1952 CIA Memo on Flying Saucers, ATIC study since 1947

I shits dha eel dtneahcabbetehaend idetd seelh chad it bon

PROTON ET TINT STET: BEPC INT ETOP LTe PRT Te OO CNPC P POR TS OTP TPTE PT ETH

Lig

‘eects.

BR ~ 3 - 2872

oct 2 1957
LE ORAL TOs . Director of Central Intelligence — eee ee
THROUGH: Deputy-Director (Intelligence)
FRO Assistant Director,: Office of Scientific |
Intelligence
SUBJECT, - Flying Saucers
1. PROBLSN——To- deterniner (2) Yoether. or not there are national

securLlty inplications in the problem of "unidentified= = --- 0° as:
flying objects"; (0) whether or not adequate study and 2...
research-is currently being directed to this problem

in its relation to such national security imolications;
and_(c) what furtner_investisation and research snovld ~~~

be instituted, by whom,-and-under what aegis. we a anal a

2. FACTS 4ND DISC, #SS20! f—OST-nés-investigated tne work currently

3. GOlNe

3

being performed on "flying saicers” and found that the
Air Technical Intellicence Center, DI, USAF, Wright-- a
Patterson Air sores bese, is the only group devoting »
ort and siudy to this subject, that ATIC-
az on ay case-by-case exolanation of each
e2ort, ‘and ¢ ‘ at this effort is not adequate to corre=
late, evaluate, and resolve the situation on en over-
all basis. ne current prodvdlea is discussed in detail

LUSiO3S——"Plying saicers'™ vose two elenents of danger

waicn have national security implications. ‘he first
involves nass psycrolozical considerations and the
second concerns the vulnerability; of the United States
to air attack. poth factors are anolified in TAB A.

CTLON RECO LENDSD(a) Taat the Director of Central Intel

Recor:
ligence advise the National Security Council of the

inplications of the "flying saucer" oroblem and request

that research be initiated. 145 Bis a draft memo- keg oe tes
raencuat to the NSC, for the DCI's sisnature.  (b) That 0-1
the ICT discuss this suojcet with tne Psychological

Strates” Coorc. A mesorandun to the Uirectox,

Psycnolozical Stratery Foard, is attached for sig-

nature as TAB C. (c) that CfA, with the cooperation . aa
of PS3 and other interested degartaents and agencies, —

develop and recomnend for adootion by the NSC a

Lehn eh Aamati bias habitadeied ett neh hii}

ial wads

hided.

OFF TORS Pare OR LTA Pv

bap

OCT 2 185?

LGORATDULT TOs Director of Central Intelligence

THROUGH: Deputy Director (Intelligence)

FROM: Assistant Director, Office of Scientific |
Intelligence

SUBJECT: Flying Saicers

1. PROBLS~—To determine: (a) thether or not there are national
security imolications in the problem of "unidentified
flying objects"; (0) whether or not adequate study and
researcn is currently being directed to this problen
in its relation to such national security imolicationss
and (c) what furtaer investigation and research soould .
te instituted, by whom, and under what aegis. —

2. FACTS AND DISCUSSSON—OST-nes investigated the work currently

being verf fored on "flying saicers' and found taat the

: Air Technical Intellizence Center, DI, USAF, Wright-

: Patterson Aim Force ase, is the only group devoting
@ppreciadle effort_and study to this subject, that ATIC
is concentrating on a case=by-case exolanation of each - a
report, and that this effort is not adequate to correw -—--- — —
late, evali2 ta, and resolve the situation on an over-_ - Ss
a esis —_Tas current _provlea is discussed in detail

3. CONCLUSIONS a0 hai Ags -saicers't_nose-tvo-elenents of danger:

: whicn have national security isolications. | the first
involves mass psycholovical considerations and the

second concerns the vulnerability; of the United States

to air attack. Both factors are amplified in MMB A, ==) 0

wow a aed Ne nee hd

bh. ACTION RECOLEE: "DE2-—(a)—Tnat the. Director of Central Intel- ee
ligence advise the National Security Council of the .

dat tatuap dad Mable’ dhl Sasle edie seat doe

mer

Lhe Se al

implications of the "flying saucer” oroblem and request

- that ressarch be initiated. Tr5 Bis a draft memo--~ 6 S-go op cay
bi ote+ YS panduh-to the NSC)-for the 5CI's sicmature: |(b) ‘that on
the ICT discuss this subdjcet with the Psychological

Strate Tess. A mosorandun tothe firestcr,

Psycnolocical- Stratery froard,-is-attached for sig- ‘
- mature as TAB.C.--(c) ihat cta, with the cooperation ~ oe
' of PSB and other interested desartaents and agencies, —

develop and recomnend for adoption by the NSO a


de nietabel

hace io che be

1

Taye Oey

eink kat, Blas Bs de-beSe fh tab Aiba ead sac ls

oA ade Canad

7)

5 doeqcz i tats

ee
Lead ibnbiesdttatiley

SE aw

policy of public information which will minimize concern
and possible panic resulting fron the numerous sightings
of unidentified odjects. .

