[blank] — September 1959

-~8 Se71tember 195' USAF H is torical Archives ASI(ASHAF-A ) Maxwell AFB, Ala 36112 Insuff Data l Jan -jl Dec 1 Jan -J l Dec Cong Requests Inf ion Result- ing froua Reports FLOW CHART CONSULTANT arBE:R GOVT ORGANIZATIONS arse:R GOVT SC IE:tt.l'IFIC & TECH AGE:SCIES Cons Requests Inf ion Result- ing from Reports Coordination <J.rHE!R GOVT FLOW CHART (PROPOSED) CONSULTAlfr . (tlltMI) at'B~ GOV'I' ORGABIZATIOBS HEADQUARTERS AIR RESE1\RCH AND DEVELOPMENT COMMA'Nil UNITED STI\lES 1\IR FO RCE Andr ew 1\rr f orce Bose Woshrngton 25, DC. Transfer of USAF Aerio.l Phenomena Program IIQ USA.? ( A.i.1'C IN) vlush 25, D. C . 1 . Reference is made to your letter of 7 December above, and to our interim reply of 23 December 1959 9~ ,g M!tbject a..O 2 . Our review of the USAF Aerial Phenomena Program i ncluding the AFCRC Study, has 'been completed. \-le find tho.t more than half of the program r elates to phenonena of a non-scientific nature. c ren1aining portion, whil e possibly associated with scientific processes, docs not tncl ude qualitative data and is therefore of limited scientific value. Considering the quality of dutu available from other sources, exploitation of the aerial phenomena observation::; ,.,ould not significantly enhance our research programs. 3 . ror the reason stated a ovc, I do .1ot believe that the transfer of the USAF Aerial Phenomena Proe;rarn to AR:OC is in the best interest of the Air Force. Major General, USAF, Vi oe Commander ,.. COORDINATION e cnt1f1 ~ r lltil lA e:lt f ... c 'tl'l3J'ECT: (t~) Tranef r of u::" Lt Gen Bernard A. Air Reeearch-Devel Waahington 25, D. C. t C OUI!W.lt d 1 . R terence Air orce gulation nr 200-2, Su'bj c c , 'Unid ntit1ec1 Flytn b" eta (UFO) dated 14 ' ptentber 1959. 2 . In 947 the USAF aaeuce r epon11 bil1 ty or a pro R of inv t1aation and analya1e ot un14ent1t1ed tlyln objo t8 ov r the Un1 ted Statea. Thie prograa cSeaigned to determine f tbeae na r e aente4 a threat to our national eecU11ty. At i te inception tbe protp vaa directed determining firet, it thee phenomena were hoatile, tm4 aecond, ba4 any poaaible ac1entit1 c val~. A tertiarr obJective vaa to determin' 1 nature of each ot th ee reported obJect8. Wi tl1 the sage of time thera ba be n n lnd1ce.t1on t t ~eee pben na ver hoetil or posed threat to the security of tb U :lted tatea. Atter r ~1ew of the tvclv year record of t e UFO program it is clear that the program ha developed alean linea pror;reaaively more re,ote from intelligenc intereata. duri tbe life ot the project tber have be n indication of possible ec1entit1c V'slu Our experien"" v1th thla proc;ram indicates exploitation y be desirable it the following ecicntif'ic and/~r technical areas: low ov1na and rrotic teors. ire bella., Spe.c fthiclea (e rel). tl.eailea. ft~tie elecvr1c1 y . Up~r 1r physico. 