Seven Status Reports for Project STORK Part 1 of 4 parts This file contains the text of "seven Status Reports for Project Stork" which are in the holdings of the National Archives and Records Administration, (NARA). It is clear that these (107) pages are not the total paper generated by Project Stork. Internal references to other documents exist in this text, including further Status Reports. None of these is in the custody of the NARA. REPRODUCTION NOTES: 1. [ Text in [ ] brackets is crossed out in original ] 2. { Text in curly brackets { } is hand written on original } 3. {{ Text in double curly brackets }} indicates CUFON NOTES. The original is typed, double-spaced on 8 1/2 X 11 inch paper. - Jim Klotz CUFON SYSOP April 2, 1994 BY: E. .J. Ruppelt 1st Lt. USAF UNCLASSIFIED DATE: 8 Jan 52 SECTION OPERATIONS {BATTELLE} Lt. E. J. Ruppelt and Col. Kirkland conferred with members of [ ] on 26 December 1951 in regard to Project Grudge. The question of whether or not there was enough material available on unidentified aerial objects to warrant a detailed scientific study was discussed. It was decided that there was enough material available and [ ] would submit a proposal to furnish consultants in the fields of astronomy, applied psychology, physics, etc. They will also attempt to make a statistical analysis of the reports in an attempt to obtain some pattern or trend. It is very reasonable to believe that some type of unusual object or phenomena is being observed as many of the sightings have been made by highly qualified sources. [(Secret)] { Background - } { How Special Rept } { into being } DOWNGRADED AT 3 YEAR INTERVALS DECLASSIFIED AFTER 12 YEARS UNCLASSIFIED SECURITY INFORMATION UNCLASSIFIED This document consists of {3} pages and .....attachments, No {3} of.32.copies Series {A} FIRST STATUS REPORT PROJECT STORK AIR TECHNICAL INTELLIGENCE CENTER WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE DOWNGRADED AT 3 YEAR INTERVALS DECLASSIFIED AFTER 12 YEARS [ {Battelle} ] UNCLASSIFIED [ SECRET ] [ SECURITY INFORMATION ] [ SECRET ] UNCLASSIFIED FIRST STATUS REPORT PROJECT STORK AIR TECHNICAL INTELLIGENCE CENTER WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE INTRODUCTION This monthly report describes progress on Project Stork PPS-100, from its inception on March 31, 1952 through April 25, 1952. On and after the effective date, PPS-100 authorized us on request to provide assistance in analyzing and evaluating reported sightings of unidentified aerial objects. The requirements are as follows: 1. Provide a panel of consultants, 2. Assist in improving interrogation forms, 3. Analyze existing sighting reports, 4. Subscribe to a clipping service, as directed, and 5. Apprise the Sponsor monthly of all work done on PPS-100. A panel of consultants has been selected and a series of brief meetings are being held in which typical sighting reports and the present interrogation forms are studied, The objectives are to indoctrinate the panel and at the same [ SECRET ] UNCLASSIFIED [ SECRET ] UNCLASSIFIED time to determine all essential and necessary facts which should be disclosed by an ideal completed form. A coding scheme as being devised to record these facts and to facilitate analysis, The project files for 1948 and 1951 were made available recently and this material is used in indoctrination and coding studies. Upon completion of coding, analysis of the files will begin, probably within one month. The clipping service has been initiated and approximately 350 clippings have been received, The Life article is responsible for 90 per cent of the clippings, with the remainder being a few new sightings reported concurrently from several sources, These clippings are reproduced here xerographically and the originals are transmitted to the Sponsor. [ SECRET ] UNCLASSIFIED [ SECRET ] [ SECURITY INFORMATION ] This document consists of 26 pages and UNCLASSIFIED No {3} of 31 copies, series A. SECRET { /s/ F.H. McGovern, Capt. USAF } AUTH: CO, ATIC INITIALS: F. H. McGovern, Captain Date: June 6, 1952 SECOND STATUS REPORT PROJECT STORK AIR TECHNICAL INTELLIGENCE CENTER WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE UNCLASSIFIED T52-5673 [ SECRET ] [ SECURITY INFORMATION ] [ SECRET ] [ SECURITY INFORMATION ] UNCLASSIFIED TABLE OF CONTENTS EXHIBIT I. TENTATIVE OBSERVER'S DATA SHEET . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 UNCLASSIFIED [ SECRET ] [ SECURITY INFORMATION ] [ SECRET ] UNCLASSIFIED [ SECURITY INFORMATION ] SECOND STATUS REPORT PROJECT STORK AIR TECHNICAL INTELLIGENCE CENTER WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE This monthly report describes progress on Project Stork, PPS-100, for the period from April 26, 1952, through June 6, 1952. The original requirements were as follows: 1. To provide a panel of consultants, 2. To assist in improving the interrogation forms, 3. To analyze existing sighting reports, 4, To subscribe to a newspaper clipping service, and 5. To apprise the Sponsor monthly of all work done on PPS-100. It is now anticipated that these original requirements will supplemented and extended, The formal arrangements have not yet been completed. The panel of consultants has been selected and indoctrinated in a series of meetings. Members of the panel are now engaged in completing the remaining requirements of PPS- [ SECRET ] UNCLASSIFIED [ SECURITY INFORMATION ] [ SECRET ] UNCLASSIFIED [ SECURITY INFORMATION ] A preliminary analysis of the existing report file has been completed. Information derived from this analysis has been applied in improving the present interrogation form. A tentative Observer's Data Sheet has been prepared and studied by the consultants' panel. Pertinent suggestions were incorporated in the tentative form, which is enclosed for review in Section I. The revised data sheet now includes all technical details thought to be essential. It is to be evaluated next by an astronomer, a psychologist, and a CAB investigator. Arrangements for their evaluation are now being made. The facts reported in present files or on new sightings are to be entered on the observer's data sheet. This information will not be coded for direct entry on punched cards. Instead, the facts will be classified and analyzed before entries are made on the punched cards. To facilitate this process, a coding scheme has been prepared to serve as an intermediate step between the data sheet and the punched card. A copy is enclosed in Section The final element in the data record is the punched card on which the results of coded calculations and analyses are entered. A copy of a typical card is also enclosed in Section I. Newspaper accounts of sightings furnished by the clipping service are being received at approximately a constant rate; however, the Life article is now responsible for only about half of the clippings. Originally, the clippings were copied at Battelle, and then transmitted to the Sponsor. In the future, the clippings will be sent directly to the Sponsor by Battelle. [ SECRET ] UNCLASSIFIED [ SECURITY INFORMATION ] [ SECRET ] UNCLASSIFIED [ SECURITY INFORMATION ] FUTURE WORK The available files will be coded and punched cards will be prepared. When cards for the sighting reports for one year are completed, preliminary statistical studies will begin. The results of these studies will be used to appraise the adequacy of all the forms and codes which have been devised. Necessary corrections and additions will be made after this limited study. Then, the remaining sighting reports will be analyzed statistically. [ SECRET ] UNCLASSIFIED [ SECURITY INFORMATION ] [ SECRET ] UNCLASSIFIED [ SECURITY INFORMATION ] [ SECRET ] UNCLASSIFIED [ SECURITY INFORMATION ] [ SECRET ] UNCLASSIFIED [ SECURITY INFORMATION ] Tentative Observer's Data Sheet A completed copy of the tentative Observer's Data sheet is shown in Exhibit I. Two uses for this form are anticipated. First filed sighting reports will be analyzed to extract facts to be entered on this form for coding. Second, when tests establish the adequacy of the form, it may be used directly by observers in recording sighting reports, This latter use will conserve time now expended in extracting information from the present reports for coding on the punched cards. Coding Scheme The coding scheme is illustrated in Exhibit II, This completed enclosure is to serve as an intermediate between the observer's report and the punched-card abstract or the facts on the sighting. In most cases, the facts on the sighting are not entered on the punched cards directly. In same cases, intervening steps require only coding, while in others calculations or analyses also may be involved. Prior to discussing that uses to which the punched cards will be put, it should be emphasized that the facts represented include: 1. Those presently on the standard form, 2. Those suggested by the Sponsor, and 3. Those suggested by the panel. As might be expected, many more entries are proposed than have been used previously. [ SECRET ] UNCLASSIFIED [ SECURITY INFORMATION ] [ SECRET ] UNCLASSIFIED [ SECURITY INFORMATION ] Punched Card A typical completed punched card is included for reference in Exhibit III, This card should be compared with the observer's data" sheet for this sighting, prepared from the original report. The data