Dear readers
Winter rains have hit Adelaide today, so it's down to my local library to read science magazines.
The subject of today's post is a brand new Australian book titled "Inside Pine Gap" by a former NSA employee, David Rosenberg. Published by Hardie Grant books, Prahan, Victoria, Australia (click here) . ISBN 978-1-742-701-738.
Rosenberg spent 18 years in the operations area of the NSA, and this book is a little bit of dynamite for those of us who love reading about the work of US intelligence agencies. In this case their work at the legendary Pine Gap base ( click here) near Alice Springs in the Northern Territory of Australia.
However, this post is not about the book in its entirety. Whenever I read a new book on intelligence agencies I quickly scan through it for anything on UFOs. When I scanned this book I didn't think there would be any material about UFOs, but I was wrong.
What Rosenberg has to say on Pine Gap and UFOs:
"One of the early rumours surrounding the construction of Pine Gap was a headline in 1967 that claimed flying saucers, or UFOs, might be attracted to the new facility that would become known as the Space Base. (The nickname itself likely encouraged the imagination of others to envisage visits by our extraterrestrial neighbours to the remote interior of Australia.)
"This belief was a likely source of the many UFO sightings near Alice Springs reported over the years. It amazes me that many people believe the isolated Pine Gap facility may serve as a friendly landing and resupply site for weary voyagers eager to catch up with their neighbours after travelling billions or trillions of kilometers.
"Obviously the Australians would make prefect hosts, offering a cold beer or a Bundy to our friends from nearby solar systems.
"For some UFO enthusiasts, Pine Gap is a logical choice to serve as the Earth's welcoming committee for our faraway friends. Alice Springs and Pine gap just happen to be relatively close to the "UFO capital of Australia", Wycliffe Well, only 380 kilometers away, where UFO sightings are considered to be so common that only an unlucky overnight tourist would miss out on an experience.
"Despite the countless stories involving UFOs and Pine Gap offered up by the Internet, the aliens must have kept a very low profile during my eighteen-year tenure in Operations, as I, like the unlucky Wycliffe Well tourist, never saw any evidence of aliens at or around Pine Gap." (pages 148-149.)
Showing posts with label NSA documents. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NSA documents. Show all posts
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Howell McConnell - ex NSA -2
Dear readers
After completing my last post about Howell McConnell from the NSA, and being unable to find out anything about his UFO interests post 1974, imagine my surprise when I picked up John B Alexander's new book "UFOs:myth, conspiracies, and realities," and who should be in there but Howell McConnell.
The ATP:
Alexander tells of setting up an "Advanced Theoretical Physics Project (ATP.) "This was a small internal group drawn from the government and aerospace industry, all of whom were interested in the topic." (p.6.) "Membership was highly restricted and it was literally an old boy network." (p.16.) "Membership included people from the Army, Navy,and Air Force plus several from defense aerospace industries and some members from the Intelligence community." (p.17.) "The first set of meetings and briefings were conducted from 1984 through 1988." (p.21.)
Howell McConnell:
"Howell McConnell had been participating in the ATP from the beginning. McConnell was a career employee at No Such Agency, as some people refer to this super secret organization, which was located a stone's throw outside the Washington Beltway at Fort Meade, Maryland.
"Based on his own initiative and personal concern about UFOs, Howell had written a position paper on the topic that was made available to his superiors. Upon a document search responding to a written request under FOIA, that paper had been released by NSA. Thus, he was known to the public as informed in the area. For personal reasons, Howell and Jack, a coworker of his, had a deep interest in the topic." (p.30.)
"When it came to record keeping, Howell was also a saving grace in NSA. While civilians seem to believe that every piece of information that goes into the U.S. Government is saved, that is not true. Especially in the days of paper files, Washington, D.C., would have sunk into the swamp on which it is built just under the sheer weight of the documents. Rather, most material was scheduled for routine destruction after a specified date. Using an old boy net, McConnell had become known inside NSA for his interest in UFOs and incoming reports were regularly funnelled to him.
