GERALD R. FORD LIBRARY Request for Manuscript Reproductions Name: Nicho his eee Card No. Date: 4it/op Box Folder Title or Document Identification Tota Collection a DIB | UFOs t LT EYE ~/ We bp: Z. Hsddel Kivers, (aia GERALD R. FORD LIBRARY Collection Title: ford ee 5) srs /Box: DF Folder Title, L/.F. 0. Docurnent Title: UFO Enclosures Library of Coneresa book Air Force Statement about UFO at Dexter, March 25, 1965, Neves Release Maren 28, 1565, News April 3, 1966, News Release April 21, 1966, News April 16, 1967, Editorial fron The New York Tines Avril 17, 1967, Editorial from The Detroit Free Press Getober 7, 1966, News Release July 31, 1966, UFO Sighting May 9, 1966, News Release April 17, 1966, Ravenna, Ohio Septamber 3, 1965, Exeter, New Mareh 2, 1965, Ereeksville, Florida April 24, 1964, Socorre, New Mexico February 24, 1959, UFO over Pennsylvania November 23, 1953, Kinross Ineident July 19/20 and 26/27, 1952, Washineton, f. January 7, 1946, The tantell Case Renier, Washington Airy FPoree Regulations )-17 and eO-174 (Only in special cases; see page 5 of blue book) COPO material} (UFG statenents) (UFG information) AUVaIT TdOd GTWAID WOU AdODOLOH| CONGRESSMAN FROM THE OFFICE OF HOUSE MINORITY LEADER GERALD R. FORD, R-MICH. FOR RELEASE ON RECEIPT WASHINGTON--House Minority Leader carer de R. Ford, R-Mich., poday gheing a of proposed that Congress Anyeerteate | hie rash of reported unidentified flying objects; Hn sefneca Michigan and other parts of the AXVUAIT GYOs ATVuaD WOU AdOQOO.LOHd Ford 3 ja pongressjonal inquiry would be worthwhile because t j American , dopl\ are peconing alarmed by the UFO stories, He i aes that Air Fo ce investigators have been checking on such reports for years but ae come up with nothing conclusive. : 4 i ren od te Wain oe : ove gal ; Ae tg . "In the Light , o thete new stafeings and. sngtaed ery wholegome thing for a committee of the Congress to conduct a number of hearings /and to cal executive branch (of the government) dn witnesses ho "tt would be messes from the ie they have sighted these objects." \ : "I hink the American people would feel better if there was a full-blown investigation of these incidents, which some persons allege have taken place. CONGRESSMAN GERALD R. FORD HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADER FOR RELEASE TUESDAY, P.M, NOTE TO ALL NEWS ee R-Michigan, today ig the ate Republican members inva cme Committees on Armed ee and: eae \coumittee or phe dee investigate the and Astronautics, urging t at one subject of Unidentifife the Air Fotce explanation the recent Ford is not satisfied wit sightings in Michigan and describes the "swamp gas" version given by astrophysicist J, Allen Hynek as "flippant." Ford has received a number of telegrams and letters from individuals anxious to see a congressional investigation of UFO's. AUVUAIT TUOA ATVUID WOW Ad O30.LOHd CONGRESSMAN GERALD R. FORD HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADER FOR RELEASE TUESDAY, P.M. NOTE TO ALL NEWS MEDIA: House Minority Leader Gerald R, Ford, R-Michigan, today sent the attached letter to the chairmen and the ranking Republican members of the House Committees on Armed Services and Science and Astronautics, urging that one committee or the other investigate the subject of Unidentified Flying Objects (UFO's), Ford is not satigfied with the Air Force explanation of the recent sightings in Michigan and describes the "swamp gas" version given by astrophysicist J, Allen Hynek as "flippant." Ford has received a number of telegrams and letters from individuals anxious to see a congressional investigation of UFO's, AUVUEIT CYOd GIVYID WOUd AdODOLOH Rep. Gearge P, Miller, Chairman Rep. L, Mendel Rivers, Chairman Science and Astronautics Committee Armed Services Committee U, S, House of Representatives U. &. House of Representatives Washington, D.C, Washington, D. C. Dear Chairmen Miller and Rivers: No doubt you have noted the recent flurry of newspaper stories about unidentified flying objects (UFO's), I have taken special interest in these accounts because many of the latest reported sightings have been in my home state of Michigan, The Air Force sent a consultant, astrophysicist Dr. J, Allen Hynek of Northwestern University, to Michigan to investigate the various reports; and he dismissed