House Armed Services Committee hearing on UFOs, April 5, 1966

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Of the sightings so far checked out, less than 2 percent of the total are listed
on Project Blue Book's file as unidentified. The Air Force officially concludes
that none of these has given any Indication of posing a threat to national safety,
or offering new technological data, or of originating from some extraterrestial
source. However, some of these files remain officially open and the investigations
on them continue.
Dr. J. Allen Hynek, director of Dearborn Observatory at Northwestern Uni-
versity, who Is heading up the Ann Arbor investigation for the Air Force, is an
old hand at checking on flying saucers for Blue Book. Dr. Hynek notes that
sighting reports usually do not originate with persons who believe In outerspace
visitaUtions. "Believers" don't need sightings to convince them, and are irritated
by the embarrassment and skepticism with which most UFO spotters, like Frank
Manner, report what they believe they have seen.
"It is easy to dismiss the cases of birds, balloons, and the like," says Dr. Hynek,
"but when good solid citizens report something puzzling, I believe we have an
obligation to do as good a Job as we can. I regard our 'Unidentifleds' as a sort
of blot on the escutcheon. Somehow we scientists should be able to come up
with answers for these things."
Major Qulntanella, although certain that no evidence turned up to date has
even hinted at spacecraft of unearthly origin, agrees that it "is Impossible to
prove that flying saucers do not exist. In any event, the Air Force is not about
to give up chasing UFO's.
"We are spending m1llins to develop our own rocket boosters to get our space-
craft to the moon and beyond," says the major, smiling. "Imagine what a great
help it would be to get our hands on a ship from another planet and examine its
powerplant."
The CHAM-AN. What I want to ask you is, why do, they always see
them in the nighttime?
Dr. HYNEK. There are a number of reports froli the daytine al-
though it is true there are many more-night sightings.
The CHAfmbrAN. Then there is another thing, if anybody wanted to
spy on thiis cofitry why wolild they go to this expense, when you can
0 to any newsstand and get all'the information you, want and if that
doesnt help you get a roadmap, and if that doesn't heip yoll, hire
a Hertz car.
Dr. HYNEK. Maybe they don't know this.
The CuAHm fAi. If the Marthins do't know this by this time they
will never know it.
Spying on this coiflitty is so simple, I cannot understand, why the
Russians or anybtdy wants-to put somethingwip inrthe Air-to spy
on this country when they haive got so many -avenues we don't police.
Dr. Hy RN. No comment on tiht, Mr. Chairman.
The CHA AMAN.Well, you ought to comment on it.
Dr. Chamberlain, we will hear fromybu.
Dr. CHAMIBERLAIN. Thank you, Mr. Chafrmian. I really have no
questions, but I will say the sightings in Michigan were near my
area, but not within it. I am pleased to hear your recommendationand
to have the Secretary's statement that he intends to implement it.
I am further cornfoit dt6 know he is giving it further thought and
he is going to, at such time as your recommendationA is implemented,
we ale goflng to have a panel that will consider these things in depth,
not just in town' for a day, Withaqa brsoy look, and disposing o it,
because I feel we have 6thor scientificachievements and advances- and
that there is going to be a growing-iffirrorta-ixce of surveilltice otthis
phdihnena.
I would say, fUfth&,the people in ouiarea are concerned about this.
There has been considerable responsible editorial comment in our
newspapers. It shotdnot be "poo-pooed," as you say.