USAF Scientific Advisory Board files

AD HOC COMMITTEE TO REVIEW PROJECT "BLUE BOOK" Feb 1966 NW 90306 DocId:34714841 Page 1

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE AIR FORCE OFFICE OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH (OAR) ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA 22209 Attendees - meeting with Dr. James McDonald, University of Arizona at the Pentagon 17 April 1967 Lt. Col. Harold A. Steiner, Ass't. Exec. Secre. USAF Scientific Advisory Board, P…

UNCLASSIFIED PRIORITY CSAF Dr. Brian O'Brien Consulting Physicist P.O. Box 117 Pomfret, Connecticut 06258 Dr. Launor F. Carter Vice President System Development Corporation 2500 Colorado Avenue Santa Monica, California Dr. Jesse Orlansky Institute for Defense Analyses 400 Ar…

PRIORITY UNCLASSIFIED Lt Col Harold A. Steiner Lt Col Harold A. Steiner 74648 UNCLAS AFBSA 82596 APR 1966. 1. Please refer to report of the SAB Ad Hoc Committee to review Project Blue Book. 2. The Air Force has decided to implement the Committee's recommendation to perform are…

USAF SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD AD HOC COMMITTEE TO REVIEW PROJECT BLUE BOOK Room 5D-1014, the Pentagon 14-00, 19 April 1966 MEETING STATISTICS I. Agenda: 14-00 Purpose of Meeting Lt Colonel Steiner, SAB 1410 Discussion All attendees 1630 Adjourn II. Purpose and Place: To di…

HEADQUARTERS UNITE. ATES AIR FORCE USAF SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE & CHIEF OF STAFF DATE 21 April 1966 MEMO FOR: Record The following distribution was made on Memo for Record, 20 Apr 66, regarding UFO Meeting 14-00, 19 April 66, Room 5D-…

USAF SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD AD HOC COMMITTEE TO REVIEW PROJECT BLUE BOOK HQ FTD, WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB, OHIO 3 FEBRUARY 1966 MEETING STATISTICS I. Agenda: (see attached) II. Purpose and Place: To review the resources, methods and findings of Air Force Project Blue Book and t…

AD HOC COMMITTEE ON UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS (UFOs) AGENDA Thursday, 3 February 1966 08-00 Welcoming Remarks 0805 Introduction 0810 The Air Force Problem 0830 Briefing on Project Blue Book 10-00 Break 1015 Review of Selected CASE Histories 1145 Lunch 1315 Executive a…

For Official Use Only

For Official Use Only MEMO FOR RECORD 20 April 1966 SUBJECT: Implementing SAB Ad Hoc Committee on Project Blue Book Recommendations 1. The following personnel met at 14-00 on 19 April in Room 5D-1014 to discuss how best to implement the recommendations made by the SAB Ad Hoc C…

For Official Use Only

For Official Use Only Colonel Hippler pointed out that it will probably be September before he gets the money to implement this plan. Dr. Orlansky pointed out that because of the summer holiday, Colonel Hippler should make contact with the universities before the end of May. 5.…

Official Use Only

Official Use Only (g) It was pointed out that the National Research Council had conducted an exercise in Disaster Research which had involved some investigating teams similar to the ones we are discussing. Although the committee is now defunct, Mrs. Marjorie Wilson, Government C…

ACTION MEMO ROUTING SLIP NEVER USE FOR APPROVALS, DISAPPROVALS, CONCURRENCES, OR SIMILAR ACTIONS 1 TO INITIALS CIRCULATE DATE COORDINATION FILE INFORMATION 3 NOTE AND RETURN PER CON- VERSATION SIGNATURE REMARKS FROM DATE PHONE DD FORM 95 1 OCT 60 Replaces DD Form 94, 1 Feb 50 and…

