Truman Library Archives

U.K. Scientific Representation in the U.S.

 United Kingdom Scientific Representation in the United States, 23 November 1948 (366k)

This three-page memo dated 23 November 1948 outlines two organizations that have distinct missions in cooperation with the U.S. The UK Scientific Mission is the successor of the British Central Scientific Office, which was established during WWII. The scientific organization is completely separate from the British Joint Services Mission and all the scientists are subject to the British Official Secrets Act. It is clear that the Majestic documents suggest cooperation with the British on the analysis of the New Mexico crash events of 1947, both directly in document statements and indirectly through the use of British words and phrases suggesting U.K. authorship. This organization headed by Dr. W. A. Macfarland and was logically involved with helping the U.S. figure out the alien threat and quest for new technology.

Psychological Strategy Board: Watch Committee

 Psychological Strategy Board: Watch Committee, July–November 1951 (875k)

Sanitized and declassified in 1991, there are two memos that relate to the “Watch Committee” within the PSB, Office of Coordination. Likely the first generation of “spin control” operatives, this two man team focused on anticipating “crash” or contingency developments and correcting mistakes (damage control) with respect to the PSB. Of significance to the Majestic-12 program is the sentence: “There does exist an interdepartmental intelligence ‘watch committee’ but it has no authority to influence covert development.” This is the committee working under the Intelligence Advisory Committee (IAC) that would have the resources and skill to brief the President on UFO matters. This further validates the sentence from the Majestic-12 Annual report on page 11, item 14: “On December 28, 1950, MAJCOM-1 is provided with the ‘Black Book’ summaries prepared by the Watch Committee. Beginning every Friday the President is briefed on the world situation and on MAJESTIC via the CIA weekly Current Intelligence Review.”

Psychological Strategy Board Staff Meeting

 Psychological Strategy Board Staff Meeting, 25 June 1952 (511k)

On April 4, 1951 Harry Truman established the Psychological Strategy Board (PSB), this relatively little known, obscure fact is correctly reported in the Annual Report page 10, item 10 (MAJCOM-1 with the assistance of the Panel persuades the President to establish the PSB). On June 25, 1952 the PSB held a staff meeting with 15 people. Of note is a comment by a new and highly credible individual in the internal classified workings of UFO related projects. This memo has section called “Flying Saucers” and states that: “May 5 issue of O Cruzeiro, Brazilian magazine, contains what are alleged to be authentic photo’s of Flying Saucers, Putnam reports.” What is of significance is not a sighting, but who Palmer Putnam is. Putnam has a highly credible background, served in the military, designed military vehicles, had excellent military/government contacts with a history of special operations and worked with Vannevar Bush. Furthermore, in the Truman Presidential Library there is an entire folder containing documents discussing the destruction of a Top Secret Eyes Only report authored by Putnam for the PSB. Although at present just speculation, it is possible that this was the same report on flying saucers referred to in this staff meeting or a similar one.

Annex B to PSB D-35

 Annex B to PSB D-35: Report of the Department of Defense, 9 January 1953 (109k)

This TS security information report was found in Box 22 of the PSB files. Dated January 9, 1953, it is of significance for its suggestive redaction. Citing a variety of National Security Council directives it establishes a linkage between “NSC 10/2, “Office of Special Projects,” and a unknown memo written on 18 June 1948. Redactions in other documents fail to show any contents after NSC 10/2, further suggesting that this is the directive that much of the UFO investigations are conducted under. The term “Special Projects” occurs in relation to UFOs in many known authentic documents, Berkner’s personnel file and the Cutler to Twining memo.

Letter to Truman from Keyhoe

 Letter to Truman from Donald Keyhoe, Director of the NICAP, 3 February 1959 (1.6 MB*) 
please note this file may take up to 30 min. to download on a slow connection

On February 3, 1959, retired Major Donald E. Keyhoe, Director of the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena (NICAP), writes to former President Harry Truman about UFOs. The three page letter with attachments argues that there is a UFO cover-up and press censorship then describes the legal regulations (AFR 200-2 and JANAP 146) that officially invokes espionage laws in relation to both military and civilian pilots reporting UFOs. Here is a sampling of some quotations: “One of our aims is to expose frauds; another is to convince the press and public that this is a serious problem despite the ridicule…caused by the official debunking policy, which is now used to obscure the concerned and intensive investigation of Air Force and other agencies,” or “There is a mass of evidence supporting our claims as to UFO reality and official censorship,” or “As Admiral Hillenkoetter told me some time ago, the only way to break the secrecy is by means of open hearings on Capitol Hill.”

The attachments to this letter are equally interesting, included is a long list of names and occupations of 120 witnesses to UFO events, mostly pilots, military officers and credible civilians; many have direct quotations about their sighting or the UFO enigma. Two short articles are also included, one on UFO censorship and the other titled “Radar Absorbing Material May Create Serious Problem.” Would you belive it that in 1959 the Plessy Company (UK) was already working on radar absorbing stealth technology. Possibly another example of the reverse engineering of UFOs.