ail of them as the product of college student pranks or swamp gas or an impression created by the rising crescent moon and the planet Venus, I do not agree that all of these reports can be or should be so easily explained away. Because I think there may be substance to some of these reports and because I believe the Ameyican people are entitled to a more thorough explanation than has been/given them by the Air Force to date, I am RY proposing that either the! Science and Astronautics Committee or the eo Armed Services Committee pf the House schedule hearings on the subject of UFO's and /invite testimony from beth the executive branch of the government ahd some of the Berens. who claim to have Been EON : I enclose sacral hich t think will be helpful Ee you e aavciulte the advisability) of an investigation of UFO's, May I first dal to your attention a column by Roskoe Drummond, published last Sunday in which Mr, Drummond says, "Maybe alliot these reported sightings are whimsical, imaginary or unreal; but we need a more credible and detached appraisal of the evidence than we a. Mr. Drummond goes on to state, "We need to get all the data drawn together to ome place and examined far more objectively than anyone has done so far, A stable public opinion will come from a trustworthy look at the evidence, not from belittling ic." "The time has come for the President or Congress to name an objective and respected panel to investigate, appraise, and report on all present and future evidence about what is going on," I agree fully with Mr. Drummond's statements, I also suggest you scan the enclosed series of six articles by Bulkley Griffin of the Griffin- Larrabee News Bureau here. In the last of his articles, published last January, Mr, Griffin says, "A main conclusion can be briefly stated, It is that the Air Force is misleading the public by its continuing campaign to produce and maintain belief that all sightings can be explained away as misidentification of familiar objects, such as balloons, stars, and aircraft." I have just today received a number of telegrams urging a congressional investigation of UFO's, One is from retired Air Force Col, Harold R, Brown, Ardmore, Tennessee, who says, "I have seen UFO, Will be available to Another, from Mrs. Ethyle M, Davis, Eugene, Oregon, reads, Nine out of ten people want truth of UFO's Presa your investigation to the fullest." AUVAAIT TYOd ATVYID WOT AdODO.LOHE Rep. George P, Miller, Chairman Rep. L., Mendel Rivers, Chairman Ronald Colier of Los Angeles, who identifies himself as "a scientist from M.1,T.,"' urges that you "do everything in your power to make Air Force Project Blue Book (the AF name for its study and verdicts on UFO reports) known to the people," Are we to assume that everyone who says he has seen UFO's is an unreliable A UPL story out of Ann Arbor, Michigan, dated March 21, 1966, states that "at least 40 persons, including 12 policemen, said today that they saw a strange flying object guarded by four sister ships land in a swamp near here Sunday night," Matt Surrell of Station WJR, Detroit, cites an eye witness account of a recent UFO sighting by Emile Grenier of Ann Arbor, an aeronautical engineer employed by Ford Motor Company. He points out that an aeronautical engineer can hardly be considered an untrustworthy witness. In the firm belief that the American public deserves a better explanation than that thus far given by the Air Frce, I strongly recommend that there be a committee investigation of the UFO phenomena, I think we owe it to the people to establish credibility regarding UFO's and to produce the greatest possible enlightenment on this subject. Kindest personal regards. Sincerely, Gerald R, Ford, M.C. Enclosures ANVUEIT CYOd CTVUAD WOUd AdOD0L0Ha Rep. George P. Miller, Chairman _. Rep. L. Mendel Rivers, Chairman Science and Astronautics Committee. Armed Services Committee U, S. House of Representatives U. S, House of Representatives Washington, D.C, Washington, D. GC. Dear Chairmen Miller and Rivers: No doubt you have noted the recent flurry of newspaper stories about unidentified flying objects (UFO's). I have taken special interest in these accounts because many of the latest reported sightings have been in my home state of Michigan. ; The Air Force sent a