59_64634_711.5612[7-2852

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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