COPY AFRDQ-P 31 July 1967 Special Report of the USAF Scientific Advisory Board Ad Hoc Committee to Review Project "Blue Book" USAIRA (DATT - Mr. David Smith & Mr. Peer DeSilva) American Embassy APO San Francisco 96346 Copies of the subject report are forwarded at the request…

INSTITUTE FOR DEFENSE ANALYSES Research and Engineering Support Div IDA August 16, 1967 Mr. Peer de Silva Special Assistant for Counterinsurgency Embassy of the United States Bangkok, Thailand Dear Mr. de Silva: When Dr. Tanham and his committee, of which I am a member, were…

MEMORANDUM FOR RECORD 18 May 1966 SUBJECT: Conversation with Dr. Stever Concerning SAB Support to USAF Investigations of UFOs 1. On 17 May I discussed SAB support to USAF investigations of UFOs with Dr. Stever. In a previous letter (dated 21 April 66), we had asked Dr. Stever t…

6. Dr. Stever stated that he would be happy to review and critique the draft letter from a university president's viewpoint. 7. Dr. Stever also suggested that OSR could probably advise which universities are most likely to cooperate and since most universities have had dealings…

AFBSA Implementation of SAB Ad Hoc Committee's Recommendations 21 April 1966 Lt Col Hippler, AFRSTA 1. Some of the members present at the meeting on 19 April have had some after-thoughts which I believe you should consider. 2. First, there is a feeling that perhaps sufficien…

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE WASHINGTON OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY APR 5 1966 MEMORANDUM FOR THE CHIEF OF STAFF Attached is a copy of the Special Report of the SAB Ad Hoc Committee to Review Project "Blue Book." I believe that the Committee's recommendations should be accepted a…

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE AIR STAFF SUMMARY SHEET TO ACTION SIGNATURE (Surname and Grade) TO ACTION SIGNATURE (Surname and Grade) 1 Lt Gen Ferguson AFRDC 6 2 7 3 8 4 9 5 10 SURNAME OF ACTION OFFICER AND GRADE SYMBOL PHONE TYPIST'S INIT. SUSPENSE DATE Lt Colonel Steiner AFBSA 78…

AFBSA 1 APR 1966 SAB Review of Project Blue Book Major General E. B. LeBailly SAFOI 1. Please refer to your MEMORANDUM to me on 28 September 1965 requesting a review of Project Blue Book by the USAF Scientific Advisory Board. 2. In response to your request, the SAB formed an…

DEPART NT OF THE AIR FORCE AIR STAFF SUMMARY SHEET TO ACTION SIGNATURE (Surname and Grade) TO ACTION SIGNATURE (Surname and Grade) 1 Gen Ferguson Mil Dir, SAB 6 2 7 3 8 4 9 5 10 SURNAME OF ACTION OFFICER AND GRADE SYMBOL PHONE TYPIST'S INIT. SUSPENSE DATE Col Burger AFBSA 74811 a…

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE WASHINGTON OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY SEP 28 1965 MEMORANDUM FOR MILITARY DIRECTOR, SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD SUBJECT: Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) In keeping with its air defense role, the Air Force has the responsibility for the investigation…

Doctor J. Allen Hynek who is the Chairman of the Dearborn Observatory at Northwestern University is the scientific consultant to Project Blue Book. He has indicated a willingness to work with such a panel in order to place this problem in its proper perspec- tive. Doctor Hynek h…

INSTITUTE FOR DEFENSE ANALYSES Science and Technology Division IDA 400 Army-Navy Drive, Arlington, Virginia 22-02 • Telephone (703) 558-1000 February 13, 1969 Lt. Colonel Harold A. Steiner, USAF Assistant Executive Secretary USAF Scientific Advisory Board Department of the Air…

SDC SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION 2500 Colorado Avenue Santa Monica, California 90406 February 28, 1969 Lt. Colonel Harold A. Steiner USAF Scientific Advisory Board Headquarters U. S. Air Force Washington, D. C. 20330 Dear Colonel Steiner: Thank you very much for sending me…

