PROJECT BLUE BOOK

THE BLACK VAULT
This document t was obtained from The Black Vault, an online database
of declassified government documents.This p particular record is housed
in the Project Blue Book Collection, a compilation of more than 140,000 pages
across more than 10,000 case files of Projects Sign, Grudge and Blue Book.
The entire collection is free to download and online at:
http://projectbluebook.theblackvault.com

bodies, we use these three breakdowns.
83
ians direct to ATIC, the following is the breakdown of conclusions as of 22 Dec 52:
Balloons 18.51%
Known 1.57
Probable 4.99
Possible 11.95
Aircraft 11.76%
Known 0.98
Probable 7.74
Possible 3.04
Astronomical Bodies 14.20%
Known 2.79
Probable 4.01
Possible 7.40
Other (Ducks over drive-in movies, 4.21%
searchlights on clouds, etc.)
Hoaxes low with →1.66%
Radar (Explanation not proven) 6.84%
Insufficient Data to Evaluate 22.72%
Unknown 20.1 %
g
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fy as
the greatest area
of concentration. It may be that the people there are nore aware of the vital
sons why the projor be continued.
.
tively identify about 7%. With the world situation w is and with the pro-
. sent advances in science, i the Air Force to have a system wheroby
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bility to assure ourselves and the public that these cont: muing reports, and
O  thg Projt AFL200-5
•
how we operate. Air Force Letter 200-5 is the basis for our operation. It states
I
responsi ble
an unidenti-
Secondly, he
determine that it •
10 loled becunea
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V
-
. objects to ATIC and have wondered what happened to chem. Project Blue Book is
2 airmen ilians. Iike any
frequently consulted.
In going over
check/1 oces3es to make your own eyaluations
submit -
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0
consciqusly lep their imagination/twist the facts.
- le to use in evaluating a source. S Sometimes
imaginative. Wd go a lot
housewives simply ings in the air
ard are naturally more prone consexva tive in
Balloons
When we receive a report, the first thing that we check it for is the possi-
objects give us the most trouble. To go into each of them little more specifi-
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nature of this problem, ATIC is familiar with most of ne agencies the coun
It is possible that now or in the near future your division or Force will
-
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aither by radar aot tracks of the
balloons. 13
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•
a as they can tell you the
location of their balloon at a given time.
(Slide of We oon noh Sites)
During the daytime a
At night balloons that are lighte I appoar to be
bis light may even appear to change color, due to
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balloon is high ground will sunset at
altitude.
same speed as altitude.
Aircraft
• Aircraft, as aircraft, do not give us a great deal of trouble, it is when
they are high and reflecting sunlight or leaving a vapor trail that they are
most often misrecognized. Similar to tha situation with balloons, a vapor trail
will appear to glow at dawn or dusk. Many times the aircraft leaving the vapor
Therefore, it is up to the
officer receivin obsarve thorough
ments inmmediate He may these through contro ower, through Flight
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.
ter, Capella and several others. You can check stars by obtaining the approx-
imate time, azimuth nearest
navigator.
Meteors are not too difficult to evaluate because they seem to have a stan-
missiles, through the •
foolish statement,
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the United States
You can check meteors by looking for accounts of them in the newspaper,
or consulting local astronomers.
Other Cause of Reports
Naturally balloons, aircraft and astronomical bodies do not account for
all the sightings. We have a smaller percentage of other things, such as ducks
.
reports. These
ings. For example. sometime back. spproximately. P.vear.ago.
If they are similar enough, we will
write the new roport This is the only meth-
od we have of nings.
Radar Sightines—
Since ADC has the vast majority of the radar that is operating 24 hours
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:
9 UNCLASSIFIED
ASI(ASHAF-A) RETURN TO 7
Maxwell AFB, Ala 36112 USAF Historical Archives 24 Jan 1953
SMC
PROJECT BLUE BOOK
SPECIAL BRIEFING SPECIAL BRIEFING FOR AIR DEFENSE COMMAND AIR DEFENSE COMMAND
0 MARCH 1953
. DOWNGRADED AT DECLASSIFIED AFTER 12 YEARS. ii
DOD DIR 5200.10
-
: UNCLASSIFIED
1003836

