1952 Chadwell / Bedell-Smith CIA UFO Memo

The next time anyone - whether they are civilian, military or even a White House spokesperson - parrots the 'official' "No such objects - popularly referred to as "UFOs" - have flown through United States air space." bull puckey... just show them THIS:

(Excerpt from a 1952 internal CIA memo written by Mr. H.Marshall Chadwell, CIA Director of Scientific Intelligence to the then CIA Director, Walter Bedell-Smith. Subject: “Unidentified Flying Objects”. This memo was a direct result of the 1952 flood of UFO sightings across the United States, which included the widely-reported Washington D.C.. Capitol sightings.)

"(…) At this time the reports of incidents convince us that there is something going on that must have immediate attention. (…) Sightings of unexplained objects at great altitudes and traveling at high speeds in the vicinity of major US defense installations are of such nature that they are not attributable to natural phenomena or known types of aerial vehicles." 1952 Chadwell / Bedell-Smith CIA UFO Memo

(Very) Local SETI: The Launch Of A New UFO Science By Leslie Kean

Hey Seth Shostak/SETI:

The Search For Extraterrestrial Intelligence Begins At Home!

courtesy Massimo Teodorani, UFODATA

Here's a link to a great article on the launch of UFODATA from author/UFO skeptic Leslie Kean on The Huffington Post:

(Very) Local SETI: The Launch of a New UFO Science

The Newly Announced UFODATA Project: Rigorous, Scientific UFO/UAP/AAP Detection and Tracking

(Finally!  If we can figure out what, exactly, comprises genuine UFO/UAP/AAP Phenomena...

Then, we can figure out / rule out where it might come from!)

The UFODATA Project was founded by a group of scientists in order "... to create a systematic, rigorous science of UFO phenomena.

Such a science is needed because of misplaced certainties on both sides of the UFO debate:

“Believers” who are convinced that UFOs are extraterrestrials, and “Skeptics” who are equally convinced that UFOs do not even exist.

Our own view is that humanity knows very little about the true nature of unexplained UFO reports, and that the only way to resolve this lack of understanding is through serious scientific study.

This is now possible for the first time in the history of UFO research as a result of an unprecedented convergence of high resolution digital camera technologies, off-the shelf scientific instrumentation, powerful low-cost computing platforms, and ubiquitous high-speed internet access."

(*Psssst!  UFODATA is looking for qualified volunteers!  Experienced scientists, engineers, researchers, legal, data analysis, fundraising, etc. interested in pursuing the science of anomalous aerial phenomena may apply here.)

UFODATA Project

If The U.S. Air Force Stopped Investigating UFOs in 1969, Then, What The Heck Is This...?

From 1947 until 1969, the United States Air Force was involved in the investigation of Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) under Project Blue Book (Initially called Project Sign, then Project Grudge).  Blue Book was headquartered at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio.  It was terminated on December 17, 1969.  Out of 12,618 sightings reported to Project Blue Book a total of 701 cases remained "unidentified".

The conclusions of Project Blue Book are as follows: "(1) no UFO reported, investigated, and evaluated by the Air Force has ever given any indication of threat to our national security; (2) there has been no evidence submitted to or discovered by the Air Force that sightings categorized as "unidentified" represent technological developments or principles beyond the range of present-day scientific knowledge; and (3) there has been no evidence indicating that sightings categorized as "unidentified" are extraterrestrial vehicles."

The Air Force's statement goes on to say: "Since Project BLUE BOOK was closed, nothing has happened to indicate that the Air Force ought to resume investigating UFOS."

If the above official Air Force Statement is true, then...
Why did the following excerpt from Air Force Instruction 10-206 include instructions on how to report an unidentified flying object?

And, then... why did this entire section of Air Force Instruction 10-206 disappear from the Instruction Manual after The Huffington Post made an inquiry to the Air Force as to what these specific instructions meant?

Curiouser and curiouser...