20330 12 February 1969 Dr. H. Guyford Stever President Carnegie-Mellon University Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213 Dear Dr. Stever I am pleased to send you this personal copy of the Condon Report on Unidentified Flying Objects. No doubt you will be surprised, as I was, at the de…

20330 6 February 1969 Dr. Brian O'Brien Consulting Physicist Box 52 North Woodstock, Connecticut 06257 Dear Dr. O'Brien I am pleased to send you this personal copy of the Condon Report on Unidentified Flying Objects. No doubt you will be surprised, as I was, at the depth of th…

20330 AFBSA 27 February 1968 Request for Project Blue Book Material Mr. Don Berliner National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena 1536 Connecticut Avenue, N. W. Washington, D. C. 2003 This is in response to your visit on 26 February 1968 during which you requested we…

20330 1 March 1968 AFBSA Project Blue Book Material Mr. Don Berliner National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena 1536 Connecticut Avenue, NW Washington, D. C. 2003 1. This is in response to your letter of 28 February 1968 requesting and paying for material prepared…

NATIONAL INVESTIGATIONS COMMITTEE ON AERIAL PHENOMENA WASHINGTON. D. C. 2003 MAJOR DONALD E. KEYHOE USMC (RET.) DIRECTOR GORDON I. R. LORE, JR. ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Feb. 28, 1968 ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES: 1536 CONNECTICUT AVE., N.W. TELEPHONE: (202) 667-9434 Lt. Col. Harold A.…

20330 AFDASBA/SSgt Ehrlich/74835 Request for Project Bluebook Reports Mr. Don Berliner National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena 1536 Connecticut Avenue Washington, DC 2003 20 Feb 68 1. Reference your request directed to SAF-OICC for portions of Project Bluebook R…

INSTITUTE FOR DEFENSE ANALYSES Research and Engineering Support Division IDA 400 Army-Navy Drive, Arlington, Virginia 22-02, Telephone (703) 558-1000 July 27, 1967 Mr. Chester N. Hasert Acting Executive Secretary USAF Scientific Advisory Board Room 5D1014, The Pentagon Washingt…

MEMORANDUM FOR RECORD 16 May 1967 SUBJECT: Some Notes Concerning a Progress Report on University of Colorado UFO Study 1. On 5 May 1967, members of the University of Colorado UFO Investigating Committee presented a "position paper" on the state of their thinking on the UFO Stud…

substantiate this conclusion, the UOC Committee cites the experience of NICAP teams of "eager amateurs" armed with cameras, magnetometers, and other specialized instrumentation who have gone instantly to sighting zones and attempted to obtain actual data. Despite their zeal, thes…

"by remainder" after eliminating all other possibilities of terrestrial and divine origin and leaving extra-terrestrial as the only alternative. At this time, the UOC Committee apparently favors the Hall hypothesis. c. Data from sightings are being put on punch cards. The coding…

MEMORANDUM FOR RECORD 10 August 1966 SUBJECT: Visit by Mr. William P. Wietzel, NICAP 1. Today I was visited by Mr. William Wietzel, an investigator for the National Investigating Committee on Aerial Phenomena. Mr. Wietzel did not have an appointment but just dropped in, presuma…

The Committe agreed that the present "Blue Book" program is all right as far as it goes but that it is not investi- gative enough to satisfy the inquisitive scientific mind. The Air Force has been collecting UFO data for about 18 years but this data is no good for forming a scien…

if the incidents were subject to close scientific scrutiny. (Source: Dr. Porter) Along with the scientific approach the Air Force should conduct some unannounced controlled experiments to check out the techniques. It would also be useful to correlate known natural phenomena that…

It would be useful to know how many times SPADATS sights unidentified objects with their radar. Is this number SMALL or large? In either CASE, it means something dif- ferent. If the number is large then this gives emphasis to the supposition that there are a large number of poten…

of the probable increased number of sightings. Also such an approach would give ammunition for the critics to chide the Air Force for belately recognizing a problem that they (the so called "flying saucer buffs") have known about for years. In any CASE, press releases and public…