consultant, astrophysicist Dr, J, Allen Hynek of Northwestern University, to Michigan to investigate the various reports; and he dismissed all of them as the product of college student pranks or swamp gas or an impression created by the rising crescent moon and the planet Venus. I do not agree that all of these reports can be or should be so easily explained away, : Because I think there may be substance to some of these reports and because I believe the American people are entitled to a more thorough explanation than has been given them by the Air Force to date, 1 am proposing that either the Science and Astronautics Committee or the Armed Services Committee of the House schedule hearings on the subject of UFO's and invite testimony from both the executive branch of the government and some of the persons who claim to have seen UFO's. I enclose material which I think will be helpful to you in assessing the advisability of an investigation of UFO's. May I first call to your attention a column by Roscoe Drummond, published last Sunday in which Mr. Drummond says, Maybe all of these reported sightings are whimsical, imaginary or unreal; but we need a more credible and detached appraisal of the evidence than we are getting." Mr. Drummond goes on to state, We need to get all the data drawn together to one place and examined far more objectively than anyone has done so far. A stable public opinion will come from a trustworthy look at the evidence, not from belittling it." "The time has come for the President or Congress to name an objective and respected panel to investigate, appraise, and report on all present and future evidence about what is going on. I agree fully with Mr. Drummond's statements, I also suggest you scan the enclosed series of six articles by Bulkley Griffin of the Griffin- Larrabee News Bureau here, In the last of his articles, published last January, Mr, Griffin says, "A main conclusion can be briefly stated. It misleading continuing to produce and maintain belief that all sightings can be explained away as misidentification of familiar objects, such as balloons, stars, ard aircraft." I have just today received a number of telegrams urging a congressional investigation of UFO's, One is from retired Air Force Col. Harold R. Brown, Ardmore, Tennessee, who says, "I have seen UFO. Will be available to investigation AUVUIT Aor GTvyaD WOUd AdOOOLOHd Rep. George P, Miller, Chairman Rep. L, Mendel Rivers, Chairman Ronald Colier of Los Angeles, who identifies himself as "a scientist from M.1I.T.," urges that you "do everything in your power to make Air Force Project Blue Book (the AF name for its study and verdicts on UFO reports) known to the people," Are we to assume that everyone who says he has seen UFQ's is an unreliable A UPI story out of Ann Arbor, Michigan, dated March 21, 1966, states that "at least 40 persons, including 12 policemen, said today that they saw a strange flying object guarded by cour sister ships land in a swamp near here Sunday night. Matt Surrell of Station WJR, Detroit, cites an eye witness account of a recent UFO sighting by Emile Grenier of Ann Arbor, an aeronautical engineer employed by Ford Motor Company. He points out that an aeronautical engineer can hardly be considered an untrustworthy witness, In the firm belief that the Americ'an public deserves a better explanation than that thus far given by the Air Force, I strongly recommend that there be a committee investigation of the UFO phenomena, I think we owe it to the people to establish credibility eeenbing UFO's and to produce the greatest possible enlightenment on this subject. Kindest personal regards, Sincerely, Gerald R, Ford, M.C Enc Losures ABVARIT TAOd ATVUID WOUT AdODOLOHE STATEMENT BY HOUSE MINORITY LEADER GERALD R, FORD, R-MICHIGAN As I had expected, some persons have ridiculed my call for acongressfonal investigation unidentified overwhelming expressing investigation would be useful and is needed, a congressional investigation apparently closed-door subcommittee Kar hag confiried in conversation with a The present Science and Polke Onaubte exc omAthee chairman, Rep, George P Miller, D-Calif., has shied away from a UFO probe at this time, saying his committee does not have jurisdiction over the Air Force. Bytthe late Rep. Overton Brooks, D-La., obviously