1964 · Atlantic Fleet Weapons Range
A 4,400 mph contact near Puerto Rico
Part ofThe undersea program
WhenNovember 19, 1964
WhereAtlantic Fleet Weapons Range
Backing3 independent
Evidencesensor data, documents
Over the Navy's missile range near Puerto Rico, an F-8 Crusader pilot saw a 'delta-shaped' object about the size of a jet fighter and estimated its speed at Mach 3. The destroyer USS Gyatt tracked it on radar at more than 3,800 knots, roughly 4,400 mph, for 21 minutes. The CIA's reconnaissance and science chiefs ruled out America's own secret aircraft, including the OXCART, and briefed the Director's office.
Evidence, in date order (3)
- 1964CIA Special Activities and Scientific Intelligence chiefsdocumentmemos ruling out U.S. secret aircraft including OXCART war.gov: CIA memos on the Puerto Rico object, 1964–65
- 19 Nov 1964USS Gyattsensor dataradar track at over 3,800 knots for 21 minutes Wikipedia: USS Gyatt
- 1965CIA briefing notes for Walter Elderdocumentradar figures and pilot estimates briefed to the Director's office war.gov: CIA briefing notes for Walter Elder
How plausible · High
CIA records confirm a pilot sighting matched by ship radar at 4,400 mph, with OXCART ruled out.
- ●●Access Pilot and ship radar.
- ●●No gain sought Official.
- ●●Character record CIA.
- ●●Independent convergence Visual and radar.
- ●●Checkable details check out CIA records.
- ●●Fits the documented skeleton Documented.
Plausibility weighs how well an account fits where secrecy hides the documents by design, so missing records never count against it. Strength measures what is documented. Assessed 2026-10-23.
On the record
- CIA memos between its Special Activities and Scientific Intelligence chiefs.
- Briefing notes for the Director's executive assistant, with the radar figures and the pilot's estimates.
Claims
Nothing on Earth flew at 4,400 mph in 1964; the CIA could only guess at foreign spying.speculationSourced, unconfirmedcommentators
Where
Atlantic Fleet Weapons Range
18.3°N 65.0°W · region only
war.gov files on this case (2)
PDFBriefing Notes for Mr. Walter ElderCIA · Release 05 · 1964-11-19 (per case/puertorico)
PDFUnidentified Flying Object Reported near Puerto Rico, 1965CIA · Release 05 · 1964-11-19 (per case/puertorico)
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Sources
- Wikipedia: USS Gyatt
- war.gov: CIA memos on the Puerto Rico object, 1964–65
- war.gov: CIA briefing notes for Walter Elder