PROJECT BLUE BOOK

PROPOSED TRANSFER TO ARDC UNCLASSIFIED
K243.6012-7 7.3745 - 378
Apr 1960
1003831
UNCLASSIFIED
RETURNTO USAF Historical Archives
Maxwell AFB, Ala 36112 ASI(ASHAF-A)
4.
UNCLASSIFIED
21
SITHE

7. Although FTD is now the office of primary interest regarding reports
of unidentified flying objects, this letter is being forwarded to AFCIN
due to its earlier association with this pro,ject and the fact that some
of the reports are on IR's.
FOR THE COMMANDER
Hw
EDWARD H. WYNN
Colonel, USAF
Deputy for Science
and Components
3

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
ASTROPHYSICAL OBSERVATORY
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR
ASTROPHYSICAL OBSERVATORY 60 GARDEN STREET
CAMBRIDGE 38, MASSACHUSETTS
March 24, 1960
Major Robert J. Friend
Aerospace Technical Intelligence Center Intelligence Center
Wright-Patterson Air Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Force Base
Dayton, Ohio
Dear Major: Dear Major:
I believe you might be interested in the
enclosed reply to my letter to General Holzman.
Cordially,
llln
J. Allen Hynek
Associate Director
JAH:pS
Enclosure
-

8 se
February 17,1960
office of the Commander
Air Force Research Division
Air Research and Development Command
United States Air Force
Washington
Dear enera. lzman:
Thank you very much for your letter of l4 January
in which you informed me of your appointment 1960
General B. A. Schriever as Director by Lieutenant
Division. of the new Air Force Research
t is my understanding that the Air Force Research
Division
suggestions with respect to the policies and operations
of the new Air Force Research Division. Since I
have close contact with both continue to
the Geophysics and Electronics
Research Directorates at Cambridge and with the Alr Force
Office of : Scientific Research, as well as with the
Technical Intelligence Aerospace
Center, I welcome this
congratulate you on your new positlor of great responsibility
and aI
scions.
At present under At present under the the sponsorship sponsorship of of GRD GRD I supervise an
unmanned balloon project unmanned balloon project directed toward the study of of stellar stellar
scintillation and image scintillation and image motion at high altitudes. With the
Air Force Office of Scientific Office of Scientific Research I am Research I am
directing the scientific presently presently
manned manned 1 aspects of aspects of a series series of high altitude
balloon flights. Our pilot is Captain Joe Kittinger, is Captain Joe Kittinger,
and the work is being done done under the under the
Dr. Dr. Wennersten. Wennersten. careful eye of
I should should like to like to report that I have found that I have e found
Dr. Dr. Wennersten most amiable and capable
to work, and hope that person with whom
our association continues well into
the future. I have recently directed to Dr.
Wennersten an
atch#5

you so wish.
I should also like to comment with pleasure on the
immense (that seems to be the most appropriate word for 1t)
enthusiasm and skill of Captain Kittinger. consider myself
extremely fortunate to be associated with Captain Kittinger
in the execution the balloon flights.
I have no - specific recommendations with respect to our
balloon work, which is doing well, except, of course, to
express the hope that as it continues to develop it will
receive good wishes and support. I do, however,
have some specific commendations in connection with a
totally different aspect 0 my work with the Air Force.
For more than a decade have been consultant to the
Aerospace Technical Intelligence Center at I Dayton. During
this time I have been primarilv concerned with the problem
touchy
province. However, much of their work has been misunderstood
by the public, and all too often such public opinion has
been unfavorable to the Air Force. It seems that the wishful
thinking portions the public are all too ready to accuse
the Air Force of covering up the evidence and misleading the
public. This is most t unfortunate, part natural
outcome of placing this problem in an intelligence division
of the Air Force rather than in an out-and-out scientific
department. By this I in no way imply an unfavorable compari-
son; I merely point ; that the objectives of an intelligence
division n are necessarily somewhat different than those, say,
of the s Research Directorate.
Since you have Since you have been kind enough to ask to ask for my suggestions,
I would, therefore, acting in my capacity my capacity as consultant as consultant to the to the
Air Force, but entirely on my own responsibility, like to responsibility, like to
recommend that recommend that the scientific aspects of the UFO problem be be
transferred from ATIc to a division ATIC to division more directly concerned
with atmospheric physics, physics, to the Geophysics Research Geophysics Research
Directorate.

