UFO RESEARCH IN THE USA: Part II - Analysis of the Survey

This document, authored by Jacques Vallée and published in the Flying Saucer Review (Vol. 12, No. 1, 1966), presents the second part of an analysis of a survey conducted among civilian UFO research groups in the United States. The survey aimed to categorize these groups based on their beliefs regarding the nature of UFOs, the credibility of 'contactees' (individuals claiming to have met extraterrestrial occupants), and their views on government secrecy. Vallée explains that the groups are significantly divided; while most believe in the existence of unexplained aerial phenomena, they are largely skeptical of contactee claims. The document includes a detailed table (Table 1) summarizing the responses from 25 different organizations, tracking their conclusions, belief in contactees, and views on official evidence and secrecy. The author discusses the influence of prominent figures such as Major Keyhoe and notes the sociological observations of H. Taylor Buckner regarding the demographics of UFO enthusiasts. Furthermore, the document examines the 'geographic effect' of UFO beliefs, noting a concentration of contactee believers in the western United States. The survey also touches upon the reasons groups believe the government maintains secrecy, with common theories including fear of public panic, economic disruption, and the protection of military secrets. The article concludes by suggesting that while the UFO movement in the U.S. remains fragmented and largely unscientific, there is a growing trend of distrust toward official government handling of the subject. The document also includes a brief report on South American UFO sightings by Charles Bowen, noting a high volume of reports in Argentina and the surrounding region during 1965.