C00015339. . C) ER -- 3 -- 2872 0CT 2 1952 L :n=." TO: Director of Central Intelligence 'aOJCH: Deputy-Director (Intelligence) Assistant:Director,:Offico of Scientific Intelligence SU3J-- n saucers 1. PROM r''==,c=deter?si ies `?{a)-r.hether_or_not there are national, security. implications in the problem of "unidentified flying obi a ats'_' (b) rx:e ther-or-rot adequate study and researc'n1s cuxrrently-tvtn~z-dir"ted to- this problem in-its relation'to such national security imolicatl.ons; and-(e) :.hat further-investigation and research- should - be instituted,- by ;boa; and-under that aegis.. 2. FACTS-.~'?D'DISC,iSSO:f SZ has=iitvestiga,`,ed the work currently being perfo -ed on "flying sa icer s" and found that the Air Technical- I relli;erca -Center, DI, USAF, Wright- Patterson tr Force :use, is the only group devoting appreciable e fort and ssatc'y to this subject, that AtEC is concentrattn on-a case-'o case explanation of each report,-and that this effort' is not adequate to corre- late, evaluate, and resolve the situation on an over- all basis. The current problem is discussed in detail in TI3 A. 3. CC:;CLUStO :S--" 'lying saucers" pose two elements of danger rbich-have hationa? security. implications. `idle first involves mass psyc%:olo;ical considerations and the second concerns the-valnerab;lit;; of the United States to air attack, both factors are a.lplified in 'DIS A. 7haa the Director of Central Intel- ligence advise the :rational Security Council of the bplications of thn "flying saucer" oroblem and request that research be initiated. TA3 B is a draft rue-no- r andu.. to the SC, for the "SCI's si:tnatere:..(b).?m t --. the )CI discuss - tidr, - sub,-jcct -frith -the Psychological Str<.t: ' orsndurl to ti:e !iirectc?, Psycnolo 1.cal Stratery Board, is attached for sib nature as T43 C. (c) ithat CIA, with the cooperation of PS3 and other interested is?art-ents and agencies.,' devolop and recommend for adoption by the USC a Approve for Release OCT 2195? M. )ORKDU ' `1A): Director of Central Intelligence THMUGH: Deputy Director (Intelligence) Assistant Director, Office of Scientific Intelligence Flying Saucers 1. PRO 3L:: ` = To determine: -- (a) the ther or not there are national security implications in the problea of "unidentified flying objects"; (b) whether or not adequate study and research is cuzrentl.y being directed to this problem in its relation to such national security implications; and (c) what further investigation and research should. be instituted,. b;r ?tnom,--and-under .hat aegis. 2. FACTS 1ND DISCJSS__O (--o$i as-investigated the work currently being -perfo^ed -on "flying sa icers'?' and found. that the Air Tec'rsuczt-Iarzlli;enee -Ce tei, D1, USAF", - Patte:a - tri ghnt rson Force Base, _devoti: -is-the-only group aagreciable effo and suzc*f to Whis subject, that AM is concert tratin, : o:a-a-case=by=case exalanation of.each . repo: t, and that- Urds effort is not adequate to corre lath eval:ia a -ar d-resolve- the-situation on an over- .2311 -bAsis, - zscurrent-problem is. discussed-in. detail in TAB-A. 3. CC:;CT~'iSYG::r=-~'~a'! f g4 .Sa:Ce s~- nose=t~:o = ele ents of danger which have hationa"ecuiritr.i iplications. The first involves pass psyciolo_;ical-"o siderations and the second concerns--the vulnerability of the United States to-air-attack. Both factors are anaplified in TAB-A. 'C Q?t F.rsCC' D (a)=:r at tha -Direotor of Central. Intel- . ._ ligence advise- the-: ational-Security Council of the i~plicatioas off'?ti~~ ,lyingsaucer" oroblen and request.. that-rev,ar::z-ue-initiated j tS B is a drt t :4e:no- . randw :to -the-=::SC-,for the-DCI's sit attire: --(U)? That the DCi discuss - thin su'o ct wit1h the Psychological, Stmt= - _~ ~' ---?" ^^:^or riciu`n to the rn rectc_?, Psyci:olo=i.cal- Strate5y roerd;-is-attached for sib nature as TA3.C.