Clifford Stone Special Report 1 - UFO Recovery Operations

Magazine Overview

This document, titled "SPECIAL REPORT 1: THE UFO RECOVERY OPERATIONS" by Clifford E. Stone, dated February 16, 1990, details alleged government involvement in the recovery and study of extraterrestrial craft and related phenomena. It posits that the American Intelligence Community has been actively engaged in managing information about UFOs since at least 1947.

The Roswell Incident and Initial Cover-Up

The report begins by recounting the Roswell, New Mexico, UFO crash on July 2, 1947, which it states proved Earth was being visited by an extraterrestrial intelligence. It highlights the subsequent questions about the origin and purpose of these craft and how the discovery should be handled. The American press picked up on the story of the Roswell Army Air Field (RAAF) possessing a "Flying Saucer" on July 8, 1947. Concurrently, Kirtland Army Air Field also recovered a "Flying Saucer" on July 3, 1947, from the San Augustin Flats area of New Mexico, with secrecy maintained on this object. Elements from Kirtland, White Sands, and Ft. Bliss were involved in this recovery. Major General Twining was sent to Kirtland to lead the recovery operations, and Dr. Vannevar Bush was dispatched to head the scientific team. A decision was made by MG Twining and Dr. Vannevar Bush to keep all information "Top Secret," a decision upheld by the 303 Group or 40 Committee. However, the RAAF was initially unaware of this decision, and MG Twining learned of the second recovery only after the Roswell story broke.

The primary challenge for the Intelligence Community became dismissing the Roswell incident to the press. MG Twining, chief of the Army Air Force's Material Command, contacted General Ramey, Commander of the Eighth Air Force, to devise a cover story. Ramey's intelligence staff proposed that the object was merely a weather balloon. The debris was to be flown to Wright Field via Carswell Army Air Field, but it was instead transferred to a C-54 and flown to Kirtland for study. An officer from Ramey's staff suggested involving an outside agency like the FBI to avoid the appearance of a military cover-up. The FBI's Cincinnati Field Office assisted, and a teletype message indicated that neither Ramey's office nor Wright Field believed the balloon story, as telephonic conversations between their offices and Wright Field had not borne out this belief. After assisting in the acceptance of the cover story, the FBI was no longer given further information.

From that point forward, information concerning the Roswell Incident and similar cases was classified "Top Secret," compartmented, and placed on a strict "need-to-know" basis. General Twining and others in the top echelons of the American Intelligence Community recognized flying saucers as real, under intelligent control, and not of Earthly origin. The next logical step was to establish operations for recovering any future crashed saucers or debris and gathering intelligence on sightings, while also setting up a domestic public relations unit to quell public interest.

Government Projects and Public Relations

The Air Force established public relations projects under names like Project Sign, Project Grudge, and Project Blue Book. These missions aimed to explain away UFO sightings reported to the Air Force and reassure the public that flying saucers did not exist. These projects were largely made public, unlike the recovery project.

The recovery project was primarily handled by Air Force Intelligence, but involved every branch of the American Intelligence Community to ensure timely information for recovery teams to operate globally without drawing attention. The 4602d Air Intelligence Service Squadron (AISS) was responsible for these operations, with three key missions: Unidentified Flying Objects (distinct from Project Blue Book), Project Moon Dust, and Operation Blue Fly. The 4602d AISS also collected UFO reports from the US and foreign countries made by military personnel, focusing on cases of great technical intelligence interest, with assistance from the Department of State. Project Moon Dust was part of the US Air Force's material exploitation program, tasked with locating, recovering, and delivering descended foreign space vehicles, objects of unknown origin, and their debris. Operation Blue Fly was established for expedited delivery of these items to the Foreign Technology Division (FTD) and other locations. These programs were eventually transferred to the 7602d Air Intelligence Group.

When questioned, the Air Force stated they were only aware of Project Blue Book, which ended in 1969, and denied knowledge of Operation Blue Fly, despite evidence of its existence and its connection to Moon Dust and objects of unknown origin being sent to the 7602d Air Intelligence Group into the 1980s.

"Moon Dust" and Information Control

A Department of State document released under the Freedom of Information Act defined the designator "MOONDUST" as being used for cases involving the examination of non-US space objects or objects of unknown origin. The document stated that the Department of State, in conjunction with other agencies, would determine subsequent action. Once the term "Moon Dust" became known to the ufology community, the Defense Intelligence Agency classified the material and refused to release it. The Department of State began referring to message numbers on teletype Moon Dust reports instead of the term itself, later changing these to "initiative" to claim reports were unsolicited. The author suggests this tactic was successful for the CIA.

Author's Conclusions and Beliefs

The report emphasizes that UFOs are still present and that the Department of State, CIA, NSA, and various military intelligence agencies continue to require their personnel worldwide to report UFO sightings, as these present a potential source of great technical intelligence interest to the US Government. The US Government maintains thousands of classified UFO reports, claiming they do not present a threat to national security.

