Memorandum: 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, concerning the intelligence and operational implications of 'flying saucers.' The document outlines that since 1947, there have been approximately 1,500 official reports of sightings, with a significant percentage remaining unexplained by the Air Force. The CIA expresses concern that these phenomena have implications for psychological warfare and national security, particularly regarding the potential for enemy utilization or the need for improved identification of 'phantoms' to avoid confusion with enemy aircraft or rockets. The document critiques the current Air Force inquiry, which is handled by a small section at the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) led by Captain E. J. Ruppelt. The CIA argues that the current 'case history' approach is insufficient and that a more systematic, centrally coordinated research program is required. The memorandum proposes that the National Security Council should oversee a program to define research objectives, potentially involving the Department of Defense and the CIA. It also highlights the role of weather balloons in many sightings and the need for better data collection and analysis. The document concludes by suggesting that the current level of support for the inquiry is inadequate and that further, more rigorous investigation is necessary to determine the nature of these phenomena and their potential impact on U.S. security interests.