(The complete Air Force Instruction 10-206 is available from The Black Vault at: http://www.theblackvault.com/documents/ufos/AFI10-206.pdf

"BY ORDER OF THE 
SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE
AIR FORCE INSTRUCTION 10-206
15 OCTOBER 2008
Operations

OPERATIONAL REPORTING

COMPLIANCE WITH THIS PUBLICATION IS MANDATORY

ACCESSIBILITY: Publications and forms are available on the e-Publishing website at
www.e-Publishing.af.mil for downloading or ordering. 

RELEASABILITY: There are no releasability restrictions on this publication.  (Not until 20011, apparently.)

OPR: AF/A3O-AOA
Certified by: AF/A3O (Brig Gen Lyn D. Sherlock)
Supersedes: AFI10-206, 4 October 2004 

EVENT OR INCIDENT:
Vital Intelligence Sightings

SUBMIT REPORT WHEN (DESCRIPTION):
Any/all unidentifiable,
suspicious, or hostile
traffic (land,
aerospace, or sea)
which, because of its
nature, course, or
actions, may constitute
a threat to the security
of the US or Canada.
Includes reports
received from airborne
platforms.

5.6.3. Report the following specific sightings:
5.6.3.1. Hostile or unidentified aircraft, which appears directed against the United States,
Canada, or their forces.
5.6.3.2. Missiles.
5.6.3.3. Unidentified flying objects.
5.6.3.4. Hostile or unidentified military surface vessels or submarines.
5.6.3.5. Any other individual surface vessels, submarines, or aircraft of unconventional design
engaged in suspicious activity, observed in an unusual location, or on a course, which may
threaten the United States, Canada, or their forces.
5.6.3.6. Any unexplained or unusual activity, which may indicate a possible attack against or
through Canada or the United States (includes the presence of any unidentified or suspicious
ground parties in remote or sparsely populated areas, including the polar region).
5.6.3.7. Unlisted airfields, facilities, weather stations, or air navigation aids.
5.6.4. Make every effort to document sightings with as many photographs as possible. Send undeveloped film or prints and negatives, with a brief written report and other identifying information to the Director of Naval Intelligence, Department of the Navy, Washington, DC 20305. The Department of the Navy will process the film and return one copy of each print and a roll of new film to the individual. 
5.6.5. Use Figure 5.1. to gather and report specific sighting details. 

Figure 5.1. Communications Instructions Reporting Vital Intelligence Sightings (CIRVIS).
GUIDE FOR CIRVIS REPORTING
The CIRVIS report is a narrative report explaining the sighting. A specific format is not required.  Provide as much specific detail as possible to aid decision makers in responding to the sighting.  Include the following information, if possible, along with any other information, which may be significant:
1. CIRVIS report identification.
2. Identification of the object sighted.
a. For identifiable objects, include number and identification of the aircraft, vessel, missile, or
individuals seen.
b. For unidentifiable objects, give a description including shape, size (compared to a known object e.g., pea, silver dollar, baseball, basketball, fighter aircraft, or C-5), number and formation, any discernible features or details (e.g., color, trail or exhaust, sound).
c. Include any observed identification (e.g., insignia, lettering, flags).
3. The position of the object. Include the date and time (GMT) of the sighting. This can be indicated by any of the following methods:
a. Latitude and longitude.
b. Over a radio fix.
c. True bearing and distance from a radio fix.
d. Over a well-known or well-defined geographic point.
4. Description of the course of the object:
a. Altitude.
b. Direction of travel.
c. Speed.
d. Description of flight path and maneuvers.
e. What first called attention to the object?
f. Angle or elevation and azimuth when first observed.
g. How long was the object visible?
h. Angle or elevation and azimuth upon disappearance.
i. How did the object disappear?
5. Manner of observation.
a. State how observed: ground-visual, ground-electronic, air-visual, and air-electronic. (If electronic, specify system).
b. Were optical aids (telescope, binoculars, etc.) used?
6. Conditions when sighting the object.
a. Location of observer. (Use latitude/longitude, a named geographic landmark, or other logical references.) If the sighting is made while airborne, include type of aircraft, identification number, altitude, heading, speed, and home station.
b. Light conditions (use one of the following terms: night, day, dawn, dusk).
c. Weather conditions (ceiling, visibility, clouds, thunderstorms, temperature, winds, etc.).
7. Interception or identification actions taken (if feasible, complying with existing directives).
8. Location, approximate altitude, and general direction of flight of any air traffic or balloon releases in the area, which could possibly account for the sighting.
9. Preliminary analysis of the possible cause of the sightings.
10. Existence of physical evidence, such as materials and photographs.
11. Name, organization, and means of contacting the reporting individual. 

