Archive case record

DOW-UAP-D085_Transmission-of-CIA-Scientific-Advisory-Panel-Rept_1953

Date of account: 1953
Source: uap_archive
Record updated: 2026-10-10

Record summary

This file contains a copy of the CIA's 1953 "Report of the Scientific Panel on Unidentified Flying Objects" that was sent to the Secretary of Defense.

Published source text

Read the available text below. Archive transcriptions may contain OCR errors; later context is labelled separately. A recorded claim is not a finding that it happened.

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SECRETARY OF DEFENSE ROUTING SLIP (CIaSSified) FROM The Secretary of Defense MAR131953 00 TO INITIAL THE DEPUTY SECRETARY OF DEFENSE ASSISTANTXOTESECRETARY-OFDEFENSETSX) DIRECTOREXECUTIVE OFFICEOF THE-SECRETARY DIRECTOR,OFFICE OF FOREIGN MILITARY AFFAIRS DEPUTY-DIRECTOR:FEXECUTIVEOFFICEOFTHESEC DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF MILITARY ASSISTANCE SECRETARY OF ARMY DIRECTOR,TNORTH ATLANTIC TREATY AFFAIRS SECRETARY OF NAVY DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL POLICY SECRETARY-OF AIR-FORCE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE(Compt) CHAIRMAN,ARMED FORCES MEDICAL POLICY COUNCIL ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSEI(MP) CHAIRMAN,DEFENSE MANAGEMENTCOMMITTEE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF-DEFENSE(LLA) DIRECTOROFFICEOF PUBLIC INFORMATION CHAIRMAN,JOINT CHIEFS.OF-STAFE DIRECTORMILITARYTRAFFICSERVICE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION CHAIRMANMUNITIONS BOARD DIRECTOR,OFFICE OF GUIDED MISSILES CHAIRMAN,RESEARCH.AND DEVELOPMENT BOARD CHAIRMANMILITARY LIAISON CDMMITTEEA.E-C. FOR FOR PREPARATION OF REPLYFOR-SECRETARY OF INFORMATION AND RETENTION DEFENSE SIGNATURE INFORMATION AND RETURN FOR SECRETARY OF DEFEHSE APPROPRIATE ACTION PLEASE REPLY DIRECT FOR SEC. OF DEFENSE COPy reply to be fogwarded toSec.of Defense Files) COMMENT AND/OR RECOMMENDATION PLEASE FURNISH DATA ON WHICHTO BASEIA REPLY NOTE AND FORWARD FROM DATE RECEIVED CJA (Richard D Drain Seo Intelligence Advisory 17 arch 1953 10 NUMBER COPIES Sec/Wer ORIGINAL CARBON OTHER DATE SHORT TITLE 13-Mar 53 Ltr susvecr4Report preparedby a ranel of Scientists on IMCLOSURES RECEIYED the Subject of #unldentiried Flyimg Objects lleport, of. the Scientifie Par coMuenT (ELying Saucers) on Unidentitied I1ying Objects BECLASSIFIED WP823015T ARs,t575 urmapeas tuneb DUE IN CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL SECTION, CONTROL NUMBER 02610 EXECUTIVE OFFICE, OSD None SD.32 PREVIOUS EDITIONS See reverse side of this form 3/689 QFTHIS FORM ARE for instructions on handling DBSOLETE attachedmaterial. N3/a12 CONTROL NUMBER CVAZCONTROLNUMBER RECEIVED HERE RECEIVED 02610 DATE DATE CONTROL.NUMBER HERE RECEIVED DATE NW 91372 Dodld34748472 Page 2

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Doeld:34748472 Page 3 NW 91372 1.May be sent byregistered mail if delivered to clas- SECRET AND CONPIDENTIAL 2.May be handled only by authorized personnel 1.Do not send through the mail. TOP SECRET 4.Do not release without receipt. 2.May be bandled only by specifically authorized per- 1. Do not send through the mail. COSMIC MATERIAL tion, Bxecutive Office of sified the OSD Sub-Registry or to any office outside of any office other than the one to which routed from Group, Deliver to OsD Sub-Registry, sonnel. Records Group, Correspondence Control Sec- Correspondence Control the Secretary of Defense. the Secretary. Section, Classified Records transmitted to Bxecutive INSTRUCTIONS TO RECIPIENTS 2. 1.Do not release without receipt. GENBRAL (Top Secret, Secret and Confidential) Return this Routing Donot pondence Control Section. When transferring this Routing Slip to another per- copies and inclosures if other than file in Corres- Secretary of Defense. Deliver to Classified Records Group, possible for file. to the Correspondence Control Section as soon as Control Section or one of his representatives. Head, ofthe Indicate in Comment Section the disposition of all charge out. dence Control Section for appropriate change in this form and return the receipt to on one of the receipts provided at the Correspondence Control son or office within OSD, if to be transmitted outside of the Office of the Control Records and Reference Unit, Correspondence attached material without authority of the Bxecutive Office of the Secretary, Slip and the attached material Section, without going through the obtain the Correspon- Correspondence C58063 asignature bottomof

