138 lines
7.1 KiB
Plaintext
138 lines
7.1 KiB
Plaintext
SUBJECT: THE PENTACLE MEMO FILE: UFO2751
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T h e P e n t a c l e M e m o
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SECRET
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SECURITY INFORMATION
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G-1579-4
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cc: B. D. Thomas
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H. C. Cross/A. D. Westerman
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L. R. Jackson
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W. T. Reid
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P. J. Rieppal
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V. W. Ellsey/R. J. Lund January 9, 1953
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Files
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Extra [this was handwritten]
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Mr. Miles E. Coll
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Box 9575
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Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
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Attention Capt. Edward J. Ruppelt
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Dear Mr. Coll:
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This letter concerns a preliminary recommendation to ATIC on future
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methods of handling the problem of unidentified aerial objects. This
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recommendation is based on our experience to date in analyzing several
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thousands of reports on this subject. We regard the recommendation as
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preliminary because our analysis is not yet complete, and we are not
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able to document it where we feel it should be supported by facts from
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the analysis.
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We are making this recommendation prematurely because of a CIA-
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sponsored meeting of a scientific panel, meeting in Washington, D.C.,
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January 14, 15, and 16, 1953, to consider the problem of "flying
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saucers". The CIA-sponsored meeting is being held subsequent to a
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meeting of CIA, ATIC, and our representatives held at ATIC on December
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12, 1952. At the December 12 meeting our representatives strongly
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recommended that a scientific panel not be set up until the results of
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our analysis of the sighting-reports collected by ATIC were available.
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Since a meeting of the panel is now definately scheduled we feel that
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agreement between Project Stork and ATIC should be reached as to what
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can and what cannot be discussed at the meeting in Washington on
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January 14-16 concerning our preliminary recommendation to ATIC.
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Experience to date on our study of unidentified flying objects shows
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that there is a distinct lack of reliable data with which to work. Even
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the best-documented reports are frequently lacking in critical
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information that makes it impossible to arrive at a possible
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identification, i.e. even in a well-documented report there is always
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an element of doubt about the data, either because the observer had no
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means of getting the required data, or was not prepared to utilize the
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means at his disposal. Therefore, we recommend that a controlled
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experiment be set up by which reliable physical data can be obtained. A
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tentative preliminary plan by which the experiment could be designed
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and carried out is discussed in the following paragraphs.
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Based on our experience so far, it is expected that certain
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conclusions will be reached as a result of our analysis which will make
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obvious the need for an effort to obtain reliable data from competent
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observers using the [... unreadable...] necessary equipment. Until more
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reliable data are available, no positive answers to the problem will be
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possible.
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Mr. Miles E. Coll -2- January 9, 1953
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We expect that our analysis will show that certain areas in the
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United States have had an abnormally high number of reported incidents
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of unidentified flying objects. Assuming that, from our analysis,
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several definite areas productive of reports can be selected, we
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recommend that one or two of theses areas be set up as experimental
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areas. This area, or areas, should have observation posts with complete
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visual skywatch, with radar and photographic coverage, plus all other
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instruments necessary or helpful in obtaining positive and reliable
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data on everything in the air over the area. A very complete record of
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the weather should also be kept during the time of the experiment.
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Coverage should be so complete that any object in the air could be
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tracked, and information as to its altitude, velocity, size, shape,
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color, time of day, etc. could be recorded. All balloon releases or
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known balloon paths, aircraft flights, and flights of rockets in the
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test area should be known to those in charge of the experiment. Many
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different types of aerial activity should be secretly and purposefully
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scheduled within the area.
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We recognize that this proposed experiment would amount to a large-
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scale military maneuver, or operation, and that it would require
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extensive preparation and fine coordination, plus maximum security.
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Although it would be a major operation, and expensive, there are many
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extra benefits to be derived besides the data on unidentified aerial
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objects.
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The question of just what would be accomplished by the proposed
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experiment occurs. Just how could the problem of these unidentified
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objects be solved? From this test area, during the time of the
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experiment, it can be assumed that there would be a steady flow of
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reports from ordinary civilian observers, in addition to those by
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military or other official observers. It should be possible by such a
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controlled experiment to prove the identity of all objects reported, or
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to determine p[ositively that there were objects present of unknown
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identity. Any hoaxes under a set-up such as this could almost certainly
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be exposed, perhaps not pubically, but at least to the military.
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In addition, by having resulting data from the controlled experiment,
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reports for the last five years could be re-evaluated, in the light of
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similar but positive information. This should make possible reasonably
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certain conclusions concerning the importance of the problem of "flying
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saucers".
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Results of an experiment such as described could assist the Air Force
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to determine how much attention to pay to future situations when, as in
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the past summer, there were thousands of sightings reported. In the
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future, then, the Air Force should be able to make positive statements,
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reassuring to the public, and to the effect that everything is well
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under control.
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Very truly yours,
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[unsigned]
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H. C. Cross
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HCC:??
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**********************************************
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* THE U.F.O. BBS - http://www.ufobbs.com/ufo *
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********************************************** |