U.F.O. FILES: THE UNTOLD STORY

This document, a press article by Patrick Huyghe, details the history of U.S. government involvement with Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (U.F.O.s). It highlights that despite official public denials of serious interest, declassified documents reveal extensive government concern dating back to the 1940s. The article references a November 11, 1975, confidential message regarding suspicious unknown air activity at various military installations, including Loring AFB, Wurtsmith AFB, Malmstrom AFB, and Minot AFB. The document discusses the roles of various agencies, including the C.I.A., F.B.I., and the Air Force, in monitoring these phenomena. It notes that the C.I.A. played a key role in the government's conduct regarding U.F.O. investigations, driven by Cold War fears that U.F.O.s might represent secret, technologically advanced foreign weapons systems. The article outlines the history of projects such as 'Sign,' 'Grudge,' and 'Blue Book,' and the subsequent scientific study led by Edward U. Condon. It also covers the efforts of private individuals and organizations, such as Ground Saucer Watch and NICAP, to obtain government records through the Freedom of Information Act. The article concludes by noting that while the government maintains a 'transitory interest' in the phenomenon, it continues to monitor it, and that the release of documents has provided a measure of respectability to the subject while failing to fully resolve the U.F.O. enigma.