by Dan Wright
Yes, that Bermuda Triangle.
Chapter 8
1955: The Ham Radio Flap
The previous year had been as busy in western and northern Europe, plus parts of Africa, as it was quiet in the United States. CIA analysts were left to wonder whether the so-called delusions and hallucinations afflicting the American populace in 1952 and beyond had somehow moved into the collective subconscious across the Atlantic.
In a brief February 25, 1955, memorandum the deputy chief of OSI's support staff notified the contact division chief in the Office of Operations (OO). Someone (redacted) had acquired a wire recording of an electrical transmission of unknown origin. An attachment (not shown) explained details of the acquisition. It was requested that OO obtain the recording for investigation by the OSI Physics and Electronics (P&E) Division.1
In the first week of March, OSI's contact division chief followed up on the support staff's appeal for further information on the suspicious recording. The chief wrote to the Agency's Chicago office, asking to take possession of, or at least borrow, the program recording, which contained an unidentified code.2
Two weeks later, the contact division chief in OSI responded to someone in OSI—the Support Staff Office or other (addressee illegible). Apparently, the undefined message had been heard and recorded by a ham radio operator in metropolitan Chicago who alleged it was a “message from outer space.” The recording was now received. The chief added that other Chicago-area ham radio operators claimed similar communications; those could be tracked down.3
On April 6, the chief of the P&E Division threw a bucket of cold water on the mystery of the ham radio recording. In his memo to the Office of Operations, the P&E manager related that the tape recording forwarded earlier was familiar. It “has been analyzed and positively identified as a known signal of US origin.”4 But that resolution would not be the end of the matter—not by a long shot. A tempest was brewing in this teapot.
Battelle's Input
On May 5, 1955, the Air Force released Special Report No. 14, “Analysis of Reports of Unidentified Aerial Objects” (Project No. 10073; Study No. 102-EL-55/2-79).5 Readers might wonder, whatever happened to the special reports numbered 1–13. Those remained classified.
Special Report No. 14 was prepared for the Air Force by the Battelle Memorial Institute, which in the 21st century bills itself as a “global research and development organization committed to science and technology for the greater good.”6 It was and is located in Columbus, Ohio.
Battelle researchers gave attention—from, no doubt, dismissive glances to serious appraisal—to “a number of reports considered large enough for a preliminary statistical analysis, approximately 4,000 reports.”7 Those emanated largely from the general public but also trained observers such as police and airport personnel. However keen the individual's awareness, though, from Battelle's perspective the mere observation of a UFO without something physical as evidence merited nothing.
As part of its summary, Battelle stated: “In general, the original data upon which this study was based consisted of impressions and interpretations of apparently unexplained events, and seldom contained reliable measurements of physical attributes.”8 Shades of the January 1953 Robertson Panel Report.
The special report's authors claimed to have made “(1) a systematic attempt to ferret out any distinguishing characteristics inherent in the data or any of their segments, (2) a concentrated study of any trends or patterns found, and (3) an attempt to determine the probability that any of the UNKNOWNS represent observations of a class, or classes, of ‘flying saucers.’”9
The report went on about its thoroughness and fairness before wrapping it up:
An attempt to determine the probability that any of the UNKNOWNS represent observations of a class, or classes, of “flying saucers” necessitated a thorough re-examination and re-evaluation of cases of objects not originally identified; this led to the conclusion that the probability was very small.
Therefore, on the basis of this evaluation of the information, it is considered to be highly improbable that reports of unidentified aerial objects examined in this study represent observations of technological developments outside of the range of present-day scientific knowledge . . . [T]here was a complete lack of any valid evidence consisting of physical matter in any case of a reported unidentified aerial object.10
All rhetoric aside, the report went on to reveal in all its marvelous detail that, statistically, those hard-to-dismiss cases still listed as “unknowns” (multiple credible witnesses, some in close proximity to the source) constituted three percent of the cases: around 120 incidents from 1947 through 1954. When all the cases Battelle reasoned had “insufficient evidence” were included, the total unidentified rose to 21 percent.11
Note: Later that year, former Project Blue Book director Captain Edward Ruppelt commented: “This is not a good study . . . I saw the unpublished draft and had written it off as worthless.”12
On July 12, 1955, the P&E chief notified the acting assistant director of OSI of a preliminary report from Pepperrell AFB, Newfoundland (not shown). The pilot of a tanker aircraft in flight (exact date not stated) observed an unknown that was simultaneously tracked by the base's radar. The pilot radioed the intruder's repeated changes of direction, which corresponded with what the radar screen in the tower was showing. The anomaly remained on radar for 49 minutes.13
OSI's assistant director two years before, on May 27, 1953, had designated the P&E Division as the keeper of the UFO flame, as it were. A July 3 reply by its chief, Todos Odarenko, outlined those responsibilities as he foresaw them:
In that the project had been deactivated, further incoming reports would be reviewed only periodically.
Material not identified as a known source was to be filed—unless of immediate national security interest.
The three OSI division chiefs further clarified those duties on June 14, 1954. Case review and filing activities used between 10 and 25 analyst hours per month, plus half of that in clerical time.
