Report of the Scientific Panel on Unidentified Flying Objects

This document comprises a cover memorandum dated March 12, 1953, from the Secretary of the Intelligence Advisory Committee to an unnamed recipient, transmitting the 'Report of the Scientific Panel on Unidentified Flying Objects' dated January 17, 1953. The report details the findings of a panel of scientific consultants convened in January 1953 at the direction of the former Director of Central Intelligence, General Walter B. Smith. The panel, chaired by Dr. H. P. Robertson, included experts in physics, geophysics, and astronomy. Their mandate was to evaluate the threat posed by Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) to national security. After reviewing 75 case histories from 1951-1952, various project reports (including Blue Book, Grudge, and Stork), and other evidence such as radar data and film, the panel concluded that there was no evidence that these phenomena were hostile artifacts or a direct physical threat to national security. The panel expressed concern that the continued emphasis on reporting these phenomena could clog communication channels and create a climate of mass hysteria, which could be exploited by hostile propaganda. Consequently, the panel recommended that national security agencies take immediate steps to strip UFOs of their 'special status' and the 'aura of mystery' surrounding them. They further recommended instituting policies for intelligence, training, and public education to ensure the country could distinguish between false alarms and true indications of hostile intent. The document includes a list of members and interviewees, as well as a detailed list of the evidence reviewed by the panel, which ranged from case histories and motion picture films to charts of balloon flight paths and intelligence reports on Soviet interest in U.S. sightings.