To General Holzman February 17, 1960 Page 3
The subject of Unidentified Flying Objects more logically
belongs in a scientific office rather than in an intelligence
center. My reasons for saying this are these: I think it is
amply clear by now that those relatively few sightings that are
puzzling are related to atmosphere phenomena and may offer
interesting examples of teorological and atmospheric optics
phenomena and, as such, worthy of study in themselves.
quite apart from the public interest in such matters, which
should be kept quite separate om the Force's scientific
offices, and should properly be province of the public
information office, there may well be nuggets of scientific
value in the often well reported sightings which continue to
come into the office of ATIC. need only remind you that
less than two centuries ago the entire province of meteorites
was kept out of legitimate astronomy because stories of "stones
that fell from the sky" were regarded as old wives tales. Had
these accounts been given careful attention by the scientists
of that day, the productive branch of astronomy which we now
know as meteoritics would have been born well over century
earlier than it was.
is that Force, because of its defense obligation
to the nation to keep track of potentially hostile objects in
the sky, must take account of such reports that certain of
those reports which are deemed to have possible scientific
value should be brought to the cognizance of seientific offices
most directly able to cope with them. With its excellent
roster of physicists and upper atmosphere specialists, it seems
to me that the Geophysics Research Directorate might well
undertake this aspect of th FO problem. I do believe that with
their staff of scientists of the reported sightings which
remain "unknown" and develop into political headaches for the
Air Force (since it so frequently happens that the public is
quick to write to its congressional representatives that these
sightings are nct getting a square deal from the Air Force)
would be quickly cleared up: and secondly, greater
importance importance to me as a to me as a scientist, scientist, many such such reports, properly
examined, might add a examined, might add a rich chapter to atmospheric ontics and
upper atmosphere search. search.
I do, therefore, recommend that that consideration be given
to the transfer of the scientific scientific aspects of the Unidentified the Unidentified
Flying Object problem to the cognizance of the Geophysics
Research Directorate or another appropriate seientific divi-
sion of the Air Force. sion of the Air Force.
4

HEADQUARTERS
AIR FORCE RESEARCH DIVISION
AIR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT COMMAND
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
WASHINGTON 25, D. C.
8 March 1960
Dr. J. Allen Hynek
Astrophysical Observatory
Smithsonian Institution
60 Garden Street
Cambridge 38, Massachusetts Januidge Jo, Massacnusetts
Dear Dr. Hynek: Dear Dr. Hynek:
I T I was very happy was very happy to receive your letter of 17 February. I have
read with interest your suggestion that the study of UFo's be suggestion th at the study of UFo's be
transferred from intelligence channels transferred from intelligence channels to the scientists. the scientists.
Accordingly, I Accordingly, I am n forwarding forwarding a copy of your letter letter to Headquarters, +o Headquarters,
Air Research and Development Command with a Command request th con-
sider your r suggestion.
Again, my appr
Sincerely,
B. G. HOLZMAN
Brigadier General, USAF
Commander