"He kept many of those reports long after their expiration date. It is important to note that the vast majority of those documents were from intelligence officers around the world who were sending in reports that appeared in their local newspapers. There were a few that got our attention, as they came from trusted sources. However, even having reports with high credibility, and possible military significance, was not sufficient to get formal collection requirements related to UFOs." (p.31)
"As ATP progressed, Howell, jack and I did meet with a very senior official in the NSA regarding what had been concluded thus far in our study. Like the senior officials from the other agencies, he was interested but had nothing to offer. There was no problem with Howell keeping track of information regarding UFOs, but no requirement to do so. Most of the UFO reports that came into NSA were generated by people located at foreign sites passing on routine information they thought worth observing." (p.31.)
Strategic Defense Initiative:
In a page dedicated to a briefing of Lieutenant General Jim Abrahamson, head of SDI, the briefing included the subject of UFOs, there is a statement "While the Air Force data from Space command got some interest, it was the NSA material that received the most attention." (p.33.)
What was this material? It was "...statements from Dr F Yu Zigel, a senior Soviet astronomer and laboratory director..." (p.33.)
"Obviously the Soviet scientists that NSA was listening to did not doubt the reality of the UFOs. "How did you get this?" General Abrahamson asked, seemingly shocked by the verbatim transcript. McConnell responded, explaining our technical eavesdropping methodologies..." (p.34.)
Documentation:
"For UFO buffs, that means a lot of material that they are looking for simply doesn't exist. Previously mentioned was Howell McConnell, who worked at NSA and is known to some UFO researchers. McConnell did have a small number of highly sensitive files regarding UFOs in his possession. In some cases they had passed their normal date for destruction. Had he not kept the files on his personal safe, they would have been routinely destroyed, and with-out a record of their prior existence." (p.205.)
Frauds:
"...when people came forward with extraordinary tales about how they encountered UFO projects in the Black World, they can easily be spotted by those who understand the system and have really worked in it. When former officials like Colonel Bill Coleman of the Air Force or Howell McConnell of NSA discuss their activities in the field, their descriptions fit entirely..." (p.208.)
Comments:
This and the previous post do indicate that there were indeed individuals in various agencies such as the NSA, who had a deep interest in the UFO phenomenon, even though there was not an official requirement to collect data on the subject.
It is noted that if one didn't come across Howell McConnell in sources such as Vallee's dairies or Alexander's book, then the average researcher would never know of this interest.
An internet search on "Howell McConnell" turned up two entries:
1. McConnell was a key speaker in February 2001 at the Las Vegas "Black Hat Windows 2000 security conference." By then he had retired from the NSA. Click here.
2. He became a tour guide at the National Cryptologic Museum at Fort Meade, the home of the NSA. Click here.
Click here for what I believe is McConnell's 1968 NSA paper.
Have readers come across anything else on his UFO interests?
After completing my last post about Howell McConnell from the NSA, and being unable to find out anything about his UFO interests post 1974, imagine my surprise when I picked up John B Alexander's new book "UFOs:myth, conspiracies, and realities," and who should be in there but Howell McConnell.
The ATP:
Alexander tells of setting up an "Advanced Theoretical Physics Project (ATP.) "This was a small internal group drawn from the government and aerospace industry, all of whom were interested in the topic." (p.6.) "Membership was highly restricted and it was literally an old boy network." (p.16.) "Membership included people from the Army, Navy,and Air Force plus several from defense aerospace industries and some members from the Intelligence community." (p.17.) "The first set of meetings and briefings were conducted from 1984 through 1988." (p.21.)
Howell McConnell:
"Howell McConnell had been participating in the ATP from the beginning. McConnell was a career employee at No Such Agency, as some people refer to this super secret organization, which was located a stone's throw outside the Washington Beltway at Fort Meade, Maryland.
"Based on his own initiative and personal concern about UFOs, Howell had written a position paper on the topic that was made available to his superiors. Upon a document search responding to a written request under FOIA, that paper had been released by NSA. Thus, he was known to the public as informed in the area. For personal reasons, Howell and Jack, a coworker of his, had a deep interest in the topic." (p.30.)
"When it came to record keeping, Howell was also a saving grace in NSA. While civilians seem to believe that every piece of information that goes into the U.S. Government is saved, that is not true. Especially in the days of paper files, Washington, D.C., would have sunk into the swamp on which it is built just under the sheer weight of the documents. Rather, most material was scheduled for routine destruction after a specified date. Using an old boy net, McConnell had become known inside NSA for his interest in UFOs and incoming reports were regularly funnelled to him.
