Documents / FOIA release

The National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena (Nicap)

Central Intelligence Agency · 2001-03-12 · 186 pages · text by OCR

This is a copy of "The UFO Evidence," a report published in May 1964 by the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena (NICAP) in Washington, D.C. and edited by Richard H. Hall. The CIA released its copy in 2001. The report draws 746 sightings from more than 5,000 signed reports and argues that unexplained UFOs are real, artificial objects under intelligent control. It criticizes Air Force secrecy and calls for a Congressional inquiry into Project Blue Book and a larger scientific investigation.

  • p. 7 …the daily press no longer carries such reports, except perhaps as fillers, because monotonously repeated items…
  • p. 11 …This form includes questions asked by the United States Air Force and by other Armed Forces…
  • p. 26 …dozens of Air Force bases in the United States and in foreign locations. Since 1953, however…
  • p. 30 …Force. (Originally reported in Cleveland Press, picked up by United Press International, July 30, 1952). During…
  • p. 34 …United Press; August 1, 1952. 26. From USAF Intelligence Report. (See also Ruppelt, Edward J., op…
  • p. 38 …United Press; January 4, 1954 10. Report on file at NICAP 11. Report on file at…
  • p. 44 …The four Conner Airlines pilots were interviewed by United Press when they landed in Denver, Colorado…
  • p. 46 …United Press reported the incident (newswire copy on file at NICAP): FLYING SAUCER OR A WEATHER…
  • p. 51 …Clark Croft, chief of the CAA Tower staff, stated to the Associated Press July 22 that…
  • p. 53 …United Press; May 23, 1951. 15. Report on file at NICAP. 16. United Press; July 18…
  • p. 77 …United Press International, July 26, 1958 Professional and Business Men 32-39. Reports on file at…
  • p. 93 …A United Press Newspictures photo reportedly taken by Enrique H. Muller is reproduced in "The Coming…
  • p. 94 …The pictures showed a round object, according to press reports, but have not been released to…
  • p. 95 …The picture was printed widely as a United Press telephoto, showing an irregular elongated mass with…
  • p. 107 …La Prensa, 2-1-58; United Press. E-85. Lorenzen, Coral; op. cit., ppg. 143-144…
  • p. 108 …Associated Press, Paris; February 19, 1956. 51. United Press; July 19, 1956. 52. Altus (Okla.) Times…
  • p. 111 …per cent of the sightings. Quoted by United Press; Amarillo, Texas. May 5, 1955: Project Blue…
  • p. 112 …The press release approach is considered censorship by some UFO organizations, because they do not receive…
  • p. 120 …Yates, United Airlines, saw the UFOs turn and head northwest in the vicinity of Akron, three…
  • p. 122 …Activity, Public Interest, and Official Attitudes United States press coverage has sometimes given the impression that…
  • p. 123 …CIA-RDP81R00560R000100010001-0 (Alaska, of course, is now one of the United States, and is covered…
  • p. 124 …Saul Martins later told the press the UFO maneuvered all around the DC-3, pacing it…
  • p. 127 …United Press reported from Belgrade, October 27: "Authorities announced today they were making a 'serious investigation…
  • p. 129 …1959 was reported widely by Associated Press, United Press International and Hawaiian newspapers. NICAP interviewed several…
  • p. 130 …United Press International; April 13, 1959 6. Letter on file at NICAP 7. Letter on file…
  • p. 131 …United Press International; November 7, 1958 52. Associated Press; October 28, 1954 53. Natal Mercury (Durban…
  • p. 134 …here and as far away as Wyoming. (United Press) ## 1952 1952--London, Ont., Canada. Astronomer observed…
  • p. 136 …said today Russia may be scouting the United States and other parts of the world with…
  • p. 159 …publicity) CONCENTRATIONS YEAR PERIOD MAIN LOCATIONS X 1947 June-July Western United States X 1950 First…
  • p. 164 …Air Force called press conference on UFO sightings, attended by more than 40 reporters. Suggested UFOs…
  • p. 165 …Reliable witnesses soberly described plainly observed UFOs, and the press gave their stories very full coverage…
  • p. 173 …United Press; Washington, July 28, 1952 16. United Press; July 29, 1952 17. From Air Force…
  • p. 175 …When pressed on specific details the experts refuse to answer on grounds that they are involved…
# Approved For Release 2001/04/02 : CIA-RDP81R00560R000100010001-0