4. It 1s my opinion that any future value to the Air l~orce l i e a in exploitfltion of these pheno na tar ec1ent1fic purpoae ratber ther.t as an intelligence function. With your concurrence I propos to n ... tiat.e actio to tranater the aerial pbeno na proeram vhit~h n ov in~olves three full-t1me USAF personnel and one scientific consul t t~ eucb ~cncy vith1n your comrmnd that you may deem appropriate . REFERRAL MOTICE SUBJECT (or 1dentl!Jct.lon ) I. (Gncl) Transfer USAF Aerial Phenomena Proc;ram Chief of Staff, Intelligence, AFCIN X AFCIN I AFCIN2 AFCIN3 AFCINXA AF_C TI\T- ATTENTION: TYPE OF ACT I ON PREPARATION OF APPROPRIATE FORWARDING ACTION ASSIGNED TO: APPROPRIATE ACTION CORRESPONDENCE AND/OR RECOI.I!4ENDATIONS INFORMATION ON WHICH TO BASE REPLY CS/1 HAS/HAS NOT SEEN NOTE AND RETURN PREPARATION OF REPLY (for i~na ture AFCIN X HAS ORIGINAL of ACS flntelli,ence) INFORMATION AND/OR PREPARATION OF REPLY ( f or 1,nature FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT (indicate ne~e and eztenion ) of Deputy, ACS/Int e111,ne) PREPAftATION OF REPLY (for 1,nature COORDINATION DIRECT REPLY (fl th copy to INFORMATION COPIES FORWARDED TO: AFCIN X ) COMI4ENTS (l' .. r~r and blank $heet if more ~c 1 required) attached letter i'rom Hq, su~Jj oct a~ ~,_'OVC, i nformc:ttion and continuinG appropriate ha~ concluded that it the best intcrc,t-: TTC... -l_i' for A .. .':DC to assume renponsibility for the Aeri al Phenomena Pro<jram. I AARON J. 8 GGS Colonel, U SA5 Ltr A.1DC 5 }cb 60 AfCIN-PtA / USAF Aerial Pl~.enon Proe COORDINATION ( I nitial, Lat name and Grade) AFHQ M:~R~9 0-86 PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THIS FORM ARE OBSOLETE September 1959 SUB.T.EDT 1 UFO TO 1 AJ'CIN (General Walsh) 1. SiDCe 1947 the Air J!'oroe, a nd apecitioally the ATIC, bas been reaponai ble tar a progrnm dealt.,ned to determ1 ne it unidentified fly ing objeota were a utiODal threat or-bad any scientific v alue . This prot.,ram at its inception vas deait_ned to determine if l"O' a were hostile , and hud SQT possible scientific value . A tertiary objective was to de t ermine the nature of e aoh at these objects. With the passage ot t the absence ot positive 1Ddication that these objeota were hostile or had any scientific .alue, a nd the oaa1n~ at tho UFOi tea the third objeoti vo bega n to toke on more stuture. Toda y this objective has grown to such an eA--tent t hat we are faat reaching the point where the t ail may wag the d o rrhi s i s a poaei ble great dan~er t o the Air Force presti r;e and certainly a d1nger to the intellisence couaouni ty. 2. The attached study offers as a solution tra nsfer of t he UFO project to ARDC with a ims toward eventual cOMplete elimination us a specia l proj ect. I concur with t he views outlined in the study tha t such move would be benetic i a l to both the intelligence coxmnuni ty a nd to the UFO prouem. Disassociation with 1ntell16ence would do much to strip the aura of mystery trom the UFO prO;rnm, a nd the same disassociation would eliminate a project trom intelligence which i s more or less open to public inspection. 3. It i s Sutested that the atta ched study be approved a nd forwarded to the Air Force Chie f of J t atf with a rec ndation for consideration and possible implementati on. Cl:IARI .ES B DOU Gi.l!~h Major General , USAF St\.ldy b y AFCIN-4E4 J T DY llY J.:. I 4El~ ~B : epterooor 195 9 1. -~inca t h ff 11 o. 1 9 (' , \. o jt :b'or c ha. c nductt d l\ Pl'O.IfJut desi ned to dot rnino if' c.DicleHtified tlyinf:i, olJj cts o natitute t b r a t to n tional oe ct.J i L or if t he; of.f'~1 ary cler.t1i'io Ful / or tech cal i.J'o~ tiv n ..,. 1 ct. wo lu be bc:ue:ficie.l. This ll'O e~u, f a r l 'xom th.e orl 1.na 1 itJt n t , h become an ~mproducti v e L:nU'dcn Ul.un t e Air ! orce, ud &PEfCj fir. lly t 1e Aet oaphc 'l'echnioa l Intellif!tt1Ce Center. 