had different ideds because he tapped Karth to summon Air Force witnesses ant 1 as thm after a flurry of UFO e that his pubcomiittee ma< Karth has informed full committee but never 1 Charles F. Ducander, the co conversation between Karth subcommittee members and Air Force witnesses, The hearings, he said, took place in Karth's congressional office. IT have never said that I believe any of the reported UFO sightings indicate visits to earth from another planet, Apart from pranks and natural phenomena, some of these objects may well be products of experimentation by why doesn't the Air Force concede it and our own military, If this is so, in this way reassure the American people? There would be no need to go into detail on the nature of the experiments, FOR SUNDAY A.M, RELEASE APRIL 3, 1966 STATEMENT BY HOUSE MINORITY LEADER GERALD R. FORD, R-MICHIGAN As I had expected, some persons have ridiculed fy call for a congressional investigation of unidentified flying objects (UFO's). These people are a fraction of those who have given me their reaction to my proposal, The overwhelming majority of those expressing a view in lettera to me believe a congressional investigation would be useful and is needed. Those who scoff at the idea of a congressional investigation of UFO's apparently are unaware that the House Armed Services Committee has scheduled a closed-door hearing on the matter Tuesday with the Air Force and that Rep. Joseph E, Karth, D-Minn., headed a three-man subcommittee which held two days of hush-hush hearings five years ago on behatf of the House Science and Astronautics Committee. Karth has confirmed in conversation with a ANVUAIT COT OTVYAD Wow AdODOLOHa member of my staff that he conducted these secret hearings, The present Science and Astronautics Committee chairman, Rep. George P. Miller, D-Calif., has shied away from a UFO probe at this time, saying his committee does not have jurisdiction over the Air Force. But the late Rep. Overton Brooks, D-La., obviously had different ideas because he tapped Karth to summon Air Force witnesses and question them after a flurry of UFO sightings in 1961. Karth has informed me that his subcommittee made an oral report to the full committee but never released anything to the public. According to Charies F. Ducander, the committee's staff director, no record was made of conversation between Karth subcommittee members and Air Force witnesses, The hearings, he said, took place in Karth's congressional office, I have never said that I believe any of the reposted UFO sightings: indicate visits to earth from another planet, Apart from pranks and natural phenomena, some of these objects may well be products of experimentation by experiments, CONGRESSMAN GERALD R. FORD HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADER MRL E Nes bs EE EO FOR RELEASE ON THURSDAY, P.M., STATEMENT BY HOUSE MINORITY LEADER GERALD R. FORD, R-MICHIGAN. The Air Force has informed me it is arranging for a study by high-caliber scientists of some of the UFO sightings which have never been explained, This study will be placed under contract soon after July 1, start of the news fiscal year. It will be carried out by a university which has no close ties withs the Air Force so that the findings will be completely objective, Air Force officials Those people engaged in the etuey: will be high-cal iber sererceece who have never taken a position on UFO's, the Air Force said, It wut be, made clear to een that they are not bette hired to come up vith een in support of previous ait Force statements resaiding UFO's, le am informed, The Air Force said there is too Pe a involved to ask these scientists to make this study without pay. The report will definitely be made public, the Air Force assured me. The whole purpose of the study is to clear the air as far as the public is concerned, This, of course, was my purpose in recently requesting that public hearings on the subject of UFO's be conducted by either the House Armed Services Committee or the House Science and Astronautics Committee, It was as a result of my call for a congressional investigation that the Air Force now is arranging for a study of UFO's by topflight scientists not connected in any way with the Air Force, I would have preferred a congressional investi