1953 CIA Memo from Chief, Physics and Electronics Division on Current Status of UFOB Project

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. M7 Deceszber 1953

MEMORANDUM TO: Assistant Director, Scientiric Intelligeace

FROM 2 Chief, Paysics and Biectroates Divisioa, Sl. a
susJecr :. Current Status of Vaidentifiled Flyieg Oe fests

(UFOB) Project. —-—

2. In accordance with the verdal request oX(Mes Erca

on 35 Novesber, the follosing-resiune | of the currest*status or unidenti-
fied Flying objects activities hes” been prepared. : . .

2, P2F Division essused-rescoasivility for. the OSI project oa

unidentified flying Obgeots as a2 result of your “your nenorandua Or _- .

7 Bay 1¢93.°°Th2_ project has besa conf fined to zainteining avereness ~
of the activities of other ageacies” (notadly the U3eF) in the- SoS
unidentified flying objects business eand.to raintenance of flles. — ——--

o. Aly Force. Tr Air Foreec continues “to- matatafa, but ¥hih
apparently decressing exptasis, its interest in UFOB's, Tne present’:
interest of the Directorate of Intelligence, lq-, USAP, is ¢coariaed to
e cursory cognizance of ATIC's project. (Blneecox No. 10073). At ATIC iti
the vroject is carried op One Officer (Capt. Chsrles A. Hardin), ose
elrwan (s/ic Max G. Futch)) end-a secretary-operating as tie Aerial
Phenocete Section of the Electraates Branch, Technical Agalysis Division.

In spite of this Linited staff, os vell es Severzl chenges of profeet
PORTCIT, the project recomis apseer to be up-to-date. ATIC p2ssoanzh
no loacer comluct field investigations of UFOS sightings (these are
requested froa USAF intelligense officers [privarlly Air Defense *
Comsand ani Airways end Air Cernunications Service) nearer to the
sightings), tut confine their activities to receiving and checking
recorts es received, requesting additions! field investigatios where
n2cess rerfercing necessary enecking agalnst wateorolosical,
estronerieel, airsraft ond balleoa data, and reconting their riniing.
nace sions in 2 erass-referenced syste: by date, location, source,
yee oF Spservatica snd conclusion draim. Tne Aerial Pasaomep2 Section
Lso G22ls directly with the Public Inforcation Office of fige, USAF,
eeardiac internation for public release. For about the past year, | .°-.-
prroxicately tes percent of the reported sightings have been tagged
6 unsolved, — *

Of perticular interesé is the sace thine ATIC is in one
protess of transferring project Bluebook to ae, Air Defense Consand,
fecordine to Lt. Col. Karry Jonasto, Chief, Electronics ranch, the
reason for the transfer was thet t 4h0 hid been Going most of the

were

men 8

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2 he md

MEMORANDUM TO: Assistant Director, Scientivie Intelligeace °

Chief, Paysics end Eiectronies Divisioa, 81

FROM H
susJccr 2. Current Status of Unid entifled Flylaz Gojects

(Use3) Project.

=

lL. In accordance with the verbal request of(Mr, Erent,JExee/SL,
on 35 Novesber, the folloving resute of the cur rrontstatus of unidenth-
fied flying objects activities hes: been prepared. .

2, Pe Division essused respoesibility for the OSI project on
unidentified flying obfects es e-result of your renorandua oo Leng
27 may 1°93. The projeet hes teza coafiaed to ralateining awarede
of the activities of otrer ageacies (notably the USAF) in the -.- ..---- =.
unidestified flying objects businzss and to pointenance of flles.

3. Status_o? Nepartcene_or Defense Activities: -

oa. Aty Force. The Air Fores ‘continues “to maistain, but ¥ith ee

epoarently decrecsina enpuasis, its interest in UFOB's. The-present =
interest of the Directorate of Intelligence, fig, USAP, is coafinesdé to
@ cursory cognizance of ATIC's project. (Bluescok No.-10073). - At ATIC +
-the vroject is cerried oy one Officer. (Capt. Charles A. Rarata), one 7
elrean (s/1¢ Max G. Futch), end a-secretury operating as tie Aerial
Pra ao Seetion of the Blegtronies Branch, Technical Analysis: ies

In spite of this linited starz, ss vell es several changes of. pro!

ffloor, the prodest records apzecr to be up-to-date. ATIC coccoaned mate
no leazer conduct field invesiigetions of UFOS sightings (these are

requested froa USAF intelligence officers pricarily Air. Bofens2 to
Comsana oni Airways and Air ce anheatioas Service} nearer to the :
Sightings}, but confine their-activities to receiving an “checking ee
resorts es received, requestin ng additions) “stata investigation woere.. - ---
necesita, perreraing necessary enecking agalnst is steorolosical,

estrorcricel, aireraft ond dallooa data, and reconing their findisss _

ena conclusions_in.e cross-referenced syste dy Gate, location, source, :
type oF cyservatica ani conclusion draim. The Aerial Prenomeha Section

