CIA's Role in the Study of UFOs, 1947-90 Fig Geraid K. Haines oe While Agency concern over UFOs was substantial until the early 1950s, CIA has since paid only limited and peripheral attention to che phenomena. 99 Gerald IC Haines isthe National Reconnaissance Office historian. ‘An extraordinary 95 percent ofall ‘Americans have at least heard oe cea something about Unidentified Fi Objeccs (UFOs), and 57 pereene believe they are real.! Former US Presidenes Career and Reagan claim te have seen a UFO. UFOlogiste—a ncologism for UFO buffs—and pri- vate UFO organizations are found throughout che United States. Many are convinced chat the US Govern- ment, and particularly CIA, are ‘engaged in'a massive conspiracy and coverup ofthe issue. The idea that CIA has secredy concealed is research into UFOs has been a major theme of UFO buffs since the mod- exn UFO phenomena emerged in the lace 19405? In late 1993, after being pressured by UF Ologiss forthe release of add sional CIA information on UFOs? DCIR James Wooley ordered another review ofall Agency files on UFOs, Using CIA records compiled From chat review, this sudy traces CIA interest and involvement in the ‘UFO controversy from the late 1940s 10 1990, Ic chronologically examines the Agengy’s efor to solve che mys- tery of UFOs, its programs that had an impact on UFO sightings, and ics sancempts to conceal CIA involvement in the entre UFO istic. Wha ‘emerges From this examination is that, while Agency concern over UFOs was subsancal unci the exly 1950s, CUA has since paid only limited and periph- eral arention c che phenomena Background ‘The emergence in 1947 of the Cold War confroncation between the aoe United State and che Soviet Union also sie the ie wave of UEO sight ings. ‘The fis eepore oF “Aying saucer” over the United Sates eame fon 24 June 1947, when Kenneth ‘Arnold, privice pila and reputable businessman, while looking fora downed plane sighted nine disk- shaped objects near Me. Rainier, ‘Washington, ravling a an escimated speed of over 1,000 mph. Arnold's repor was followed by a lood oF adai- sional sightings, including reports from miliary and civilian pilocs and aie craffc controllers all over the Uniced Saces+ In 1948, Aie Force Gen, Nathan Twining, head of che Air Technical Service Command, cstablished Project SIGN nically named Projece SAUCER) co colec, collate, evaluate, and diseibuce wichin the government all information relat~ ing to such sightings, on he premise thac UFOs might be cal and of| nacional secutity concern ‘The Technical Intelligence Division , ofthe Ait Material Command (AMC) at Weight Field (acer Wright Parcerson Ait Force Base) in Dayton, Ohio, assumed control of Project SIGN and began its work on 23 January 1948. Alchough a fist feaiful that the objects might be Soviet secret weapons, the Ait Force soon concluded chat UFOs were real bur easily explained and nor extraor- dinary. ‘The Aic Force report found that almost al sightings stemmed from one or more of thee causes: ‘mass hysteria and hallucination, hoax, ot misineerpceration of known objects. Nevertheless, the report rec- ommended continued miliary incelligence control ove the investi- sation of ll sightings and did noe aly 199900242525 a | - rule our che possibly of exraterres- Early CIA Concems, 1947-52 that mott UFO sightings could be eas tial phenomens.* ily explained. Nevertheless, be (CUA closely monizored the Air Force recommended thatthe Agency con- core aware ofthe mounting number tiawe monitoring the problem, in ‘Air Force continued to colle and oF sightings and increainglycon- coordination with ATIC. He also ‘evaluate UFO data in the late 1940s cerned that UFOs might pose a urged char CIA concea is ineret under a new project, GRUDGE, potential security threat." Given the from the media and the public, “in ‘which eed cw alleviste public anaiegy distribution of the sightings, CIA off-_ view oftheir probable alarmiettenden- ‘vec UFOs vias public rlacons car cls in 1952 querioned whether chey cies" o accept such interest at might reflect "midsummer ‘confirming the existence of UFOs.'