Odarenko now requested that P&E be relieved of the tasks since no information of intelligence value had been derived. The project did not fall under the Critical National Intelligence Objectives, while meeting fiscal year 1956 data production quotas in other pursuits necessitated ending nonessential activities. Consequently, this project would be terminated and the files placed in dead storage.14
While awaiting the okay from above to abandon the UFO files, the next day, August 9, 1955, an Information Report was received at P&E. It carried forward an account from 1953 that originated in the Soviet city of Shakhty, a coal-mining town at a spur of the Donetsk Mountains in southwestern Russia. On a warm night in August (the 12th or 13th) at a work camp near Rostov, three objects were seen at a distance—all moving southeast to northwest. The first was spotted at 9:45 p.m., the second an hour later, and the third after another hour. No sound was heard from the unknowns. Each was described as exhibiting “a fiery gleam in a reddish color which was similar to that of planet Mars. It looked like a comet or shooting star.” Afterward, the camp workers disagreed as to the true nature of the three; some believed they were rockets, though no detonation was heard.15
OSI's Assistant Director, Herbert Scoville Jr., sent a Memorandum to the Director of Central Intelligence on September 4 (typeface deteriorated and mostly illegible). Scoville mentioned Project “Y,” an effort underway by Avro Aircraft Ltd. to build a replica saucer. The Air Force supported the project.16
On the same day, AD/SI Scoville wrote for the record a narrative of an interview with one of four travel companions aboard a moving train outside Baku, Azerbaijan, on September 4, 1955. Whereas three mates believed they had witnessed a “flying saucer” take off two miles or so in the distance, describing its glow as it rose, the fourth had a different take on the incident:
The size of the object was comparable to that of a jet fighter, with a squat shape and in the form of an equilateral triangle. There were thre
e lights on the object, one on each point of the triangle, presumably two wing lights and a taillight. As we watched, it was ejected from its launching site, making not less than three and not more than seven fast spirals, after which it climbed extremely fast at about a 45 degree angle.
He concluded that he had seen the launch of a triangular-shaped rocket.17
A month later, on October 4, CIA Director Allen Dulles responded to Congressman Gordon Scherer, who had written to the Agency on behalf of a constituent. The latter wished to pursue mail fraud charges in connection with George Adamski's book, Inside the Space Ships. Dulles explained that the Agency had no jurisdiction in the matter. He suggested that the complainant contact the Department of Defense or the National Science Foundation, either of which would presumably be better suited to the matter.18
Wilton E. Lexow, Chief of the OSI Applied Science Division—the latest archive for UFO-related documents—penned a Memorandum for Information on the subject on October 19. The chief concluded that recent sighting reports related to an old Nazi-founded saucer-building program that had since been adopted by the Soviets. Lexow's thoughts crossed seven topics:
The objects reportedly sighted were similar in description to the (disc-shaped) vehicle, still in design stage, conceived by Avro Aircraft Ltd., a British-Canadian firm under contract with the US Air Force to build a flying saucer. That effort was codenamed Project “Y.”
The most recent of several Avro design studies called for specific targets: Circular wing 30 feet in diameter and 1.1 foot thick
Top speed of Mach 3
Rate of climb of 120,000 feet per minute
Ceiling of 102,000 feet
Range of 700 nautical miles
The Air Force had committed $800,000 to wind-tunnel testing of the Avro vehicle.
Project “Y” was directed by John Frost. John Carver Meadows “Jack” Frost was a pioneering British aircraft designer whose seminal work included British and Canadian jet fighters capable of supersonic speeds.19
“Since two objects were reportedly seen in operation at one time in an area where it is most unlikely that experimental flying would be conducted, it is likely that these objects were in service. This would indicate very rapid progress in this development for the Soviets. It does, however seem inconsistent that the Soviets, if they have such an object in service, would continue their large development and production programs on conventional type aircraft.”
ASD had been on the alert for information that the Soviets were working on such a project. Prior to the recent (redacted) observation, no such information had been forthcoming.
More information was needed to evaluate the sighting report. The Air Force would have technically competent people question the reporting party.20
The next day, OSI Assistant Director Herbert Scoville sent a memorandum to CIA Director Allen Dulles. Having interviewed three of the four observers in an alleged “flying saucer” event, “there still remains nothing to confirm the existence of these or other particularly unconventional type aircraft.” The objects observed were very likely normal jet aircraft. At best, Scoville noted, whatever was observed had a “high rate of climb.” He was clearly suspicious of the motives of one individual. “Since (redacted) seems to have been the prime mover in sending the original dispatch and ascribing so much confidence to the observation of these saucers, it is imperative that he be interviewed alone.”21
On October 31, 1955, Scoville communicated via memo with OSI Director Chadwell. After the debriefing was finished, Scoville recounted the stories by four travel companions aboard a train in Soviet-controlled Azerbaijan on the 4th of September. A particular paragraph in the communiqué by one of the train passengers appeared to be the key to resolving the matter: “I wish to emphasize that this was no ordinary takeoff but a launching procedure more like a missile ejection.