The capability of the Air Force representative was also discussed and it was generally agreed that it would be wise to have someone with investigative ability and a modicum of technical experience as the UFO Project Officer at each Air Force Base. The local representative of the…

REPLY TO ATTN OF: DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES AIR FORCE WASHINGTON, D.C. 21 January 1966 SUBJECT: Some SAFOI Thoughts for the SAB Ad Hoc Committee on UFOs TO: RECORD 1. On 21 January, I visited SAFOI and discussed the Air Force's concern over the U…

5. SAFOI wants some pretigious scientific group to look at the UFO problem in depth and come up with a position that will help get the Air Force off the hook. SAFOI expects to gain a report that will permit them to stand before the most reknown critics and say that the AF positio…

REPORT OF MEETINGS OF SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY PANEL ON UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS January 14 - 18, 1953 NW 90306 Docld:34714841 Page 44

HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES AIR FORCE USAF SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE & CHIEF OF STAFF DATE 3 May 67 MEMO FOR: Hal. This is an interesting paper! Much of what is recommended is still applicable today, so one gets the impression that ATIC-…

would have experienced some sort of difficulty causing an abort or crash, or something. Also, we hear mostly - if not wholly - of sightings only in the U.S. or No. American Continent. Do you know what the foreign "sighting" data looks like. Was this considered by or briefed to th…

HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES AIR FORCE USAF SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE & CHIEF OF STAFF DATE: 1 May 67 MEMO FOR: Col Burger Attached is an UNCLASSIFIED version of report of the the CIA sponsored Scientific Advisory Panel on UFO's. Only the…

INDEX PAGE Purpose 1 Part I: History of Meetings of Panel 1. Part II: Comments and Suggestions of Panel 7. General 7 On Lack of Danger 8. Air Force Reporting System 9 Artifacts of Extraterrestrial Origin 10 Tremonton, Utah, Sighting 11 Potential Related Dangers 15 Geog…

16 February 1953 MEMORANDUM FOR: FROM SUBJECT : Report of Meetings of the. Scientific Advisory Panel on "Unidentified Flying Objects, January 14 - 18, 1953 PURPOSE The purpose of this MEMORANDUM is to present: a. A brief history of the meetings of the Advisory Panel On Uni…

an Advisory Panel of selected scientists was assembled. In cooperation with the Air Technical Intelligence Center, CASE histories of reported sightings and related material were made available for their study and consideration. Present at the initial meeting (0930 Wednesday, 14…

Dr. Robertson as Chairman of the Panel. Dr. Robertson enumerated the evidence available and requested consideration of specific reports and letters be taken by certain individuals present (Tab B).. For example, CASE histories involving radar or radar and visual sightings were sel…

THURSDAY MORNING The third and fourth meetings of the Panel were held Thursday, 15 January, commencing at 09-00 with a two-hour break for luncheon. Besides Panel members and CIA personnel, Mr. Ruppelt and Dr. [REDACTED] were present for both sessions. In the morning, Mr. Ruppelt…

b. That vigorous effort should be made to declassify as many of the reports as possible. c. That some increase in the ATIC section devoted to U.F.O. analysis was indicated. This meeting was adjourned at 17-00. FRIDAY MORNING The fifth session of the Panel convened at 09-00 wi…

conclusions reached. A general discussion followed and tentative recommendations considered. It was agreed that the Chairman should draft a report of the Panel to [REDACTED] that evening for review by the Panel the next morning. The meeting adjourned at 1715Z. SATURDAY MORNING…

