59_64634_711.5612[7-2852

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. ..                                                                     A.F.




                                                      July 28, 1952



       MElmRANDUU   \

       To:      Jir. A~rong


            Paul Nitze asked me what the Air Force thought about tLe flying
       saucers , and I susooct that the others would be interested. I recommend,
       therefore , vhat you pass on the gist of the attached at the ~orning
       meeting tonorrow. Samford gave it to me at the IAC .




                                          r .a ..




       Att.




                        DECLASSIFIED NND 852931

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..   . ...



                                                  July 28, 1952



             UE~.IORANDU?.'!

             Subject :     Flying Saucers


                  General Samford, 1 - 2, in response to my inquiry, said that there is
             very little that can be said to clarify the flying saucer business :
             It is still a complete enigma.

                  He did, hOivever, point out that phenomena falling ?athin the
             general description of flyin~ saucers have actually been known to exist
             and have been reported one way or another for over 100 years . The
             increase in observation and in reporting and publicity on the su~ject
             is probably attributable in the main to vastly inproved r.iethods of
             observation and reportin~, including not only radar but the reporting
             systems used bv civilian and military pilots . It is also attributable
             in some measure to the publicity which is given it, which takes on certain
             elements of a II fad . 11

                  There is no question, according to Samford, that "credible observers
             are reporting the incredible . 11 The radar observation may have elements
             of "electronic fluke , 11 but is sufficiently tied in with pilot observation
             so that it cannot be attributed entirely to this . The Air Force views
             the flying saucers as a threat only because they are not understood and        ~
             they are sufficientl; .:r.rtJquentas a phenomena to mean that they will give
             great attention to them until they understand them.

                  General Samford did not say anything about the possibility that they
             were man- made or controlled, friend or foe , but the whole implication of
             his remarks 1"1"as that this possibility was ~  emote~ not te be se?iotmfy
             considered.                                           tfM\. ,t




                                               F.H.




                               DECLASSIFIED NND 852931