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. 21 …In his report to the Air Force, the astronomer stated: "The remarkably sudden ascent convinced me…
  • p. 26 …Air Force bases in the United States and in foreign locations. Since 1953, however, Air Force…
  • p. 29 …base. Section I. August 26, 1953 - Air Force Regulation 200-2 issued by Secretary of Air…
  • p. 42 …Alegre, Brazil Brazilian Air Force pilots Formation of silvery circular UFOs over base. Section X AL…
  • p. 47 …Raymond Ryan and First Officer William Neff. The chase was described by radio to Air Force…
  • p. 63 …Hill was interrogated by an Air Force intelligence officer from Langley Air Force Base. 9. NICAP…
  • p. 72 …passed what appeared to be an Air Force base. My seat was just above the leading…
  • p. 74 …Miller called nearby Williams Air Force Base, and determined that there were no unusual aircraft in…
  • p. 90 …Officially "unknown." ## 1951-1952 Period; East Coast Air Force Base Period of September 1951 to November…
  • p. 91 …films and photographs were submitted to the Air Force, rather than to NICAP, by citizens unaware…
  • p. 94 …The film was submitted to the Air Force, and viewed by Maj. Donald E. Keyhoe along…
  • p. 100 …Both the Air Force and a NICAP member approached Mr. Caslar about borrowing the film for…
  • p. 117 …Box 5242, Akron 13, Ohio), refuting the Air Force statements. ## Air Force: "The investigation revealed that…
  • p. 123 …15 (SAUCER) PORTO ALEGRE, BRAZIL.--THE AIR FORCE BASE HERE REPORTED THAT "CIRCULAR, SILVER-COLORED" OBJECTS…
  • p. 128 …South African Air Force searchlights in Dunnotar pinpointed the UFO, which then "withdrew" behind clouds, according…
  • p. 130 …Air Force intelligence officer. "It was a solid thing," Capt. Howard concluded. "I'm sure of…
  • p. 161 …Lights were seen individually and in groups, both from the air and the ground. Air Force…
# Approved For Release 2001/04/02 : CIA-RDP81R00560R000100010001-0

divergent interpretations of some of the cases in this report, we suggest two books which present the skeptical position:

Flying Saucers and the U.S. Air Force, Lt. Col. Lawrence J. Tacker, (Van Nostrand, 1960).

The World of Flying Saucers, Dr. Donald H. Menzel, (Doubleday, 1963).

Both books argue that UFOs have been adequately investigated, and that there is no evidence indicating they are anything other than misidentified conventional objects or phenomena.

This report contains a total of 746 UFO sightings. The main chronology [Section XI] lists 575 cases, with cross-references. (Statistics based on the main chronology are reported in Section XII) The witnesses in $50\%$ of these cases were trained or experienced observers. An additional 171 cases are included in separate chronologies [Section XII] which show the major concentrations of UFO sightings.

The reports come from 46 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico and Central America, 6 South American countries, 10 European countries, 4 African countries, 5

Asian countries, Australia and New Zealand, major oceans and numerous islands.

States with the highest frequency of sightings, as indicated by the selective process used, were: (1) California; (2) Ohio; (3) New Mexico; (4) Florida; (5) Illinois.

Other countries: (1) England; (2) France; (3) Canada; (4) Japan; (5) Brazil.

Of the 575 cases, two UFOs were observed in 41 cases, three UFOs in 30 cases, more than three UFOs in 81 cases. The remainder were observations of single objects.

Richard Hall

Washington, D. C.

May 1964

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.