Documents / FOIA release

Flying Saucers (PUBD Is Unknown)

Central Intelligence Agency · 1952-06-02 · 26 pages · text by GLM-OCR

This CIA file on flying saucers includes a memorandum from Director Walter B. Smith to the Director of the Psychological Strategy Board. Smith says unidentified flying objects may matter for psychological warfare as well as intelligence and operations. The file also holds an Office of Scientific Intelligence study, draft NSC and Secretary of Defense papers proposing a centrally run research program, a briefing on the Air Force's small ATIC section under Captain Ruppelt, and a Project Blue Book paper on weather and research balloons.

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

TO : Secretary of Defense

SUBJECT: Intelligence interest in a study of unidentified flying objects.

1. Recently CIA's Office of Scientific Intelligence made an inquiry into the possible intelligence implications of this subject. We concluded that while the operational problem of improvement in identification of "phantom" was of first priority because of the need to make instant and positive identification of enemy rockets or planes, the solution of intelligence problems are of sufficient importance to justify vigorous support by this Agency of an organized attack on the problem.

2. In our inquiry three of our men consulted with a representative of Air Force Special Projects group; discussed the problem with those in charge of the Air Force Project at Wright field; reviewed a considerable volume of intelligence reports; checked the Soviet press and broadcast indices; and conferred with three of our consultants at ETP, all leaders in their scientific fields.

The present small-scale inquiry at ATIC, which thus far has been able to examine each incident carefully to explain or whether it must be put into the consideration of a perfectly valid procedure but one that little proves in opening up explanations regarding the nature of the

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About this file

FOIA release, from the cia-readingroom collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. The text was read from the page images by GLM-OCR; expect the odd misread word. 26 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.