Documents / Official release

Department of the Air Force Committee to Review Project Bluebook, 1966-1967

U.S. Department of War · 1967-04-17 · 85 pages · text from the file's own layer

This U.S. Air Force file gathers records of the USAF Scientific Advisory Board Ad Hoc Committee to Review Project Blue Book, dated 1965 to 1969. It holds Major General LeBailly's 1965 request for a review, meeting records from Wright-Patterson AFB, and Secretary Harold Brown's approval of a university scientific study. There are also 1969 letters praising the Condon Report, a 1968 NICAP request for records, a 1967 attendee list for a meeting with Dr. James McDonald, and a copy of the 1953 Robertson Panel report.

From the source: Release of 2026-07-10 Incident: 4/17/67, Various. This file documents the 1966-1967 deliberations and recommendations of the U.S. Air Force (USAF) Scientific Advisory Board’s Ad Hoc Committee to Review Project Blue Book. Project Blue Book was a 1952-1969 USAF program to investigate the nature and origin of unidentified flying objects (UFO). The Committee recommended that the USAF contract a scientific team composed of university-affiliated representatives to investigate selected UFO sightings. The USAF subsequently adopted the Committee’s recommendation.

MBl«>RANDUMFORRICORD 18 May 1966
SUBJECT: Conversation with Dr. Stever Concerning SAB Support to USAF
Investigations ot UFOs
l. On 17 May I discussed BAB support to USAF investigation• of UFOs with
Dr. Stever. In a previous l,et't~er ldated 21 April we bad aaked.
Dr. Stever to informally query s0111e of hie univeraity-preaident colleagues
to determ:l.ne the beet m.odua operandi tor approaching universities and
aaking thell to provide people and reaourcea to investigate acientiticalq
selected UFO aiptings aa recaamencied by the ~ Ad Hoc Conlllittee. 1bia
Jl8IIO docUMD.ta hi• tindinga and conclusions on this matter.
a. On the baaia ot his infomal. contacta.:with univeraity preaidenta,
Dr. Stever believe• the Air Force will get mixed reaction• to ita ret.Mat
to univera1tiea4!1 on the~ aide ot the picture, he baa gleaned
theae general reactions:
a. It my be againat acae school's policy to make contractual
arrangements 'With the government.
b. Solle aivera1t1•• will bave no interest or have any qualified
inveatigatora.
3. en the 2,2■ 1t,1ve side, the toll.owing reactions were received:
a. Some univeraitiea will do the Job lmder con.tract.
b. Solle would like to do the Job troll a reaearch aspect. (lfOTB:
Dr. Stever c01111M1Dted that thia 'M:3 be the ••toot in the door" approach
to requeat a4d1ticmal research fund• tor vork at the lmiveraity that
my be conatrue4 to be related to the U10 inveatigation.)
, 4. Dr. SteTer belieYe■ that, aa a vbole, the mller universities vill
be :more receptive tban the l&rger onea.
5. Dr. Stever baa had a011e secoa.4 thoushta 011 the SAB (specifically, him)
aend1ng the initial letter• to the •elected universities. He believes
that the lett'i'r'"'iliould cme frail and be aigned b7 an action office within
the Air Force. nie letter aight reter to the recaaendations ot the SAB
scientific r.aajttee aa a baa1a tor the Air Force action• to initiate a
more scientific al)prO&eh ill tuture ■elected UFO in.Veatigaticna. In other
vorda, instead ot a letter f'roll a college president to a college president,
Dr. Stever felt the .Air Force could aak.e a very acceptable case if it
framed ita letter around these two pointa,
a. 'Jhe value ot participating in auch 1Dveat1gations to the school, and
b. !he va1ue to the Air Force and the nation.
NW 90306"
Docld:341'1.ffl41 Page 15

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Official release, from the pursue collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. 85 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.