* ‘Amid mounting UFO sightings, the paign designed to persuade the public e ‘that UFOs consticured nothing madness." Agency officials accepted ; tunusual or exraordinary. UFO sighe- the Ait Force's conclusions about Upon receiving the repore, Depusy ings were explained a balloons, UFO repore, although they con- Director for Tntlligence (DDI) Rob- conventional itera, planets, mete. cluded cha “since chee isa remate__ert Amory, J. asigned rexponsi possibility chac they may be interplan- for the UFO investigations o OST's ots, optical illusions, solar reflections, : eee Sanya necetay (0 Physics and Elecro ion, ren Taege hailstones.” GRUDGE each sighting” swith A. Ray Gordon atthe officer in | | icals fund no eridence in UFO eee eee Oe Sharge Bach branch in the dviion Seer ccoee, etn ePent 4 manivebuldup ofsighings ovr watt contribute vo the invention, Sig oc reopens andthe Sr Taio Sear in 182 epecally Lad Gowdon warm coordina toe dladed tha UFOs dd noc chet nul aatmed the Truman min: with ATIC. Amory. who sted the US sec, The ecom tration. On 19 and 20 uly radar grou focus on he naional eu teproectbe seduced in scope pes at Wathingeon Neto it~ fy implieaion of UFOs was, because very exsene of Ait Potand Andiews Ait Free Base, teying DCI Walter Bede Sih’ ee Ee eye emmet tee Peo eked myserious blips. On 27 July, concerns.” Smith wanted to know eee ures the blips reappeared. The Alc Force” whether or noc the Ai Fore inveniga- opera oat Ryser SAO scrambled ieereptorateraf conve ton offing sauces was suficiendy a 27 eccmpe 18O. RM cigate, but they found nothing. The objective and how much more monty ‘ic Foree announced che project's inCdenas, however, cused headlines and manpower would be necesary oma across the country. The White House determine the cause of the small per- sraned know wht was happening, crane of wncplned fing murs ‘With increased Cold War tensions, and the Ai Force quickly offered che Smith believed “there was only one the Korean war, and continued UFO explanation chat the radar blips might chance in 10,000 that the phenome- sightings, USAF Director of {ncelli- bbe the resuic of “cemperacure ‘non posed a threat to the security of sence Maj, Gen, Charles P. Cabell inversions.” Laer, a Civil Aeronautics the country, but even chat chance aoxdered anew UFO project in 1952. Adminizrationinvetigacion con- could noc be taken” According to Projet BLUE BOOK became the firmed thar such adarblips wee Smith, twat CIA's responsibilty by maj Ac Force effoc study the quite common and were caused by statute to coordinate che intelignce UFO phenomenon thoughout the cempersture investons tfforecaquired co solve the probiem. 1950sand 1960s. The ask of dend- Smith alto wanted o know what use fying and explaining UFOs concinued Alchough it had monitored UFO could be made of the UFO phenome- {0 Gallon the Air Marecal Command teporesfoc at eas thee years, CIA aoa ia connection with US ac Wright-Patcerson. Wich asmall reacted to the new cath of sightings by psychological warfare efforts." seaf, che Aic Technical Inclligence forming a special srudy group within . Center (ATIC) ried to persuade che che Office of Scientific Intelligence Led by Gordon, the CIA Seudy public chac UFOs were not extaocdi- (OST) and the Office of Current Intel-_ Group met with Ais Free officals ac racy? Projects SIGN, GRUDGE, gence (OCI) co review the ‘Weight-Patcerson and ceviewed cheie and BLUE BOOK set che cone for ation." Edward Taus, acing _—_dataand Findings. ‘The Ais Force theofficial US Government position chief of OSI's Weapons and Equip- claimed chac 90 percent ofthe ‘regarding UFOs for che next 30 years. ment Division, cepored forthe group reported sightings were easily€00242525 Amateur photographs of alleged UFOs Passora, New Jersey 31 July 195200242525 —_ UFOs BEST COPY ‘Shefeld, England, ¢ March 1962 Minneapolis, Minnesota, 20 October 1960 70©00242525 accounted for. The other 10 percent. were characterized as “a number of incredible reports from credible observers.” The Air Force rejected the cheores that che sightings involved US or Sovie secret weapons development or hac they involved “men from Mars"; there was no evi- dence to support these concepts. The Aic Force briefers sought to ceaplain these UFO reporc as the mis- interpretation of known objects or ligde understood natural phenomena.” Air Force and CIA officials agreed that ouside know!