Department of War PURSUE File
DOW-UAP-D51, Email Correspondence, Pacific Time Zone, March 2023
Pacific Time Zone·3/23/26
Editorial summary
On a night in March 2023, a civilian in the Pacific Time Zone reported observing a large blue triangular object near a national security facility, according to this file released by the Department of War. The witness described the object as featureless with a solid silhouette, emitting powerful whitish-blue light from multiple points along its perimeter. The sighting lasted approximately eight minutes, during which the object initially hovered stationary for about three minutes before moving higher in the witness's field of view in what they characterized as jerking or jumping motions that seemed inconsistent with smooth jet propulsion.
The witness stated they could not determine how the object was controlled, identify its means of propulsion, or discern whether it had a defined front or rear. They did not believe it was a drone. The report notes that the observer made negative observations as well, commenting that the object did not appear to follow a defined flight path, did not emit a vapor trail, and did not display what they perceived as photograph or data collection capabilities or cloaking. The witness acknowledged they had not directly observed several of these characteristics. The sighting was documented using a personal cellular device.
The file consists primarily of email correspondence between officials at the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations regarding the declassification pathway for the underlying incident report. The officials discuss whether to process the case as a derivative classification review rather than a full declassification request, ultimately approving release at the unclassified level. A summary of the incident characteristics is provided, including shape, color, reported behavior, and altitude and speed values that remain unreported.
This document is now in the public record as part of the Department of War PURSUE Release 01, cleared for public release on May 8, 2026.
Editorial summary written by govweird from the declassified document text. The official government description follows below.
Government description
This document is email correspondence describing the content of a mission report and requesting clarification on its content. All descriptive and estimative language contained in this report reflects the reporter’s subjective interpretation at the time of the event. Such characterizations should not be interpreted as a conclusive indication of the presence or absence of any intrinsic object features or performance characteristics.
Caption issued by the U.S. Department of War on war.gov/ufo. Verbatim, unedited.
Originating agency
Department of War
Record type
Incident date
3/23/26
Incident location
Pacific Time Zone
Release tranche
Release 01 (May 8, 2026)
Distribution
Cleared for public release