AIG FOIA Request - 1994

Magazine Overview

This document is a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request filed on February 7, 1994, by the Associated Investigators Group (AIG) from Madison, Wisconsin. The request is addressed to the Freedom of Information Coordinator at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in Washington, D.C. The primary purpose is to obtain all records originated, collected, or received by the CIA concerning Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) during the period of 1950 to 1980.

Description of Records Being Sought

The request defines UFOs as typically applied to sightings of objects in the sky, air, or space (or on the ground after landing or crashing) that are not thought to be of common terrestrial origin, yet appear to be intelligently controlled or guided, and display characteristics not associated with known aerial phenomena, aircraft, missiles, or space vehicles. The records sought may also be categorized under terms such as "Flying Saucers," "Unknown Entities," "Alien Spacecraft," "Unidentified (or "Unknown") Aircraft" (UNK A/C), "FASIWALKER," or "Aerial Phenomena," or other terms used to disguise the subject matter. For the purpose of the request and potential litigation, these records are referred to as "UFO-related."

The CIA's Interest In and Involvement With UFOs

The document asserts that the CIA's public statements and responses to previous FOIA requests, claiming only a limited interest in UFOs through a four-day review in January 1953, are contradicted by evidence. The CIA initiated emergency studies of UFOs in July/August 1952, November 1957, January 1965, and October/November 1975, corresponding to periods of increased UFO activity, known as "flaps."

Notable UFO Flaps and Incidents:

• 1952 and 1965: Involved substantial UFO activity over and around Washington, D.C.
• 1957 (Levelland, Texas): Citizens reported encountering huge landed UFOs near roadways, causing their automobiles to stop functioning while in proximity. The vehicles started again when the UFOs departed.
• 1975: UFOs repeatedly buzzed and hovered over U.S. Air Force Strategic Air Command (SAC) B-52 bases and missile sites from Maine to Montana. They were tracked on radar by NORAD and chased by interceptors, reportedly displaying a "clear intent" toward nuclear weapons.
• 1975: Included the reported abduction by a UFO and five-day disappearance of Arizona woodcutter Travis Walton.
• 1975: Hundreds of cattle mutilations occurred in Montana, Colorado, and New Mexico.

CIA's Standard Procedure for UFO Study:

Based on released CIA records, the standard procedure during these flaps involved the CIA's Office of Scientific Intelligence "levying" a collection requirement to the CIA's Domestic Contact Service (DCS). DCS agents would then seek out selected American citizens for UFO reports and information. This collected data would be analyzed by experts within the Office of Scientific Intelligence, with conclusions drawn and reports made to superiors in the Intelligence Directorate (DDI). If warranted, these reports could form an intelligence estimate presented to the National Security Council (NSC).

Case Example: Ralph Mayher's UFO Film (November 1957)

In November 1957, DCS agents in Cleveland, Ohio, contacted Ralph Mayher, a TV news cameraman, to obtain information about a UFO film he had taken in July 1952 near Miami, Florida, while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps. Although the film had been turned over to U.S. Air Force Intelligence in July 1952, the Air Force reportedly refused to acknowledge possession and did not share information with the CIA. DCS agents obtained still photo copies of the film frames and sent them to CIA Headquarters for analysis.

NICAP and CIA Involvement:

In January 1965, during another flap, Albert Coleman, an agent from the DCS Washington, D.C. field office, visited the headquarters of NICAP (National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena), a leading UFO study club. The purpose was to obtain UFO sighting reports, and a NICAP official, Richard Hall, agreed to cooperate. However, NICAP became a focus of CIA concern. It was discovered that Col. (USAF-Res.) Joseph Bryan III, a deep-cover CIA operative and founder of the CIA's Psychological Warfare Staff, had joined NICAP in 1959 and became a member of its Board of Governors. Bryan, along with another operative, Charles J.V. Murphy, used cover arrangements to travel and conduct psychological warfare missions. In December 1969, Bryan, as chairman of NICAP, led an effort that resulted in the forced resignation of NICAP's executive director, Major (USMC-Ret.) Donald Keyhoe, who believed the government was covering up evidence of extraterrestrial spacecraft. After Keyhoe's ouster, NICAP declined significantly.