PART II: COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS OF PANEL GENERAL The Panel Members were impressed (as have been others, includ- ing [REDACTED] personnel) in the lack of sound data in the great majority of CASE histories; also, in the lack of speedy follow-up due primarily to the modest size…

that "strange things in the sky" had been recorded for hundreds of years. It appeared obvious that there was no single explanation for a majority of the things seen. The presence of radar and astro- nomical specialists on the Panel proved of value at once in their confident recog…

have been so labeled. It was interesting that in at least two cases reviewed that the object sighted was categorized by Robertson and [REDACTED] as probably "Foo Fighters", to date unexplained but not dangerous; they were not happy thus to dismiss the sightings by calling them na…

It was the opinion of Dr. Robertson that the "saucer" problem had been found to be different in nature from the detection and investigation of German V-l and V-2 guided missiles prior to their operational use in World War II. In this 1943-1944 intelligence operation (CROSSBOW), t…

officer (Project Officer, BLUEBOOK for 15 months) could not be slighted. However, the Panel could not accept any of the cases cited by him because they were raw, unevaluated reports. Terrestrial explanations of the sightings were suggested in some cases and in others the time of…

10-00 man-hours of professional and sub-professional time in the preparation of graph plots of individual frames of the film, show- ing apparent and relative motion of objects and variation in their light intensity. It was the opinion of the P.I.L. representatives that the object…

d. Objects in the Great Falls CASE were believed to have probably been aircraft, and the bright lights such reflections. e. There was no valid reason for the attempt to relate the objects in the Tremonton sighting to those in the Great Falls sighting. This may have been due to m…

k. Hand "jitter" frequencies (obtainable from early part of Tremonton film) were not removed from the plots of the "single pass plots" at the end of the film. The Panel believed strongly that the data available on this sighting was sufficient for positive identification if furth…

POTENTIAL RELATED DANGERS The Panel. Members were in agreement with opinion that, although evidence of any direct threat from these sightings was wholly lacking, related dangers might well exist resulting from: a. Misidentification of actual enemy artifacts by defense personnel…

awareness of security measures near such locations. On the other hand, there had been no sightings in the vicinity of sensitive related AE establishments while there were occasionally multiple cases of unexplained sightings in non-strategic areas. Furthermore, there appeared to b…

of the sky is now--and has been for many years-under surveillance every clear night in several meteor and aurora observing programs as well as sky mapping programs at the various locations listed below. Although the attention of these astronomers is largely directed toward identi…

It was agreed by the Panel that no government-sponsored program of optical nation-wide sky patrol is worthwhile at the present time, and that the encouragement of amateur astronomers to undertake such a program might have the adverse effect of over-emphasizing "flying saucer" sto…

from the center of the screen, if it still appeared at all. Dr. felt such a technical solution was simpler and would cost much less than a "doppler filter". UNEXPLAINED COSMIC RAY PHENOMENA Two reported cases were examined: one at Palomar Mountain, California, in October 1949,…

levels in such education from enlisted personnel to command and research personnel. Relative emphasis and degree of explanation of different programs would correspond to the categories of duty (e.g., radar operators; pilots; control tower operators; Ground Observer Corps personne…

Mars," (a study in the psychology of panic, written about the famous¹ Orson Welles radio broadcast in 1938) and has since performed advanced laboratory studies in the field of perception. The names of Don Marquis (University of Michigan) and Lee Rosten were mentioned as possibly…

historical cases but the current ones. Recent cases are probably much more susceptible to explanation than older ones; first, because of ATIC's experience and, secondly, their knowledge of most plausible explanations. The Panel believed that some expansion of the ATIC effort woul…

would be the photographing of "pillow balloons" at different distances under similar weather conditions at the site. The help of one or two psychologists and writers and a subcontractor to produce training films would be necessary in addition. The Panel considered that ATIC's ef…

great influence on mass thinking if widespread sightings should occur. The apparent irresponsibility and the possible use of such groups for subversive purposes should be kept in mind. INCREASE IN NUMBER OF SIGHTINGS The consensus of the Panel was, based upon the history of the…

