Air Force Project Blue Book Special Report 14 (Hynek's annotated copy)

Read from the scan by GLM-OCR; expect the odd misread word.

The names of the persons involved in the sightings are withheld in respect of their privacy. They are free, however, to say what they please. Reports which divulge the capabilities of our aircraft, radar, and electronic equipment are classified for obvious reasons. All other information with respect to sightings is a matter of public record.

Another misconception centers about photographs of "flying saucers". The Air Force does not possess photographs which prove the existence of "flying saucers". Because still photographs can be so easily faked, either by using a mock-up or model against a legitimate background, or by retouching the negative, they are practically worthless as evidence. Innumerable objects, from ash-trays to wash basins, have been photographed while sailing through the air. Many such photos have been published without revealing the true identity of the objects.

More attention is given to moving pictures of unidentified flying objects since they are more difficult to fake. However, only a very few movie-type films have been received by the Air Force and they reveal only pinpoints of light moving across the sky. The Air Force has been unable to identify the source of these lights. The images are too small to analyze properly. Since ownership of these films remains with the persons taking them the Air Force is not in a position to give them out. The owners may do with them as they please.

Although hoaxes comprise but a small percentage of total reports, some of them prove to be the most sensational and the most publicized. However, to insure that the Air Force will not embarass individuals or groups who are sincere in their beliefs or who may be victims of such hoaxes, the facts brought out in the investigations of these false reports are generally not made public. Unfortunately, this policy has often given the erroneous impression that the Air Force is deliberately denying or withholding information which, if revealed, would prove the existence of "saucers".

The Air Force has stated in the past, and reaffirms at the present time, that unexplained aerial phenomena are not a secret weapon, missile, or aircraft, developed by the United States. None of the three military departments nor any other agency in the Government is conducting experiments, classified or otherwise, with flying objects which could be a basis for the reported phenomena.

By the same token, no authentic physical evidence has been received establishing the existence of space ships from other planets.

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