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Official reports, hearing transcripts, case files and releases: the paper behind the cases. 2,872 documents, 2,610 mirrored with their text, 53,529 pages indexed, so a search reads inside them and lands on the page.
New in the library The PURSUE files The Department of War's UAP release, mirrored in full: the videos, recordings and images, each beside its case file.Documents1,049 records · page 7
This Central Intelligence Agency file holds a letter from Philip G. Strong to Dr. Thornton Page of the Johns Hopkins University Operations Research Office, dated 29 May in the text and filed in 1958. Strong writes that Lloyd Berkner and Bob Robertson had been besieged by a Mr. Leon Davidson with questions about the UFO panel that met in Washington early in 1953. He encloses the Robertson and Davidson correspondence and recommends that Page reply in the same general tenor. He adds that the office's own replies only acknowledged receipt and passed the queries to the Air Force.
This Central Intelligence Agency memorandum for record, written by W. E. Lexow of the Applied Science Division, describes a meeting between CIA and Air Force officials about the Scientific Advisory Panel Report on Unidentified Flying Objects, dated 17 January 1953. Participants agreed that the full Secret report could not be declassified and chose a press release as the way to handle inquiries such as those from Leon Davidson. They also talked about Major Keyhoe's organization, Admiral Hillenkoetter's role on its board, and Dr. Menzel's suggestion.
The Central Intelligence Agency issued this Top Secret Central Intelligence Bulletin, a daily intelligence brief, on 8 April 1958. It reports that Communist China budgeted $185,000,000 for foreign aid in 1958 and describes reported Indonesian government plans to attack Padang and Bukittinggi in Central Sumatra. It also covers Israeli-UAR tensions over the Lake Hula drainage project and UAR reconnaissance flights, EOKA bombings on Cyprus, French nuclear testing plans and a Peruvian cabinet reshuffle. It contains no UFO material.
This is a CIA letter dated 17 April 1958, sent from the Office of the Director of Central Intelligence to Major Donald Keyhoe, Director of NICAP in Washington. It answers a letter from Keyhoe. The Agency says it checked its records and found nothing showing that any CIA employee ever told a witness to an unidentified flying object to stay silent about what they saw. Copies went to the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force and other offices.
This CIA cover letter from the Office of Scientific Intelligence, signed by Philip Strong and dated 3 June 1958, is addressed to Major Lawrence J. Tacker of the Air Force Information Service at the Pentagon. It follows telephone talks between Tacker and LaFee L. Teel, and it encloses a letter from Leon Davidson, who kept asking about UFOs. It also encloses a copy of the CIA's reply telling Davidson that his query had been forwarded to the Air Force for an answer.
This is a letter dated 8 May 1958 from Philip G. Strong of the Central Intelligence Agency to Dr. Lloyd V. Berkner, president of Associated Universities, Inc. It is an interim reply to Berkner's letter of 21 April and its enclosures about Dr. Davidson. Strong notes that similar letters from Davidson and Major Kehoe had been referred to the Air Force. He calls a statement by Huppelt, quoted by Davidson, about "orders" to the Panel completely without foundation.
This Central Intelligence Agency memorandum by W. E. Lexon, Chief of the Applied Science Division, records a meeting with Air Force representatives about the Secret Scientific Advisory Panel report on UFOs dated 17 January 1953. Attendees agreed the full report cannot be declassified because it cites examples of possible enemy actions. The memo also covers the inquiries from Leon Davidson, a proposed Air Force press release, concerns about Major Keyhoe's organization and former DCI Hillenkoetter, and Dr. Menzel's suggested rewording.
This CIA memorandum for record, written by the Deputy Division Chief of the Applied Science Division, Scientific Intelligence, covers a 22 May 1958 meeting with F. M. Chapin, Assistant to the DCI, about replying to two UFO letters from Leon Davidson. The reply would only acknowledge receipt and say the matter was an Air Force concern that had been referred there. A 23 May call with Major L. J. Tacker, USAF, confirmed he had already answered Davidson's 27 April letter. Tacker also asked whether Admiral Hillenkoetter had been contacted.
This is a short Central Intelligence Agency letter dated 26 May 1958 to Leon Davidson of White Plains, New York, signed by J. S. Earns. It acknowledges Davidson's letters of April 27 and May 14, which were addressed to Mr. Dulles and to the signer. The letter points back to an earlier reply of 4 April and says the Department of the Air Force has action responsibility for the matters Davidson raised. It adds that his letters have again been forwarded to the Air Force for reply.