When reporting a radar sighting, the weather data are extremely important.
Plots of the temperature and moisture vs. altitude should always be reported.
There are no reports of radar sightings in our file whose authenticity can- •
not be questioned to some degree. In none of the cases of erratic or high speed
(above Mach 1) shown
it is difficult to separate Lightning is another pos ssibility
but a very one.
Radar Scope Photos
A large number of Air Defense Command radar stations are equipped with
radar sccpe cameras. ADC Regulation 20o-5 authorizes the use of these cameras
curate evaluation of reports invclving radar. In addition, thoy give valuable
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have good reports of simultaneous visual-radar sightings but again there are
or
. correlates closely the next step is
sometimes a difficult task.
basic.
S
S that they try
•
objact. The data needed minute
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intorvals for as long ag the object is in view or for at least 20 minutes if
it appears to ba hoveringe If an adjacent air base can bo contacted and re~
quasted to do the same, preferably at the same time, you've hit the jackpot
as far as good data are concerned,

No —ShowPetensutnattonsitde}

Cross Check With The GOC

Another ready source of possible information that may shed some cue on

a report of an unidentified flying object is the Ground Obsorver Corps. The

GOC can be used in two ways, they may make reports and they can crosa-check.

reports.

If one GOG post calls in a report as they are directed to do in ADCR 55~31
a nearby post/can be contacted by alo seule: center to S00 nother they can 298
the reporte f If they can, there /s a beautiful set up ter triangulation. / ' The
observers gan estimate the elevation and azimuth, Posts “eatipped with angle

/
measuring devices could make very accurate readings. yf

If/ a report should con from a source other Ahan the GOC, they could
be coptactied and possibly Feet the reported object. It might be ‘that they
havg seen and positively identified a balloon, néteor, or aircraft, while a
Pitot flying in the arey ‘observed the object from a different angle and could

am make an Gdakittoakion:

Summary on Report Evaluations

It would be impossible to give hla ween the checks that can be made on re-

—~_—— ee

pore since each report requires a ditforent approach. I've given you a few

ticks and you can undoubtedly think of more. One thing we do ask is that when

you make a check on a report you obtain enough data to substantiate your con-
clusion. Just because someone reported four objects near a city and there were

four aircraft in formation near the sama city, don't quickly assume they were

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it correlates to a reasonable degree, thoy were ver the same thing.
(Slido Shoving I Chocks)
Reporting Solution3
If, during an investigation of a sighting, after a Twx has been sent report-
ing the incldent, the investigating officer should identify the reported object,
ATIC should be immediately notified as to the solution.
Popular Theories
Many theories have been advnaced that all of the reports are due to mirages,
sun dogs, ice clouds and what-have-you. Some of our reports is are caused by such
centage of the sightings.
Another popular solution is that all "flying saucers" are "skyhook" balloons.
55
remove any doubt, the tracks were taken of flights made during July and August
un Two typas of report NO are required by AFL 2oo, a report by wire and a writ-
ten roport on an AF Form 1l2. wrue, a conuohte aue
bsed on ? 20 RESTRICTED onT.W.X.
will ak fa UNCLASSIFIED
WEADF gats fevn lark lie. not beng toime in, ratul

ligence officer will insure that all available data are included in the
report.
No
stionnaire. This tentative
three months, the results •
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Many h: the past
two years and they always comment on fact that additional data were available
and should have been reported.
be given. A short word can describe between the
twro points.
•
its position by pointing the nose of the a/c toward it, reading his compass,
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consequently have not pu 2 •
trouble get-
ting it to stand up under cert .
WA
tation, and other
study contract for such instrumentation ma
results. •
be started now. The cost of
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- .
U
. ifferent lights near the base during
seconds The first one - three tra-
the one that makes the
')
of 6o° near Norfolk, Virginia, observed eight objects ovar Chesapeake Bay near
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to dim. Immediately af after turning and flattening out, the glow disappeared .
once, glowine again. began
They were in. view long enough for the pilot to get out of the left seat
(Note: The incident
took place about 1 miles NE of Langley AFB.) Efforts to
•
The in-trail formation co been
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ation of every sighting is developed, it will contimue because you never koow
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•
reports of unidentified receive and analyze accurate de-
tailed reports. 27 V m lo if A
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UNCL ACSIFIED Tny 7 lbal

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Unidentified Flying Objects seriously.
known type of aircraft missile, known
object or phenomenon.
The mission of the Air Defense Command is such that you are in a position
co-
vered in this briefing.
• ceptions that anyona have. -
UNCLASSIFIED
1
U