He exposed 8 mm color film of the object using a 36 mm telephoto lens. (A few frames of the film were submitted to NICAP, but the image is too small to show detail.) When four jet interceptors converged on the UFO (three from the west and one from the east), it drifted westward tilting back and forth, "then pulled up in a short arc and shot up out of sight in an estimated three seconds." [Report via Bay Area NICAP Subcommittee.]

July 20, 1963--Springfield, Ill. About 7:50 p.m., a shiny silver object was observed hovering at high altitude. The UFO moved up and down, back and forth, but remained in the same area of the sky. About dusk, the object (now resembling a bright star) began moving across the sky, picking up speed, and disappeared in the distance. [Witness filed NICAP report form.]

August 1, 1963--Garston, Herts., England. A former RAF pilot, and flying instructor, observed a triangular UFO which hovered for a long period of time, then climbed out of sight. An air traffic controller four miles away also observed the UFO. [FLIGHT International, 15 August 1963.]

## Illinois Sightings

From August 4 into mid-month, there was a flurry of UFO sightings, mostly in southern Illinois. An advertising plane in the Chicago area caused some erroneous reports about the same time. Once the reports had been publicized, the planet Jupiter also was reported as a UFO on a few occasions. The Vincennes, Indiana, NICAP Subcommittee investigated several of the key cases, submitting taped interviews and investigation reports.

August 4, 1963--Wayne County, Illinois. Ronald Austin(18) and his girl friend, returning home from a drive-in theater, noticed a large white object at tree-top level pacing the car. At one point, the UFO crossed the road ahead of the car. During the closest pass, a whining noise drowned out the car radio. Ronald was terrified by the experience, and needed medical attention. (Police and others later saw a light in the sky, probably the planet Jupiter.)

August 7, 1963--Nr. Fairfield, Ill. Chauncey Uphoff and Mike Hill had their attention attracted to a UFO when Uphoff's dogs began barking. Looking up, they saw a yellow-orange diamond-shaped object traveling west to east. The UFO made a sharp turn, headed toward the observers, changing color from orange to gray, and finally to blue-white. The object continued its Uturn, tilting on edge, and turned southeast. After hovering briefly, the UFO took off at a 45 degree angle toward Grayville.

August 9, 1963--Mount Vernon, Ill. Former Mayor Harry Bishop watched a large, bright red light follow a car along Centralia road. When the car stopped, the UFO stopped and hovered, then moved away at right angles to its original course.

August 6, 1963--Sanford, Florida. Orvil Hartle, Chairman of the LaPorte, Indiana NICAP Subcommittee, on a brief visit to Florida, observed a UFO. He obtained a full report with signatures of 13 additional witnesses. The object appeared in the northwest sky first as a red, then a white moving light. To the west, the star-like light hovered, then moved south. To the south, the object began a series of gyrations and pulsated on and off, visible intermittently. It moved up and down, back and forth, once emitting a flare of greenish-white light.

August 13, 1963--Honolulu, Hawaii. While vacationing in Hawaii, a chemist observed a UFO and reported it to NICAP. Dr. Richard Turse, Princeton, N.J., about 11:30 p.m., saw a round reddish object pass overhead from southwest to northeast. The UFO "traveled across the sky at great speed making two sharp turns at the same speed."

August 13, 1963--Nr. Ellsworth, Maine. A family and their housekeeper observed an elliptical object, apparently on the ground adjoining Molasses Pond, for more than an hour. Body lights were visible along its length, and rays of light shone upward from each end of the object occasionally. [Witnesses interviewed by Walter N. Webb, NICAP Adviser.]

