Documents / FOIA release
This 1968 Central Intelligence Agency memo passes along two Soviet articles distributed by the Novosti press agency (APN) that take opposite positions on UFOs. In the February 1968 issue of Soviet Life, Felix Zigel sets out Soviet sightings, argues that the Tunguska body may have been an artificial craft, and calls for scientific study. The other article, by Villen Lyustiberg, says UFOs are a myth that the US uses as propaganda. The memo finds it ironic that Soviet media published both views.
Read from the scan by GLM-OCR; expect the odd misread word.
"FLYING SAUCERS"? THEY'RE A MYTH! Villen Lyustiberg; APN Science Commentator In the last 20 years publication of literature on "unidentified flying objects" has advanced to one of the first places in the world. This problem is dealt with by numerous associations and clubs. Are these "flying saucers" just imagination or reality?. Thousands of recorded statements by eye-witnesses seem to show that "there must be something in it". But let us try to look all these materials from a different stand. So, as the convinced supporter of the "saucer" theory say almost ever time, you can draw your own conclusion while we give you. ## "Facts Only" Kenneth Arnold, an American pilot, is the "godfather" of flying saucers. It was he who noticed in 1947 nine shining discs flying in formation at the speed of about 3,000 km an hour. The next encounter with saucers had a tragic outcome. In January 1948, an immense flying saucer appeared over the Nox US Air Base. Pursuing it Captain Thomas Manthell perished. The last thing he reported from an altitude of 9,000 metres was that he saw an object and was going to approach it. This story found extensive response. Many considered it to be a stern warning of unknown envoys from other planets to leave them alone. There was a great deal of a talk about the mysterious death of the pilot. It was received as undoubted proof of the existence of mighty forces still unknown to us. But the results of a thorough investigation by US authorities received much less publicity. The mysterious "saucer" proved to be nothing but a thin-walled plastic balloon made by US Naval Forces under the secret "Skyhawk Operation" project. Such balloons could rise to an altitude of 30,000 metres. Meanwhile, Thomas Manthell pursuing it, forgot that he had no oxygen apparatus on board his craft. We know of stories about encounters and even hand-to-hand fights with pilots of craft landing from other planets. They were shot at, but without success. A saucer out down a tree on the Amazon River shore and disappeared in the turbid stream. It was never recovered. Another saucer glided over the earth like
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. 11 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.