He TORSaaLD Caan SLL / __
Assistant Director. ~
Scientific Intelligence...

ASREXES 3

TAB A-=enorandaa to DOT, through DDI, Subject: Flying. _- os

Saicers.,..
TAS Be-Letter to Vational Security Council with enclosure.
TAB C~liemo=to Dlirecton,-Psyenologi heal ‘Stratesy Board with
enclosures

CONCUPRRENCES s

Date: __ __ el ; _ f
] LOFTS &. BECKER |
.. { Per outy Director/Intelli gence \
ACTION BY APPROVING ATTAORI TY: wee .
Date: a /
Aporoved (disaoproved) s -—- = -
WALTER B. SiH
Nirector
aaeoue eo uaetten seen tee ee Ma a ba

ene


a

lah aah wd. abla Aiea be tas daha te iach ndash thts ide dbonts

a haldide last

Pwo

NUE Ts

a Yon lab aa led,

ats hedctaanhes tohetai

Add iedindas’

eet,

SEP 24 1%

fat a ~ : = . = ¢
MSDORANDUN FORs Director-of Central Intelligence

THROUGH : Deputy Director (Intelligence) ;
SUBST : Flying Saucers

. Fecently an inquiry tas conducted by the Office of Scientific
Intellicenes to determine whether there are naticnal security Eplications '

in the problem of "unidentified flying objects," 4,e,, flying saucers; co
whether adeguate study and_research is currently beinz directed ta ~~ -- > mo
this prodlen in its relation to such rational security inolications; :

and wort further investigation and research shovld be instituted, = = =
by whaea, and under what aegis, Pd

2, It vas found that the-only-wilt of Government currently
studying the problem is the Directorate of Intelligence, USAF, which
has charced the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) with... .
responsibility for investigating the revorts of sightings... At ATIC - .
there is a grouo of thres-officers and two secretaries to whica cama, =
through official chirinels, all reports of sightings, This group
conducts investication of the revorts, consulting as required with
other Air Por

rej

ae

ce and civilian technical sersotfel, A world-vide==.-..95- --~: -.—~-
reporting systen has been-instituted-and-rajor Air Force Sases have
been ordered to make interceptions of unidentified flying objects.—.- Oe
The research is being conducted on a case basis and is cesigned to ‘
provice a satisfactory explaration of each individual sighting. .-.-.-  -. -
ATIC his concluded an arrangement with Battelle menorial Institute De
for the latter to establish a mchire indexing system for official. _
reports of sightings» oo DU

3, Since 1947, ATIC has received anproximately 1500 official — ae
reports of sightings plus an enormous volune of letters, phone calls,
and press reports, During July 1952 alone, offici2l reports totaled 250, —-

Of the 1560 reports, Air Force caries 20 percent as unemminined ard
of those received fron January through July 1952 it carries 25 percent
unexoltsined, : .

4, In its inquiry into this problem, a team fron CIA's Office
of Scientific Intelligence consulted with a representative of Air ,

- Farce Snocial Studies Group; discussed the problem with those in charge

of the lir Foree Project at Vricht-Patterson Air Force Sase; reviewed
A considerable volune of intelligence reoorts; checked the Soviet
press and oroadeist indices; and conferred with three O74 consultants,
who have braid Incwledge of the technical areas concerned, .


haails,

6 asb tide abet ahmed bast

joa dettes! A Udsdee alin dK dedel Sndiee Jedi da sh. Bh ge’s

Fede te te

>, It was found that the ATIC study is protably valid if the
purpose is linited to a case-by-case explanation, However, that
study do2zs not solve the more fundarental asvects of the problen,
These aspects are to determine definitely the nature of the various
phenomera which are causing these sightings, and to discover means
by which these causes, and their visual or electronic effects, my
be identified immediately. The CIA consultants stated that these
soluticns would probably be found on the marging or just beyond tha
frontiers of our present knowledge in the fields of atmospheric,

