Documents / Official release
This is a Secret History Staff monograph by Gregory W. Pedlow and Donald E. Welzenbach of the Central Intelligence Agency, published in 1992. It gives a history of the CIA's manned overhead reconnaissance program from 1954 to 1974, covering the development and operation of the U-2 and the A-12 OXCART aircraft. It covers overflights of the Soviet Union, the 1960 downing of Francis Gary Powers, and later operations. One section is titled "U-2s, UFOs, and Operation BLUE BOOK."
From the source:Release of 2026-06-12 This CIA History Staff document chronicles the complete history of the U-2 and OXCART (A-12) high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft programs from 1954 to 1974, detailing their development, operations over the Soviet Union and other targets worldwide, the famous downing of Francis Gary Powers in 1960, organizational reforms following that incident, and the eventual transfer of operations from CIA to Air Force control. A more redacted version of this document has been available on CIA's public website.
“Headquarters”22 pages
27 ~ et PdOfiOP\r\J Gardner. the committee members decided to approach President Eisenhower on the matter. On 27 March l 954. the President told them about the discovery of the Soviet Bison bombers and his concern that these new aircraft might be used in a surprise attack on the United States. Stressing the high priority he gave to reducing the risk of mili tary surprise, the President asked the committee to advise him on this problem.is T he President's request led Chairman DuBridge to ask one of the most prominent members . MIT President James R. Killian. Jr., to meet with other Science Advisory Committee members in the Boston area to discuss the feasibility of a comprehensive scientific assess ment of the nation's defenses. At their meeting at MIT on 15 April 1954, the group called for the recruitment of such a task force if the President endorsed the concept. On 26 July 1954. President Eisenhower authorized Killian to re cruit and lead a panel of experts to study "' the country's technologi cal capabilities to meet some of its current problems." Killian quickly set up shop in offices located in the Old Executive Office B_u_ilding and organized 42 of the nation's leading scientists into three special project groups investigating US offensive, defensive. and i ntelligence capabilites. with an additional communications working group (see chart. page 28). The Technological Capabi lities Panel (TCP) groups began meeting on 13 September 1954. For the next 20 weeks, the members of the various panels met on 307 sepa rate occasions for briefings. field trips. conferences. and meetings with every major unit of the US defense and intelligence establish ments. After receiving the most up-to-date information available on the nation's defense and intelligence programs, the panel members began drafting their report to the National Security Council.'A Project Three Support for the Lockheed CL-282 Chapter 1 James R. Killian, Jr. Even before the final Technological Capabilities Panel report was ready. one of the three working groups took actions that would have a major impact on the US reconnaissance program. Project Three had " Beschloss. MC1ydav. pp. 73-7-': Technolog ii:al C:1pabili1ies Pan.:I of 1he Science Advisory Committee. Meeting the Threat of Surprise Auack. I-i February 1955. p. 185 (hereafter cited as TCP Report) CTS/ Rcs1ri<:1eJ Dat:1. <lowngrnJed to S) . .. Jamc:s R. Killian. Jr.. Spmnik. Scie111ists. and Eisettlww,:r: A Memoir of the r;;_~t Special Assiswnr to the Pre.~ide11t for Science and Technology (Cambridge: MIT Press . 1977), p. 68: Beschloss. ,W<1yJay. p. 7-i: TCP Reporr. pp. 185- 186 (S). Secret
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Official release, from the pursue collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. 406 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.