'l'he pro~rtlm require t ' j r..azq; ir~ ~r, L~ nni n aud hi\ D rec.ul c in Wll'avoralJle J ublici ty fc~r t h e Air 1t ,r e . AuCl .a._ ... L1 more specii'ically t;!u~ J~eJ.uc~ucG Tt.:c ... n1c~.l lu.t,elll enc e Cant :.at . ~ 1(. l .. ir livre nee.la to elimin.'lte lu.t~ cu~tly, 1 d t o dot~ ln pl"oductivf'l, llograu. Comp lete ell.u..inut i ou i s c 3i~al>l , b.!.t. ::. t r~ho it cert i11A.y bt= dis .sevcic tao ~ith t'i~ intellib~uce c :.u.r,unit,y -whrE.: tis extremt!l,Y d tJ.ngt: H S t o ! r f:stiee As oi' .. / J u ~ 19)9, Lftcr 12 .rec.tt~o o f inve~tit~"'t:ing nd analyz 1Lg ev<~' w:aidenti1'1ed l'lyir-t.. 1bjcct Ft ich was broutht t o 1 t s e ttenti..>IJ, tL.e A ~r or o h.&.s aco~ll... ted (. f i lo of ol..J~ cnsea. 'I'he 11\.Uubl r of r w ort:-nt~.uber hette r than CL~.C, r r l\li..::..J ot.jrctu WCl'C r '!i Ol te... ;>r L ... ul 6 t bun 01: Uri. t l !CSO a r.d frr :u different B..Ju:..~cea ( nb ... I ) .&. rc.'L"'l t his vast e. 1Jerience 1 t... Ur s , the Air ~'orca htJ~ uvt il. c.i ..... ~: uli t .. -... tes t t;Viuence t t these object a c.:>neti tute ' t1ueat t() n tivh t l socuri ty, ~ a: e apace Yelliclce control lt.:d by Ikln ur alien beints from '!n o th.er orltl; n or ns ony :t cul 3Cientific and/or teohn).c.~l knowled e resulted j. 'l'her e &.rc 50 pzi v~te 0 orgonizativns i n t te I J o.3e 1uembers e:-~ploi t un1.c.! entifi ed fl L . ., cb jccts f o r fin 1nciv l t.in. relit! ious or c tuer mor~ de'V 10\.ls I es6vns t t .c e.Aponse of t h e " it b~orce (Tab -B J . here have been 1n3tar.ceo v1hon t't uewcP_s of t hese organizatinP'l have e.c t unll co :Petc:d wivh tt1e /1.ir .1 arc.e dt.U"i r ... h ,;h e 1nveet1bu tlon of a cahc~ ~I c . not e a tiafiod wit.-.. t .. e Ail' orc e ~ll.dlin , -chct~c private iuvcstieatc1 huTe, on O(:co aion, incited the \<Ti t nes.:-J t o c orapl ain to their Con?,resam.en. l'heSe compl ints tltlVt:: resul teC: in GO!l(!.l a.:. n .... l deer l n t; s , unfavornbl ~ l)!.tblici ~ ~L:.~ ...tlYays a n increaat:: of the \tiO.&.' k l o dd iUl Joaed u pon t h e 4.'1'1C ( 'r -c, . h . 'rh e metnoLis b:> \-illiCh v r e1orts llt"e f o xwur ded is b~ '1\, ' ol' tele hon e from uilit .. r.v in.d!.".llrtl no, , ,lil h.l ~ettc~r or ( .f\ 1 m u:i il or t ni..A.!tio n or private citizan a ( J ll -) -',his, wh e n c ompflrect ~ith tl.le r <.)action tin1e neoess r., f or ~u1 ivnl in CV't.nt of .. tn titnck uaiJ.1l. modt r n Cd vn ..... ia ridi - lous. J' . e ATI int(rest i n t h se objects . in Vit:w oft 1e f t .re , oint, c a n onl.t be its int.el J.it; C.fiCC or ncientif lc ontJ/< r t.enbnj, sl ~"Jifr i .: : C ' ne e nf ter Bll.ccesst'ul J.efellac uc. r,ion h a b een acco lis!'!ed b anoi.her agea c:t . ::; Approxi~ tely Gch o f t.e e;f t m t in t h e \.JlO Jfrot,r "J. 1~ directed t o .d the pJbli c relat Onw ObJ(=;OtiVt . pr osram. am at i':f of t l.reo pc.o1,lc w H) \ u r k J 1 1 tj. <: n n ll.te U1 J I(: t " o a t 'Ali~ w .. to SJ.end consider able time ~it' t J _OFFICE OF RECORD t ia my impression that General Walsh is interestAKI in produciDB of' Mroapa c e intelligence v i th the minim:uc expenditure of funds -...,tili~ation ot r. Toward that goal ve have already witnessed aity for 1educ1ng ATIC efforts in