Based on his own investigation, the author is certain that UFOs are real, under intelligent control, and do not originate on Earth. He is also certain that the United States Government is engaged in an ongoing cover-up of UFO information and is not telling the American public the truth. He questions why UFO reports would be required as a source of technical intelligence if UFOs were not real.

The report concludes with a quote attributed to Clifford E. Stone: "And Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free."

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this report are government secrecy, the existence of extraterrestrial intelligence, military and intelligence agency involvement in UFO phenomena, and the deliberate suppression of information from the public. The author's stance is one of firm conviction in the reality of UFOs and the existence of a widespread government cover-up, urging the reader to question official narratives and seek the truth.

This document appears to be a collection of classified reports rather than a typical magazine issue. The primary content includes a memo dated November 28, 1950, concerning a proposed research project on geo-magnetic energy, a memorandum from November 3, 1961, detailing personnel issues within the Air Force's intelligence teams, and an information report from August 1979 regarding an unidentified object found in Bolivia.

Geo-Magnetic Energy Research Proposal (November 28, 1950)

This section details a discussion between an unnamed individual and Doctor Solandt, Chairman of the Defence Research Board, regarding the initiation of a program to study geo-magnetic energy. The author expresses that insufficient data currently exists to launch a full program within the organization but believes further research is necessary. They prefer this research to be conducted within their own organization, with full cooperation from other interested bodies. Doctor Solandt agreed that work on geo-magnetic energy should proceed rapidly and offered the Defence Research Board's full cooperation, including laboratory facilities, equipment acquisition, and specialized personnel. However, the author indicated a preference to keep the project within the Department of Transport for the time being, until sufficient information is gathered to assess its value. It is recommended that a project be established within the Section to study this problem on a part-time basis, with initial costs expected to be less than a few hundred dollars, covered by the Radio Standards Lab appropriation. A draft of terms of reference for this project is attached.

AFCIN Intelligence Team Personnel Issues (November 3, 1961)

This memorandum from the Department of the Air Force addresses the critical need for qualified personnel for AFCIN (Air Force Command and Control Intelligence) intelligence teams. It outlines the factors bearing on this problem, including the fact that intelligence team personnel have additional duty functions supporting various Air Force projects like "Moon Dust," "Blue Fly," and UFO investigations, requiring specialized operational capabilities. Personnel attrition through transfers, discharges, and retirements has reduced the number of qualified intelligence team personnel below minimum requirements, with projected losses expected to halve the current manning within the next ten months. The memorandum suggests that personnel actions within the authority of AFCIN can be taken to reverse this trend. The document defines criteria for intelligence team personnel, emphasizing the need for adequate training and experience, and lists definitions for various roles: Linguist, Tech Man, Ops Man, Airborne Personnel, and specific operations like Unidentified Flying Objects (UFO) investigation and Project Moon Dust. It discusses the structure of intelligence teams (three men each: linguist, tech man, ops man, all airborne qualified) and the importance of cross-training. The document details both peacetime and wartime employment of AFCIN intelligence team capabilities, including UFO investigations and support for Air Force Systems Command projects like Moon Dust and Blue Fly, which involve recovering or performing field exploitation of unidentified flying objects or Soviet/Bloc aerospace vehicles. Wartime employment is geared towards the CONAD/NORAD air defense mission. The history of the intelligence team concept is traced back to the Air Defense Command (ADC) and the 4602d Air Intelligence Service Squadron (AISS), with its functions later transferred to AFCIN. The document highlights that the maintenance of this capability has been possible due to the retention of original, highly select personnel. It identifies a serious immediate and forecast shortage in Linguists, with only five Russian Linguists assigned or attached, and only two of native fluency. Four of these are forecast for PCS departure by November 1962. The document proposes several solutions: (1) providing further training and assignment to qualified personnel who volunteer, (2) assigning intelligence team qualified Linguists returning from overseas, and (3) retaining qualified intelligence team personnel beyond their normal duty tours. It also suggests a standard policy for identifying previously qualified intelligence team personnel forecast for return to the ZI from overseas assignments for assignment to AFCIN-LE vacancies, allowing for latitude in grade and AFSC. Finally, it recommends a ninety-day TDY of AFCHR intelligence teams to South Vietnam for experience in logistical support and operational deployment.

Unidentified Object Found in Bolivia (August 1979)

This is an Information Report (IR 6 808 0057 79) from the USDAO (United States Diplomatic Attaché Office) in La Paz, Bolivia, dated August 17, 1979. It reports on an unidentified object found on a farm near Santa Cruz, Bolivia, on August 16-17, 1979. The object is described as a sphere, approximately 70 centimeters in diameter and two meters in circumference, with a hole in one side and a metal skin covering about one-half inch thick. It was later described as "about three times the size of a basketball." The source stated they had film of the object. A newspaper article from "El Deber" in Santa Cruz reported that a phenomenon, possibly a satellite part or fuel tank, fell near Cotoca. The sphere is made of a special light alloy but very resistant. The object had no identifying signs or marks. The Director of the Air Force Academy, Colonel Ariel Coca, stated he would inform his superiors for a study to determine its origin and analyze for radioactive substances. The people in the area initially delayed reporting the event due to fear. A picture accompanying the article shows Colonel Coca examining the round object, which appears to be perfectly round except for a nine-inch diameter hole.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The document reflects a consistent focus on intelligence gathering, analysis, and operational readiness within the US Air Force and its international partners. There is a clear emphasis on the importance of specialized personnel, particularly linguists and intelligence team members, and the challenges associated with maintaining adequate staffing levels. The reports also touch upon the investigation of unexplained phenomena (UFOs/UAPs) and the acquisition of foreign technology, indicating a broad scope of intelligence interests. The overall stance appears to be one of proactive assessment, problem-solving, and the continuous effort to maintain and expand intelligence capabilities in both peacetime and wartime scenarios.