sheet is the completed one described previously. Statistical Studies From the information entered on the punched cards, it will be possible to analyze many characteristics of sightings, (See Exhibit IV.) Some of these may be obvious, others are subtle, but all seem interesting. The planning of statistical studies is necessarily incomplete. However, some examples may suggest the possible scope of study. Studies have been planned to reveal the variation in sighting activity with time and position. The time of sightings in conjunction with the geographical location will be used in several ways. First, time will permit correlation of sightings with astronomical and tidal phenomenon. Second, sighting times and locations may be correlated with weather conditions. These studies will assist in determining periods and areas of unusual activity. In addition, useful data on track and speed may evolve from such analyses. Data will be compiled on the lag between sightings and the receipts of reports and supplementary information. This knowledge will aid in evaluating reports and in determining the effectiveness of collection procedures. [ SECRET ] UNCLASSIFIED [ SECURITY INFORMATION ] [ SECRET ] UNCLASSIFIED [ SECURITY INFORMATION ] The geographical location of sightings will be coded to permit extensive manipulation. For example, it will be possible to extract cards for areas bounded by parallels of latitude and meridians of longitude. It will also be possible to enter position data for facilities such as ADC, SAC, and others. Range and bearing from sighting locations to facility locations then can be calculated. The appearance and performance characteristics of sightings will be coded also. These codes will assist in classifying sightings, which is the preliminary step of identification. Where the performance and appearance characteristics check in multiple sightings, the time and location data may be used to determine the track and velocity of The interrogation forms are designed to extract information as discrete facts, later to be corroborated by an integrated written description. There are two aims here. First, the completion of the form will assist in evaluating the observer. Second, the discrete facts may be checked against the written story for evaluation. Some subtle questions cannot be answered readily, if at all. The related answers will aid in evaluating the observer. From these brief comments, it may be clear that the basic coding scheme is brand. With punched cards, analysis of many facts on each sighting will be rapid and convenient. However, once the code is fixed, it will be difficult to extract information not incorporated in the code. For this reason, approximately 10 percent of the space available for entries in the code has been left to provide for expansion. The desired expansion must be planned before the code is fixed. This is one item of work planned for the immediate future. After the code is fixed, necessary extension of the system can be effected with supplementary cards. [ SECRET ] UNCLASSIFIED [ SECURITY INFORMATION ] [ SECRET ] UNCLASSIFIED [ SECURITY INFORMATION ] EXHIBIT I. TENTATIVE OBSERVER'S DATA SHEET [ SECRET ] UNCLASSIFIED [ SECURITY INFORMATION ] UNCLASSIFIED [ SECRET ] { Example of } [ SECURITY INFORMATION ] { "UFO" Sighting } EXHIBIT I. TENTATIVE OBSERVER'S DATA SHEET Incident 202 Where Choice is Given, Circle Proper Answers, or Insert Answer DayMonthYear 2. Date you reported the observation: 19 1 1 48 DayMonthYear 3. What time was it when you sighted the object: 6 50 A.M. P.M. Daylight Standard Zone: Eastern, Central, Mountain, Pacific, 4. Length of time object was observed. Estimate: 1 HoursMinutesSeconds 5. Where observed: Postal AddressCity or TownStateCountry 6. Where were you at time of observation: 7. Were you moving at any time during this sighting: No 8. Did you stop at any time during this sighting: 9. If you were moving - give and miles per hour. Direction Speed 10. How was object observed:Naked eye Eye glasses Other glass (window or Windshield) Binoculars, Telescope, Theodolite 11. How did you happen to notice the object; Looked toward moon [ SECRET ] UNCLASSIFIED [ SECURITY INFORMATION ] [ SECRET ] UNCLASSIFIED [ SECURITY INFORMATION ] EXHIBIT I. TENTATIVE OBSERVER'S DATA SHEET 12. Describe what you saw as briefly as possible in the following spaces: 13. How did object disappear from view: Suddenly or Gradually Circle One 14. At any time did the object: a. Change direction b. Change speed c. Move behind something; Cloud House, Tree, d. Blend with background e. Decrease in size f. Decrease in brightness g. Move in front of something 15. When you fir