TYPE REPORT:
3.2.1. PINNACLE (OPREP-3P). This message is used by any unit to provide the National
Military Command Center (NMCC) and, as appropriate, combatant commands and services with immediate notification of any incident or event where national-level interest is indicated. The general OPREP-3P report is used for situations that do not require reporting via other OPREP-3P reports listed in subparagraphs 3.2.2. through 3.2.9. This report is not restricted to operational information. Any inadvertent, accidental, unauthorized, or unexpected event or incident will be reported if it:
3.2.1.1. Generates a higher level of military action.
3.2.1.2. Causes a national reaction.
3.2.1.3. Affects international relationships.
3.2.1.4. Is clearly against the national interest.
3.2.1.5. Affects current national policy.
3.2.1.6. Involves unidentified objects detected by a missile warning system

MINIMUM ESSENTIAL ADDRESSES (These numbers correspond to all of the officials and/or departments the report must be sent to):
1, 2, 4, 9, 15, 20,
23, 24, 38, 56,
60, 61, 65 "

The U.K.'s Roswell: Crash at Aberystwyth / UFO Debris Retrieved (Video)

This is a fascinating documentary of a UFO crash retrieval case that I hadn't heard of before seeing this video.

"In January 1983, the sleepy Welsh village of Llanilar near Aberystwyth was buzzed by a strange craft, which hit trees, scattered shiny metal debris over four fields and flew off apparently unaffected."

This documentary is noteworthy because it presents some of the unusual pieces of debris recovered from tree branches on the site.

Also, it's made significantly more intriguing due to the fact that the M.O.D. - after gathering all the debris from ground level - returned with the Forest Service shortly afterwards and completely removed the forest at the site which included trees that had been damaged by the craft as it crashed through. They claimed they removed it due to "wind damage", although the Forest Service had never removed a forest for that reason prior to this incident.

Enjoy!

Unexplained Sightings Met With Denial / Aviation Safety Neglected

Many people, upon hearing of a reported UFO, laugh it off: "Ha ha! Little, green men.", and the like.

But... Did You Know?:
"In the 1950's, pilots and crew reported seeing flying discs, cigar-shaped craft with portholes... all with extraordinary technical capabilities.  Documents show the unexplained objects were considered a national security concern.  By order of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, commercial pilots were required to report sightings and the unauthorized release of a UFO report could cost them ten years in prison or a $10,000 fine."

And yet... despite the fact that, even today, commercial pilots and crew are continuing to observe these objects - with some of them experiencing 'near-misses' and/or having electronics/communication affected by close proximity to the objects:  "The vast majority of sightings by American pilots are still not reported. The media perpetuates the censorship and ridicule, handicapping the collection of valuable data."

"In contrast, other countries are openly investigating the impact of UAP ("Unidentified Aerial Phenomena") on aviation safety."

Screw the U.S. government's/military brass' discomfort with honesty/disclosure.

Dr. Richard F. Haines' (former NASA chief and Raytheon scientist) study "Aviation Safety in America - A Previously Neglected Factor" (with over 100 pilot/crew reports of encounters) has already proven (back in 2000) that unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) are a well-documented aviation safety issue.

(Source: This remarkable article by investigative journalist/author, Leslie Kean.)

Unexplained Sightings Met With Denial - Leslie Kean