Page | ||
I. | Introduction | 1 |
II. | Discussion | 1 |
III. | Conclusions and Recommendations | 2 |
TAB A - | Memorandum from Major General LeBailly | 6 |
TAB B - | Agenda | 8 |
Distribution | 9 |
Dr. Brian O'Brien (Chairman) |
Dr. Launor F. Carter |
Mr. Jesse Orlansky |
Dr. Richard Porter |
Dr. Carl Sagan |
Dr. Willis H. Ware |
Lt Col Harold A. Steiner |
Reproduction of this document in whole or in part is prohibited except with the permission of the office of origin.
As requested in a memorandum from Major General E. B. LeBailly, Secretary of the Air Force Office of Information, (dated 28 September 1965 (Tab A), an SAB Ad Hoc Committee met on 3 February 1966 to review Project "Blue Book." The objectives of the Committee are to review the resources and methods of investigation prescribed by Project "Blue Book" and to advise the Air Force of any improvements that can be made in the program to enhance the Air Force s capability in carrying out its responsibility.
In order to bring themselves up to date, the members of the Committee initially reviewed the findings of previous scientific panels charged with looking into the UFO problem. Particular attention was given to the report of the Robertson panel which was rendered in January 1953. The Committee next heard briefings from the AFSC Foreign Technology! Division, which is the cognizant Air Force agency that collates information on UFO sightings and monitors investigations of individual cases. Finally, the Committee reviewed selected case histories of UFO sightings with particular emphasis on those that have not been identified.
Although about 67% (646) of all sightings (10,147) in the years 1947 through 1965 are listed by the Air Force as "Unidentified", it appears to the Committee that
most of the cases so listed are simply those in which the information available does not provide an adequate basis For analysis. In this connection it is important also to note that no unidentified objects other than those of an astrononiical nature have ever been observed during routine astronomical studies, in spite of the large number of observing hours which have been devoted to the sky. As examples of this the Palomar Observatory Sky Atlas contains some 5000 plates made with large instruments with. wide field of view; the Harvard Meteor Project of 1954-1958 provided some 3300 hours of observation; the Smithsonian Visual Prairie Network provided 2500 observing hours. Not a single unidentified object has been reported as appearing on any of these plates or been sighted visually in all these observations.
The Committee concluded that in the 19 years since the first UFO was sighted there has been no evidence that unidentified flying objects are a threat to our national security. Having arrived at this conclusion the Committee then turned its attention to considering how the Air Force should handle the scientific aspects of the UFO problem. Unavoidably these are also related to Air Force public relations, a subject on which the Committee is not expert. Thus the recommendations which follow are made simply from the scientific point of view.
It is the opinion of the Committee that the present Air Force program dealing with UFO sightings has been well organized, although the resources assigned to it (only one officer, a sergeant, and secretary) have been quite limited. In 19 years and more than 10,000 sightings recorded and classified, there appears to be no verified and fully satisfactory evidence of any case that is clearly outside the framework of presently
known science and technology. Nevertheless, there is always the possibility that analysis of new sightings may provide some additions to scientific knowledge of value to the Air Force. Moreover, some of the case records which the Committee looked that were listed as "identified" were sightings where the evidence collected was too meager or too indefinite to permit positive listing in the identified category. Because of this the Committee recommends that the present program be strengthened to provide opportunity for scientific investigation of selected sightings in more detail and depth than has been possible to date.
To accomplish this it is recommended that:
It is thought that perhaps 100 sightings a year might be subjected to this close study, and that possibly an average of 10 man days might be required per sighting so studied. The information provided by such a program might bring to light new facts of scientific value, and would almost certainly provide a far better basis than we have today for decision on a long term UFO program.
The scientific reports on these selected sightings, supplementing the present program of the Project Blue Book office, should strengthen the public position of the Air Force on UFO's. It is, therefore, recommended that:
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 of unidentified flying objects reported over the United States. The name of this project is Blue Book (Attachment 1). Procedures for conducting this program are established by Air Force Regulation 200-2 (Attachment 2).
The Air Force has conducted Project Blue Book since l948. As of 30 June 1965, a total of 9267 reports had been investigated by the Air Force. Of these 9267 reports, 663 cannot be explained.
It has been determined by the Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff/Plans and Operations that Project Blue Book is a worthwhile program which deserves the support of all staff agencies and major commands and that the Air Force should continue to investigate and analyze all UFO reports in order to assure that such objects do not present a threat to our national security. The Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff/Plans and Operations has determined also that the Foreign Technology Division (FTD) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base should continue to exercise its presently assigned responsibilities concerning UFOs.
To date, the Air Force has found no evidence that any of the UFO reports reflect a threat to our national security. However, many of the reports that cannot be explained have come from intelligent and technically well qualified individuals whose integrity cannot be doubted. In addition, the reports received officially by the Air Force include only a fraction of the spectacular reports which are publicized by many private UFO organizations.
Accordingly, it is requested that a working scientific panel composed of both physical and social scientists be organized to review Project Blue Book -- its resources, methods, and findings -- and to advise the Air Force as to any improvements that should be made in the program in order to carry out the Air Force's assigned responsibility.
Doctor J. Allen Hynek who is the Chairman of the Dearborn Observatory at Northwestern University is the scientiic 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 perspective.
Doctor Hynek has discussed this problem with Doctor Winston R. Markey, the former Air Force Chief Scientist.
E. B. LeBAILLY
Major General, USAF
Director of Information
2 Attachments
Thursday 3 February 1966
0800 | Welcoming Remarks | Commander or Vice Commander, FTD |
0805 | Introduction | Dr. O'Brien, SAB |
0810 | The Air Force Problem | Lt Col Spaulding, SAFOT |
0830 | Briefing on Project Blue Book | Major Quintanilla, FTD |
1000 | Break | |
1015 | Review of Selected Case Histories | FTD Staff |
1145 | Lunch | |
1315 | Executive and Writing Session |
22 December 1965
SYMBOL | COPIES | ||
Secretary of the Air Force Office of Information | SAFOI | 25 | |
Military Director, DCS/R&D | AFRDC | 1 | |
Committee Members (1 each) | 6 | ||
Dr. Brian O'Brien (Chairman) | |||
Dr. Launor F. Carter | |||
Mr. Jesse Orlansky | |||
Dr. Richard Porter | |||
Dr. Carl Sagan | |||
Dr. Willis H. Ware | |||
Commander, Foreign Technology Division | 5 | ||
DCS/Foreign Technology (AFSC) | SCF | 2 | |
Chairman, SAB | AFBSA | 1 | |
SAB Secretariat | AFBSA | 1 |
Meeting statistics bearing on this report including all times, dates, places, a listing of persons in attendance and purposes therefor, together with their affiliations and material reviewed and discussed, are available in the SAB Secretariat offices for review by authorized persons or agencies.APPROVED BY:
HAROLD A. STEINER, Lt Colonel, USAF
Assistant Secretary
USAF Scientific Advisory Board