This is a CIA letter dated 20 May 1958 from Philip C. Strong of the Office of Scientific Intelligence to Dr. Lloyd V. Berkner, president of Associated Universities, Incorporated. It follows up an 8 May letter about correspondence from Leon Davidson. Strong encloses letters exchanged between Davidson and Bob Robertson and advises Berkner to answer in the same tone. He says the other panel members, Alvarez, Goudsmit and Page, are getting copies so the panel can present a solid front, and that Davidson's queries are being forwarded to the Air Force.
This Central Intelligence Agency letter, dated 29 May 1958, was sent by Philip Strong to Dr. Luis Alvarez at the University of California, Berkeley. It warns that Leon Davidson has been pressing Lloyd Berkner and Bob Robertson with questions about the UFO panel that met in Washington early in 1953. Strong encloses copies of letters exchanged between Robertson and Davidson and advises Alvarez to follow the general tenor of Robertson's reply. He notes that the CIA's own replies only forwarded Davidson's queries to the Air Force.
This is a 1958 letter from Philip G. Strong of the Central Intelligence Agency to Dr. Samuel A. Goudsmit at Brookhaven National Laboratory. Strong writes that Lloyd Berkner and Bob Robertson had been flooded with questions from Leon Davidson about the UFO panel that met in Washington in early 1953. He encloses copies of the letters between Robertson and Davidson and suggests Goudsmit follow the same approach if Davidson contacts him. He adds that the agency's own replies simply acknowledged receipt and passed the queries to the Air Force.
This Central Intelligence Agency letter, dated 29 May 1958, is from Philip Strong to Dr. Thornton Page of the Johns Hopkins University Operations Research Office. It warns Page that Leon Davidson had contacted Lloyd Berkner and Bob Robertson with questions about the UFO panel that met in Washington early in 1953. Strong encloses copies of the Robertson and Davidson correspondence and advises Page to follow the general tone of Robertson's letter if Davidson contacts him. Strong also says Davidson's queries were forwarded to the Air Force.
This Central Intelligence Agency file from July 1958 holds a routing slip and an internal memorandum about a letter Leon Davidson wrote on 3 July 1958. W. E. Lexow, Chief of the Applied Science Division, OSI, wrote the memo, which records that OSI representatives recommended not answering the letter unless Agency policy required it. If a reply had to be sent, they suggested a categorical no, with a reference to the public law barring such operations in the United States. They also proposed forwarding the letter to the FBI.
This Central Intelligence Agency letter, dated 3 June 1958, is from Philip G. Strong to Dr. Thornton Page. Strong thanks Page for a copy of Page's 10 July letter to Leon Davidson and says it should help quiet the large furor Davidson has raised. He asks for a copy of Davidson's 6 July letter about his concern over flying saucers. Strong notes that the agency has never received a precise statement of why Davidson devotes so much effort to the matter.
This is a Central Intelligence Agency cover letter from Philip Stronge to Major Lawrence Tacker, dated 4 June 1958. It follows up a telephone discussion between Tacker and a member of Stronge's office. The letter forwards a letter from Leon Davidson, who was still asking about UFOs, along with a copy of the CIA's reply telling him that his query had been passed to the Air Force for an answer. The letter itself contains no findings about any sighting.
This is a CIA-released letter dated August 19, 1953 from Philip G. Strong to Dr. Samuel A. Goudsmit of Brookhaven National Laboratory. Strong thanks Goudsmit for his letter of 14 August about flying saucers and says Goudsmit's reply to a Mr. Kirsch is exactly what is needed in the present context. He also notes that Ted Nordbeck gave Goudsmit all the material that could be found on Jungk. The release contains two copies of the letter.
This is a short internal Central Intelligence Agency memo signed by W. E. Lexow, Chief of the Applied Science Division, about Leon Davidson's letter of 3 July 1958. It says Lexow gave Mr. Chapin a recommendation on 28 July 1958. A later check with the executive registry found that the letter had not been answered, which apparently followed that recommendation. The memo gives no other details about what the letter said.