those areas .indirectly appl i cable aerospace problem. Have conducted a review of the functio11s of AFCIN-4E, and feel t~"Lat ia nov upon ue when w muat ser.Loual.y consider whether to continu ng the UPO mission. Since 1947 the Air Force, and mor e specifi cally haa been responsible to detena1ne the nature of unidentified fly ing At that time it wa s f'el t tho.t the assigmuent aho'..!ld be made t o r---L---...u~ ...,..igence since it vas possible that these objects might pose a thrcut to AFOIN tionel securit y . After 1 2 years experie nce ATIC baa yet to uncover e vidence t.hat UFO' s c onsti tute 0.1-zy such threa t . attached s tudy Clearly inrlicatea thn.t thls pro.;ram baa cost us n both manpower a nd uoney. It :further points c ut tha t a t thic tiue AFOIN s not proper l y be l ong i n the intelligence comr:tuni t y , but rathe r l t fitn:t)td be regarded as a zcien t ific phenomenon, coming tti th.in the purvie~ c after reviewing the study you concur the a.ttached letter t o WaJ.sh Will b e prcpe.red in f inal form. 'tNANS attach!d), th~ d:t~ifi " I! t!t1~! of ~hi~ cO!' ce '!iH be downgrade<i to t~.ctL.{ fn l. Steff Study by 4E4 2 . Propose d Ltr t o Gc.n \u.lsh ATlC FORM 144 (REV 20 FEB 5 6 ) ROUTING AND COORDINATIO N SHEET program. In at.\di . vn t o f u l l ti , o r Jle r 1y ful tim p op l , t h r are a great nuzuber 1n r t 1 el d who mu.t. meet th Jrobl ma of t .i s pr o r m on a d ,y to d~v basts ( L .. n -~.). r:oi nce 19;.7 t le pro oontr cted t h e~rnces oi' scientii'J.Q uons l t 't lt. i u the pers o n of r .T. llen Hynek. The enn 1 a Yer e for .r. in k ' s aetYi cea has been 1:,00. In 19.;2 a etet - latlc e l study of t l 'Proerom wae p r t ol'me d b~ a o1Y11 1un oont r ctor . Th i s at~l cvast t h e \ir .llorce apJ,r oxinutel;v ~1 .. 0 , 0 o. I n ooc tion to the above 11ated expe nses mua~ be added t vpcratlnt~ expe1ae e wn~c1 onn be dir~c~l a ttributed t o t h e UEO p rof.r un. l or l:'lll of t his e:xp n e e , t o cl:Jte w hav e o 1ly bo nt t :.\ ~l ~l.,.t>nt oJ. ~OC.J \Ifill tro:n o am.tl l 1\oxi ty of tho 7 Iusedi ate eJl,i:J-~ion o1' ~.!.le lJr()l.r.~o Io do liLli s woulo. aul" i n des- troyin eYer y e vontu gn neu i n the at 1 2 ye rs. !t; wo.Jld not only E.appl fu ' l f<n: t. : cunx'i r~c. :.) v 1 teo, "t wo~ld alw:> p:oviu a vt::n GB for propad.ntl1ota. _r. e.di~ion to arousing tds c ... nfirmed UliQ h~licver . it "Ould euoou roeo tht~ .l"!~tJl o l lose citjzeus wnv took no ctivt? ;t.UU:-t. ~ t truate~ ~.t..t';.r ~ccl':r:..\1,' l.l tn'' J.act ., ,1-.t t : 18 i r <.rcc a s on the j ob. . Jhile t h e e'Ventu~l e.l1r.li ru.Liun i a t o be sout.ht as a goal , 5t m'.t~t be unde r - stood tnnt tho " bl:i c I..:..h t fir :J" b e co.tYJ i ti u ned i n order that the~ be rt.)Cep - ti Ye o f ta~Q idt; . 1 \'l . 3 b Hiu ... 1, t o!' " e IJrOt.r run S U pro jcc t u s s ie,ned t o 0 s pecific P.geuc., by n o n ons l nft r s tlu t t,~t,; Atr J:"'or c c w1 11 not cont in v~ t .. 11a e:ft'or t . .J'Iery e.~ n~ 1n tha Air I orce, B S a mattc.r c.">f' d o i 1 1 t.e par t towArd cco.lllpli..;t-.. :~nt of t. c c'etalJ _ i.:r t!orce m.issio n , oull b ive prope r atteation t o reports o1' nul ubj(:!CtEJ hh ct.. .y rrova hostile o o.l' int.e l 1gonce a nd/or s cientific and te.::hnh~ i e.l.,lc . Ph o:1l ob fect'v whtc would suffer as a result of cl.J..:.ir.:..;"2t:tn t1lia ~O&'aJn -would he t e publ l c relations aspe cts. 8 . Rctoov e the 0 prograul fr(Jl'!J. e intellige l1Co coa1r.1uni ty wi ~.