"He kept many of those reports long after their expiration date. It is important to note that the vast majority of those documents were from intelligence officers around the world who were sending in reports that appeared in their local newspapers. There were a few that got our attention, as they came from trusted sources. However, even having reports with high credibility, and possible military significance, was not sufficient to get formal collection requirements related to UFOs." (p.31)
"As ATP progressed, Howell, jack and I did meet with a very senior official in the NSA regarding what had been concluded thus far in our study. Like the senior officials from the other agencies, he was interested but had nothing to offer. There was no problem with Howell keeping track of information regarding UFOs, but no requirement to do so. Most of the UFO reports that came into NSA were generated by people located at foreign sites passing on routine information they thought worth observing." (p.31.)
Strategic Defense Initiative:
In a page dedicated to a briefing of Lieutenant General Jim Abrahamson, head of SDI, the briefing included the subject of UFOs, there is a statement "While the Air Force data from Space command got some interest, it was the NSA material that received the most attention." (p.33.)
What was this material? It was "...statements from Dr F Yu Zigel, a senior Soviet astronomer and laboratory director..." (p.33.)
"Obviously the Soviet scientists that NSA was listening to did not doubt the reality of the UFOs. "How did you get this?" General Abrahamson asked, seemingly shocked by the verbatim transcript. McConnell responded, explaining our technical eavesdropping methodologies..." (p.34.)
Documentation:
"For UFO buffs, that means a lot of material that they are looking for simply doesn't exist. Previously mentioned was Howell McConnell, who worked at NSA and is known to some UFO researchers. McConnell did have a small number of highly sensitive files regarding UFOs in his possession. In some cases they had passed their normal date for destruction. Had he not kept the files on his personal safe, they would have been routinely destroyed, and with-out a record of their prior existence." (p.205.)
Frauds:
"...when people came forward with extraordinary tales about how they encountered UFO projects in the Black World, they can easily be spotted by those who understand the system and have really worked in it. When former officials like Colonel Bill Coleman of the Air Force or Howell McConnell of NSA discuss their activities in the field, their descriptions fit entirely..." (p.208.)
Comments:
This and the previous post do indicate that there were indeed individuals in various agencies such as the NSA, who had a deep interest in the UFO phenomenon, even though there was not an official requirement to collect data on the subject.
It is noted that if one didn't come across Howell McConnell in sources such as Vallee's dairies or Alexander's book, then the average researcher would never know of this interest.
An internet search on "Howell McConnell" turned up two entries:
1. McConnell was a key speaker in February 2001 at the Las Vegas "Black Hat Windows 2000 security conference." By then he had retired from the NSA. Click here.
2. He became a tour guide at the National Cryptologic Museum at Fort Meade, the home of the NSA. Click here.
Click here for what I believe is McConnell's 1968 NSA paper.
Have readers come across anything else on his UFO interests?
Saturday, January 9, 2010
My overview of the NSA FOIA documents
Hi all
Well, what to make of the documents relating to UFOs which are publicly available on the National Security Agency's website?
There are some documents which probably relate to propaganda balloons launched over China; probable sightings of Russian aircraft over northern Canada; the fascinating 1976 Iran aircraft encounter; miscellaneous old sightings; and the world wide program Project Moondust which was vacuuming up bits of fallen satellites.
When you spend the time to look through these documents and think about the implications, as I have in recent weeks, you get a sense that there is some good material here which should have helped to further understand the UFO phenomenon.
From earlier posts I note the following:
1. Richard M Dolan in his work "UFOs and the National Security State: chronology of a coverup 1941-1973" page 118 stated that "The NSA immediately became involved in UFO reports" but fails to document the source of this assertion. For more information on Dolan's work click here.
2. In 1972, Jacques Vallee (Forbidden Science Volume 2 p 159) mentioned talking to one Howell McConnell of NSA who told Vallee "So we keep an eye on things." For information on Vallee, see his personal website here. McConnell gets a mention in Timothy Good's 2007 book "Need to know" click here. After retiring from the NSA McConnell spoke at conferences, for example here. Finally click here for a 2008 mention of McConnell.