---(c) Diat CIA, vit!i the cooperation of PS3-ad ottiec interested dear 'tents and aiencies, develop and reconnend for -adoption- by the !CSC a C00015339 policy of public information v&ich mini-:Lize concern and possible panic resulting from the nu..aerous sightings of unidentified objects. H. 1-03=1 MUM& Scientific - Intelligence TAB A--:. ora?dza--to_~JCI~:: t roug DDI Subject: flying- -- S2n1C@rS.- TAB.B.Letter- to i:ational Security Council with enclosure. 3 C-Lem-o to -?irecto-. --?sycnolo,5-ical Strategy Board with enclosure,- - W :CU?$ C e----- _:: WYTUS E. BEC M Deputy Director/Intelligence Approved (disaoproved): _- Director C00015339 SEP 24 1952 2.:11:OZA DUN FC.Zt Director-of-Central Intioi i.oerco TMW,:a?i : Deputy Director (Intell.isence) SDBJ.z r : Flying Saucers for the latter to stab?.rare n * chfrs=-rode:dno systea for official. reports-of sightings,~ been ordered to make interceptions of unidentified flying _objects~ .-..- The research is being eo:?ducted on a-case basis and is designed to provice a satisfactory _ e::p? r Uoh q#=e ch_ individual sighti g -- - AIIC ?gas concluded an nrrsnge^_?ert frith ?, tte1le-:Venorial Instit:tta reporting system has been -instituted?nrid i-i3or :yir Force-Bases have- ave - other Air Force-and civilian technical personnel; A worldwide f,_ other through offioil c'.^sl ;-e11Frar~-a#=sightngs.- Uis group conducts irvesti ation of the` re 6rts,-consulting as required t.?ith 1. Pe_cently an inquiry *..as-conducted by the Office of Scientific IntelliZenee to deter-nine -whether-there-are - national security i.aaiotion:o in the problem of "unidentified-f lyinSS oojects," 4-00 ., flying saucers; whether adequate study and=zese1:ch-Is vLavintly bean- directed to -- this problem in its_relaticn_to_suoh-_i ticrs;_sectis ty_ p1i.G tiaas; and what further investig tion-and research should be instituted by uacm, and under wiat--aegts 2. It era s found that the . only- wit of. Gover:rent currently studying the problem is- the .Directorate= of~Intelli ence Cat. , which has charged the Air Tec:^_.^.i ~3 I ,e2li eace' Ceater TXC3 th .- ? -.-----------_. rosponsibility forinvestig.ting the reports of sichting ..., At .IC there is a group of thTes=officers and"4fNo secz~et^x'ies._to_thich_COr~ 3. Since 1947, 'ATIC has re oeived _aopt obxbrately 1500 off i cia. - reports. of sightings .plus an enormous .v.olum_e . of letters; phone calls., and press reports. _-.During =July-1952 alone, offcia1 reports- totaled- 2504 Of the 1500 reports; Air-Force-carr=ies 20 percent as une::*~:!^i:r..cd arced of those received from-Janwry_-throu July .1952 it carries 28 percent' 4. In its inquiry into this problem- . a .team from ClXIs Office of Scientific Intelligence consulted with a- representative of Air Force Spacial Studies Group; discuosed the problemm with those in charge of the Air Force Project at :lri.^.ht Patterson Air Force ?nse; reviewed a eorside:nble volt-ma of intellir,~re eoort ; chec ed the Soviet press and broadcast indices; and conferred with three C::. co:nsultants, who have broad 1noa1edge of the technical, areas concerned. 5. It 'raa found that the ATIC study is probably valid if the purpose is liraited to a case-by-case explanation. However, that study daas not solve the lore fundanental aspects of the problem. These aspects are to determine definitely the nature of the various pbene na which are causing these sightings, and to discover means by which these causes, and their visual or electronic effects, ray be identified iznediately. -The CI.A consultants -stated that these solutions would probably be found on the rargins or just beyond the frontiers of our-present knowledge in the-fields of atmospheric. - ionospheric, and extraterrestrial phenena, %rith the added possibility .. that the present dispersal of nuclear waste products might also be a factor. They reccended that a study group be formed to perfoxa three functions: a. analyze and systcrati20 the factors which constitute the fundare:ztal.