UFO sighting in Hungary from a family letter, CIA, 1955

[PAGE 1] Approved for Release 2026 Under Section 1842 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024. SECRET [cover sheet — additional special controls if any]. INFORMATION REPORT. [Espionage Law warning, Title 18 U.S.C. Sections 793 and 794.] PREPARED AND DISSEMINATED BY CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY. COUNTRY: [Hungary]. REPORT NO.: DO-B-93674. SUBJECT: Report of Unusual Flying Object Sightings and Attendant Scientific Activity. DATE [OF REPORT]: 17 Apr[il]. NO. OF PAGES: [3]. SUPPLEMENT TO REPORT #: [none]. RESPONSIVE TO: [blank]. DATE ACQUIRED: [blank]. DATE OF INFORMATION: [Nov 55]. THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION. SOURCE: Naturalized US citizen [of Hungarian] extraction. He corresponds regularly with two nieces living in [Hungary]. 1. In November 1955 I received a letter from my niece in [Hungary]. This letter contained the following interesting item [free translation]: "The so-called 'strange comets' (rockets?) for several weeks kept the people in a nervous state. These very fast-speeding [flyers] [drew] scientific groups — very busy. I'm sure you heard already about them. A speed of [approximately] 12,000 km per hour was estimated on these flyers." 2. Included with the letter was the following sketch indicating the formation and suspected course of the above objects: [sketch, route marked Budapest — Moscow] 3. This is the first time my niece has mentioned such objects in her letters. 4. Available on loan from CIA Library is a photostatic copy of [the] original letter in [Hungarian] and [an] English translation. The excerpt quoted in para. 1 is [enclosed] in brackets in this letter. UNCLASSIFIED. [Routing marks.] DISTRIBUTION: Army, Navy, Air. NOFORN — NO DISSEM ABROAD. LIMITED: Dissemination limited to full-time employees of CIA, AEC, and FBI, and within State and Defense [Department] intelligence components, other officials producing NIS elements, and higher echelons with their immediate supporting staffs. Not to be disseminated to consultants, contract or other project or research personnel on other than active duty (excepting individuals who are normally full-time employees of CIA, AEC, FBI, State, or Defense). [Not disseminated] unless written permission of the originating office has been obtained through the Assistant Director for Collection and Dissemination, CIA. [PAGE 2] Dear Uncle, I don't know whether the letter I sent before will arrive. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year. Here, the children are preparing for Christmas. The shops are full of toys and Christmas trees. The streets are crowded with window shoppers. The three of us are spending the holidays in Pest. The children will have a vacation from 20 December through 17 January. [I] took a day off on All Souls' Day. [Missing text — you] write so little. How are you? Has the family grown? Are you all well? [Name redacted] is having a lot of trouble with her back. [Name redacted] has been sent off for a week to do some work in the province; he won't return till the evening of the 24th. A famous German circus is on tour here now with many animals and artists. They say it is very good. We are planning to see it with the children. Everyone has been excited by the so-called saucers for the past few weeks. These fast-rushing heavenly phenomena have been and still are keeping scores of scientists busy. [Name redacted] surely saw them or read about them — these amazing flyers moved at a speed of 12,000 kilometers per hour. We wish you all good health and send our regards and affection to mother and the children. Much love and many prayers, [PAGE 3] [no legible text — blank or heavily redacted scan]