August 18, 1963--Ft. Kent, Maine. A silvery disc-shaped UFO was seen by two young boys, whose parents agreed they must have seen something unusual. The disc passed from north to south, emitting a hum intermittently.

September 14, 1963--Susanville, Calif. (Satellite object case; see Section II.) Round UFO accelerated, joined a "long" object. "An unusual report from a competent witness. Unidentified." (Air Force Project Blue Book 1963 Summary.)

September 20, 1963--Huntsville, Arkansas. A rancher reported watching an egg-shaped UFO moving eastward about 10 degrees above the southern horizon. Through binoculars, a dark spot was visible near the top of the object. As it proceeded west, the UFO dimmed, turning orange, and faded from view after 10-15 minutes. [Witness reported sighting to NICAP.]

September 26, 1963--Sunnyvale, Calif. Police officer, many others, observed a gray disc with central bright spot, moving on a westerly course at high speed. [VII]

October 4, 1963--East Hartland, Conn. State Representative L. B. Martin, about 1:00 p.m., saw a silvery triangular object with a row of black dots across the leading edge. The UFO passed overhead, emitting a flame-like tail, at an estimated speed of 2000 mph. [Report obtained by NICAP-CONN Affiliate.]

October 23, 1963--Meridian, Idaho. Shiny disc hovered, emitting "loud pulsating sound," maneuvered across sky and disappeared. Unidentified. (Air Force Project Blue Book 1963 Summary.)

October 31, 1963--Daylston, Victoria, Australia. A deliveryman on his rounds at 4:15 a.m., was frightened by a UFO which approached his van, turned and followed his course just ahead. The object seemed to be 8-12 feet long, glowing orange and red. It then darted to the side of the road, continuing to pace the van for a while, finally zooming ahead over a hill and apparently descending. It was not seen again. Other witnesses reported seeing a maneuvering light at the time of the sighting.

November 3, 1963--Corona, N. Y. A Pan American Airways mechanic, about 1:30 a.m., noticed a star-like object maneuvering across the northern sky. The light moved rapidly, slowed and seemed to "shudder," then changed course by about 45 degrees. Finally it made a 90-degree turn, accelerated, turned again and disappeared from view. [Report obtained by New York NICAP Subcommittee.]

November 12, 1963--Port Huron, Michigan. Deputy Sheriffs chased a low-flying UFO which first appeared as a white flashing light. At times the object seemed to have a "big divided window" on it. When the UFO hovered, the deputies approached and flashed their squad car light. Then a flashing red light became visible on the UFO. The object finally moved away to the northwest making a motor-like sound. Other residents reported a flashing light and "high-pitched" or "whining" noises at the same time.

November 14, 1963--Carson City Nevada. A huge bluishgreen disc was seen hovering in the northwest sky about 4:45 a.m. Mrs. Blanche Pritchett said she was listening to her radio when a bright light shining through her drapes caused her to look outdoors. As she watched the hovering object, her radio went off. A brilliant shaft of light from the UFO illuminated a hilltop. Suddenly the UFO blacked out and disappeared, after which the radio resumed playing. Other residents reported odd glows in the sky that morning. [VIII]

November 20, 1963--Neche, N.D. Two high school girls reported that a bright orange, oval-shaped object circled their car at night while they were en route home. They were on highway 55 east of town when they first saw the UFO. It appeared to be surrounded by a light haze. The glowing object sped across in front of the car and circled around the side before disappearing to the southeast.

December 2, 1963--Grand Rapids, Michigan. A motorist stopped at a traffic light about 9:30 a.m., noticed a strange object "glittering in the sun." Then the object tipped on edge (revealing a disc shape) and quickly sped away to the southeast. The shape was "like a pancake."

December 5, 1963--Nr. Carrasco, Uruguay. An oval UFO, metallic-looking like aluminum, was observed hovering in the clear morning sky by hundreds at a resort. One description said the object "balanced gently in the air."

Cases discussed

About this file

FOIA release, from the cia-readingroom collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is under it. The text was read from the page images by an OCR model; expect the odd misread word. 186 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.