3. In 1975, Jacques Vallee wrote of meeting an NSA physicist (Forbidden Science volume 2 p 312)who told him that he (the physicist) conducted a search of the NSA for intercept messages relating to UFOs and failed to find any. For one review of Forbidden Science Volume 2 click here.
4. In 1976, Vallee (Forbidden Science volume 2 p327) spoke of meeting someone who claimed that they had been apart of a special NSA group dedicated to researching UFOs.
I guess, in the end, it boils down to a) either these are all the NSA documents on UFOs and there had been no officially sanctioned research project on UFOs; or b) there was such research by NSA and these research documents have not been released.
Over to you readers, for your comments.
Well, what to make of the documents relating to UFOs which are publicly available on the National Security Agency's website?
There are some documents which probably relate to propaganda balloons launched over China; probable sightings of Russian aircraft over northern Canada; the fascinating 1976 Iran aircraft encounter; miscellaneous old sightings; and the world wide program Project Moondust which was vacuuming up bits of fallen satellites.
When you spend the time to look through these documents and think about the implications, as I have in recent weeks, you get a sense that there is some good material here which should have helped to further understand the UFO phenomenon.
From earlier posts I note the following:
1. Richard M Dolan in his work "UFOs and the National Security State: chronology of a coverup 1941-1973" page 118 stated that "The NSA immediately became involved in UFO reports" but fails to document the source of this assertion. For more information on Dolan's work click here.
2. In 1972, Jacques Vallee (Forbidden Science Volume 2 p 159) mentioned talking to one Howell McConnell of NSA who told Vallee "So we keep an eye on things." For information on Vallee, see his personal website here. McConnell gets a mention in Timothy Good's 2007 book "Need to know" click here. After retiring from the NSA McConnell spoke at conferences, for example here. Finally click here for a 2008 mention of McConnell.
3. In 1975, Jacques Vallee wrote of meeting an NSA physicist (Forbidden Science volume 2 p 312)who told him that he (the physicist) conducted a search of the NSA for intercept messages relating to UFOs and failed to find any. For one review of Forbidden Science Volume 2 click here.
4. In 1976, Vallee (Forbidden Science volume 2 p327) spoke of meeting someone who claimed that they had been apart of a special NSA group dedicated to researching UFOs.
I guess, in the end, it boils down to a) either these are all the NSA documents on UFOs and there had been no officially sanctioned research project on UFOs; or b) there was such research by NSA and these research documents have not been released.
Over to you readers, for your comments.
Friday, January 8, 2010
NSA FOIA documents 32-42
Here are the final batch of National Security Agency, Freedom of Information Act documents listed on the NSA's website.
32 General Accounting Office report to the then Steven H Schiff re search for records re Roswell 1947 crash.
This is a 21 page report. The General Accounting Office advised that "...we conducted an extensive search for government records related to the crash near Roswell." All that was uncovered was a 8 Jul 1947 FBI teletype "...discusses the recovery ...of a...balloon..." and a USAF report of Jul 1994 "Report of Air Force Research regarding the Roswell incident; plus a history of the 509th bomb group Roswell with an item re the "flying disc/balloon."
Comment: This suggests a fairly wide search was undertaken and makes you wonder if there are in fact any other documents relating to Roswell, out there? Click here for the USAF's own website comments.
33 Memorandum and Order -Citizens Against UFO Secrecy v NSA
In the civil action no 80-1562 undertaken by CAUS against the NSA, the court found for the NSA. It decided the public's interest in UFOs was "...outweighed by the sensitive nature of the materials..."
Comment: Interesting that we are here probably talking about such things as the NSA's ability to listen to Chinese intercepts commenting on balloons launched from Taiwan with the help of the CIA!
34 Communication with Extraterrestrial Intelligence by Lambros D Callimahos
This is a nine page, 1965 document, stamped unclassified. It discusses how we might communicate with extraterrestrials using coded radio waves.
35 UFO hypotheses and survival questions
A seven page, 1968, formerly secret discussion paper stamped "draft." It looks at the hypotheses that UFOs may be hoaxes, hallucinations, natural phenomena, secret earth projects or related to extraterrestrial intelligence. Each possibility is explored and discussed against the idea of how the hypothesis would affect the human race.