- edge of Agency incerest in UFOs would make che problem more serious.» This concealment of CIA incerest contibuced greatly co later charges ofa CIA conspiracy and coverup. ‘The CIA Study Group also searched the Soviec press for UFO reports, bue found none, causing the group 0 conclude that che absence of reports had to have been he result of deliber- ate Soviee Government policy. The ‘group also envisioned the USSR's possible use of UFOs as a psychologi- al warfare wool. In addition, they wortied chat, if the US air warning sysem should be deliberately over~ loaded by UFO sightings, che Soviets might guin a surprise advancage any nuclear steak.” Because ofthe tense Cold War sicua- tion and increased Soviet ‘capabilities, the CIA Study Group ‘aw serious national security con- cerns in the fying sauce scuaton, ‘The group believed that che Soviets ‘could use UFO reports to couch off ‘mass hysteria and panic in the Unieed Scares. The group also believed cha che Soviets might use UFO sighcings to overload the US ait warning system so thae ic could or distinguish rel cargets from, 66 Because of the tense Cold War situation and increased Soviet capabilities, the CIA Study Group saw serious national security concerns in the flying saucer situation. 99 phancom UFOs. H. Marshall Chad- well, Assistant Dicector of OSI, added that he considered the prob- lem of such imporcance “that it should be brought to che atention of the National Security Council, in order that a communieywide coordi- nated effort cowards i solution may bbe initiaved. "= (Chadwell briefed DCI Smith on the subject of UFOs in December 1952. He urged ation because he was con- vinced that “something was going on that must have immediate atencion” ad thac “sightings of unexplained object ac great alieudes and eravel- ing ac high speeds in che vciniry of major US defense insallaions are of such nature cha chey ate noe acrbue- able o natural phenomena of known ‘ypes of aerial vehicles.” He drafed 2 memorandum from the DCI 0 the Nacional Security Council (NSO) and a proposed NSC Directive exab- lishing che investigation of UFOs as, itigen a the dae rach incelligence tesexe! and developmenc community.” ‘Chadwell also urged Smich to extab- lish an excernal research project of top-level scientists vo seudy the prob- tem of UFOn* Aer tiie ‘Smith directed DDI Amory 0 pee- pare a NSC Incligence Dicecive (NSCID) for submission co the NSC the need to continue the invesiga- ion of UFOs and to coordinate uch invesigations with the Ait Force.® ‘The Robertson Panel, 1952-53 On 4 December 1952, the Ineelli- gence Advisory Committee (LAC) took up the issue of UFOs. Amory, as acting chairman, presented DCI Smith's cequese o the committee that ic informally discuss the subjece ‘oF UFOs. Chadwell chen briefly reviewed the sicuation and the active program ofthe ATIC relating to UFOs. The committe agreed thae the DCI should “enlisc the services of selected scientists to review and appraise the avilable evidence in the light of perinene scientific theories" ; and draft an NSCID on the subject” Maj. Gen. John A. Sam- ford, Director of Ait Force Intelligence, ofered full cooperation. * ‘Ac the same time, Chadwell looked fnco British effors inthis area. He learned the British also were active in studying che UFO phenomena. An ‘eminent British scientist, R.V. Jones, headed a standing commicte created in June 1951 on fying saucers. Jones’ and his committees conclu- Sions on UFOs were similar co those of Agency officials: che sightings were not enemy aircraft bur miseepre- sentations of natural phenomena. ‘The British noted, however, chat dur- ing a recent airshow RAF piloss and senior milicary officials had observed a “perfec ying saucer.” Given the response, according ro the (fice Jones was bavings mow if cule cime trying to corcecx public ‘opinion regarding UFOs. The public was convinced they were real? In January 1953, Chadwell and H. P. Robertson, a noted physicist from the California instcure of Technology, put together a distinguished panel of nonmiliary scientists co seudy the UFO issue. Ic included Roberton 3s00242525 i i UFOs huicman; Serauel A. Goudsmit, 2 clear physicist from the Brookhaven ‘National Laboratories; Luis Alvare, 2 high-energy physicist; Thornton Page, the depuy director ofthe Johns Hop- kins Operations Research Office and an expert on radar and eleceronies; and Lloyd Berkner, a direcor of che Brookhaven National Laboratories and specials in geophysics. ‘The charge to che panel was to review the available evidence on UFOs and to consider the possible dangers of