COMMENTS ON LETTERS DEALING WITH UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS

• Document Type: FOIA
• Keywords: UFO SPECIAL COLLECTION
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005516042
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: June 24, 2015
• Document Release Date: January 31, 2011
• Case Number: F-2010-00651
• Publication Date: April 4, 1958

A/
cc 1VlemordndaM ? UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
:Assistant Director, Scientific Inteltigencs
DATE: >j April 1958
svsJacs: Camients on Fetters Dealing with ihaidentified l ylgg Objects
ME EIMCFS: (1) latter to Director, CIA, from lam Davidson, dated
11 2Qareh 1958
(2) Letter to Director, CIA, from Donn 4L X. Xeyhoe, Director
of National Investigations Committee on. Aerial Pheru=ena
1. As a resalt of the action taken by the SAC cm A December
1952 (IAC?M-90, Paregra* 3a), a Scientific Tatelligence Advisory
Panel vas convened 14-18 January 19>3. The panel consisted of the
followica scientists: 1. P..P.obertscet, Leis N. Alvarez, .Lloyd V.
Berkner, S. A. Goudsmlt, and Thorntca Pap. The panel concerned
itself with the evaln:ation of any possible threat to hhatienal.
Seeuritvty unidentified flying objects. The pane is a report
dated. l Jaazsari 1953. This report: vas classified Secret.
2. The letters from Iaaa Devidsor and Donald I ayhoe to the.
DCI concerned,tb@mselvss pr*.xtarily with Edward J. Rtg+pelt's book
on Unidentified Flying Cbjects. At the time that the scientific
penal net, Buppelt was a Captain in the Air puree and attended the.
panel r..satings. His book, horwaver,.is concerned with the identi-
fica:ion of unidentified flying objects. Rappelt's etatelen s
regs. ag the nissios of the panel are in error. He has led the
reads: to believe the peril's mission was to identify the flying
objects and to make recoc eudations on msthuds to further identity
such objects. This is the basis for the apparent contradictions
which arose during the Mike Wallace television interview. This is
also the basis for hr. Ksyboe's misgivings.
3. In late October 1957, Major James P. Byrne of API--XLA
regxested a declassified version of the panel report. This
office contacted each somber of the panel and an agreed upon,
declassified version was written and sent to the. Assistant Chief
of Staff, Intellie^eoce, Department of the Air Force on 20 December
1957. It was the decision of all the panel members and the CIA
that while no =e--bar of the panel objected to the use of his name
in corgi ,ection with the declassified version, they desired 'that no
connection of the panel members with CIA be disclosed.
00015408-7-7 ..
 U. It is apparent free reading W. nsvidson's letter that
Mike Wallace had a ccpy of the scientific panel report. in
addition, the association of CIA With the US Air Force in the
selection of the panel vas revealed daring the television
interview. Therefore, the panel, members have been associated
with CIA, contrary to their wishes and contrary to CIA's desires.
5. She real intent of the reverenced letters is to obtain a
copy of the panel report. In view of this, and of the above, it
would. be most exp$ient to send than the declassified version.
Inn order to not reveal an association between the panel =eaters
end CIA, either the Air Force should answer the letters or we
should mks -It plain to the recipients that we obtained the
panel report from the Air Fores.
6. Attached are copies of the deriawsified panel report.
M~ L~__? .....+-~. ..r-%.+..TMO.s:i:~i'c ieSt"a`.'O,IZ?-7J~ ?Yfr??~,Z,'.': ~::?-..sw..Lr jl..r ii,...,
 l: She undersigned Panel of Sclent1fia Cou:.nitauts bas ret at
the ragaest of the GcvSr=wt to Ovslnats say possible threat to
national sec ity posed b7 Unidsatifisd P yivg Objects ("Flying
Saucers"), and to make reeoaaeeedatiooo: The Penal bas received
the evidsnas an presented by cogaimaatCovssvaaeatal agencies,
primarily the United States Air Bbree, and has revieved a selection
of the but doe+amantsd iaaidentsi
2, As a reseett of its considsrstions, the Pans1 concludes:
Objects shoos no indication that than phenamm eoastiitnte
L dixeet plsysi of Ureat to national eeCRi'it%*.
we fi' m2y believe that there is no residmma of awe; ubiab indicates
p- a ubiah are attributable to lorsip artit8ate capable of
hostile sets, and that there ie no evidence that the pben uas
3adients a need for the revision of oarreait scientific conaeptsi
3l. In the hiEht of this conel don, the Panel. reca?sssdss
7isat tits aatiotts]. seaax3ty saeaaies talcs iaa Bata steps
to strip the Unidentmed F9ying Objects of the special, states
they have been given and the ears of mp'stery they have
astortnnately acquired;
 f-e anggaals t at this an may be achieved by an inteeated YMPM
desieaM to reuse the p b3.ic of the tots]. lack of evidence of
in:mica], Threes bebieb the phenams*&
/s1 Llo!ri v: Berkfler
nivei'etttea, na+
Ha ri Rabertstrs,, 0=1= u /s/ Ss Ai Gondsmit ~
s
I N&=G=L
orn s 3~oe'~3 s or
jR/ lads e; Alvares Thornton rage
tY o orai""~ University jam KqR=3