. Director
HEADQUARTERS
FOREIGN TECHNOLOGY DIVISION Apr 1962
AIR FORCE SYSTEMS COMMAND Maxwell AFB, Alabama ATTN: Archives Branch Aerospace Studies Inst K243.6012-7
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE RETURN TO:
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, OHIO
REPLY TO
ATTN OF: TD-E
SUBJECT: Unidentified Aerial Phenomena
SMC
TO: TD-G (Colonel Carlisle)
Reference our letter to AFcIN-P, subject: "Project Blue Book (Uniden-
tified Flying Objects)," dated 20 April 1962, relating information concern-
ing the briefing on unidentified flying objects given to Mr. Edward R.
Trapnell, Assistant for Public Relations to the S Secretary of the Air Force.
2. Paragraph of the referenced letter expressed that in the opinion of
FTD the UFO program should be discontinued as a s special project and the
function absorbed by the Air Force in the conduct of its overall mission.
Investigating and evaluating UFO sightings should be the responsibility of
the Air Force facility nearest the scene of the incident. Attempts should
be made to determine the cause for all sightings, but the primary objective
would be directed toward determining the threat potential 01
3. Our opinion that the UFo program should discontinued as a special
project t is drawn from the following:
than as UFo sightings, report are made to other Air Force elements through
channels comple those spelled out reports.
c. Based on experience gained from handling thousands of cases, it is
believed that field organizations could determine the causes for approximately
75 percent of the cases and te the threat potential of them all.
d. I Due to the time element and familiarity with the local environment,
field organizations are often in a better position to determine the cause
for sightings, Ior slghtings, such as such as those which result from the misidentification of air- CmOSE w IILC entirlcaclo alr.
craft, balloons launched locally, etc., than is FTD with the present method craft, balloons launched locally, etc., than is FTD with the present method
of operation.
4. Some of the sightings which take place during a year require more sophis- Some of the sightings which take place during a year require more sophis-
ticated treatment than some field units are capable capable of giving; however, in
these instances the field unit should recognize the these instances the field unit should recognize the significance of the
sighting and notify some agency with a specialized specialized capability, e. g., the capability, e. g., the
1003
1003831

Smithsonian Institute, in the instance of suspected meteorite impacts. In
other r cases it should only be necessary for the field unit to collect the
data and forward it to some interested agency for analysis, e. g., radar
scope films to RADC.
5. Before the UFO program could be discontinued as a special project, the
public would have to be educated to accept this new philosophy. The follow-
ing information would have to be brought T attention:
a. The USAF's primary interest determine their threat
potential and/or military value
b. Positive determination of the causes for all sightings is desirable,
but to accomplish this would require extensive investigation and study of all
sightings, in placing an unnecessary strain on the Air Force's
budjet.
c. Probable causes for based on limited inforn be
accepted.
d. The Air Force should not be required to disprove the claims of inde-
pendent UFO organizations or investigators that sightings are due to inter-
planetary space vehicles. space vehicles.
6. If, contrary suggestion, the UFO as a
1 project, the offered as an alternate solution
a. The U
gence and assigned some 's scientific
ONR structure.
b. The project office be staffed with personnel who have the e proper
backgrounds to analyze the sightings, conduct
incidents, and to conduct an
c. public education program designed to allow discontinuance of the
program as a special project after a specified time period, a part of the
mission of the project office.
EDWARD H. WYNN. EDWARD H. WYNN →
Colonel, USAF J
Deputy for Science
and Components
L L
2
599
.

NEW USE FOR APPROVALS, DISAPPROVALS, ACTION
MEMO R ROUTING SLIP CONCURRENCES, OR SIMILAR ACTIONS
1 TO INITIALS CIRCULATE
TD-E DATE COORDINATION
the
2 FILE
Co/Wmm INFORMATION
3 NOTE AND RETURN
Lt.Gl Frnd PER CON-
VERSATION
4 SEE ME
SIGNATURE
REMARKS
1. 1. I pueter your alternate I
solotion
2. I have no objection to
using yeple using peple in the fild providee in the fild prorided
they are
from makinng releases po news
media.
RO
FROM DATE
PHONE
DD RT   95 1 Feb 50 which will be used until exhausted. Replaces DD Form 94, 1 Feb 50 and DD Form 95, GPO: 19600-568294
4

