CIA-UAP-007, המצב הנוכחי של פרויקט העצמים המעופפים הבלתי מזוהים (UFO), דצמבר 1953

Approved for Release 2026

17 Decesiber 1953
MEMORANDUM TO: Assistant Director, Scientific Intelligence
FROM s Chief, Physics and Electronics Division, SI

SUBJECT : Current Status of Unidentified Flying Objects
(UFOB) Project.

1. In accordance with the verbal request of Mr. Brent, Exec/SI,
on 30 November, the following resume of the current status or unidenti-
fied flying objects activities has been prepared.

2. P&E Division assumed responsibility for the OSI project on
unldentified flying objects as a result of your memorandum of
27 May 1953. The project has been confiaed to maintaining awareness
of the activities of other agencies (notabl) the USAF) in the
unideatified flying objects business and to maintenance of files.
Status of Department of Defense Activities.

3s

a. Air Force. The Air Foree continues to aaintain, but with
apparently decreasing emphasis, its interest in UFOB's. The present
interest of the Directorate of Intelligence, Hq., USAF, is confined to
@ cursory cognizance of ATIC's project (Bluebook No. 10073). At ATIC
the project is carried by one officer (Capt. Charles A. Hardin), one
airman (A/1C Max G. Futch), and a secretary operating as tie Aerial
Phenomena Section of the Electronics Branch, Technical Analysis Division.
Ia spite of this limited staff, as well as several changes of project
officer, the project records appear to be up-to-date. ATIC personnel
no longer conduct field investigations of UFOB sightings (these are
requested from USAF intelligence officers [ primarily Air Defense
Command ani Airways and Air Communications Service) nearer to the
sightings), but confine their activities to receiving and checking
reports a5 received, requesting additional field investigation where
necessary, performing necessary checking against meteorological,
astronomical, aircraft and balloon data, and recording their findings
and conclusions in a cross-referenced system by date, location, source,
tyze of observation and conclusion draim. The Aerial Phenomena Section
also deals directly with the Public Information Office of Hq., USAF,
regarding information for public release. For about the past year,
approximately ten percent of the reported sightings have been tagged

as unsolved..

Of particular interest is the fact that ATIC is in the
process of transferring project Bluebook so Hq., Air Defense Command.
According to Lt. Col. Harry Johnston, Chief, Electronics Branch, the
reason for the transfer was that ADC had been doing most of the

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Luvestigative werk of the project and "if it turns out that these
things (UFOB's) are space ships or long range aircraft from another
country, ADC is the (Air Force) Cosmund that would have to take
action.” Col. Johnston followed this comment with the somewhat
contradictory statement that the project transfer did not reflect
any change in Air Force policy. It ’s undoubtedly true that ADC

is the Aiz Force Command primarily concerned w!th UFOB's at the
present ime n tha’ their interceptors are o…