Comment: It is interesting to note that the sources cited as references for this paper are all public documents. If the NSA was hiding something, you might expect the references to be something along the line of (1) NSA file -UFO16 - analysis of 19 physical trace cases or (2) NSA file UFO21 - analysis of case 2346.
36 UFOs and the intelligence community blind spot to surprise or deceptive data
A seven page, undated, document originally stamped "secret" and "draft." Although there are large areas blacked out, the gist is to be aware of novel, innovative or surprise data or tactics.
Comment: The work of Jacques Vallee is heavily utilised in the paper.
37 Memorandum for the record - subject - information request solicitation
This is a five page document dated 29 Aug 1978 from USN to D4. As an NSA employee with an interest in UFOs who was attending a UFO symposium in Ohio in Jul 78 the person discussed this with their supervisor and others at NSA before attending.
At the MUFON Symposium, following a lecture by Mr Leonard Stringfield, the employee gathered copies from a Mr Robert Barry, of some letters the employee thought were fraudulent. Eventually, some agency either the NSA or another, wrote to Mr Barry and advised him that the letters were indeed fraudulent.
Comment: Makes you wonder what was the content of these letters and why they would interest the NSA? A list of papers presented may be found by clicking here. The papers themselves may be read here. Some interesting comments about the talk may be located here.
38 United States Air Force Fact sheet 95-03
A USAF fact sheet about Project Bluebook (current as of Jun 1995.)
Comment: Visit the Project Bluebook archive here.
39 Report on Air Force research regarding the "Roswell Incident."
A twenty-two page, Jul 1994 summary of the USAF's report on Roswell.
Comment: Why was the NSA keeping a copy of this?
40 JANAP 146
An undated, thirteen page document concerning what should be reported as "vital intelligence sightings" to whom it should be reported, and how. Things that should be reported are "Unidentified Flying Objects."
Comment: For more on JANAP 146 click here.
41 Key to the extraterrestrial messages by H Campaigne
"Dr Capaigne presented a series of 24 messages from outer space in "Extraterrestrial Intelligence" NSA Technical Journal Vol XI No 2 pp101ff...the following article develops a key to these messages."
Comment: Apparently a hypothetical ET message!
42 Extraterrestrial intelligence by Howard H Campaigne
A two page, unclassified paper along the same lines as 41. Released by NSA Oct 2004.
32 General Accounting Office report to the then Steven H Schiff re search for records re Roswell 1947 crash.
This is a 21 page report. The General Accounting Office advised that "...we conducted an extensive search for government records related to the crash near Roswell." All that was uncovered was a 8 Jul 1947 FBI teletype "...discusses the recovery ...of a...balloon..." and a USAF report of Jul 1994 "Report of Air Force Research regarding the Roswell incident; plus a history of the 509th bomb group Roswell with an item re the "flying disc/balloon."
Comment: This suggests a fairly wide search was undertaken and makes you wonder if there are in fact any other documents relating to Roswell, out there? Click here for the USAF's own website comments.
33 Memorandum and Order -Citizens Against UFO Secrecy v NSA
In the civil action no 80-1562 undertaken by CAUS against the NSA, the court found for the NSA. It decided the public's interest in UFOs was "...outweighed by the sensitive nature of the materials..."
Comment: Interesting that we are here probably talking about such things as the NSA's ability to listen to Chinese intercepts commenting on balloons launched from Taiwan with the help of the CIA!
34 Communication with Extraterrestrial Intelligence by Lambros D Callimahos
This is a nine page, 1965 document, stamped unclassified. It discusses how we might communicate with extraterrestrials using coded radio waves.
35 UFO hypotheses and survival questions
A seven page, 1968, formerly secret discussion paper stamped "draft." It looks at the hypotheses that UFOs may be hoaxes, hallucinations, natural phenomena, secret earth projects or related to extraterrestrial intelligence. Each possibility is explored and discussed against the idea of how the hypothesis would affect the human race.
Comment: It is interesting to note that the sources cited as references for this paper are all public documents. If the NSA was hiding something, you might expect the references to be something along the line of (1) NSA file -UFO16 - analysis of 19 physical trace cases or (2) NSA file UFO21 - analysis of case 2346.