CIA vs. USAF Over UFOs:

The Air Force began collecting UFO data in mid-1947 with "Project Sign," later "Project Grudge." In December 1949, the Air Force issued a "Grudge" report to dismiss sightings and closed the study program. In early 1951, UFO studies were reopened and revitalized as "Project Blue Book" under the Aerial Phenomena Group. In July 1952, during a nationwide UFO flap, UFOs were tracked by radar and observed visually over Washington, D.C. The Air Force held a news conference claiming the sightings were explainable by "temperature inversions," an explanation later found to be hastily concocted.

Behind the scenes, CIA officer Fred Durant posed as a civilian scientist to gain the trust of Project Blue Book officers like Capt. Ed Ruppelt and Maj. Dewey Fournet, and began sharing Air Force reports with the CIA. By August/September 1952, the CIA's Office of Scientific Intelligence concluded that the Air Force's UFO study efforts were "scientifically invalid."

In late 1952, the CIA attempted to gain control over UFO studies via the National Security Council (NSC), citing the Air Force's lack of scientific validity. The NSC allowed the CIA to convene a scientific advisory panel, but mandated the Air Force select the evidence. The panel found UFOs were not a "direct, hostile threat to national security." The recommendation was to debunk and downplay UFOs to prevent "morbid national psychology" and distrust of authority, implying public interest was more dangerous than UFOs.

In November 1957, the Air Force dismissed the Levelland, Texas, UFO encounters as "ball lightning." This angered Senator Lyndon Johnson, who asked the CIA to conduct a secret investigation. CIA Director Allen Dulles contacted Dr. Knox Milsap regarding a reported UFO landing and photos. In early 1958, the NSC concurred with the CIA's proposal, granting the CIA control over scientific intelligence, including UFO data.

While the Air Force continued Project Blue Book until 1969, it was excluded from classified intelligence reports on UFOs received by the CIA. The CIA received the "wheat" (significant data), while the Air Force received the "chaff" (mostly civilian sightings with prosaic explanations or hoaxes).

The Condon Committee:

The CIA helped the Air Force by mounting a covert operation known as the Condon Committee, headed by Dr. Edward Condon. This two-year study, starting in 1966, had two secret purposes: to debunk UFOs and lead to the shutdown of Project Blue Book, and to allow CIA operatives to infiltrate the study as researchers to collect UFO data using advanced technology. The Condon staff also facilitated contact with Soviet scientists on UFOs, leading to a pact on UFO overflights to reduce risks of nuclear warfare. This operation, coupled with Keyhoe's dismissal from NICAP, effectively relegated UFOs to the realm of "kooks and quirks."

The CIA's Sources and Methods

Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, the CIA used its Domestic Contact Service (DCS) to collect UFO data from American civilians, circumventing restrictions on domestic intelligence operations. DCS agents typically used CIA ID cards and real names, but this posed a problem during UFO data collection, as agents might reveal themselves to untrustworthy sources. Instructions were given to sources to not reveal CIA interest in UFOs.

In 1973, the DCS was transferred to the CIA's covert directorate (DDO) and renamed the "Domestic Collection Division" (DCD). DCD agents could then use pseudonyms and conceal their affiliation, operating under increased powers granted by President Reagan's May 1982 Executive Order.

