Memorandum to Director, Psychological Strategy Board regarding Flying Saucers

This document is a memorandum from the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, Walter B. Smith, to the Director of the Psychological Strategy Board. The primary purpose of the communication is to propose that the National Security Council address the problem of 'unidentified flying objects' due to their potential implications for psychological warfare, intelligence, and military operations. The document highlights that since 1947, there have been approximately 1,500 official reports of sightings, with a significant volume of additional reports from the public. The current administrative handling of these reports by the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) at Wright Field is described as a small-scale, limited effort that relies primarily on a case-history approach. The author argues that this current method is insufficient for the needs of national security. The memorandum suggests that a centrally administered research program should be established, potentially under the Research and Development Board, to provide coordinated intelligence requirements and support. The document also details the current status of the inquiry, noting that the Air Force has not yet found a 'great cause for concern' but acknowledges that the phenomena are of more concern to operations than to intelligence. Specific attention is given to the 'balloon phase' of Project Blue Book, detailing how weather balloons and upper-air research balloons are identified and tracked to reduce the number of 'unexplained' reports. The document emphasizes the need for better identification of 'phantoms' to ensure that in the event of an attack, enemy rockets or planes can be positively identified. Furthermore, it raises concerns regarding the potential for Soviet exploitation of these phenomena and notes the silence of the Soviet press on the subject as potentially provocative. The document concludes by recommending that the Director of Central Intelligence present a draft directive to the National Security Council to formalize a centrally coordinated research effort.