This Central Intelligence Agency file holds Office Memorandums from W. E. Lexow, Chief of the Applied Science Division, dated 22 August 1953, with several scanned copies. One memo sends Major Tacker, USAF, a copy of a letter from Fred Kirsch, and Tacker agrees to answer it as the official authority. A second memo, to F. M. Chapin, says Tacker will tell Kirsch that the Air Force is the central authority on UFO matters, and it notes that Kirsch had written 20 such letters.
This Central Intelligence Agency memorandum for record, dated 28 July 1958 and signed by W. E. Lexow, Chief of the Applied Science Division, records a meeting with OSI representatives about a 3 July 1958 letter from Leon Davidson. They advised not answering the letter unless Public Relations policy required a reply, and if one had to be sent, a categorical no. They also proposed telling Davidson that public law bars such operations in the United States. The letter was then to go to the FBI in case Davidson was soliciting information for a subversive group.
This is a Central Intelligence Agency letter dated 30 July 1958 from Philip G. Strong to Dr. Thornton Page of Chevy Chase, Maryland. Strong thanks Page for a copy of Page's 10 July letter to Leon Davidson and says that letter should help quiet the furor Davidson had raised. Strong also asks for a copy of Davidson's 6 July letter about flying saucers. He notes that the agency had never obtained a precise statement of why Davidson devoted so much effort to the matter.
This is a letter dated August 19, 1953, from Philip G. Strong of the Central Intelligence Agency to Dr. Samuel A. Goudsmit of Brookhaven National Laboratory. Strong thanks Goudsmit for his August 14 letter about flying saucers. He says Goudsmit's reply to a Mr. Kirsch is exactly what is needed in the present context. He also notes that Ted Nordbeck gave Goudsmit all the material that could be found concerning Jungy, and he apologizes for the delay.
This Central Intelligence Agency routing slip, dated August 1958, is attached to an August 20, 1958 letter from Donald Keyhoe of NICAP to CIA Executive Officer J. S. Earman. Keyhoe asks what role the CIA plays in UFO investigations. He also requests the full classified 1953 report of the scientists' panel and an interview with a CIA official. The routing note says the Air Force is the only agency qualified to speak on UFOs and suggests referring Keyhoe's letter to it.
This Central Intelligence Agency memorandum for record, dated 22 August 1958, was signed by W. B. Lexow, Chief of the Applied Science Division. It concerns a letter from Leon Davidson dated 3 July 1958. Lexow notes that he recommended to Mr. Chapin on 28 July 1958 that the letter not be answered. He adds that a check with the executive registry that day showed no reply had been sent, apparently following his recommendation.
This CIA material consists of two Office Memoranda from W. E. Lexow, Chief of the Applied Science Division. The OCR text dates them 22 August 1933, while the catalog gives 22 August 1958. In the first memo, Lexow sends Major Tacker, USAF, a copy of a letter from Fred Kirsch and notes that Tacker volunteered to answer it as the official authority. The second memo, to F. M. Chapin, says the Air Force is the official authority on UFO matters and that Kirsch had written 20 such letters.
This Central Intelligence Agency information report, marked as unevaluated information and dated 1958, describes a sighting made while travelling by train from Leningrad to Moscow. At about 10 PM on 10 July, the source saw a bright light in the air trailing a long tail of black smoke, perhaps 5 to 15 miles away and under 2,000 feet up. A guide reportedly said it was probably a flying object. An editorial comment notes that another source reported the same incident.
This 1958 Central Intelligence Agency memorandum reports that a Washington civilian working with new films and emulsions on a backyard telescope said he had photographed geometrically shaped flying objects crossing in front of the moon several times over three months. One of the author's men saw the photographs while examining the man's high-resolution work. The man said he had held recent contracts with the Air Technical Intelligence Center, which the Air Force said were no longer active. He would not lend the materials and appeared willing to sell them. The memo asks how to obtain them for analysis and mentions a House committee's suspended UFO hearings.
This Central Intelligence Agency memorandum, signed by Philip G. Strong, responds to the Director of the Photographic Intelligence Center about UFO photographs said to be held by a Mr. Fine. It notes that investigating UFOs and handling public information on them rests with the Department of the Air Force. It also says the Agency had been flooded with queries after part of the January 1953 "Flying Saucer Report" was declassified, and it proposes passing the memorandum to J. H. Gilmore of AFCEI for investigation.