The CIA also sponsored efforts to detect alien civilizations, such as "Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence" (SETI) projects. In the early 1960s, DCS agents "serviced" a SETI program called "Project Ozma" at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, West Virginia, providing covert funding and guidance. Other CIA sources of UFO data included Intelligence Reports (IR's), academic/scientific research projects, the CIA's Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS), and a link known as "DDO Talker" between the Pentagon's National Military Command Center (NMCC) and the CIA's Operations Center. In recent years, the CIA has received UFO data from civilian informants like Dr. Bruce Maccabee.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The document strongly implies a pattern of government secrecy and obfuscation regarding UFO phenomena. It suggests that agencies like the CIA and Air Force were more concerned with managing public perception and national security implications (including avoiding public hysteria and distrust of authority) than with objectively investigating the true nature of UFOs. The narrative highlights a consistent effort to debunk or downplay UFO sightings, particularly when they involved military assets or posed potential national security questions. The CIA's proactive role in collecting, analyzing, and sometimes controlling UFO-related information, often through covert means, is a central theme. The document's stance is critical of these government actions, framing the FOIA request as an attempt to uncover suppressed information.

This document is a "FOIA REQUEST" from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), dated February 7, 1994. It details a request for information related to UFOs and the CIA's involvement, including past litigation and alleged deception.

FOIA Request and Previous Litigation

The document outlines a FOIA request concerning secret meetings between CIA officials, specifically Kit Green and Ron Pandolfi, and their briefings on UFOs to CIA employees. It also mentions that Pandolfi provided "Maccabee" with FBIS translations of Soviet news accounts of UFO sightings.

A significant portion of the document is dedicated to "Previous FOIA Litigation." It describes a lawsuit filed in September 1977 by GSW, Inc., a Phoenix-based UFO research group, against the CIA. The requester, acting as director of research for GSW, retained attorney Peter Gersten. The suit was amended to seek all UFO-related documents. In December 1978, the CIA released about 900 pages of documents, claiming to withhold only 57. However, an analysis of the released documents revealed references to over 200 other UFO-related documents that the CIA had failed to find or acknowledge. Furthermore, the CIA allegedly failed to find or acknowledge documents related to its analysis of UFO data collected during emergency studies, interim or final reports, or contacts with civilian UFO witnesses beyond those mentioned in a discovery motion.

The document asserts that the CIA's claims were "intentionally deceptive." Attorney Gersten filed a motion for "An Order To Show Cause Why The CIA Should Not Be Held In Contempt Of Court." Despite the CIA exceeding its allotted time by 88 days, it filed an "Out Of Time" motion, citing GSW's late filing. Judge John Pratt upheld the CIA's motion, dismissing GSW's case and ending the litigation.

CIA Involvement and Document Holdings

In March 1979, the requester learned that Dr. Bruce Maccabee had been meeting with CIA officials about UFOs, including Christopher C. "Kit" Green, head of the CIA's Weapons & Electronics department. Green reportedly told Maccabee that he had custody of approximately 15,000 UFO files, which he claimed to have turned over to the CIA's Freedom of Information Staff in response to the GSW FOIA lawsuit. The document suggests that the CIA hierarchy decided to lie about 14,000 documents that were never acknowledged to GSW, the Court, or the public. This contrasts sharply with the CIA's official claim of generating only 900 documents over 30 years, an average of about 30 per year, while the Air Force received over 1,500 reports in 1952 alone.

The Closing Argument and Skeptics vs. UFOlogists

The document discusses the late 1970s attempt by President Jimmy Carter and his science advisor, Dr. Frank Press, to persuade NASA to study UFOs. NASA, influenced by the CIA and Air Force, declined, opting instead to issue a form letter reiterating the Air Force's public disclaimer.

The controversy is characterized by a divide between "skeptics," who believe UFOs cannot be extraterrestrial and must be explained away, and "UFOlogists," who are willing to believe almost anything. The document notes that some leading "skeptics" have acted as propagandists for the CIA. It also acknowledges that UFOlogists can be prone to exploitation by hoaxers and liars, citing examples of wild stories about underground alien bases, captured aliens at "Area 51," and abductions. However, it argues against dismissing UFOlogists as "kooks," emphasizing that government records released under FOIA, particularly those from the 1975 flap over SAC bases and missile sites, provide a strong case for UFOs.