Yso G22ts directly with the Public Inforsation Office of hig., USAF,

egaréing iat ry i 2 rehea rrr For about the past year, | 7: :

prroxizstely reported sightings have been tagred

OF re GB chr

-
protecs of trans:
decordiaz to Lt.

ee ead

er ee

reason for the t


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cme emma a end need OU eA FAN AIM OD TIE
’

pe geen ex een eT

aa EL Uk ak ee ko

fnvesticative werk of | tke project ent "it it turns out that these

thinzs (UF03's) ere oF 2 ships of leag ronzge eirereft from another

country, ADC is the (At Y Fo veo) Cons that vould have to t2ke 7
action.” Col. Jonaaton poriov2a this cosrazt vith tha socewnst
contrazictory statement that the project transfer did rot rarlect

any chanze tn Air Foree policy. It 4s undoubtedly tre that ALC _

is the Air Foree Coz mana prirarily conceratd wth Ur03z’s et the

present Mice tn tha: their interceptors are occasionally dispatebed |

"e .

raisst™ reported UF03's onl that their reporcing statioas and
corr -aiestioas systezs are involved in a considerndl2 portion of |
the Uro3 activity. ATIC vill raintain Lisisoa with, the project.

Approximately a year and ona half ‘ago (ATIC. jaltiaced & + ay)
propram to purchas2 cateras Sor selected ALC ragar sites and AACS

control tovers in locatioas shere “eonsistent UFOS reports were 0:
rece ved in the roses of pho ozraphing UrCB's. O72 lens of the ~*~ y
casera (2 stareoscopic tyr?) was to be covered with a sixcle grating —
to record the seaciregrapnic. nibure of the UFTOR photosrapned. One 7
heared "Videon" 35 mz. a aras with "stercon” anastic=nat £ 3.5 lenses —

were pirchesad slong with 100 rratinzgs (15,000 Line) froz Circo, -
Chicrgo. Seven ly-Tocr = (78) cAneras were distrinuted._ Ninety percest

* the eratings have “gone d24"--the -acteal grating separating from

the plastic vounting plates. lew grati ngs are expected shortly and —

ATTIC expects to recail etl o> the 7% distributed caneras ent re-

equip then with the nev gratings. , one ae ee wen te oe

Several months ego vo were advised that ARTIC planned ta
set ep 3 Cont2n narrated instrumentation opservatiogal eifort in the -
s-

Albuquerque arai. This ras nov bes an dropred. - -. = rae
has beanpreraring, at ATIC reqiest Oe
r5-on UFOS sightiags during the ‘

study is nov expzcted 40 be cospleted

oe .

PIG issuas status reports on Project Blussook ea a tri-monthly
basis the cost recent being Report Ho. 12 30 Septecoer 1953. .*

® .

. Rave. The } Yavy .in spite of press reports to the | .
coatremy, is presently devoting only pert of one ONT saalyst’s ":
tine to rainteining cogaizanse of UFC3!s. . . oto. -

¢._ Arsy-__The_Arry_has evidene2d Little or no interast ir
UFOA's other trun cooperabins ne with tte Air Force in regortiog sightings
ani pert neat é2t2 using the Air r Force format. — + ¢ .

&. Invastications or Intorssts of Foreign Governzents.


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ae eee ae ae eS

) TOROS Me ODAREIXO “

8 3
, a. Other. “Aside fron a few scattercd ¥ Sports; mostly ola, -
which inligate interest in UrC3's by private iatividuals or groups,
there is no-informacion-of concera or ingciries of consequence in
‘other Toreim countries. . -.
5. Results ef O31 Panel Recommendations.” Tre consultants who
considered this: proaies it ) danuiry 1653 resorzented trat Uros's be.”
strirss2 oF. special status end era of nystery aod thet policies ca
intellicesce, traiaing,.and_public + ducation pertinent to true
Indient ons of hostile intent or action be ‘prepered. Toe definite
Grop in the amber o? "siphtines” repor tel during 1953 over 1¢52 .
coul2 te attributes to octloas Following | these xecosnemarioss ha
recent tooks ("Flying Saucers Fron Ouler Spree “ by Keyhoe and 4 "Flying
Seceers Pave Landed” a i) take full ellvaatage of
Yotticial” WFO3 rerort 2 by the At Fores to develop 2 central
there irat Ur035's fre errestrinl in origin. Portunitely, the
Jaster took is s0 noaseasical ¢ ni ooviously fraviuleat that it ray.
actrali: help erin cow peblic F- yosettea.  Fhese books do, hovever,
4llestracve the r'sk taken dy the presaat Folicy. There are no other
BS ys. arporaa>. reslts of these r reconsantations.