ROUTING COMMUNICATIONS CENTER NO
JOINT MESSAGEFORM
SECRET
AUTH: GG, ATIC
BY: E.d. RUPPELT
Capt, USAF
DATE: 23 Deg 52 UNCLASSIFIED
FROM: (Originator) SPACE ABOVE FOR COMMUNICATIONS CENTER ONLY DATE-TIME GROUP SECURITY/CLAS "ON
231400Z DEC 52
PRECEDENCE ACTION HOUTIE IFORMATION
CG ATIC FOR:
TO: CG AIR DEFENSE BOOK MESSAGE ORIGINAL MESSAGE
MULTIPLE ADDRESS CRYPTOPRECAUTION
YES NO
REFERS TO MESSAGE:
IDENTIFICATION CLASSIFICATION
INFO:
NTERVALS: al
DOWNGRADED AT YEARS
FROM: AFOIE-ATIAA FOR DOS/I DECLASSIFIED
DOD DIR 0-00.10
Reference telephone call from Miaj Sadowski to Capt Ruppelt on 22 Deo 52. Proposed
scheduled to etart in late January or early -
due to time being taken up by msetings with and preparing data for CLA. CLA has
S - 'penel
of several top U.S, scientiste to review then.
firm, this meeting is tentatively seheduled to take place in early y Jamuary. CIA's
interest is from standpoint of reports sindlar to present reports of unidentified
flying objects being used as paychological warfare and to aik i confusion in possible
attack. They believe a system for rapidly sorting out
known objects and phenomena should be established, Referenced briefing tour is being
ss eoon 8s Carted and 01 the
T52-20434
planned SECURITY CLAS
UNCLASSIFIED PAGE OF PAGES
DAFTE AME h RELEASING OFFICER'S SIGNATURE
CAPT E.J. RUPPELT ROBWERT B. KOMKDY, NAJOR, USAS
SYABPLA5 TELEPHONE 8565 OFFICIAL TITLE AIR ADJUTANT GENEJAL
FORM 11-168. 15 JUN BE USED. 1945. AND WD AGO FORM 0990, 16-58023-2 U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1950 O-B75946

N OF FIEL UNITS
460 AISS
FLIGHT
3-G
PRESQE
A ISLEAFB
FLIGHT I-A ,
MC CHORD AFB MINNESOYA
FLIGHT I-B
DATGON MALMSTROM AFB FLIGHT 3-E
wiCH ETHAN ALLENAFB
WISCOMSIN
SOUTN DAROTA FLIGHT 2-A WICHIGAM MASS
OMING SNELLING AF NER YORA DETACHMENT 3
STATION STEWART AFB
FLIGHT 3C
SELFRIDGE AFB FLIGHT 3-H
FLAINORS aWd MG GUIRE AFB
INDLAR FLIGHT 3-F
& FLIGHT 3.-A GTR PITTSBURGH ARPT
COLORADO O'HARE INT'L ARPT 1n68
ADETACHMENT I MHSSOUR LIGHT 3-D
HAMILTON AFB FLIGHT 3-8 ANDREWS AFB
HEADQUARTERSSAS DETACHMENT 2 WRIGHT -PATTERSON
4602 AISS GRANDVIEW AFB AFB
HOS FLIGHT
ENT AFB NORTH CAROLINA
NEW MEXICO FLIGHT 2-B
OKLAHOMA TEMNESSEE MC GHEE-TYSON ARPT
TELAS ARRANSAS CABOLINA
FLIGHT 2-D ALABANA GEOMGIA
FLIGHT I-C FLIGHT I-D TINKER AFB
NORTON AFB FLIGHT 2-C
KIRTLAND AFB DOBBINS AFB
LOUISIANA
MEXICO
HEADQUARTERS
4602 AISS
DETACHMENTS
FLIGHTS
CALR IN MILES 2

MISSION
SCAPABILITIES
PBEQUIREM
23-2
CONTINENTAU
AIR DTAENSE-COMMAND

o'
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We release all information to the press that they ask for, except the names
The Air Technical Intelligence Center
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mand, however, in mid 1952 the command was changed and it is now a fleld activ-
•
the Director of Intelligence, Headquarters USAF. The prime function of the Air
2

into this aireraft again you'll know more abo . out i To come more to the point,
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the target, they see a light and chase it. If they don't intercept the light
• If the
the report was investigated,
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.
4
atings were due to:
0
3. Psychopathlogical
with the many dif conditions.
the request of Headquarters
USAF and Project Blue Book was established. .
4

ments to get exact calculations.
• _
of 70 per day in
July 1952. At the they
-
• the earth. I However, there is no, and I want to
planet to send
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Photographs
We have photographs of some unusual things, but in all of those that show
.. •
out to be flaws in the ares or photos of some relatively rare
ems, such as a re-
S
tempt to find a pattern, bu detailed
6

#1 (Slide of Location of Unknowns)
8
• of unusual things.
12 (Slide on Frequency of Reports) S
A plot of the frequency of reports shows a series of peaks in July of each
veare We cannot account for this, Some people have offered the explanation
-
• track and there is i no doubt
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