Washington Viewpoint: Interview with Colonel Lawrence J. Tacker

This document is a transcript of a radio broadcast titled 'Washington Viewpoint,' aired on December 20, 1960, over radio station WWDC. The program features an interview with Lieutenant Colonel Lawrence J. Tacker, Chief of the Magazine and Book Branch of the Air Force Office of Information, conducted by Ann Corrick and Sid Davis. The primary purpose of the interview is to clarify the official United States Air Force position regarding Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) and to address public concerns about government secrecy. Colonel Tacker explicitly states that there is no evidence in Air Force files to support the existence of space ships from other planets. He explains that the Air Force's UFO program is a small, integral part of the overall air defense mission. When reports are received, the Air Force conducts investigations to identify the objects. Tacker notes that the vast majority of sightings are eventually identified as conventional objects, such as high-flying aircraft, balloons, or astrophysical phenomena like meteors or planets seen through refraction. He addresses the 'two percent' figure often cited for unexplained sightings, explaining that these cases are typically unexplained due to a lack of immediate data at the time of the sighting, rather than evidence of extraterrestrial craft. Tacker dismisses claims that the Air Force is withholding secret documents, citing Air Force regulation 200-2, which mandates that UFO sightings are not to be classified. Throughout the interview, Tacker maintains a skeptical stance toward the 'UFO groups' and 'contactees,' whom he characterizes as being divided between those who claim to have visited other planets and those who believe in space ships. He expresses his belief that the 'flying saucer era' is nearing its end as the public becomes more familiar with space exploration and technology, such as satellites and rocket hardware. He also mentions the role of civilian consultants like Dr. Allen Hynek, whom he quotes as calling believers 'cosmic romantics.' The interview concludes with Tacker reiterating that while the possibility of life on other planets exists, there is no evidence that Earth has been visited by extraterrestrial space ships.