the phenomena to US national securcy ‘The panel met from 14 to 17 January 1953. Ic reviewed Aic Force dara on UFO ease histories and, after spend ing 12 houss studying the phenomena, declared tha reasonable explanations could be suggesced for sox, if noc all, sightings. For exam- ple, after eviewing motion-picrure Film taken of a UFO sighting neae Tremonton, Usah, on 2 July 1952 and one near Great Falls, Montana, fon 15 August 1950, the panel con- cluded thac che images on the ‘Tremonton film were caused by sun- lig eflesng of eagll and tae ac Great Falls were sun lghrcheng af he aces of oo Force interceptors." ‘The panel concluded unanimously hae thece was no evidence ofa drece threat co national security in che UFO sightings. Nor could che pane find any evidence that che objecs sighted sight be extracerrestrials. fe did find that continued emphasis on UFO reporting might threaten “the orderly Functioning” of che governmene by loging te channel of commana relevant reports and by inducing “hyserical mass beha harmful co consteueed auchoriy. ‘The panel also worted that pocential «enemies concemplatiag an arack on she United Sraces might exploic the n UFO phenomena and ute them ro dis- rupe US air defenses. = To meet these problems, the panel tc commended that the National Securicy Council debunk UFO reporss and. insticute a policy of public education to reassure the public ofthe lack of ‘evidence behind UFOs. Ie suggested using the mass media, advertising, bbusiness clubs, schools, and even the Disney corporation o gee the across. Reporting a che height of MeCarchyism, che pane also ecom- mended that such private UFO ‘oups as che Civilian Flying Saucer Investigators in Los Angeles and che Aerial Phenomena Research Organiza- tion ia Wisconsin be monicored for subversive activities. ‘The Roberson pane!’s conclusions ‘were srikingly similar co those ofthe ceatliee Air Force project repors on SIGN and GRUDGE and to chose of the CIA's own OSI Seudy Group. All investigative groups found that UFO reports indicated no direct chreat to national security and no evidence of Wises by exratercestials. Following the Robertson pane find= ings, che Agency abandoned efforts ro deafian NSCID on UFOs. The Sci- entific Advisory Panel on UFOs (he Robertson pane!) submited its report to the IAC, the Seererary of Defense, the Director ofthe Federal Civil Defense Administration, and che ‘Chairman of che Navional Securicy Resources Board. CIA officials said no farther consideration of the sub- jece appeared warranted, although they continued to monica sightings in the interes of national secuiy Philip Strong and Fred Ducane from (OSI also briefed the Office of ‘National Estimates on the findings.” CIA officials wanted knowledge of any Agency interes in the subject oF fying saucers carflly restricted, not: ing nor only char the Roberson panel report was classified but also chat any mention of CIA sponsorship of the panel was forbidden. This articude would lacer cause the Ageney major, problems relaing co its credibly. ‘The 1950s: Fading CIA Interest in ‘UFOs ‘After the reporc of the Robertson panel, Agency officals put che entice sue of UFOs on the back burner. In May 1953, Chadwell cansferred chief spony for keping abet of UFOs co OS's Physics and Electronic Division, while the Applied Science Division continued co provide any nec- ‘esuy suppor.” Todos M. Odarenko, chief ofthe Physics and Elecronies Division, did noc want to eke on the problem, co hace would fequire coo much of his divigon’s ana- Iie and clerical time. Given the findings of the Roberton panel, he proposed to consider che projec tive" and co devote only one analyst parttime anda lle clerk to maintain a teference fle ofthe activities of the Ait Force and other agencies on UFOs. cher the Navy nor the Army showed much interest in UFOs, according to Odarenko.™ A nonbeliever in UFOs, Odarenko souighe co have his division relieved of. the responsibly for monicoring UFO reports. In 1955, for example, he tc- ‘ommended that the entire project be terminated because no new informa- tion concerning UFOs had surfaced. Besides. he argued, his division wa fac- ing a serious budgee reduction and could noc spare the resources” Chad- wel and other Agency officials, however, continued ro worry bout ‘UFOs. Of special concer were ver- seas reports of UFO sightings and