail as exhibited by the
photograph numbered "1." ---------- stated that he took a snap of this
trail, was winding the film to the next number, when he looked into the
sky and observed the ball of fire as shown in photograph 2. ------- made
these photographs available to reporters of the Knoxville News-Sentinel
and a story concerning them was run in that paper; however, as shown by
the photostatic copy of the newspaper clipping, which is also being
submitted herewith to the Bureau, the print was very indistinct; the news
story did not contain any factual information; and it was regarded
generally by the public at the time as a possible trick.

 Later, it was learned by Rateman and --------- that --------- had
made several copies of this photograph and had distributed them among his
aquaintances at Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Upon ----------- finding that the
photographs had received some distribution, he requested Rateman as Head
of the Compliance and Investigations Division, to recover as many as
possible of the photographs, advise the persons in whose possession they
were found to say nothing to anyone concerning them, and to return the
said photographs to him for transmission to the United States Air Force
Intelligence Service. Rateman advises that he succeeded in rounding up
twenty four copies of these photographs, and that, according to the
statements of --------, no more copies were made or distributed. Rateman
further stated that ------- had appeared extremely concerned over the
matter and seemed quite emphatic that the matter should be given no more
publicity than was absolutely necessary. Rateman also advised that he
studied the negatives from which the reproductions were made, and they
appeared to be authentic in that trick photography should have been
apparent, but from the ----