-problem; _ b. determine the fields of -. luidouZRtal science which must be investigated An-order, to reach an-understanding of the phenomena involved; and c-,--aeke nee dstfors_#ar t1~e i itiatiea o# appropri. to- research. Dr. Julius-A. Stratton, Vice P:?si3ent oaths l~?ssachusetts Isi"stituta-`- - of Technoloa, has indicated-to-C-1 that"such a group could be constituted at that Institute. Sihnilarry, Pro jest -Lincoln, the Air Force's air defense project at 1sT,--could.be chargeci,ti~it3~_sc _.. of these responsibilities. 6. The frying saucer situation contains tiro elements of danger C00015339 which, in a situation of international -'tension, have national security implic tions.-- These are: -. -- . a Fsycho2 o hwo ld wide sightings reported, it tae found that, up to the time of -the-invostigation,there had been in the Soviet-press-no-report or oO cent, even satirical, on flying saucers,-- though-Grcmyko bad rad.e one humorous renttoa of the subject. ?tlith a Susie-controlled press, this could result only from an official policy cision. The de- ques pion, therefore, - arises as to whether-or not these sightings: 1 could bo- controlled (2) could be predicted, and (3) could be used fro,n a psychological varfaro point-.of view, either offensively or defensively. C00015339 C unofficial ones. At any _RMent of attack, ve are now in a position where -w.e ca*nnot, on an instant basis, distinguish - bard,.are fron pbantom, and as tension mounts ve ..rill- rum -the increasing risk of fa lW -al is -end the - ever. greater danger of falsely identifying the-reaLas phantc. The public concern rdth the phenonera, which is reflected both in the United States Press and In the pressure of inquiry upon the Air force, indi^,.ates that a fair rroportion of our population is Mentally conditioned to the acceptance of the incredible. In this fact lies the potential for the touching-.off of rasa }iystaria and panic, b. Air Vuln#rr_, _h1ijt~ T}a~_II s}-Statos Air Warning System will undcubtedly always dep ndupon a combination of radar screen- ing and visual observation. The .U.S.S.R. is credited .rlth the present capability--of d- elivering air"attack ag instthe United States, yet at any-given me nt now, there ray be current a dozen -offfetal-tu ide-Atitiad sightings plus rxny 7. Both of these probleas are primarily ooeratio:.al in nature but each contains readzJ7 apparen =intelligencefactors....- 8. rron an operational point or let th c actions are, required: a. I =e3iate steps. should be aken to iraorove identification of both visual a d .electro iic rl^antci so"that, in the event of an attack, instant and positive identification of eneny j=s-- b. A study s? ot??d. k -in54itiated-to deterr..ine .chat, if Any; = utilization could be de o# these pheno:yem by United States psychola ice l _war are planners a what-If any, defenses should be planned in-anticipation of Soviet attempts to utilize their. _, - c. In order to ninictize risk of panic, a rational-po]3af - should be established as . to Voa.t should-be.-told the public regarding the pheror.ans. 9. :Other ir~tell.Bence problertis .rhica require deterr-Lontion are: ` - a. The present--level of Soviet knowledge rea ruing these phenccena, b. Possible Soviet intentions and capabilities to utilize these r.benoccena -to the detriment United States socuritp interest.._= C00015339 0 c. The reasor..a-for-silence in the Soviet press regarding flying saucers. 10. Additional research, differing In character and em pl-asis fray that -pre sontly_b rg: performed _by Air_ Pcrce, trill be required to meet the specific reeds of both pperations and intelligence. . Xntelligence responsibilities in this field as regards both collection and analysis can bo.disch:rCed with =,Yin t effectiveness only after much more is known regardirg the exact nature of these plhena sra U. I coasider this-problem to be of such importance that it should be-brought td-the: attention of:_the-P'atiola1 Security Council in order that a -cc unity_.ric o. coorain ted effort _tor rds its solution my be initiated. Assistant Director Sole atificIntell+.gence