36 UFOs and the intelligence community blind spot to surprise or deceptive data
A seven page, undated, document originally stamped "secret" and "draft." Although there are large areas blacked out, the gist is to be aware of novel, innovative or surprise data or tactics.
Comment: The work of Jacques Vallee is heavily utilised in the paper.
37 Memorandum for the record - subject - information request solicitation
This is a five page document dated 29 Aug 1978 from USN to D4. As an NSA employee with an interest in UFOs who was attending a UFO symposium in Ohio in Jul 78 the person discussed this with their supervisor and others at NSA before attending.
At the MUFON Symposium, following a lecture by Mr Leonard Stringfield, the employee gathered copies from a Mr Robert Barry, of some letters the employee thought were fraudulent. Eventually, some agency either the NSA or another, wrote to Mr Barry and advised him that the letters were indeed fraudulent.
Comment: Makes you wonder what was the content of these letters and why they would interest the NSA? A list of papers presented may be found by clicking here. The papers themselves may be read here. Some interesting comments about the talk may be located here.
38 United States Air Force Fact sheet 95-03
A USAF fact sheet about Project Bluebook (current as of Jun 1995.)
Comment: Visit the Project Bluebook archive here.
39 Report on Air Force research regarding the "Roswell Incident."
A twenty-two page, Jul 1994 summary of the USAF's report on Roswell.
Comment: Why was the NSA keeping a copy of this?
40 JANAP 146
An undated, thirteen page document concerning what should be reported as "vital intelligence sightings" to whom it should be reported, and how. Things that should be reported are "Unidentified Flying Objects."
Comment: For more on JANAP 146 click here.
41 Key to the extraterrestrial messages by H Campaigne
"Dr Capaigne presented a series of 24 messages from outer space in "Extraterrestrial Intelligence" NSA Technical Journal Vol XI No 2 pp101ff...the following article develops a key to these messages."
Comment: Apparently a hypothetical ET message!
42 Extraterrestrial intelligence by Howard H Campaigne
A two page, unclassified paper along the same lines as 41. Released by NSA Oct 2004.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Russian intrusions, high speed objects and more
Hi
Some more FOIA NSA documents.
30. American Embassy Tunis report-subject UFOs.
A one page teletype. There have been no recent UFO reports and the embassy can shed no light on phenomenon described reftel.
31. Report for Air Force Special Security Office-subject (Unidentified) UFOB NEAC area.
A 26 page document in total comprising four different sections.
p1 From Air Force Security Office to NSA.
p2 dated 18 Jul 1955 cover sheet.
p3 1 Jun 1955 observation by RB-47 aircraft. Radar only contact with unknown aircraft at location 74 deg 40 min N 105 deg 00 min W.
p4 4 Jun 1955 observation by another RB-47. Radar and visual unknown aircraft or object. Location 74 deg 10min N 107 deg 10min W.
p5 7 Jun 1955 object seen by RB-47 at 72 deg o2min N 127deg W. Radar contact.
p6 8 Jun 1955 Observation from RB-47. Radar and visual contact. Aircraft above RB-47 plus contrail. Location 74deg 26min N 163 deg 25 min W.
Comment: A look at the map reveals that these locations are in the far north of Canada. Could they be observations of Russian aircraft? "Russian aircraft regularly probed into North American airspace during the Cold War, and Canadian and American fighters routinely tracked the snoopers and escorted them back into international airspace." Source: click here. See also here.
pp7-14 Harmon Air Force Base. A KC-97 aircraft at 20,000 ft reported sighting. Object appeared to be hovering, then moved slowly, then climbed. USAF aircraft lost visual contact with the object at an estimated altitude of 40-50,000 ft. Object then accelerated to 1600k and raced NE. Radar and visual observation. 7 Jul 1955.