D
HEADQUARTERS MHHMHN
FOREIGN TECHNOLOGY DIVISION
AIR FORCE SYSTEMS COMMAND
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, OHIO
REPLY TO
ATTN OF: TD-E/Lt Col Friend
SUBJECT: Trip Report (UFO)
9 APR 1 1962
TO: TD-E (Colonel Wynn)
1. On 6 April 1962 Lt. Colonel Friend, TD-E, visited DOD to participate
in a briefing on the Air Force's unidentified aerial phenomena program for
Mr. Edward R. Trapnell, Assistant for Public Relations to the Secretary of
the Air Force. Also present were Dr. J. Allen Hynek, Project Consultant,
and Major C. R. Hart, SAFoI-3b. Trapnell requested this briefing
after his interest in the matter was whetted by a statement by Dr. Robert
Calkins, President of Brookings Institut The gist . Calkins' state-
ment was that it was unfortunate the Ai rce must suffer the bad publicity
associated with unidentified flying objects, with a suggestion that some
private agency might relieve the Air Fo he problem.
2. During the briefing Mr. Trapnell was informed of the origin of the pro-
gram, the Air Force method of handling it, conclusions s and recommendations
Ain
them. The foremost conclusion was
become available to the Air Force indicating that UFO's constitute a threat
to national security or are interplanetary vehicles bearing life or intelli-
gence of any sort. The outstanding recommendation was that definite steps
be taken to carry out the recommendations of the Robertson Committee; to
wit, that the UFO program be stripped of the aura of mystery and put into
its proper prospective and that a program designed to inform the public
regarding UFO's be instituted. In the eyes of the lay public anything
associated with intelligence assumes an air of great secrecy; therefore,
it wassuggested that the first step toward stripping UFO's of their cloak
of mystery would be to divorce the program from its connections with the
intelligence community.
3. Mr. Trapnell was amazed to learn that the UFO traffic today was three
times that of the early years of the program and observed that this could
grow into a life-time job unless headed off in some manner. He stated that
following a planned meeting following a planned meeting with with Mr. Zuckert, Secretary of the Air Force, Mr. Zuckert, Secretary
Dr. B. McMillian, SAFRD, Dr. B. McMillian, SAFRD, and and Dr. Calkins, one the following
actions might be taken.
a. The UFO program will be The UFO program will be transferred to some agency transferred to some agency s such as NASA,
NSF, or Smithsonian and pursued under an entirely different title such as title such as
Atmospheric Physics.

regarding the
handling of it in the past and make recommendations regarding its future,
i.e., disban th completely or handle it as outlined in A or B
above.
4.I Following his planned meeting g with Mr. Zuckert, Dr. McMillian, and Dr.
Calkins, Mr. Trapnell plans to visit FTD with Dr. Calkins for an informal
discussion prior to a decision regarding the UFo program. No date has been
set for this visit. Mr. Trapnell suggested that the UFo files be put into
order to allow tr the cor omplet ce at a moment's notice.
5. It is my opinion that 5. It is my opinion that it will it will prove very difficult, if difficult, if f not impossible, not impossible,
to transfer this this program to program to another agency because none agency because none of them want of them want to to
inherit the public relations problem inherit the I public relations problem that goes with it. that goes with it. The final solution The final solution
will probably be either to disband the project entirely and allow the Air
Force to absorb it in the normal course of its overall mission or to contract mission or to contract
it to some private organization, the contract being monitored by it to some private organization, the contract being monitored by some agency some agency
within the Air Force's scientific structure. within the Force's scientific structure.
M.Jriend
ROBERT J FRIEND
Lt. Colonel, USAF
2

in such a way it seems to are
on.
I have agreed to sit down with him some time and discuss the possibilities.
-
meantime, I would like to have your views meantime, I would like to have - views what might be done done constructively constructively
in this connection. in this connection.
EDWARD TRAPNELL
ASSt PUBLIC AFFAIRS
(MR
See Fnancin a precceccee
heuien

