A Deep Dive into UFO Investigations: Secrets Unveiled
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Chapter 1: The Emergence of UFO Investigations
In 1947, General Nathan Twining confirmed the reality of flying saucers. Initially, the inquiry began under the “Sign” Commission, which later transformed into “Blue Book.” This investigation faced challenges due to secrecy, limiting the extent of disclosures regarding possible extraterrestrial origins.
The Turning Point: July 1947
During July 1947, General Twining, who led the Air Force’s technical services at Wright Field (now known as Wright-Patterson), provided a report to his superiors asserting that "flying saucers are not mere figments of imagination; they defy explanation through misidentified natural occurrences." Subsequent documents echoed similar sentiments. Consequently, on January 22, 1948, the “Sign” inquiry was officially initiated at Wright Field.
Experts from various domains were recruited for this project, including Dr. J. Allen Hynek, an astronomy professor at Ohio State University. By March 1948, the project had accumulated over 300 reports—many from credible sources—that had not been made public. By the end of September 1948, the “Sign” Commission prepared a highly classified report, which did not dismiss the possibility that the observed crafts might be of extraterrestrial origin. This report was sent to General Hoyt S. Vanderberg, the Chief of Staff at that time.
However, he promptly ordered the destruction of the materials, leading to the dissolution of the entire “Sign” Commission on February 11, 1949. In its final report, the commission indicated that approximately 20% of the sightings remained unexplained by natural phenomena or known technology.
The Transition to “Blue Book”
Following this, another commission, named “Grudge” and later rebranded as “Blue Book” in 1951, took over the task of examining reports of “unconventional aircraft.” This project remained active until 1969, during which it gathered 12,618 reports, 701 of which (over 5%) had no explanations.
There were strong suspicions that “Blue Book” served merely as a facade, with more sensitive cases being redirected to more clandestine projects such as “Moon Dust” or “Blue Fly.” Many aviators recalled reporting extraordinary encounters with UFOs through official channels in the 1950s, yet these accounts did not appear in Blue Book's appendices, suggesting a cover-up of “sensitive reports.”
Capt. Edward J. Ruppelt, who oversaw Project Blue Book, later revealed that the CIA had instructed them to obscure sightings whenever possible. Furthermore, when reports were released, they were required to quickly provide an explanation, discredit the witness, or nullify the report if no satisfactory answer was found. This also extended to their pilots, who faced similar discrediting tactics.
Chapter 2: The Secrets of UFOs Revealed
The extent of the secrecy surrounding UFOs was exposed through an incident involving Wilbert B. Smith, a Canadian engineer with a Ph.D. in electronics. Fascinated by magnetic levitation vehicles, he traveled to Washington to share his insights with contacts in the Pentagon.
In a note dated November 21, 1950, which was declassified years later, Smith stated that UFOs were "the subject classified at the highest level of secrecy by the United States government, even more so than the hydrogen bomb... flying saucers are real... their operational methods remain unknown, yet significant efforts are being pursued by a select group of researchers led by Dr. Vannevar Bush."
Smith's notes later revealed that he had obtained information from Robert I. Sarbacher, a physics professor at Harvard University. When questioned about the origins of UFOs, Sarbacher indicated, "What we know is that we did not create them; their origin is likely non-terrestrial." Regarding UFO technology, he admitted, "We have yet to replicate their capabilities."
Much later, in 1983, Sarbacher corresponded with UFO investigators, clarifying, "I had no involvement with those involved in recovering flying saucers, and I am unaware of the details surrounding those recoveries... Figures such as John von Neumann, Vannevar Bush, and perhaps Robert Oppenheimer were certainly involved... I received various reports during my tenure at the Pentagon, but I was not permitted to disclose them... Certain materials thought to be from crashed disks were remarkably light yet also incredibly robust..."