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OEADET Security Information CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY WASHINGTON 25,D.C. 13 March 1953 The Honorable The Secretary of Defense Department of Defense Washington 25, D. C. Dear Mr. Secretary: The Director of Central Intelligence has asked that you be panel was convened at the direction of General Smith, folloving the recommendation of the Intelligence Advisory Committee. The conclusions and recommendations may be of interest to you, in that they point out certain potential dangers to national security which are related to the subject and suggest ways of their elimination. sightings of"flying saucers" primarily its concern, ve shall be pleased to assist in any appropriate action that you may deem ad- visable. Aederne inil le om Copies of this report are also being sent to the Seeretary of Defonse and to the Chairman, National Security Resources Board. Sincerely yours, Rila△D RICHARD D.DRAIN Secretary Intelligence.Advisory Committee Enclosure DECLASSIFIED NND823015 This material contains Information aftecllng the ational defenso-ot tho Uned Statos with themoaning t ths caionago faws, Yitle 18, use, Soss.783 and 194, and transmission -SEORET ot revelalton ot which in aay mannor to an unautborized parson is prohibited b Security Information ew. Soobet Cont. No.D2e NW.91372 Doeld:34748472 Page 4

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1953MAR17M1008 NW 91372 Dodd:34748472 Page

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COPX RPORDOTEB SOIENTIFIOPANSL ON MAR13195 UNIDRNI#IED FLYIO OBJOTS an171953 Purauant to the reouoot of the Asalatant Director for Sclentitic Intelligence, thn underoigned Panel of Scientific Conultants has met to evaluate nny poseible threat to national seourity poned by Unidontified Mlying Objects (glying Bancers"), and to make recommendations thereon. Tne Panel has rocelvod the evidence sa presented by cognizant iatelli- reviewod a selection of ths best documented incidents. 2Asresnlt of its comideretion,the Penel onclnde: a.That the evidence preaentod on Unidentiried Fiying Objecte shcys ao lndieation that these phenomena conetituto adirect plysienl threat to nntlonal socurlty We firmly bellove that there 1o no residuum of caoes waicn indicatee phenomena which are attributable to forelcn artifacts capable of hostile acta, and that thore la no ovidonce thut the phenomenn indicato a noad ror the ruviaiom of current aciantifio concepta. 3.Tae Panel further conclndan: thene phemomena doos, ln theso parlousi timea, reault ia a of tho body politic. We cite as examples tho clogging of channelo of comunication by lrrelevan DECLASSIFIEO 1080261 NW 91372 Doddh:34748472 Page 6

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indicatlona of hogtilo action, and the oultivation of a morbid national paycholog in which alillful hostile propaganda oould 1nduce hyaterical bohavlor and harmfnl diatrust of duly oonatituted mthority. 4. In order moet effaotively to atrengthen the national facilitieo of hostile action, an to minimino the concomitant dsngora alludea to abova,the Panel reecmmonda: s. Tnat the natlonal security agonolos tnke imnodiate steps to strip she Unidontiriod Flying Objocta of the spocial #tatus they have been given and the aura uf myntory they hnve wnfortunately aoqulred: b. Thst the national aecurity agenoiop instituto policiee on intelligance, treining. end publio education deaignad to prepare tho material defonaen nnd the morale of tao country to recocnlre most pronptly and to reaet mont effectively to true lndicatioum or hestile intent or ection. We sugcout that thess ains #ay be achieved by an iutogratad program designed to reansure thg public of the totai lbck of ovidenoe of inimlcal forcos behind tha phenonena, to train personnel to recognize and reject false indioatiana quickly and effectivaly. and to strengthen rogular channola for tho evaluation of and prompt reaetion to true lnalcatious of hoatile meaanree In/Lod .Bermer //RBoberton OhnLrmar GallforniaLnatituteofTechnolou /8A0ondnit /LulaAlara Univeralty of Oalifornla /a/Thornton Pare FW.91372 Docdld:.34748472 Page 7

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