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SECRE

MHORANDUM

To: Mr. Armstrong

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

F.H.

Att.

Autore greatly at launch 5th floor

Paul asked me about 100

have given the quote I was

to Paul, Doc, Hustland, Hillall.

SECRET

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MEMORANDUM

Subject: Flying Saucers

General Samford, A-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, however, point out that phenomena falling within the general description of flying 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 subject is probably attributable in the main to vastly improved methods of observation and reporting, including not only radar but the reporting systems used by 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 "fad."

There is no question, according to Samford, that "credible observers are reporting the incredible." The radar observation may have elements of "electronic fluke," 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 sufficiently frequent as 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 was that this possibility was not to be seriously considered.

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