This Central Intelligence Agency information report, dated 5 September 1958, is a traveler's account of a train trip from Leningrad to Moscow on the evening of 11 July. About an hour out of Leningrad, the source saw two bright lights with grey smoke trails rising vertically for about 10 minutes. An Intourist guide joked about satellites. Later in Moscow, an official called Ivanov joked about flying saucers and then reacted with apparent alarm when told the travelers knew what saucers look like.
This is a short CIA letter from Executive Officer J. S. Earman to Major Donald E. Keyhoe, Director of the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena in Washington. It replies to Keyhoe's letter of 22 September 1958 and says the letter was referred to Major Tucker of the U.S. Air Force Office of Information Services. Earman writes that the Air Force is the executive agency and perhaps the only government agency qualified to speak on unidentified flying objects.
This Central Intelligence Agency memorandum, dated October 1, 1958, reports that a civilian in Washington, testing new films and emulsions through a backyard telescope, photographed geometrically shaped flying objects passing between his telescope and the moon several times over three months. The writer asks for advice on how to obtain the photographs for analysis, noting that the man would likely release them only for a price. It also says a House committee on outer space has suspended its UFO hearings for several months.
This is a short Central Intelligence Agency letter dated 10 October 1958 from Executive Officer J. S. Earman to Major Donald E. Keyhoe, Director of the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena. It acknowledges Keyhoe's letter of 22 September 1958 and says the CIA has referred it to Major Tacker of the United States Air Force Office of Information Services. Earman adds that the Air Force is the executive agency and perhaps the only government agency qualified to speak on unidentified flying objects.
This memorandum from Philip G. Strong of the CIA's Office of Scientific Intelligence, dated 29 October 1958, answers a Photographic Intelligence Center query about UFO photographs that a Mr. Fine reportedly held. Strong writes that the Air Force is responsible for investigating UFOs and for public releases. He adds that the Agency has been flooded with queries since part of the January 1953 panel report was declassified. He proposes sending the query to J. H. Gilmore of AFCIN so it can be investigated.
This is a short Central Intelligence Agency reply letter to George Popowitch of the UFO Research Committee in Ohio. It acknowledges his letter of 19 November 1958 and says the CIA has forwarded his inquiry about unidentified flying objects to the Department of the Air Force for action. The letter also rejects his claim that the agency takes an "active interest in the unidentified flying objects picture." The text contains two copies of the letter, each with a distribution list.
This Central Intelligence Agency letter, signed by Philip G. Strong, Deputy Assistant Director, and dated 3 November 1958, replies to Larry W. Bryant of Newport News, Virginia. It says Bryant's letter has been referred to Major L. J. Tacker of the Office of Information Services, United States Air Force. It states that the Agency has no responsibility for unidentified flying objects. It adds that the Air Force holds executive responsibility and is the only government agency qualified to speak on UFOs.
This Central Intelligence Agency teletyped information report, distributed 11 December 1958 and covering USSR/India, describes a source's telescope sighting on 6 December 1958. While observing Mars, the source saw an artificial object of magnitude 3 cross the field of vision from north to south, with no smoke, flame, noise or fall, and believed it was Sputnik III. A headquarters comment says Sputnik III was not visible from the source's area at that time, and it asks Air and OSI for an evaluation.
This is a Central Intelligence Agency letter from 2 December 1958 to George Popowitch of the UFO Research Committee in Akron, Ohio. It replies to his letter of 19 November 1958. The Agency says it has forwarded his inquiry about Unidentified Flying Objects to the Department of the Air Force for action. It also rejects his statement that the CIA takes an "active interest" in UFO pictures. The release carries a distribution list and a 2010 approval-for-release stamp.
This is a Central Intelligence Agency teletyped information report about an unidentified object seen in the sky on 6 December. The source was watching Mars through a telescope when a steady object of magnitude 3 crossed his field of view from north to south. He believed it was Sputnik III. Headquarters comments state that Sputnik III was not visible from the source's area at that time and that the direction he gave does not match computed orbits. Headquarters requested an evaluation from Air and OSI.
This Central Intelligence Agency letter, dated December 1958, replies to Larry W. Bryant of Newport News, Virginia, and acknowledges his letter of 30 November 1958. It says his letter has been referred to Major L. J. Tacker of the Office of Information Services, United States Air Force. The Agency says it has no responsibility for unidentified flying objects, and that the Air Force holds executive responsibility and is the only government agency qualified to speak on UFOs.
