Congressional Investigation of the UFO Program

This collection of documents chronicles the internal Air Force response to a potential Congressional investigation into the UFO program during the summer and autumn of 1961. The correspondence originates primarily from the Foreign Technology Division (FTD) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, with Colonel Edward H. Wynn and Major Robert J. Friend serving as key figures in managing the situation. The initial impetus for the investigation appears to have been a Newsweek article from July 1961, which prompted inquiries from the Legislative Liaison Office (SAFLL). The Air Force was particularly concerned about the influence of Major Donald E. Keyhoe, the director of the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena (NICAP), whom they believed was pressuring Congress to hold hearings. The Air Force strategy was to maintain control over the narrative, ensuring that any investigation would be handled by the FTD and that they would be prepared with briefings from project personnel, including consultant Dr. J. Allen Hynek. A staff member of the House Committee on Science and Astronautics, Richard P. Hines, visited the FTD in August 1961 to gather background information. Following this visit, the Air Force continued to monitor the situation closely. By December 1961, correspondence indicates that the proposed Congressional hearings were effectively cancelled. Congressman Joseph E. Karth, who was slated to chair the hearings, reportedly informed the press that he would not participate in what he characterized as Major Keyhoe's 'cheap scheme' to discredit the Air Force. The documents reveal a clear institutional desire to avoid public embarrassment and to manage the flow of information regarding UFO sightings, while simultaneously attempting to address Congressional interest through formal briefings and internal coordination. The correspondence also highlights the tension between the Air Force's desire for secrecy and the pressure from private organizations like NICAP to disclose information. Ultimately, the Air Force successfully navigated the period without a formal Congressional hearing on the UFO program.