“Our companion from next door reported that this was the second launching in rapid succession.” That statement clearly indicated that a conventional vehicle was observed.22
The final UFO-related dispatch of 1955 was again by Herbert Scoville. On November 10 the assistant director wrote to a redacted party about guided missiles observed in Afghanistan. OSI was unable to compare those unknowns with other flying saucer reports, but the staff would have a great interest in any debris found after a landing. An attached Kabul news article stated the Soviets were testing a revolutionary bottle-shaped craft that issued flames and traveled through a corridor of Afghan land.23
While you were away from your desk . . .
January 1, 1955
On New Year's Day over Cochise, New Mexico, at 6:44 a.m. a US Air Force instructor and student pilot in a TB-25 bomber-trainer were paced for 5–7 minutes by a metallic disc-shaped object, 120–130 feet in diameter. The intruder at one point flipped on edge without changing its path. Eventually it flew away into the pre-dawn darkness. The incident was left unidentified in the case files of the Air Force's Project Blue Book.24
February 2, 1955
At the Miramar Naval Air Station, California, a Navy commander noticed a highly polished, reddish-brown sphere in the sky at 11:50 a.m. The orb began a descent, then instantly accelerated to a velocity estimated by the commander as 1,000–1,500 mph. His report on the incident was left unidentified by USAF Project Blue Book.25
April 8, 1955
At 9:30 a.m. four adults in a neighborhood of Rockford, Illinois, observed a UFO and phoned authorities. Soon three jet fighters arrived. At this point the witnesses saw a small disc emerge from the “parent” vehicle and ascend out of sight. The jets then fired on the larger unknown, which exploded. Afterward, the witnesses reported that Air Force personnel had contacted them, warning them to say nothing about what they had observed. The editor of the Rockford Register contacted O'Hare Field (outside Chicago) on their behalf and was told that the jets had fired on a weather balloon. On July 28, Air Force Captain Robert White contradicted that assertion by declaring, “Our aircraft do not fire on balloons, nor would they fire on any target in a residential area unless we were invaded by an enemy force.”26
June 16, 1955
At 11:00 p.m., a Flying Tiger Airlines crew, 40 miles northeast of Springfield, Missouri, spotted a blue-white disc flying at tremendous speed toward the plane. After executing a tight circle around the aircraft, the saucer tilted up steeply and streaked out of sight.27
June 23, 1955
A week later, a Mohawk Airlines captain and crew on a routine flight over upstate New York discovered an elliptical object, estimated at 150 feet long with lighted openings, 500 feet above them. Moments later it was spotted by Colonial Airline pilots, another airliner, and control tower operators at Albany. It was also picked up by radar in Boston. From the recorded times after the Mohawk sighting, its speed was computed as between 4,000 and 4,800 mph.28
August 21–22, 1955
Although the CIA's charter did not include domestic issues, the thoroughly bizarre incident at Hopkinsville, Kentucky, given its eventual widespread tabloid fame, must have come to Agency staff's attention at some point. Two families in the same house allegedly sighted a disc-shaped object in the night sky. Soon, “a group of strange, goblin-like creatures are reported to have repeatedly approached [their] farm house and looked inside through the windows. Family members present shot at them several times with little or no effect. The encounter lasted from evening until dawn.”29
CIA-released files for 1955 do not include such mention. Posts from any source that mentioned phenomena surely would receive a degree of attention before being dutifully filed. That was standard operating procedure. But again, domestic affairs were stated to be outside CIA purview; they said they looked away.
Chapter 9
1956: Transitive
Sometime in calendar year 1956, someone in the Agency compiled and internally distributed 109 pages of non-sourced photographic prints of aerial vehicles claimed to be unconventional. As released, nearly all were very grainy and of generally poor q
uality. Few were accompanied by any explanation.1
Likewise undated was a handwritten note, its author anonymous—presumably a person of some stature within the Office of Scientific Intelligence. He stated that, while the subject was not a specific OSI responsibility, it was of Agency interest. (By this time, the term “flying saucer” had lost favor in light of the particular shape implied; the more generic “unidentified flying object” had caught on both within and outside government circles.) By whatever handle the phenomena were described, this note warned of the implications: “Mass UFO reports could: (a) produce mass hysteria, (b) overload our radar (illegible) system, (c) overload communication facilities.”2
On the 6th of January, an unnamed party in the Belgian Congo sent along a CIA Information Report. The document was in actuality a request for a “fine telescope” to be shared with the author's sky-watching group in order to spot the aerial anomalies that frequented that country.3
On January 9, OSI Assistant Director Herbert Scoville Jr. wrote a Memorandum for the Record, updating responsibilities related to anomalous aerial phenomena.
Henceforth, ASD (Applied Science Division) will conduct all surveillance of available information on this subject. All other OSI Divisions will provide such technical consultative assistance to ASD as it requires to discharge its assigned responsibility in this field. ASD will request a project of the requisite scope when appropriate for inclusion in the OSI Production Program.