LETTER TO(Sanitized)FROM THORNTON PAGE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81R00560R000100020005-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 12, 2001
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: December 12, 1952
• Content Type: LETTER

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THE JOHNS HCIPKINS UNIVERSITY
OPERATING UNDER CONTRACT
WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
STATI NTL
OPERATIONS RESEARCH OFFICE
6410 CONNECTICUT AVENUE
CHEVY CHASE, MARYLAND
12 December 1952
STATI NTL
TELEPHONE
OLIVER 4200
Here is that article you mentioned from the New Yorker, which I
found most interesting and informative. I have listed below a few
items which seemed to me to need further discussion:
Patrol Cameras
Fred Whipple at Harvard has had considerable experience in develop-
ing and using small, equatorially mounted cameras. These are exposed
for several hours through a rotating sector, and show a meteor trail as
a series of dashes on a background of stars, thus providing the meteor's
angular velocity. In many cases two such cameras are used, separated by
several miles, so that the space track of the meteor can be derived.
As I recall, meteor patrol cameras have been used in the vicinity
of Boston and southern New Mexico only. All the photographs are pre-
served, and I am sure there have been no unidentified objects of any
type to date. A possible modification of this technique which would
provide more complete coverage is to use the Greenstein-Henyey wide-
angle camera, which photographs 1600 of the sky at once. Such a camera
is in use at the Yerkes Observatory and is reported most recently in a
paper by Sharpless and Osterbrook in the Astrophysical Journal, 1951.
The major difficulty of operation would be changing the film, which
might be made automatic.
Another use of cameras could be on selected ground radar scopes.
Possibly such a camera should be kept in stand-by status and triggered by
the operator when unidentified objects are on the screen.
The issue of light, hand-held cameras to aircraft pilots is another
fair possibility noted in the New Yorker article.
Study of Communications Systems
One of our ORO projects is undertaking such a study, and has col-
lected a large amount of literature. The British Army Operational Re-
search Group has made several studies of air raid reporting systems as
used in exercises, which show the distortion and Hnoise" introduced in
any reporting system. There is a possibility of obtaining comparable
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STATI NTL
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I
12 December 1952
data on false alarms to fire departments and "flaps" in several military
situations (such as North Africa in 1942). I have been intrigued with
the electronic analogue of a communications system with feedback. The
circumstances leading to instability of such a system might be measured
if a simple theory can be postulated; e.g., if something analogous to
impedance of the circuit determines instability.
Mass Psychology
It is clear that a simple statement has not and will not convince
the public. A psychologist may have some theoretical framework in which
past "flaps" of this kind can be analyzed and the results extended to
the present difficulty.
General Requirement
It seems to me that the major difficulty as present is the lack of
a well-defined attitude among responsible officials: either there is or
there is not convincing evidence of significant phenomena. To resolve
this question it must be decided in advance what level of completeness
is necessary in explaining reports, and what indications of hostile intent
are necessary to make reported objects of importance. It might help
to point out the difference between open-mindedness and indecision, and to
suggest some level of credulity below which reports will not even be con-
sidered.
Dr. Aden B. Meinel who is an assistant professor of astrophysics
at the Yerkes Observatory, who has been concerned with the photography
of aurora and who has designed complex wide-angle cameras for the Air
Force under a subcontract with Boston University, might be helpful in
discussion of cameras noted above and of auroral phenomena. However,
the Air Force authorities here have no record of his clearance. If
you are interested in him, we could ask him by telephone what his clearance
is and with what organization.
Yours sincerely,
--TC"..41:1"," ?
Thornton Page
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25X1A
9 December 1952
MEMORANDUM FOR RECORD
SUBJECT: Unidentified Flying Objects
1. At 1015 hours today I talked by telephone with
Captain Edward J. Ruppelt (Chief, Aerial Phenomena Branch,
Analysis Division, ATIC). The purpose of the call was to
determine if Captain Ruppelt would be in Washington during the 25x1A
next few days so that he might meet with Also
if there had been any developments in the Limestone-Presque Isle
case.
2. Captain Ruppelt stated that he had put in a request to
come to Washington last week but that he had been "running into
a snag" in getting away and he intimated that his intention to
specifically visit CIA may have been the difficulty. By oblique
references it was determinedthat Colonel Donald L. Bower (Chief,
Analysis Division) was blocking his trip. Note: If this is
true, it is difficult to understand since Colonel Bower, in
discussions with and myself on 25 November, indicated
complete willingAIRRooperation. Ruppelt stated that he
would try again and hoped to be in Washington next week. I
gave no indication of the agreements reached on this subject in
the IAC meeting on 4 December.