. OFFICIAL
FILE COPY
TD-E/Lt Col FrFiend/vw/69216
Project Blue Book (Unidentified Flying Objects)
20 APR 1962
Hq USAF
AFCIN-P
Wash 25 DC
1. On 6 April 1962 FTD participated in a briefing on the USAF unidentified .
flying objects project which was given to Mr. Edward R. Trapnell, Assistant
for Public Relations to the Secretary of the Air Force. This briefing was
requested by Mr. Trapnell, following g a casual conversation between him and
Dr. Robert Calkins of Brookings Research Institute where the latter made a
remark regarding how unfortunate it was that the Air Force was forced to
suffer the bad I publicity associated with unidentified flying objects.
2. During the briefing Mr. Trapnell was informed of the history of the pro-
gram, the Air Force's method lof handling the project, and the major problems
which have been encountered. He was also informed of the study conducted in
1953 by a panel of scientists headed by Dr. H. P. Robertson of California
Institute of Technology. This panel concluded that UFO's did not constitute
designed to educate the public and strip the aura of myetery from UFO's be
instituted. Mr. Trapnell was informed that our continued study I of UFO's
since 1953 had not revealed any evidence which would change the conclusion
of the Robertson Cormittee.
3. It was pointed out that a major step toward stripping the air of mystery
from UFO's would be accomplished if it were divorced from any association
with intelligence. Mr. Trapnell went a step further and stated that the pro-
gram was out of place with the Air Force, and indicated that he intends to
talk the matter over with Mr. Zuckert, Secretary of the Air with a
view toward accomplishing one of the f owing
a. Transfer of the UFO project agency such as NASA, NSF,
or the Smithsonian Institute and as study
atmospheric physies.
b.I b. Divorce Divorce the the project project from any association with from any association with intelligence intelligei and hire hire
a contractor to conduct the program progr under Air Force monitorship.
c. Contract a private organization to study the material study the material which which has been has been
accumulated to date and recomend recomend a course of action. This recomendation recommendation
could be to completely disban the could be to completely disban the program as a program as a special project project and allow it and allow it
to be absorbed by the Air Force in the conduct to be absorbed by the Air Force in the conduct of its overall mission; or a
modification of A modification of A or B above. B above.

NT
4. Mr. Trapenll plans to visit FTD prior to a final
course of action should be pursued. decision as to what
to get the UFo files in n an However, , he did inetruct FTD verbally
notice. order which would allow transfer
It is our intention to review all at a moment's
grading and declassifying as reports with a view toward down-
10 June 1960 with many as possible. The provisions AFR
changes 205-2, 1 March 1961, 205-1,
ary 196l will be adhere 12 Janu-
exercise.
5. The plans to transfer the UFO
or to contract it to some project to some government
for the following private organ agency
reasons: feasible
a. The Air Force would still be
tion of all reports burdened with handling the commmnica-
except the few which would be
agency or contractor by private citizens. mailed directly to the
b. Transfer of the program to
to convince 4. larger some agency such as NASA would
to earth by segment of the public that only serve
interplanetary space hicles. are due to visits
c. Contracting
Air Force the program would be many times more
Force of Force than the present method present method of operating of operating expensive to the
of the responsibility. The and would not relieve the Air not relieve the Air
tion under tion under contract public would public would still feel that an ore still feel
We have to the Air Force was directed to that an organiza-
experienced this on a smaller scale make certain statements.
J. Allen Hynek, resent regarding
orolec nsultant.
d. A contractor would serve
Air Force would principally an analyzing
cases. find it necessary restigate agency, and the
the majority of the
e. It would be necessary to
information such a as missile, satellite, and contractor with specialized
garding special programs and/or operations; balloon data; information 1 re-
tion to support their analysis effort. and other specialized informa-
f. Air Force personnel
the contract and pro-
6. It is the FTD opinion that
special 1 project and the the UFO program should be discontinued as a
conduct .0130S of its overall function absorbed i by the Air Force in the VLIS SEL
of the of the Air Force overall mission. mission. Each sighting Each sighting force in the normal normal
Air Force facility facility nearest nearest to the to g woald be the responsibility would be the responsibility
tigating unit would evaluate tigating unit would the scene scene of the of the incident.
if the object if the evaluate the occurrence with a The inves-
object is a potential is a potential the occurrence with a view toward determining threat view toward determining
the actual the actual cause of the cause of the t to national to national security.
importance. incident should be attempted but is Determination n of of
UFO reports UFO reports which originate only of secondary
contimue to processed in in the the as compliance with JANAP-146D should
menner outlined menner outlined in this direetive.
2