UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02917087
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: March 9, 2023
• Document Release Date: January 23, 2020
• Case Number: F-2018-01132
• Publication Date: December 18, 1952

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The Director of Central Intellience
=ROM: Deputy Director (Intelligence)
AMJICTs Unidentified Flying Objects
RXFBREXCR: (a) Request of the Director of 10 DeceMber 19
(b) Memo from AD/SI to Director dated 10 DeceMber 1952
1. Pursuant to the request of th Director, the following amplifi-
cation of Reference (b) aad review of the camera situation is submitted.
A prelimin*ry review of the USAF investigation of this subject has been
completed. With respect to the recent incidents enumerated in Referenc(b)(3)
(b) additional information has been obtained which is appended as Tab (b)(3)
2. A trip to Air Technical Intellirnce Center was made_va_Friday,
12 December by AD/SI,
(consultant), and (b)(3)
(0Deretions Staff/SI). During this visit the 0/SI group vas (b)(3)
briefed on the current status of the investigation, and copies of selects@
case studies end progress reports were obtained. This material has im(3)
subsequently studied, in &stall. (b)(3)
3. There still exists no reasonable evidence that the objects
sighted are of foreign origin. While there is no indication that these
Objects represent a direct threat to the tuitional defense, there are
aartain Potential dangers which are related to the.. sightings. As a
result of the trip and these conclusions, 0/SI is proceeding with plant;
to convene a group (probably not more than three), of top level consult.
ants in the fields of physics (radar and upper atmosphere), astrophysics
and astronomy, to review the evidence and recommend with respect to:
a. Methodology of investigation of ullidentified flying
objects.
b. Izistruasntation to obtain data in future sightings.
c. Methods of rapid ideotifieetion of unidsntified flying
objects.
d. Desirability for convening of a larger panel.
We are deferring for the present the convening at a large panel or diverse
scientific interests for a detailed review of the substantive aspects of
the problem because of insufficient and incms tete data.
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4.
subject r..uited. in a re90
two weeks n
Is being obtained.
Distribution:
Director - orig & 1
DD/I - 1
- 1
W&E/SI - 1
Opns/SI - 1
AD/SI - 2
08IMC:10CD/mtv
t-t-A;;- of cuetjlect bed been quiet until about
; rrn interest in this
at 11Am saucer" vas made by.
re iuromation en this cos*
(18 Dec 52)
A-
7."' hot MARSHALL CRAM=
Assistant Director
Scientific Intellce
(b)(1)
(b)(3)
(b)(1)
(b)(3)
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TAR A
V5 the sign ing
of ten brttit kits moving across the . 2
tion. Source te a Chiet Photographers* Mate, USX,
graphic experience* The local time mos 1110i weather
clear, no clouds* Objects appeared to be "milling about'
in aiomster1y direction across the sky. Source was driving along the
road, mhan the sighting occurred. BO stopped the car and photographed
the event with his personal camera. Toward the end of the sighting, one
object separated from the rest end reversed course acr*** the Ay.
inc Photographic Laboratory examination of the film resulted
iMff 404ClUii004111;
a. 10 tojects all suite in
b. Decidedly improbable that they are birds or b
t* Exact nature cannothe deter because they are
is only as smell spots of light. It can be deduced, how-
that they are either non.spberleal in shape and similar
e,nt metal in reflectance or else variably self-luminous.
cts which follow similar courses await similar 'brightness
tiOns 'Mich could be caused by their taking similar flight
attitudes.
d. Appaetttly a coordination ot
g these objects. They seem to move
probahly j-dinslcmal in arrangement.
at to some extant
mations which are
e. Tne movements suggest flight paths consist
s in Splice.
r. The single Object which reversed course remained
reasonably httLform in brightness. It folloved a nearly straight
Ilue path with reasoneIe uniformity of motion at an angular
vQ.1Jty Of about 2.1 /see. (This is equivalent to the
.;:1:.P.tivig speeds: 37 mob nO0 yards; 75 mph S 1000 yards;
yards; 756 mph '.:10,000 yards' etc.).
g. It mould probably be extremely difficult to imitate
this ph tograOhy for fraudulent purposes*
film is currently under examination by the U. S. Navy Photo ter-
tion Laboratory, Anacostis. Estimated completion date: 15 ilanunr:i
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oeeutr& the nitit of 10-11 October 1952 froe eee to
OJOU leeal tie*, by observers at the veather stations at these ", Force
Bases. The description of the light ass circular ore's. Qb4Ct with
four green lights nearby." Theedolite sightines of elevation and azi-
. were obtained. ',:oather mao clear.
A comparison of observed azieuths end evatiens of the aup-
eot with the calculated position and relative motion of the
planet Jupiter leeve little doubt that the observed object vska aelmally
Jupiter.
ce of at
eis eighting vac reported te a Bee to have occurre at
eal time on 19 Aueuet 1952 near West Pa1,r each, Florida, Aeori-
in tu the awry geven, the source vas driving along deserted reed in
bis ear, together with four DAV Scouts. Sightine a strange light, source
stopped the car, cautioned the boys to wait, and entered the palwetto
undergrovte alone. Vhen be did not return in a few minutes, and vitness-
11744 some. strange lights in the viethi ty of the scoutmaster., the bows vent
Zor Lilp, returning vith a deputy sheriff. The scoutmaster appeared,
LU erie4tened, sliehtly burned on the forearms. Bia store Nies that
h had seen a largo ciecular ebject aout eight feet over his head 'which
had released a "fire ball" which descended on bim. He state& that he bad
thrown himeelf upon the ground and "blacked out." There were varioue
other eekreideries to the store. els cap vas burned slightly and samples
of grass taken from the immediate vicinity of the "sighting' differed
etreaely in appearance from samples 75 yards away.
htatun: The background of be source indicates an unsavory personal
retation irid crieinel record, resulting in the belief that the report
rue buv toei an elaborate hoax. However, the unusual condition of the
grass samples is currently unexplained. This fact, together with other
aspects of the sacs, leave final determination in doubt at this time.
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While there is no indication that these objects represent a
direct threat to the national defense, there are certain potential
dangers which are related to these sightings. These are:
1. The difficulty and delay in positive identification
Which could weaken the early warning system in alerting defense
in the event of commencement of hostilities.*
2. The possibility of mass hysteria which might be pur-
posely induced by an enemy at a critical time by faked reports.
3. The possibility that the emergency communications
systems to command headquarters might be seriously overloaded
at a critical time by such reports.
It is believed that the problems of communications confusion and
overload and the serious effects of mass hysteria must be dealt with
outside the intelligence community, and it is planned to bring these
matters to the attention of those agencies with Whom the prime respon-
sibility appears to rest. With respect to mass hysteria, it is believed
this problem would lie with the Federal Civil Defense Administration and/
or the Interdepartmental Committee on Internal Security. Accordingly,
it is planned to bring this to the attention of the FCDA and ICIS through
established channels. With respect to emergency communications overload-
ing, it is believed that each of the individual Military Services should
examine this problem. Accordingly, we intend to introduce the subject
at a meeting of the Joint Colmminications and Electronics Committee.
(/-e'de) 47)C I' C
71-4L0 Ac-/
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