3. Regarding the Limestone-Presque Isle case, Captain
Ruppelt reported that the observation is suspected of being the
planet Saturn. A sighting of Saturn with the same theodolite
will be made within the next few days. An examination of this
data with possible theodolite reading errors should indicate
whether the sighting could conceivably have been of this planet.
I find it difficult to believe that the moons of Saturn could
be seen visibly.
4. Captain Ruppelt stated that he had a package of
analyses and reports which he desired to have 0/SI study and
was planning to hand-carry to Washington. I mentioned that
someone from 0/SI might be making a trip to ATIC within the
next week or so. Ruppelt stated that he would be pleased to
tILLET
security Information
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.1?111?1..
25X1A
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hear from me at any time. His office telephone number is Dayton,
Ohio, Kenmore 7111, Extension 65365 and his home telephone number
is Walnut 7113.
25X1A
0SI111111111bm
Distribution:
Orig 7 Subject file 1,6,;t4,-:'
1 - Daily reading file
1 - Chrono file
SPIT
Security Information
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SFINEj
'2/X13151'64p For RIOase -. 00020005-5
Office'iviemorandum ? UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
TO : DAD/SI DATE: 9 December 1952
25X1A
FROM :
SUBJECT: FCC Monitoring and Flying Saucers.
-1. In accordance with your request, I interviewed Mr. Irving Weston
of the Field Engineering and Monitoring Division of the FCC to determine
whether the Commission at present has any knowledge of unexplained radio
signals which might possibly be connected with unidentified flying saucers.
His answer was no.
2. Unless such signals were reasonably persistent or were causing inter-
ference to established services, it is unlikely that they would be intercepted,
or if intercepted,tr:the subject of inquiry. This is because the stations are,
in general, involved in special assignments and have a minimum of time for
general cruising of the spectrum.
3. The Commission has operating 12 full time monitoring stations and
6 part time monitoring stations. Two (2) of the stations are in Alaska and
one (1) in Hawaii. Because of the short range of frequencies above 30 mc/s.,
monitoring between 30 and about 200 mc/s. is confined pretty much to trans-
mitters in the immediate vicinity. Most of the monitoring stations have
equipment for higher frequencies, including the AN/APR-4 receiver, but make
little use thereof. VHF monitoring is done to some extent by traveling
inspectors with automobile receivers. It seemed likely using the example
of the concerted effort to identify the first diathermy signals back in 1935
and the more recent efforts which preceded the explanation of the VIE "bursts",
that any persistent occurrences of radio signals that might come from flying
saucers, if below 37) mc/s., would soon be the object of considerable interest
at the FCC and elsewhere.
4. The FCC maintains a file in the Briggs Building of all reported inter,.
cepts of all its monitoring stations by frequency and by call letters extending
back three or four years. This file is articularly valuable in the recognition
of new signals which may be reporteddlIn'ormation tabulated includes frequency,
call letters, type of emission, servIre, monitoring station reporting, and
an intercept supporting the identification.
5. Classification of the discussion was considered Secret.
25X1A
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f
MACH:
SUBJECT:
ALTZRZ0L;
DEC, '1:31, *4
FOR: The Director at Central IntelliSenos
Deputy Director (Intelligence)
Unidentified Flying Objects
Request or ti,c Director of 10 ?ober ncl
The folluving is a summary Or the current eitaation With rea.
ct to the investlattion of unidentified flying objects. SOSOUt
incidurits Laalude:
Movies of tea (10) ax=iacatifled flying dbjeeto
(lomxflained an the 'basis of natoral Theromeua or knovn types
of aircraft), near Trehonten, Uteri, on 2 July 1.352.
b. A very brilliant unidentified light over the 'oast
of Maine for Ctollt four hours on the night of 10-11 ostoter
at a height cmputed to be tvo or three times thatlitic:4 can
be sustained, by any known device.
c. Alleged contact with a device on the growai in
Florida late this summer vhich left ;ogle presently unenlained
after-erfecta.
d. Numerous other sighting* or 1 ghta or objects vhich
either in configuration or performance &.:t not resemble any
known aerial vehicle or explaineble natural phenomena.
25X1A
24. In furtherance of the IAC action on 4 December, 0/SI has been
Nmaia140W11,1,111111111 consultant (former Director of Research,
WSW), to es 1 ng a pastel ef top scientists and engineers in the
fields of astrophysics, nuclear energy, electronics, ete., to review this
situation. Wholehearted cooperation has been assured by DI/USAF and ATIC,
aid a visit by AD/SI, or GI to ATIC la
planned for Friday. It is hoped to organize the panel and undertake 25X1A
sdhstantivu scientific review of this subject vithin the next tvo to
three weeks,
U. MAWS= CRAM=
Assistant Director
Distribution: Scientific Intelligence
DD/I-].
Opns/SI - 1 '
Prod/SI - 1
AD/S1 - 2
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