Portland Police Officers Track Silvery Disc, 1947
Officers in Portland sighted a bright metallic object maneuvering over the city at high speed.
May 8, 2026
Pending
PURSUE Program

AI Disclosure Brief
AI assistedReported Object Read
Portland police officers reported a bright, silvery metallic object reflecting sunlight, appearing round or elliptical or egg-shaped, maneuvering steadily over the city from east to south at high speed and altitude.
Notable Characteristics
- Color: silvery metal
- Luminosity: very bright sun reflection
- Size: larger than conventional airplane
Reported Motion
- wide turn, steady flight, direction change without banking
Evidence Notes
- Eyewitness accounts from four police officers
- Portland Police radio logs
- Oregonian newspaper mention
Declassified FBI file details credible police sightings of a high-altitude, fast-moving metallic object over Portland, with conventional explanations offered by witnesses themselves.
Disc
visual
90%
Prosaic Leads
- Sun reflection on metal airplane (Adair, Raney)
- Weather balloon (Jenkins initially)
Anomalous Indicators
- Extreme speed estimates beyond conventional aircraft
- Shape change during turn (Jenkins)
- Size larger than typical planes (Caldwell)
Evidence Gaps
- No radar or photographic confirmation
- No independent civilian identities beyond newspaper calls
- Alaska sighting lacks exact date
Evidence Quotes // source statements
Open archive"Observed what appeared to be a round silver object... turned gradually until travelling due south, and its shape seemed to change until it appeared to be egg-shaped."
Chief Leon V. Jenkins, Chief of Police / Portland Police Department
Sighted while driving; extreme speed ruled out balloon.
"Observed the very bright reflection of the sun on some object which was apparently made of silvery metal... shape appeared to be round... steady flight."
Robert D. Adair, Police Officer, District 18 / Portland Police Department
Description of object over Portland on September 11, 1947.
"It appeared to him to be elliptical in shape... traveling at a much greater speed than a conventional airplane and was a great deal larger."
J. R. Caldwell, Police Officer, District 18 / Portland Police Department
Partner to Adair; differing estimates on size and speed.
"Appearing to be some flying wing... about the size of a C-54 without any fuselage... no propeller or exhaust... traveling at 300 mph."
Jack Peck, Pilot / Al Jones Flying Company
Near Bethel, Alaska, July 1947; evasive maneuver with co-pilot.
Pattern Mesh // linked sightings
No mesh nodes yet. As more vault dumps land, this graph teeth out.
Chronology Trace // before & after
No dated sibling signals are available yet.
Official Files // source material
1 linked65_HS1-834228961_62-HQ-83894_Section_4
Declassification authority derived from FBI Automatic Declassification Guide, issued May 24, 2007. 5-31-56) 0062 83894 Class / Case # HQ - HEADQUARTERS Sub RRP003IXGX 8/11/1274191 A Vol. 131 Serial # 185 FBI - CENTRAL RECORDS CENTER nt of Justice D.FROM OR ADDED TO THIS . .. E R *62-HQ-83894-4* SERIALS 131-185 62- HQ-83894 + SECTION 4 FOIPA # 993081 : INVESTIGATION COPIED FOR OIPA COPIED FOR MAR 1 1978 BY R471 MAY += $50. 37 PA RSS USE CARE IN HANDLING THIS FILE PICKETT STREET SERIALO 131-185 SECTION 4 Transfer-Call 421 SHAW-WALNEA 18-37797 DESTROY of BUREAU I STANDARD FORM NO. 64 Office .Memurw .. dum . UNITED ST JOVERNMENT DATE: October 9, 1947 : DIRECTOR, FBI TO B FROM : SAC, PORTLAND SUBJECT: 0 FLYING DISCS SECURITY MATTER - X. Reference is made to Portland teletype dated September 13,