REPORT OF THE SCIENTIFIC PANEL ON UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS TAB A 1. Pursuant to the request, the undersigned Panel of Scientific Consultants has met to evaluate any possible threat to national security posed by Unidentified Flying Objects ("Flying Saucers"), and to make reco…

TAB-A indications of hostile action, and the cultivation of a morbid national psychology in which skillful hostile propaganda could induce hysterical behavior and harmful distrust of duly constituted authority. 4. In order most effectively to strengthen the national facilities…

SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY PANEL ON UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS 14 - 17 January 1953 TAB B EVIDENCE PRESENTED 1. Seventy-five CASE histories of sightings 1951 - 1952 (selected by ATIC as those best documented). 2. ATIC Status and Progress Reports of Project GRUDGE and Project BLUE…

TAB B 16. Motion picture of seagulls in bright sunlight showing high reflectivity. 17. Intelligence Reports Relating to U.S.S.R. Interest in U. S. Sightings. 18. Samples of Official USAF Reporting Forms and Copies of Pertinent Air Force, Army and Navy Orders Relating to Subjec…

REPORT OF THE SCIENTIFIC PANEL ON UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS 17 January 1953 1. The undersigned Panel of Scientific Consultants has met at the request of the Government to evaluate any possible threat to national security posed by Unidentified Flying Objects ("Flying Saucers")…

A. PERIODICALS REFERENCES ON UFO'S 1. Return of Flying Saucers 2. Tradewinds; Report of a UFO in Exeter, N.H. 3. Tradewinds; Exeter People Give Accounts of Observations 4. Why I Believe in Flying Saucers 5. Fatuus Season: Ann Arbor and Hillsdale Sightings 6. Flying Saucers…

15. Should We Be Serious About UFO's? Unidentified Flying Object 16. Ufology: New Report debunks belief that UFO's are buzzing the Earth 17. World of Flying Saucers 18. Saucers, Pancakes and Such 19. Afternoon with the Space People 20. Flying Saucers 21. Eye on Space 22. O…

34. Saucers and Smoking 35. Seeing Things 36. Skillie from the Sky 37. Slim Chance for Saucer Sightings 38. Flying Saucer Conspiracy 39. Flying Saucers, I've Seen 40. From Saucers Investigation Group 41. Great Saucer Hunt 42. He runs Flying Saucer Headquarters 43. Inside…

53. Canada's Flying Saucer Lookout Lab 54. Finds Saucers Exist Solely in Imagination 55. Waiting for the Little Men 56. Flying Saucers from Outer Space; Excerpts 57. Letter from Paris 58. Now They're in Italy; Astral Intruders 59. Of Spots Before the Eyes 60. On the Flying…

74. Flying Saucers: Myth or Menace? Pic Story 75. Flying Saucers, New in Name Only 76. Hollywood Builds Flying Saucers 77. Have we Visitors from Space 78. How to Expose Flying Saucers; AF's Project for Photographing Them 79. How to Fly a Saucer 80. How to see Flying Saucers…

93. Saucers? 94. Saucers Elude C.C. Wylie Astronomers 95. Saucers Under Glass 96. Scientist Diagnoses the Flying Saucer 97. Something in the Air 98. Temperature Inversions Cause Flying Saucers 99. Those Flying Saucers 100. Washington's Blips 101. What were the Flying Sauc…

111. Saucers, Secrecy, and Security 112. Farmer Trent's Flying Saucer 113. Flying Saucers 114. Flying Saucer Mystery 115. Flying Saucers Again 116. Flying Saucers, Fact or Fiction 117. In a Saucer from Venus: Review of Behind the Flying Saucers by F. Scully 118. Pies in th…

B. BOOKS ON FLYING SAUCERS 1. Spacecraft From Beyond Three Dimensions 2. The Inexplicable Sky 3. Space, Gravity and the Flying Saucer 4. Flying Saucers; an Analysis of the AF Project Blue Book Ept 14 5. Flying Saucer Review 6. They Rode in Space Ships 7. Flying Saucers and…