On the evening of 19 November 1964, north of Puerto Rico, a U.S. Navy F-8C pilot got close enough to an unknown object to describe it: a delta shape, about the size of a jet fighter, with much higher performance than his own aircraft. He estimated its speed in excess of Mach 3. The guided-missile destroyer USS Gyatt reported a radar track in excess of 3,800 knots.
The report travelled up the chain. In a cable to Commander in Chief Atlantic Fleet, CINCLANTFLT was told the UFO had been identified by the commanding officer at Ramey Air Force Base as a YF-12A - the Lockheed interceptor built from the same Blackbird airframe as the A-12.
That explanation did not survive contact with the office that actually ran the Blackbird program. On 1 February 1965, Colonel Jack C. Ledford, the CIA's Assistant Director for Special Activities, wrote in a TOP SECRET memorandum handled through the BYEMAN control system under Project OXCART: "We think ONI finally convinced, through our efforts, that UFO in fact not YF-12A or similar category Lockheed Aircraft." He asked the Office of Scientific Intelligence to analyze the Navy's original radar film.
Ten days later the answer came back from Donald F. Chamberlain, Assistant Director for Scientific Intelligence. Detailed analysis of the radar photography showed there was "in fact, no high altitude ultra-high-speed UFO north of Puerto Rico" during the period. The film gave a good track in excess of 300 nautical miles, but the object was flying a course of about 165 degrees relative to the Gyatt at a relative speed of about 485 knots - not 3,800. The 19 November object was probably a delta-wing fighter that could out-climb an F-8C at 50,000 feet.
The unknown did not go away with the speed record. The same memo records "apparently valid tracks and/or observations of unidentified aircraft" near the Atlantic Fleet Weapon Range on five separate days - 16, 17, 18, 19 and 24 November 1964 - and concludes that objects reported across that period "would appear to be unidentified aircraft." Missile test firings were scheduled at the range, making it an attractive target for reconnaissance; the Gyatt was 325 nautical miles from the eastern tip of Cuba, well within MiG-21 range. The CIA noted there was "no evidence at hand to suggest or deny" any MiG-21 reconnaissance flying from Cuba. Both memoranda are below, followed by the narration transcript and the reported area.
TOP SECRET - Handle via BYEMAN Control System - Project OXCART (declassified; approved for release 2026) 1 February 1965 and 11 February 1965
CIA Memoranda - Unidentified Flying Object, Vicinity of Puerto Rico (November 1964)
Memorandum BYE 2081-65 - 1 February 1965
- TOP SECRET / OXCART - Handle via BYEMAN Control System
- MEMORANDUM FOR: Assistant Director for Scientific Intelligence
- SUBJECT: Unidentified Flying Object
1. OSI and OSA, we believe, received similar information regarding a UFO in the vicinity of Puerto Rico during period 18-24 November 1964. As you can see by the cable originated by the Commander, Caribbean Sea Frontier, to Commander in Chief Atlantic Fleet, date time group 01/2048Z December, CINCLANTFLT was informed that UFO identified by CO Ramey as being YF-12A. We think ONI finally convinced, through our efforts, that UFO in fact not YF-12A or similar category Lockheed Aircraft.
2. Navy has provided, at our request, pertinent traffic on this subject, as well as original radar film, Attachment 1, with accompanying prints of same. Request OSI, possibly in conjunction with OEL, evaluate the radar photography to determine if any further information can be gotten through a thorough scientific analysis of the material relative to a high speed, high altitude UFO.
3. Request on completion of OSI study that the attached documents, film and prints be returned to the TCO/BCO/OSA for return to Navy.
JACK C. LEDFORD, Colonel, USAF, Assistant Director (Special Activities). Attachments - As stated above.
Memorandum BYE-35171/65 - 11 February 1965
- TOP SECRET - Handle via BYEMAN Control System - Project OXCART
- MEMORANDUM FOR: Assistant Director for Special Activities
- SUBJECT: Unidentified Flying Object
- REFERENCE: BYE-2081/65 and Attachments, 1 Feb 65
1. Detailed analysis of the radar photography of 19 November 1964 and review of associated correspondence indicate that there was, in fact, no high altitude ultra-high-speed UFO north of Puerto Rico during the 18-24 November 1964 period. There were, however, apparently valid tracks and/or observations of unidentified aircraft in the vicinity of the Atlantic Fleet Weapon Range on 16, 17, 18, 19, and 24 November 1964.
2. Relative to the incident during the evening of 19 November, the US Navy F-8C pilot was able to distinguish the object as a delta shape about the size of a jet fighter, reported it as having much higher performance, and estimated object speed to be in excess of Mach 3. The USS Gyatt reported a radar track in excess of 3800 knots.
a. During this incident, radar photographs were taken of the SPS-49 radar PPI presentation. Analysis of these photographs show a good track in excess of 300 n.m. for the object in question. The object was flying a course of about 165 degrees relative to the Gyatt at a relative speed of about 485 knots.
b. At the time, the AN/SPS-49 radar aboard the Gyatt was undergoing an evaluation test program -- hence, the use of a recording camera.
3. In view of the radar photographs and pilot observation, it is concluded that the so-called UFO on 19 November was probably a delta-wing fighter of a type having a significantly higher climb performance than the F-8C at the 50,000 foot altitude regime. Based on the limited information provided in the associated correspondence, other objects reported during the period of 16 to 24 November would appear to be unidentified aircraft.
4. Apparently, missile test firings were scheduled for the AFWR during this time period, and it is conceivable that the area in question could have been an attractive target for reconnaissance. The USS Gyatt was located 325 n.m. from the eastern tip of Cuba during the 19 November incident, well within MiG-21 range. The USSR has a MiG-21 reconnaissance configuration with AFA-39 aerial camera and possibly SIGINT equipment. There is no evidence at hand to suggest or deny any MiG-21 reconnaissance activity based in Cuba, either with Soviet or Cuban pilots.
DONALD F. CHAMBERLAIN, Assistant Director, Scientific Intelligence. Attachments: Three attachments to BYE 2081/65.
Approved for release 2026. Two memoranda: BYE 2081-65 (1 Feb 1965) and BYE-35171/65 (11 Feb 1965). Names of the signing officers are printed in the originals; no text redactions appear in the memoranda themselves. · Central Intelligence Agency - Office of Special Activities and Office of Scientific Intelligence (CIA-UAP-D022)
November 1964, north of Puerto Rico. A Navy F-8 pilot at fifty thousand feet reports a delta shaped object the size of a fighter, outclimbing him.
He estimates its speed above Mach three. The destroyer U.S.S. Gyatt logs a track over thirty eight hundred knots. Ramey Air Force Base had an answer. A Blackbird.
But the C.I.A. office that ran the Blackbird program said no. Colonel Jack Ledford, top secret, project OXCART: it was in fact not a Y F twelve A.
He asked for the Navy's radar film. Ten days later: no ultra high speed U.F.O. Real relative speed, four hundred eighty five knots.
But tracks on five separate days stayed on the books as unidentified aircraft.
Search Case C twenty two at ufodata.org. Subscribe to UFO Data.
All documents and footage are authentic, public-domain U.S. government releases. Narration is AI-generated text-to-speech.