Comment: pp7-14 This is a very interesting detailed set of documents. The 1600k speed is, of course, very high for 1955. For info on Harmon click here.
pp15-21 Air Intelligence report dated 18 Mar 1958 re unknown radar tracks 9-10 Mar 1958 in the Panama Canal Zone. Three unexplainable radar contacts. On two occasions aircraft were sent to investigate. Radar tracks were triangular and of erratic speed. A second tracking radar on Tabogo Island also locked onto object. Persons saw red and Green noiseless lights. On other occasions, searchlights used. "When the light touched the objects they travelled from an altitude of two thousand feet to ten thousand feet in five to ten seconds." p17.
Comment pp15-21. These observations are very interesting, particularly the piece about the searchlights. See Nick Redfern's account here.
pp22-26 An Aug 1969 teletype which is very hard to read but seems to be about sighting at March AFB California.
In summary, document 31 has some very tantalising reports in it!
Some more FOIA NSA documents.
30. American Embassy Tunis report-subject UFOs.
A one page teletype. There have been no recent UFO reports and the embassy can shed no light on phenomenon described reftel.
31. Report for Air Force Special Security Office-subject (Unidentified) UFOB NEAC area.
A 26 page document in total comprising four different sections.
p1 From Air Force Security Office to NSA.
p2 dated 18 Jul 1955 cover sheet.
p3 1 Jun 1955 observation by RB-47 aircraft. Radar only contact with unknown aircraft at location 74 deg 40 min N 105 deg 00 min W.
p4 4 Jun 1955 observation by another RB-47. Radar and visual unknown aircraft or object. Location 74 deg 10min N 107 deg 10min W.
p5 7 Jun 1955 object seen by RB-47 at 72 deg o2min N 127deg W. Radar contact.
p6 8 Jun 1955 Observation from RB-47. Radar and visual contact. Aircraft above RB-47 plus contrail. Location 74deg 26min N 163 deg 25 min W.
Comment: A look at the map reveals that these locations are in the far north of Canada. Could they be observations of Russian aircraft? "Russian aircraft regularly probed into North American airspace during the Cold War, and Canadian and American fighters routinely tracked the snoopers and escorted them back into international airspace." Source: click here. See also here.
pp7-14 Harmon Air Force Base. A KC-97 aircraft at 20,000 ft reported sighting. Object appeared to be hovering, then moved slowly, then climbed. USAF aircraft lost visual contact with the object at an estimated altitude of 40-50,000 ft. Object then accelerated to 1600k and raced NE. Radar and visual observation. 7 Jul 1955.
Comment: pp7-14 This is a very interesting detailed set of documents. The 1600k speed is, of course, very high for 1955. For info on Harmon click here.
pp15-21 Air Intelligence report dated 18 Mar 1958 re unknown radar tracks 9-10 Mar 1958 in the Panama Canal Zone. Three unexplainable radar contacts. On two occasions aircraft were sent to investigate. Radar tracks were triangular and of erratic speed. A second tracking radar on Tabogo Island also locked onto object. Persons saw red and Green noiseless lights. On other occasions, searchlights used. "When the light touched the objects they travelled from an altitude of two thousand feet to ten thousand feet in five to ten seconds." p17.
Comment pp15-21. These observations are very interesting, particularly the piece about the searchlights. See Nick Redfern's account here.
pp22-26 An Aug 1969 teletype which is very hard to read but seems to be about sighting at March AFB California.
In summary, document 31 has some very tantalising reports in it!
Monday, January 4, 2010
NSA documents 21-29
Hi
More time spent looking at copies of the NSA FOIA documents, this time documents 21-29.
21. Dept of State airogram-Flying saucers are a myth.
DOS airogram dated 22 Mar 1968 from US Embassy, Moscow to DOS, re an article in MOSKOVSKIY KOMSOMOLETS dated 16 Feb 1968. 5 pages.
22. Dept of State -Tunisian fireball.
Two page teletype from Embassy, Tunis dated Jul 1969. Green/blue circular glow, size of full moon seen 13 Jul 1969 plus another phenomenon a few degrees to right of polar star-star like which exploded forming greenish circular cloud.
23. Dept of State -celestial body observed near Antarctica.
One page dated 4 Sep 1965 from US Embassy, Beunos Aires advising that their Office of the Naval Attache had requested info from Argentinian navy re reports of UFOs from Argentinian Antarctic station.
24. Dept of State Airogram-Political report August 1965.
One page from American consulate Mexicall. One line entry "Flying saucers in Mexicall."
