Documents / FOIA release
This Central Intelligence Agency memorandum, dated 13 October 1952, was written by James Q. Reber, Assistant Director for Intelligence Coordination, to the Deputy Director (Intelligence). It notes that Air Force research through ATIC had explained all but 20 percent of about 1,500 reported sightings. OSI found no evidence that the saucers were Soviet created or controlled. The memo concludes that fundamental scientific research belongs to the Defense Department and that psychological warfare planning would be premature.
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13 October 1952 MEMORANDUM FOR: Deputy Director (Intelligence) SUBJECT: Flying Saucers 1. Flying unidentified objects (Flying Saucers) have been the subject of Air Force observation and analysis because of the possibility that such objects might conceivably be an attack on the U.S. If they are not, it is conceivable that the enemy might take advantage of the confusion created by the by the Flying Saucers to use at his convenience some air weapon against the United States. 2. Thus far Defense Department conducted research in this area has been confined to the effort by A-2 through ATIC with the result that an explanation has been provided on all but 20 per cent of the total 1500 reported sightings of Flying Saucers. 3. Determination of the scientific capabilities of the USSR to create and control Flying Saucers as a weapon against the United States is a primary concern of the CIA/OSI. Its review of existing information does not lead to the conclusion that the saucers are USSR created or controlled. It is the view of OSI that collection of intelligence information on the capabilities of the USSR to produce, launch, and control Flying Saucers and the analysis of such data as might be collected cannot be very effective until there is adequate fundamental scientific research launched to clarify the nature and causes of Flying Saucers and to devise means whereby they might be instantly identified. 4. The major scientific intelligence problems in respect to Saucers are: a. What is the present level of Soviet knowledge regarding these phenomena? b. What are possible Soviet capabilities to utilize these phenomena to the detriment of US security interests? c. What effect do flying saucers have on our warning system. cecret
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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. 2 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.