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Flying Saucer Photographed Over Oak Ridge, 1947

W.R. Presley captured an image of a flying saucer while photographing his Oak Ridge home.

Event

May 8, 2026

Location

Pending

Source

PURSUE Program

65_HS1-834228961_62-HQ-83894_Serial_153

AI Disclosure Brief

AI assisted

Reported Object Read

W.R. Presley photographed a flying saucer over a mountain while snapping pictures near his home at 218 Illinois Avenue, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, in July 1947. Two photos enclosed with FBI report; first local image reported over the area amid multiple sightings.

Notable Characteristics

  • Environment: sky

Reported Motion

No confident entries yet.

Evidence Notes

  • Two photographs
  • Knoxville News-Sentinel clipping

Early FBI record documents civilian photographs of a 'flying saucer' over Oak Ridge, coinciding with 1947 wave; image quality and context warrant scrutiny.

Shape read

Disc

Sensors

photographic

AI confidence

85%

Prosaic Leads

  • Lens flare or emulsion artifact on last film exposure.
  • Cloud formation or debris resembling disc.

Anomalous Indicators

  • First reported photograph over Oak Ridge amid multiple sightings.
  • FBI retention in internal security file.

Evidence Gaps

  • No analysis of photo authenticity or negatives.
  • Object motion or behavior not described.
  • Precise date and weather conditions unknown.
External reference status: Unverified

Evidence Quotes // source statements

Open archive
Craft SightingAttributed claim
"Two photographs of reputedly 'flying saucers' seen at Oak Ridge, Tennessee, during July 1947."

Unknown speaker / FBI Knoxville Office

FBI enclosures summary.

Craft SightingExact quote
"'FLYING SAUCER' PHOTOGRAPHED AT OAK RIDGE"

Unknown speaker / Knoxville News-Sentinel

Newspaper headline on enclosed clipping.

Craft SightingExact quote
"Sure. Sure. You're right. It is a Flying Saucer."

Unknown speaker, Reporter / Knoxville News-Sentinel

Article describing Presley's photo.

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 linked
Pdf

65_HS1-834228961_62-HQ-83894_Serial_153

62- HQ-33894 VOL 1 SERIAL 153 ONLY FBI - CENTRAL RECORDS CENTER HQ - HEADQUARTERS Class / Case # Sub Vol. Serial # 0062 83894 1 153 ONLY 8/11/1274168 RRP003IXGA Declassification authority derived from FBI Automatic Declassification Guide, issued May 24, 2007. KNOXVILLE FILE #65-11 RE: "FLYING SAUCERS" OBSERVED OVER OAK RIDGE AREA INTERNAL SECURITY - X ENCLOSURES TO BUREAU: Two photographs of reputedly "flying saucers" seen at Oak Ridge, Tennessee, during July 1947. Photostatic copy of newspaper clipping appearing in the Knoxville News-Sentinel concerning these "flying saucers." 62- 83891- 153 ISNCLOSURE KNOXVILLE NEWS SEY INEL JULY 1947 'FLYING SAUCER' LOTOGRAPHED AT OAK RIDGE W. R. PRESLEY ad snapped several pictures of his family and his house a? 218 Illinois Avenue, Oak Ridge, the other