This declassified Central Intelligence Agency letter, released on 24 March 1978, was written by Executive Officer J. S. Harman to Major Donald Keyhoe, director of NICAP in Washington, D.C. It answers Keyhoe's letter of January 12th. Harman says the agency does not normally pass affirmative or negative information outside official channels in response to such inquiries. He asks Keyhoe to explain why he wants the information so that the agency has a basis for an appropriate reply.
This Central Intelligence Agency memorandum from the Chief of the Contact Division, Office of Operations, is dated 4 January 1959. It covers Major Donald E. Keyhoe's attempt to learn whether a CIA agent told UFO witnesses to keep their sightings secret. The memo describes how five UFO photographs were returned to a witness. It suggests the witness or Keyhoe misunderstood what was said. It recommends asking Keyhoe why he wants the information and attaches a draft reply, noting an earlier finding that no CIA employee ordered any witness to stay silent.
This is a Central Intelligence Agency routing and transmittal slip dated 5 January 1959, stamped approved for release on 24 November 1978. It is addressed to the Director. The remarks are only partly legible. They say Keyhoe's insistence had strengthened the writer's view that it would be correct to contact him. The slip names no specific sightings and gives no findings. Its markings are Unclassified, Confidential and Secret.
This Central Intelligence Agency letter, dated January 1959, replies to George Popowitch of the Unidentified Flying Objects Research Committee about his letter of 21 January 1959. He had asked about unidentified flying objects, national security, and whether the government was withholding information. The letter says a panel of experts earlier found nothing threatening to national security, and that this conclusion was made public. It adds that the U.S. Air Force holds sole government responsibility for UFO matters and that the CIA has no jurisdiction.
This Central Intelligence Agency memorandum, dated 22 January 1959 and written by the Chief of the Contact Division, Office of Operations, responds to continuing inquiries from Major Donald E. Keyhoe, Director of NICAP. Keyhoe had asked whether CIA agents told UFO witnesses to keep their sightings secret. The memo describes a November 1957 interview in which a Contact Division employee reviewed photos of alleged UFOs. It recommends asking Keyhoe why he wants the information and attaches a draft reply.
This is a CIA letter dated 27 January 1959 from Executive Officer J. S. Earnon (rendered as Harman in the title) to Major Donald Keyhoe, Director of NICAP in Washington, D.C. It replies to Keyhoe's inquiry of January 12th. The letter says the agency does not normally pass affirmative or negative information outside official channels in response to such inquiries. It asks Keyhoe to explain why he needs the information so an appropriate reply can be made. The document was approved for release in June 1978.
This Central Intelligence Agency document, dated February 1959 in the archive, reproduces in full an item from the Oslo newspaper Aftenposten of 16 March 1959. The item says several people near Bergen saw bright objects in the sky on the evening of 12 March. Birger Storesund reported five objects crossing from north to south, about five minutes apart, that looked like Soviet sputniks. No sound was heard, his dog paid no attention, and the objects were also seen through binoculars.
This is a short Central Intelligence Agency letter dated 5 March 1959 from Executive Officer J. S. Earman to Major Donald E. Keyhoe, USMC (Ret.), Director of NICAP. It acknowledges Keyhoe's letter of February 12, 1959, and says the CIA still has too little information to answer his question. Earman assumes the question concerns paragraphs 16 and 17 of Keyhoe's letter of 13 March 1953. He adds that his reply of 17 April 1958 already gave all available information on the subject.
This is a short CIA letter from Philip G. Strong to astronomer Dr. Thornton Page, dated March 1959. Strong thanks Page for a copy of his 13 March letter to Mr. Fred A. Kirsch about UFOs and calls it a masterpiece for its down-to-earth approach. Strong says the agency is still besieged by people writing about flying saucers, though less often, and jokes that he will borrow Page's wording. Distribution notes include the UFO Project file.
FDD Note No. 887, a Central Intelligence Agency translation filed in March 1959, reproduces a 20 January 1959 front-page article from the Stockholm newspaper Stockholms-Tidningen. It reports that eight reliable persons saw a "flying saucer" over Stigsjoe, near Haernoesand in Vaesternorrland Province. The round object, 6 to 8 meters across with a luminous ring and a reddish yellow underside, approached slowly from the south at about 300 meters and was visible for about three minutes. The incident was reported to military authorities.