Memorandum for: Director of Central Intelligence — Consultants for Advisory Panel on Unidentified Flying Objects

This memorandum, dated January 9, 1953, is addressed to the Director of Central Intelligence from the Assistant Director of Scientific Intelligence. The primary purpose of the document is to secure approval for the recruitment of Dr. Luis W. Alvarez and Dr. Thornton Page as ad hoc consultants for an O/SI Advisory Panel tasked with reviewing and appraising evidence regarding Unidentified Flying Objects. The document references a decision made during an Intelligence Advisory Committee (IAC) meeting on December 4, 1952, which mandated that the Agency enlist the services of selected scientists for this purpose. The author justifies the selection of Dr. Alvarez based on his expertise in radar operation, characteristics, and anomalies, and Dr. Page based on his competence as an astronomer and astrophysicist. The memorandum notes that a check of the Consultants' Registry indicated that other potential candidates were either unqualified or unavailable. It is proposed that these men serve on the advisory panel rather than as regular CIA consultants, with a compensation rate of $50.00 per day. The document includes approval signatures from H. Marshall Chadwell and the Director of Central Intelligence, dated January 20, 1953.