Government Handling of UFOs and Pandolfi's Claims

The document criticizes the government's handling of the UFO problem, citing psychological warfare, disinformation, and deceptive statements. It questions why America, unlike the KGB, has not opened its UFO files. Reportedly, CIA officer Ron Pandolfi stated that the Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) ordered a review of CIA files, leading to the discovery of a large cache of UFO-related documents that would "substantially up-grade the data base on UFOs." These statements are seen as the first indication that the CIA might be taking steps towards transparency.

The document alleges that CIA representatives have repeatedly made deceptive statements about the agency's interest in UFOs, suggesting a desire to conceal "shameful secrets." This may be due to the use of the "Domestic Contact Service" to collect UFO data or to block discovery of the CIA's takeover of UFO studies from the Air Force in 1957-58. The CIA's efforts to prevent disclosure of its conclusions about UFOs are highlighted, with the implication that if these conclusions had been negative, they would have been released. The document concludes that the CIA has determined some UFOs are alien intruders.

The 1975 Flap and the Request's Purpose

The most troubling aspect of the 1975 flap over SAC bases and missile sites is described not as the UFOs' proximity to nuclear weapons, but as the 25 years of secrecy and lies that caused confusion and made vital installations vulnerable. The conduct of USAF Gen. Bob Chapman, who tried to explain UFOs hovering over Loring Air Force Base's nuclear weapons storage area as "tourists" in helicopters, is cited as an example of this paradox.

The request is presented as an opportunity to prove the validity of the CIA's motto: "the truth shall set us free." The document asserts that, regarding UFOs, the government has been "imprisoned by all the lies."

CC and Supporting Information

The document is addressed to various officials, including Vice President Al Gore, U.S. Senators Herb Kohl and Russ Fiengold, Representative Scott Klug, Director of Central Intelligence James Woolsley, and White House Science Advisor Jack Gibbons. A footnote clarifies that Gen. Chapman was interviewed by Mr. Junichi Yaoi, a producer for Nippon TV Network's series "The Thursday Night Special," for which the requester served as co-producer and technical consultant.

Background of Requester and Request

This section details the background of W. Todd Zechel, the requester. Zechel, 50, is a resident of Madison, Wisconsin, with a history of service in the Army Security Agency (ASA) from 1963 to 1966, holding a TOP SECRET/Crypto & Special Compartmentalized Intelligence security clearance. He was a communications specialist and cryptographer. He later served as an undercover agent for another government agency. In 1976, Zechel began his quest to understand UFOs, leveraging his intelligence background to befriend CIA notables like Arthur Lundahl and Dr. Herbert "Pete" Scoville. Zechel has interviewed numerous Air Force and CIA officials about their UFO involvements and has helped release thousands of UFO-related documents. His current request is based on nearly twenty years of investigation into the government's handling of UFOs and contains revelations not previously made public. Sensitive information regarding satellite or ground-based electro-optical detection of UFOs has been excluded. The document concludes by stating that unreasonable secrecy about UFOs is indefensible and hopes this request marks the beginning of the end of it.

Request for Waiver of Search Fees

This section details the Associated Investigators Group (AIG), a non-profit association of investigators, including former government intelligence and security agents. AIG's goal is to apply rigorous investigative standards to UFO-related matters and publish reports. They distribute their findings to news organizations and interested citizens. AIG plans to submit or sponsor FOIA requests, particularly concerning suspected misconduct by government agencies. AIG requests a waiver of search fees, arguing that the records sought are of substantial public interest and that any derived information will be shared with the public through the media.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The document's recurring themes include government secrecy surrounding UFOs, alleged deception by intelligence agencies (specifically the CIA), the complexities of the UFO controversy with its opposing factions of "skeptics" and "UFOlogists," and the importance of FOIA in uncovering the truth. The editorial stance is critical of government secrecy and supportive of transparency, advocating for the release of UFO-related information and suggesting that the government has deliberately obscured the truth about UFOs, potentially indicating the presence of alien intruders.