Minutes of Branch Chief's Meeting of 11 August 1952

On 11 August 1952, a meeting of the Branch Chiefs was held in Mr. Steele's office to discuss the establishment of a new project within the P&E Division focused on 'Flying Saucers.' The quorum included Mr. Sullivan (Chairman), Mr. Ahern, Mr. Barnard, Mr. Engle, Dr. Fairchild, Dr. Fondiller, Mr. Gordon, Dr. Harkin, and Mr. Rajala. Dr. Olarenko suggested that the project be established to maintain files and build up-to-date knowledge on the subject, enabling the Division to take a formal stance and formulate opinions as required. It was noted that ATIC held the primary responsibility for investigating flying saucers and maintaining records, while the P&E Division was responsible for gathering information for the CIA. Each branch appointed a representative to contribute to the project: Mr. Elby for Physics and Mr. Barnard for Electronics and Communications. Mr. Ray Gordon was designated as the Project Officer for the P&E Division, tasked with identifying who was handling the project in ORR, gathering historical data on meteorology, radar, and other sciences, and securing reports from ATIC. The meeting also addressed whether the P&E Division should respond to external requests, noting that the Air Force had local agents to handle such inquiries. Additionally, Mr. Sullivan provided a summary regarding Mr. Strong, who had spent five years in an area where flying saucers were frequently reported, noting that despite his extensive travel in the region, he had never seen or heard of any unusual phenomena.