DISCLOSURE / FILE
Project Blue Book Termination Press Release, 1969
Air Force press release announcing the December 17, 1969 termination of Project Blue Book, the service's 21-year UFO investigation program.
DISCLOSURE / FILE
Air Force press release announcing the December 17, 1969 termination of Project Blue Book, the service's 21-year UFO investigation program.
Air Force Announcement of Termination of Project Blue Book, asdpa1.pdf
Air Force press release announcing the December 17, 1969 termination of Project Blue Book, the service's 21-year UFO investigation program.
Secretary of the Air Force Robert C. Seamans, Jr. notified Chief of Staff General John D. Ryan that Project Blue Book could not be justified on national-security or scientific grounds, citing the University of Colorado's 18-month Condon study, a National Academy of Sciences review, the 1953 Robertson Panel, and the 1966 O'Brien Committee. The release lists Blue Book's three closing conclusions: no reported UFO ever indicated a threat to national security, none represented technology beyond present scientific knowledge, and none indicated extraterrestrial vehicles. Records were retired to the USAF Archives at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, with information requests routed to SAFOI in Washington, D.C. The Academy panel added that extraterrestrial visitation was, on present knowledge, the least likely explanation for UFOs.
the continuation of Project Blue Book cannot be justified either on the ground of national security or in the interest of science,p.1
no high priority in UFO investigations is warranted by data of the past two decades.p.2
On the basis of present knowledge, the least likely explanation of UFCs is the hypothesis of extraterrestrial visitations bi intelligent beings.p.2
no UFO reported, investi- gated, and evaluated by the Air Force has ever given any indication of threat to our national securityp.2
there has been no evidence indicating that sightings categorized as "unidenti- fied" are extraterrestrial vehicles.p.2
Project Blue Book records will be retired to th.i' USAF Archives, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.p.2
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IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 17, 1969 AIR FORCE TO TERMINATE PROJECT "BLUE BOOK" NO. 1077-69 OXford 7-5131 (Info.) OXford 7-3189 (Copies) f.!" Secretary of the Air Force Robert C. Seamans, Jr., announced today the termination of Project Blue Book, the Air Force program for the investigation of unidentified flying objects (UFOs). In a memo r and u m t ·o Air For c e Chief of S t a f f Genera 1 John D . . Ryan , Secretary Seamans stated that ''the continuation of Project Blue Book cannot be justified either on the ground of national security or in the interest of science," and concluded that the project does not merit future expenditures of resources. The decision to discontinue UFO investigations was based on: - An evaluation of a report prepared by the University of .Jrado entitled, "Scientific Study of Unidentified Flying Objects." - A revie~ of the University of Colorado's report by the National Academy of Sciences. .• Past UFO studies. - Air Force experience investigating UFO reports during the past two decades. Under the direction of Dr. Edward U. Condon, the University of Colorado completed an 18-month contracted study of UFOs and its report was released to the public in January, 1969. The report concluded that little if anything has come from the study of UFOs in the. past 21 years that has added to scientific knowledge, and that further ~xtensive study of UFO sightings is not justified in the expectation that science will be advanced. T-he- University of Colorado report also states that, "It seems that only so much attention to the subject (UFOs) should be give as the Department of Defense deems to be necessary strictly from a defense point of view •.•. It is our impression that the defense function could be performed within the framework established for intelligence and sur- ~eillance operations without the continuance of a special unit such as ·ect Blue Book, but this is a question for defense specialists rather .l research scientists." A panel of the National Academy of Sciences made an independent assessment of the scope, methodology, and :indings of the University of MORE I I ! . ' ~ i. I i I I i .. I I
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-2- Colorado study. The panel concurred in the University of Colorado's recommendation that "no high priority in UFO investigations is warranted by data of the past two decades." It concluded by stating that, "On the basis of present knowledge, the least likely explanation of UFCs is the hypothesis of extraterrestrial visitations bi intelligent beings." ... Past UFO studies include one conducted by a Scientific Advisory Panel of UFOs in January, 1953 (Robertson Panel); and, a review of Project Blue Book by the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board Ad Hoc Committee, February-March, 1966 (Dr. Brian O'Brien, Chairman). These studies concluded that no evidence has been found .that any of the UFO reports reflect a threat to our national security. As a result of investigating UFO reports since 1948, the conclusions of Project Blue Book are: (1) no UFO reported, investi- gated, and evaluated by the Air Force has ever given any indication of threat to our national security; (2) there has been no evidence submitted or discovered by the Air Force that sightings categorized ''unidentified" represent technological developments or principles Jnd the range of present-day scientific knowledge; and (3) there has been no evidence indicating that sightings categorized as "unidenti- fied" are extraterrestrial vehicles. ,;.. Project Blue Book records will be retired to th.i' USAF Archives, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. Requests for information will continue to be handled by the Secretary of the Air Force, Office of Information (SAFOI), Washington, D.C. 20330. END (" \ . >-- I I I I l" I I. r . . j. 1 ': .. - . ! . .".· '. 1·. I . i... ·. I . . ; IConcatenated page-by-page transcript. Born-digital pages came through pdf.js; scanned pages were transcribed by Claude vision OCR. Pages marked unreadable failed multiple OCR retries (heavy redaction, microfilm artifacts, or blank separators) and are kept in place for audit.
IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 17, 1969 AIR FORCE TO TERMINATE PROJECT "BLUE BOOK" NO. 1077-69 OXford 7-5131 (Info.) OXford 7-3189 (Copies) f.!" Secretary of the Air Force Robert C. Seamans, Jr., announced today the termination of Project Blue Book, the Air Force program for the investigation of unidentified flying objects (UFOs). In a memo r and u m t ·o Air For c e Chief of S t a f f Genera 1 John D . . Ryan , Secretary Seamans stated that ''the continuation of Project Blue Book cannot be justified either on the ground of national security or in the interest of science," and concluded that the project does not merit future expenditures of resources. The decision to discontinue UFO investigations was based on: - An evaluation of a report prepared by the University of .Jrado entitled, "Scientific Study of Unidentified Flying Objects." - A revie~ of the University of Colorado's report by the National Academy of Sciences. .• Past UFO studies. - Air Force experience investigating UFO reports during the past two decades. Under the direction of Dr. Edward U. Condon, the University of Colorado completed an 18-month contracted study of UFOs and its report was released to the public in January, 1969. The report concluded that little if anything has come from the study of UFOs in the. past 21 years that has added to scientific knowledge, and that further ~xtensive study of UFO sightings is not justified in the expectation that science will be advanced. T-he- University of Colorado report also states that, "It seems that only so much attention to the subject (UFOs) should be give as the Department of Defense deems to be necessary strictly from a defense point of view •.•. It is our impression that the defense function could be performed within the framework established for intelligence and sur- ~eillance operations without the continuance of a special unit such as ·ect Blue Book, but this is a question for defense specialists rather .l research scientists." A panel of the National Academy of Sciences made an independent assessment of the scope, methodology, and :indings of the University of MORE I I ! . ' ~ i. I i I I i .. I I
-2- Colorado study. The panel concurred in the University of Colorado's recommendation that "no high priority in UFO investigations is warranted by data of the past two decades." It concluded by stating that, "On the basis of present knowledge, the least likely explanation of UFCs is the hypothesis of extraterrestrial visitations bi intelligent beings." ... Past UFO studies include one conducted by a Scientific Advisory Panel of UFOs in January, 1953 (Robertson Panel); and, a review of Project Blue Book by the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board Ad Hoc Committee, February-March, 1966 (Dr. Brian O'Brien, Chairman). These studies concluded that no evidence has been found .that any of the UFO reports reflect a threat to our national security. As a result of investigating UFO reports since 1948, the conclusions of Project Blue Book are: (1) no UFO reported, investi- gated, and evaluated by the Air Force has ever given any indication of threat to our national security; (2) there has been no evidence submitted or discovered by the Air Force that sightings categorized ''unidentified" represent technological developments or principles Jnd the range of present-day scientific knowledge; and (3) there has been no evidence indicating that sightings categorized as "unidenti- fied" are extraterrestrial vehicles. ,;.. Project Blue Book records will be retired to th.i' USAF Archives, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. Requests for information will continue to be handled by the Secretary of the Air Force, Office of Information (SAFOI), Washington, D.C. 20330. END (" \ . >-- I I I I l" I I. r . . j. 1 ': .. - . ! . .".· '. 1·. I . i... ·. I . . ; I