12 May 1949
(U.S.
Air Force, Washington , D.C.
Source: NICAP.org
The whole document (not written in U.S. Department of
Defense document format):
“SECRET
DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
THE INSPECTOR GENERAL USAF
17th DISTRICT OFFICE OF SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, NEW MEXICO
DR/MEW/web
12 May 1949
File No: 24-8
SUBJECT: UNKNOWN (Aerial Phenomena)
TO: Director of Special Investigations
Office of The Inspector General USAF
Washington 25, D. C.
1. Reference is made to TRX from this district, OSI
4-26-C, dated 27 April 1949, pertaining to file number 24-8 of this district.
2. On 27 and 28 April 1949, Dr Joseph Kaplan, University of California
3. Dr Joseph Kaplan, accompanied by Lt Col Doyle Rees
and Captain Melvin E. Neef, of this office, and Dr Lincoln LaPaz, Institute of
Meteoritics, University of New Mexico, visited Sandia Base, New Mexico, and Los
Alamos, New Mexico.
4. Present at the conference at Sandia Base on the
morning of 27 April 1949 were:
Mr. Matthew J. Doyle, Armed Forces Special Weapons
Project
Comdr. R. E. Mandelkorn, Armed Forced Special Weapons
Project
Dr Joseph Kaplan
Dr Lincoln LaPaz
Captain Melvin E. Neef
S-50422
[pb]
BASIC: Letter, Hq 17th District OSI (IG) USAF, dated
12 May 1949
file number 24-8, subject, "UNKNOWN (Aerial
Phenomena)"
a. At this conference Dr Kaplan reviewed developments
of interest in the aerial phenomena on the part of the Scientific Advisory
Board, following his report to Dr Von Karman concerning information given him
early in February by Dr LaPaz, Lt Col Doyle Rees, Major William H. Godsoe,
Fourth Army Intelligence Liaison, Sandia Base, and Captain Melvin E. Neef.
Additional evidence, concerning not only specific incidents, but relating to
the very intense interest felt in the aerial phenomena in the area covered by
the represented agencies, was then given by Lt Col Crisler, Lt Col Rees,
Commander Mandelkorn and Captain Neef. At the conclusion of the testimony given
by the individuals listed above, Dr Kaplan stated that it was his intention, on
the basis of the information so far made available to him, to recommend that a
full scale scientific investigation of the aerial phenomena be undertaken as a
project set up at the Institute of Meteoritics of the University of New Mexico,
the Institute to receive full cooperation from other interested agencies in the
area. Dr Kaplan stressed that this project was to be separated completely from
Project "Grudge" (old Project "Sign").
b. Dr LaPaz outlined the program to be undertaken in
the event the project suggested by Dr Kaplan was approved by the Scientific
Advisory Board. Dr LaPaz separated the problem into two parts: first, the
collection of observation data; and second, the evaluation of such data.
(1) Collection of data: Under this heading Dr LaPaz
recommended that attempts be made to secure systematic visual, photographic,
spectrographic and radar observations of the aerial phenomena occurring in the
vicinity of at least the following three centers: first, the Atomic Energy
Commission installation at Los Alamos, New Mexico; second, the Atomic Energy
Commission installation at Sandia Base; and third, the USAF Guided Missile
installation at Holloman Air Force Base, Alamogordo, New Mexico. Lt Col Rees
emphasized that provision should be made to secure systematic coverage at the
Fourth Army installation at Camp Hood ,
Texas
C-O-P-Y
S-50422
[pb]
BASIC: Letter, Hq 17th District OSI (IG) USAF, dated
12 May 1949,
file number 24-8, subject, "UNKNOWN (Aerial
Phenomena)"
military installations. Dr LaPaz also recommended
that, in connection with air search, an attempt be made to collect fine dust
and tiny spheres resulting from the volatilization of the fireballs, which
conceivable [conceivably] require several days to fall down through the
atmosphere to the earth after the appearance of a fireball. It was his
recommendation that the collection of such dust be attempted by use of the
collection techniques recently devised by Dr William Crozier of the New Mexico
Proving Ground.
(2) Evaluation of Data: In connection with the
evaluation of the observational data secured and and any material specimens
that may be recovered, Dr LaPaz recommended that arrangements be made
permitting Dr Edward Teller of the University of California Group at Los
Alamos, Dr William Crozier of the New Mexico Proving Ground, Dr Kent and his
ballistics staff at Aberdeen Proving Ground, and Professor Clyde Tombaugh and
his associates at White Sands Proving Ground, to act as consultants for the
project. At the conclusion of Dr LaPaz’s remark, Commander Mandelkorn
recommended that the staff of the Harvard College Observatory Meteor Program
installation, near White Sands Proving Ground, also be made available for
consultation purposes. Dr LaPaz agreed that this was desirable, but pointed out
that it has been impossible to secure cooperation from Mr Carroll of the
Harvard College Observatory Group in the past. This point was confirmed by
Captain Neef, and Commander Mandelkorn then volunteered to insure that in the
future there would be no difficulty in securing cooperation from the HCO Meteor
Staff.
5. On the afternoon of 27 April 1949, Dr Kaplan
studied the files of the 17th District Office of Special Investigations as
pertained to the occurrences of aerial phenomena, and was further briefed by Lt
Col Rees, District Commander, Captain John J. Stahl, Jr, Deputy District
Commander, Captain Neef, Supervisor of the Security Division, Special Agent
Jack L. Boling and Dr LaPaz. No new recommendations arose as a result of this
conference, but it was felt that the incidents studied rendered imperative
initiation of such a systematic program of investigation as Dr Kaplan had
proposed at the Sandia Base conference during the morning.
6. On 28 April 1949 Dr Kaplan, Dr LaPaz, Lt Col Rees
and Captain Neef met at the Atomic Energy Commission installation, Los Alamos , New
Mexico
COPY
S-50422
[pb 4]
BASIC: Letter, Hq 17th District OSI (IG) USAF, dated
12 May 1949,
file number 24-8, subject, "UNKNOWN (Aerial
Phenomena)"
Mr. B. O. Wells, Director of Security
Mr. Sidney Newberger, of the Security Office
Mr. John A. Carroll, AEC Security Service
Mr Earle D. Hightower, of the Security Office
Mr Henry R. Hoyt, University of California
Mr Abner Schreiber, AEC Security Service
This conference was held at the request of Dr Kaplan
in order that he might ascertain the nature of the observations made by members
of the Atomic Energy Commission and the AEC Security Service Inspectors at Los Alamos , and that he might personally determine the
degree of concern felt by the Security and scientific personnel at the
installation. Dr Kaplan personally interviewed a number of University of California
7. Dr Kaplan expressed a great concern, as these
occurrences relate to the National Defense of the United States
DOYLE REES
District Commander
COPY
S-50422”
Wikipedia article: “United States Atomic Energy Commission”:
Wikipedia article: “Nuclear Regulatory Commission”:
Wikipedia article: “Nuclear power in the United States
Wikipedia article: “Fort Hood
Wikipedia article: “Holloman Air Force Base”:
Wikipedia article: “Los Alamos National Laboratory”:
Wikipedia article: “Sandia National Laboratories”:
Wikipedia article: “White
Sands Missile
Range
Related posts:
(wikimedia.org image)
Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos , New Mexico
One of Sandia’s first permanent buildings (Building
800) was
completed in 1949 (text by Wikipedia) (wikimedia.org)
(wikimedia.org photo)
