The National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena (Nicap)

# Approved For Release 2001/04/02 : CIA-RDP81R00560R000100010001-0

At the heart of the matter is the effect of an authoritarian military system on scientific investigation. Science requires free and open discourse among scientists, individual initiative, and an atmosphere of inquiry not restricted by arbitrary regulations.

Virtually all of the Air Force analyses have been conducted in secrecy, affording the scientific community as a whole no opportunity to cross-check and review the methods and reasoning used. Only end results have been released to the public, and often (without explanation) these have been counter-to-fact.

## Statement by NICAP Board of Governors

"Although a large percentage of reported UFOs can be explained in terms of conventional objects and events, the residual unexplained cases constitute a separate and important problem. (The word 'UFO' hereafter refers to the residual cases). These UFOs have proved to be a consistent phenomenon, with significant new reports made each year. A large number of the reports come from reputable and competent observers, honest and intelligent citizens.

"Given the evidence in this report, it is a reasonable hypothesis that the unexplained UFOs are:

* real physical objects, rather than the result of imagination, hallucination, illusion or delusion;

* artificial, rather than purely natural, such as meteorological and astronomical phenomena;

\* under the control (piloted or remote) of living beings.

"To date serious scientific attention to UFOs has been limited by several factors including:

* the Air Force practice of artificially reducing the significance of the data through the use of counter-to-fact explanations of sightings and issuance of misleading statistics;

* the Air Force practice of implying, through its public relations program, that all available information has been disseminated and there is no need for further investigation;

* the lack of governmental recognition, through the Congress or the Executive Branch, that a scientific problem exists which ought to be thoroughly probed.

"We believe the following steps should be taken to rectify an unsatisfactory situation:

(1) The evidence in Air Force files (after deletion of legitimate security information such as data concerning the capabilities of radar) should be made freely available to any interested citizens.

(2) There should be a Congressional inquiry into the Air Force's Project Blue Book to establish, a. the amount and kind of UFO information in the files, and whether all significant non-security data has been made public; b. the scientific adequacy of the investigation (whether there has been a consistently objective, scientific study of the evidence, or whether it has been erratic and influenced negatively by high-level policy decisions, lack of funds, or other factors).

"The foremost question which remains is: What are the UFOs? The importance of these objects, if the above hypothesis is correct, is readily apparent. In order to settle this question, we strongly recommend that a much larger scale and more thorough scientific investigation be undertaken."

Joining in these conclusions are NICAP Board Members:

Rev. Albert H. Baller, Congregational Minister, Clinton, Mass. Col. J. Bryan III, USAF (Ret.), Writer, Richmond, Va.

Mr. Frank Edwards, WTTV, Indianapolis, Indiana.

Col. Robert B. Emerson, USAR, Research Chemist, Baton Rouge, La.

Mr. Dewey J. Fournet, former Major, USAF, Baton Rouge, La. Rear Adm. H. B. Knowles, USN (Ret.), Eliot, Maine.

Prof. Charles A. Maney, Department of Physics, Defiance College, Ohio.

QUALIFICATIONS OF OBSERVERS

Trained or Experienced---- 288 (Scientists, professional pilots...)

Good---- 125 (Private pilots, police...)

Average---- 143 (Other reliable citizens)

Radar (no visual)---------------- 19/575

In a separate statement, Dr. Charles P. Olivier (President of the American Meteor Society), Narberth, Pa., reiterated his reasons for serving on the Board of Governors. Dr. Olivier does not take a position about the nature of UFOs, and his prime reason for supporting NICAP is to help dispel secrecy and encourage scientific investigation of the phenomenon:

"In serving as a NICAP Board Member, my only purpose is to help in forcing further scientific investigation. UFOs have not been fully studied scientifically due to suppression of pertinent data and subjecting reports of trained and reputable people to ridicule. It is possible UFOs might eventually have serious effects upon our planet and its inhabitants, either for good or ill. I have no personal theory to advance or refute. In view of the importance of the subject, no matter what the outcome, I would be glad to see a very full inquiry, and the old secrecy fully removed. What I want is the whole truth brought out. I do not know what it is."

In preparing this report, it has been our aim to establish the facts to the best of our ability, and to present them for study. In so doing, we hope to encourage a more careful, detached examination of detailed specific cases. It will be found that some explanations which have been advanced for specific cases have been superficial, often glossing over details which contradict the explanation. Detailed interpretation of specific cases is difficult, and often depends on one or two facts. For anyone wishing to examine