DOS-UAP-D002, Diplomatic Cable, Brazil, November 20, 1963
Official description
This document is a U.S. Department of State diplomatic cable from the U.S. Embassy in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to the Office of the Secretary of State in Washington, D.C., on November 20, 1963. This cable relays the findings of the scientific attaché at the American Consulate in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, that a widely reported incident allegedly involving a crashed unidentified object was unsubstantiated, characterizing the reports as a fabrication originating in Rio de Janeiro. The Consulate cites a lack of contemporary local reporting regarding the alleged incident, as well as contradictory reporting from local newspapers after the fact, as evidence that the published claims are unsubstantiated. The Consulate also cites a statement from the Brazilian Ministry of Aeronautics categorically denying that there was “any “strange object” in Conde [Bahia].” This correspondence follows a previous exchange between the Embassy and the Department of State, included in this collection under the title “DOS-UAP-D001.”
✦ AI summary
This unclassified U.S. Department of State airgram (A-628), sent November 20, 1963, from the Embassy in Rio de Janeiro to the Department of State with an information copy to the Consulate in Salvador, reports on an inquiry into a UFO reportedly sighted near Salvador, Bahia, on November 8. Consul Harold Midkiff in Salvador advised that the story of a "strange object descending" near Conde, Bahia, appeared to have been fabricated in Rio, since no one in the area had seen such an object despite investigation by reporters and others; Brazil's Secretary of Public Security speculated it might have been a weather balloon, but no sighting was ever confirmed. Midkiff forwarded two Salvadoran newspaper clippings supporting this conclusion: a November 9 Diário de Notícias article citing the Ministry of Aeronautics' categorical denial of any "strange object" at Conde, and a November 11 Jornal da Bahia article, titled "The Airship that wasn't there," noting that the episode's only notable result was a reporter's telegram sent via an old Morse-code transmitter from the federal telegraph office in Conde.
Generated with AI from the official file — may contain errors.
▸Transcript(2 of 2 pages legible)
[PAGE 1] ORIGIN/ ACTION DEPARTMENT OF STATE * “P * » |, AUR@IR AM br 7 2 / Si FOR RM USE ONLY i | A-628 UNCLASSIFIED NEA cu INR NO. 963 unigne fe ee YD S Ir0 : DEPARTMENT OF STATE agate 29/ “| © | '° JINFO +: Amconsul SALVADOR ~w, ./& u RM/AN at ee Department: Pass copies Defense}! NASA % 8} _ Wiley tc s/h Wo ties / acr | com| Fre | eo, .Amembassy RIO DE JANEIRO pate: November 20, 4963 INT [CAB T TAR | cupjyect. Negative Report on UFO (Unidentified Flying Object) Reportedly Sighted Near Salvador, Bahia on November 8, 1964. Was? | “$"| REF :Embtel 94 to Amconsul Salvador (to SecState 1054) of 2 a aoe November 14, 1963. at sels.|" Information copies of the above Embtel were sent to the ae at "3 Department with the request that they be passed to Defense (for / 7 the Air Force) and NASA. IFWSS | Z| ¢€ Mr. Harold Midkiff, the Consul in Salvador, replied by telegram No. 157 of November 14 to the above cited Embtel; as follows: "Story of strange object descending in region of Conde Bahia apparently fabricated in Rio no such objects seen by anyone in the area according to newspaper reporters and others who rushed there before investigation reports were received Secretary Public Security speculated object might be weather balloon but no such sighting verified." In addition, he forwarded by pouch also on November 14 two newspaper clippings from Salvadoran journalswhich substan- tiate the above message, respectively Diario de Noticias of November 9, and the Jornal da Bahia of November Il. The first of these states that the Ministry of Aeronautics categorically denies that there was any "strange object" in Conde. The other is entitled "The Airship that wasn't there”. According to the Jornal da Bahia reporter, the only news- worthy aspect of the episode is that it produced an astounding by-product: he sent a telegram to his paper from the federal telegraphic office in Conde = by an old morse code transmitter - L <i UNCLASSIFIED ye i968 DEPT. USE ONLY ron Ds-323 i = Lou Drafted by: SA:ACSimonpietri/vma 11-20-63 | "°° John Gordan Wein! 5,6 BY Clearances: AAzRDKalb (in substance) § POL:CCCarson@a — DECLASSIFIED NND 939551 [PAGE 2] Jy a UNCLASSIFIED Page 2 of A-628 from Rio and five minutes later he had a rep rom Salvador. For the AmWassador: An C. Simonpietri Scientific Attaché UNCLASSIFIED DECLASSIFIED NND 939551
Generated with AI from the official file — may contain errors.
Source: U.S. Department of War / AARO — public domain · war.gov/ufo
Entities in this document
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