This document consists of pages from a Department of Defense report, likely a communication or intelligence brief, dated August 1979. The content focuses on the discovery and reporting of unidentified objects, specifically spheres, in Bolivia.

Page 4 of Pages (RO Comments)

This section, labeled 'RO COMMENTS:', states that no inquiries or requests for information were made other than to obtain undeveloped film previously discussed. It confirms the receipt of a roll of 135mm film for color prints and a roll of Kodachrome 40 movie film, Type A. The 135mm film is to be developed and printed in La Paz. The movie film and a copy of a newspaper story with accompanying photographs will be forwarded via pouch on August 20, 1979, to DIA DT-3. The coordinates for the town of Cotoca are provided as 17-49S, 63-03W. A reference to a newspaper article titled 'OUR CAPITAL' is made, clarifying that this refers to Santa Cruz as the capital of the Department (State) of Santa Cruz. The section is marked with 'BT' and 'EMB COORDINATION: AMB', and 'APPROVED:' by Harold T. Hamilton, Colonel, USAF, Defense Attache.

Page 2 (Message Center Header and Routing)

The header indicates this is a Department of Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff message. It includes routing information and a 'BEST COPY AVAILABLE' notation, along with a date stamp 'AUG 79' and a handwritten note 'Recd Hus-3B/1 AUG 79'. The message is a transit message with multiple distribution points, including DIA, SECDEF, and various military commands. It is identified as an 'INFO REFCST' (Information Referral Forecast) and is evaluated as 'INTEL'.

Page 2 & 3 (Incident Details)

Item 228 details a leading La Paz daily newspaper, 'El Diario', front page story from August 19, 1979, reporting a second unidentified object, similar to a previously reported one, found near Santa Cruz. The headline is quoted as: "NEW SPHERE FELL FROM SPACE IN SANTA CRUZ".

An unofficial translation of the article describes a second 'fireball' falling from the sky early in the morning of the same day the first was found near Cotoca. This second object was found 200 kilometers north of Santa Cruz on the farm of Juan Saavedra by campesino Gonzalo Menacho Viveras. The location is near the Yapacane River.

According to Menacho, around 12:30 AM on Friday, he heard a loud whistling sound, saw a fireball, and then an explosion. The next evening, a silent aircraft with three lights was seen flying over the explosion area. The following morning, Menacho found a sphere. It was not heavy, and he took it home. His friend, Nataniel Mendez Hurtado, learned of the other sphere in Cotoca and passed on information.

The article notes the mystery of finding two identical spheres, which witnesses described as 'fire balls' that became real fireballs upon entering the atmosphere due to friction. However, no signs of impact were found where they landed.

Page 3 & 4 (Object Characteristics and Further Details)

As the spheres landed smoothly, their material is described as fragile. They were not damaged by impact, showing only a hole with melted edges, and an apparent explosion destroyed their contents. Menacho stated he saw burned plants but no impact signs on the soft ground where he found the sphere. The sphere found in the Santa Cruz Department weighs about six kilograms and has a diameter of about 50 centimeters. The outside metal is similar to copper, dark with light spots, and appears to have been exposed to very high temperatures.

The sphere is made of two pieces joined without rivets. The top has an irregularly shaped hole, and next to it is a small round hole, both with melted material. The other end has a round area resembling a cork in a bottle, held by three semi-melted screws.

The sphere was brought to Santa Cruz by newsmen from a local radio station. The campesino claims it as his property. The sphere was on public display at the radio station all afternoon.

RO COMMENT: A picture accompanying the article shows the second sphere to be practically identical to the first. A copy of this article and picture were forwarded to DIA/DT-3 by State Dept pouch on August 20, 1979. Also included in the pouch were (1) 35mm color photographs, (2) an undeveloped roll of movie film, and (3) a copy of the newspaper story, all relating to the first sphere.

The report requests DIA to advise if further reporting or action is desired on these incidents. It also requests that if the movie film is developed, one copy be forwarded to USDAO La Paz for transmittal to the original owner.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme is the reporting and investigation of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), specifically the discovery of unusual spherical objects. The document reflects an official, albeit cautious, interest in these events, evidenced by the distribution of the report to various intelligence and military agencies. The 'PROTECTIVE CAVEAT USED DUE TO SENSITIVITY OF INFO' suggests a concern for secrecy and the potential implications of the findings. The editorial stance appears to be one of information gathering and dissemination within official channels, seeking further evaluation and action.