~h plans for e v c;ntuH..L colf~p~etv 0.1..:. "ina "~;ion 1 ollo";iu.t:~ h prv r .,n of public e ucatiou . By moViO the ~,r o jGC t o l ',f .. htv : , l.t.e ] l:i -c, ~c c .t.. tNl. ii . "ve x a p lobl .. :r.'l.S a s.Jo- citt e d v i t h the JjrOt;rE..m would be ease 1 . !I ir:Jt , t h e publ,.c ten1s t o e:r.v.,- er a t o the il.JJ;o.s:i;t'..21C3 .;f c.r~ C..Jcro.t.ion w!ticb. is in 'lny \-tay conneot~d \ . .:.t h mili t or., intellig~nce. .J~c ttd, l t. uo, ld climin~tc a::J an intel l i Gence r e s - ponsibi l i t~ a ,t-l"O~rim \.11 ic ' i s OfJ' .. n t v p ... d >J..ie inapcc t iull. rnird, t, ... e pro- ~:,.ram, i n tr.~.e a b sE:.n(,tJ of' potentia.l n.:Jtiur.al t..J..t'cat .Ld n<:.i6ntif i c returns, has b een Otle nninl.:, ._"" p t blic r~lntil)ns. rna "!rot r . Til oott l f be rnovP.d t v t. e ,a s ington area Uhd .b,q_",u.; c, 10 d~\rec" responsibilit y of o n e of tne t)r ancbee oi' che S ~S. 'he-l:il~ 1 &Ile p l to educa t e the public ,.ould uae the :1edi t of' tue preuo, tt~lc-:\l~s;.,vn r-eli o , Atd ?O~'Jil;l moviea, ~o i.nforJ~ the puhl i c a t h e variac.tc asp ccs o:f t 10 pr ot.r"m.. 'lh public onOL'ld be m:..cie t\"u'r .. of t . .&.e phenoraE1110. t.ll / \1r VlE'L -nX;!dt.::: ot;jec ts lf:~.l.c~1 ha v e bt::E::n ud aidentified a nd re,;vrted as v ' s . ~thin tlo lit.dt o cf sec ,.lrit .. , a l l ,..ocket, sotellit lsunchiDt., etc. , shoull ba maoe pub i c ... ~nowl~L<'. Th public sL.oul<l b n o f~W&.L"e t ht ~lf. t\lr lo1c .Jill dtil1 be accozuplir~:.1'1t~ t.~.e two mc.or objectives ci' tl.iB j rOl....I'cm; ~etcrminiP-e.. if :JF0 s conEttitute n ruti...,nal tnre,t, ttnd it" t .. H;:;, .. rc oi '"Ji t ... scientitic niior t.ectlnlca) v lue &s e roto~t il.:!e part, of i r,s vve t till aai on . . st..wy protr'lW s houl d. be w!rle r t en bJ t h e pe r f.on s U(, ~ ttc..tillt ..... J.:e UlO _,rc:>j(,ct \o'h~ (.,!j o;ld b e l1l<1r e t .. han t.1e pure at ttistical atn/lJ w' 1 C"'l -..rnn Pc~o.rrrplished for .3pecia J ;lF .. yort ,11~. '1\ds ~t.1d~ shoul d make specific correlr:ti )ns t o deternt~ne, 1 1 i oe.oible, ~he c ause f or eurgea ot ~ports (this -wo\lld s erve d ~il pur os by l lowi n nticip t i o ot suri;e a and lao possible p1 'Y n t l o n b) kno n causes). 1 e t y s h ou l d contain apecitio iruor ttion as t o t e t .)J a or ph lnomen' l nd/ or nan -made o bjects which bay e b eu reapouible for t h e ai 1tin e . 'l'h o r o r t .bould leo giYe he -yy consideration to t ~e ps) oholot, lea l a p eots of t e nrogra omovo l ot t .. 1e program trom the i nLell i genoa co ,-nun i ty woull no~ ut n th t the o b jeoti Yea o1 t h e a ot:.I at hav changed, u 4t nl y tl t mor e d i oc reti0 n will be given to w.1ich c auea are possibly o1 intell i r nc o aif,ni i o m o e , or tl ~ poasi blo scientif' 1 o Yal\le. Liaison b e t ween the J v offic e e.nd t l.' o.p },ropriute s u b-divis:io n of AFCil, DC , or AROO wo d t~nd \iO \nt l i n t h hit,h level Of t h os e o b j :)c t j v 9 . A r ated of f i o r 1 th 1 teuhnic 1 b 1cl~ roun I and i ntclli ence -~IJ l' i e 1c c s LO lcl be a s s i g ned u G OJC of ~ d.s pror.rrun to nllat'l a 11 h " .l" o of' ,,ceo J i s h 1e .. 'lt