Jonespheric, and extraterrestrial phenarena, with the added possibility

°

that the present disrersal of nuclear waste products right also
be a factor, They recanmended that a study group be formed to perform
three functions:

a, analyze and systeratize the factors which constitute
the fundarental_prodlen; —- oo

bd. deternine the fields of findamental science which
must be investigated in order.to reach an understanding of
the phenatena involved; and~ as

-

c. make reccemendations for the initiation of appropriate

___ research,
Dr, Julius.A, Stratton, Vice President of the Massachusetts Institute ~~
of Technology, has indicrted to CIA that such a group cowld be > > a
constituted at that Institute, Similarly, Projest Lincoln, the ~ =~
Air Force's air defense project at IGT ,-could be charged with sane -
of these ressonsibilities,

6 The flying saucer situation contains two elerents of dange

which, ina situation of interrational_tension, have national security
implications, These-are: oe

a. Psycholottonl =3lith world-wide sightings reported, it

was found that, up to the tine of tke investigation, there had

> =
been in the Soviet press no report or comment, even satirical,.
en flying saucers, though Gromyko had rade cone himorous
rantioa of the sudject, With a State-controlled press, this

could result only fron an official policy decision, The

question, therefore, arises as to whether or not these sightings: -

oan - . gee we fey oe ate
vets tee a sie g wc fevie Sos:

(2) , could be’ controlled,

Paks Mit 2c ut thee “: 3 aT SORTS ed

(2) could be predicted, and

(3) could ve used fron a psychological warfare
" ~-""* point of view, elther offensively or defensively,


PEP TS TAT ETO TTT RANT ORT RT

VEE TTA RT POLE Oe ee TIT

ye
dakteddcadhval

tataleie thas

ree

The public concern with the phenomena, vnich is reflected both

in the United States press and in the pressure of inquiry upon the
Air Force, indicates that a fair broportion of our population

is rentally conditioned to the acceptanée of the inc redible,

In this fact lies the potential for the touching-off of mss
hysteria and panic,

>, Air Vulnerability - The United States Air Varning Systen
will undoubtedly alvays depend upon a combiration of radar screen=
ing and visual observation, The U.S.S.R. is credited with tha - ee
present | capability: ‘of delivering an air attack agzinst the nr:
United States, yet at any given ment now, there ray be .
current a dozen official unidentified sightings plus rany Se

ae

unofficial ones, At any mogent of attack, ve are now ina

position vhere we cannot, on an instant tasis, distinguish -
hardware froa phantaa, and as tension mounts we. will -ron-ths - -
increasing risk of false alerts and the even greater danger

of falsely identifying the real as phantom,

7. Both of these problens are primarily operational in- pature =
bat each contains readily apparent intelligence» factors... ng cee a

8, Froman operatioral point of view, three actions are a ee

required:
a, I:mediate stevs should be taken to improve identification
of both visual and electronic vhantan so that, in the event of
én attack, instant and oo sitive ident tification of enemy planes =

or missiles can be rsdéesoo

b as study ‘sho ud be “ins tituted to determine what, if amy,- == i2-ci5>
utilization could te mde of these phenanera by United ’statos
psycholosical varfare plan sars and what, if any, defenses should

ne
be planned in-anticimtion of Soviet attempts to utilice them. °° |
p P

¢. In order to nininize risk of panic, a rational policy =~ -- —-> >
showld be established as to what should bo. "sold the publie= =
regarding the phenonena,
™

9. <Gther intelligence problems which require determination ©

.&, The present- level of Soviet knowledge regarding
a+. these phenerena, vee Td, og -.

b, Possible Soviet intentions and cambilities to
utilise these rhenorena-_to the detriment of United States
security. interests, — : ;

-- ame -- . =


ee a ee

re)

¢, Tho reasons for silence in the Soviet press
_ regarding flying saucers,

10, Additional research, differing in character and emphasis
from that presently being performed by Air Force, will be required
to meet the specific needs of both orerations and intellisence,
Intelligence responsibilities in this field as regards both collection
and analysis can be discharged with naxinun effectiveness only after
much nore is known regarding the exact nature of these phenomena,

UL, I consider this problem to be of such importance that it

should be brought to the attention of the Mational Security Council, 0

in order that a community-wide coordinated effort towards its solution
may ba initiated, —

BH, MARSHALL CHADUSLL

oe hada! te

aT we Ra

bul di

Ashtead babi’, thatis fi i.

ORO Ye AY Re PR TO

wer

Ora

CATO FT Tae We OR

Lalit Sdbins latins te ale ie

Assistant Director .
Scientific Intelligence .

we Steers gw me De ey