25. Dept of State airogram - Unidentified flying objects.
From US Embassy Ottawa, Canada dated 13 Apr 1966. There have been reports of UFOs in Canada. The Canadian Library of Parliament has requested any publications US may have on UFOs.
26. Dept of State airogram -Sighting of object possibly originating from space vehicle.
Dated 18 May 1965 From American Embassy Tokyo. Japanese newspapers carry report of 10 May 1965. No further details given.
27. Dept of State airogram - UFOs.
Dated 15 Dec 1966 From Embassy Montevideo. Had a visit from a local astronomer who had taken 20 colour slides of 12 Nov 1966 eclipse with saucer-like object in them. Offered to Embassy.
28. Dept of State airogram -UFOs reported over Angola.
Dated 23 Dec 1966 From US Embassy Lisbon. Press reporting two flying saucers by crew of an aircraft on 7 Dec 1966.
29. Dept of State. Report of object which fell near Municipio of General Teron, NL. Dated 17 Feb 1967 From Amconsul Monterrey. Attached is a translation of a letter from the major of General Teron to the private secretary of the Governor of the state of Nuevo Leon re unidentified object which fell near GT on 7 Dec 1967. (No attachment.)
Comments on the above:
Between at least 1965 and 1969, the US Department of State was passing back to the US, information from all over the world. Information on fireballs, flying saucers and UFOs. The question is who in the US was reading all this stuff? Someone in the Dept of State was asking for it to be sent in. Then where did it go? As we can see here, some copies ended up with the NSA. Was all this material being gathered fro Project Moondust?
More time spent looking at copies of the NSA FOIA documents, this time documents 21-29.
21. Dept of State airogram-Flying saucers are a myth.
DOS airogram dated 22 Mar 1968 from US Embassy, Moscow to DOS, re an article in MOSKOVSKIY KOMSOMOLETS dated 16 Feb 1968. 5 pages.
22. Dept of State -Tunisian fireball.
Two page teletype from Embassy, Tunis dated Jul 1969. Green/blue circular glow, size of full moon seen 13 Jul 1969 plus another phenomenon a few degrees to right of polar star-star like which exploded forming greenish circular cloud.
23. Dept of State -celestial body observed near Antarctica.
One page dated 4 Sep 1965 from US Embassy, Beunos Aires advising that their Office of the Naval Attache had requested info from Argentinian navy re reports of UFOs from Argentinian Antarctic station.
24. Dept of State Airogram-Political report August 1965.
One page from American consulate Mexicall. One line entry "Flying saucers in Mexicall."
25. Dept of State airogram - Unidentified flying objects.
From US Embassy Ottawa, Canada dated 13 Apr 1966. There have been reports of UFOs in Canada. The Canadian Library of Parliament has requested any publications US may have on UFOs.
26. Dept of State airogram -Sighting of object possibly originating from space vehicle.
Dated 18 May 1965 From American Embassy Tokyo. Japanese newspapers carry report of 10 May 1965. No further details given.
27. Dept of State airogram - UFOs.
Dated 15 Dec 1966 From Embassy Montevideo. Had a visit from a local astronomer who had taken 20 colour slides of 12 Nov 1966 eclipse with saucer-like object in them. Offered to Embassy.
28. Dept of State airogram -UFOs reported over Angola.
Dated 23 Dec 1966 From US Embassy Lisbon. Press reporting two flying saucers by crew of an aircraft on 7 Dec 1966.
29. Dept of State. Report of object which fell near Municipio of General Teron, NL. Dated 17 Feb 1967 From Amconsul Monterrey. Attached is a translation of a letter from the major of General Teron to the private secretary of the Governor of the state of Nuevo Leon re unidentified object which fell near GT on 7 Dec 1967. (No attachment.)
Comments on the above:
Between at least 1965 and 1969, the US Department of State was passing back to the US, information from all over the world. Information on fireballs, flying saucers and UFOs. The question is who in the US was reading all this stuff? Someone in the Dept of State was asking for it to be sent in. Then where did it go? As we can see here, some copies ended up with the NSA. Was all this material being gathered fro Project Moondust?
Saturday, January 2, 2010
NSA FOIA documents 17-20
17. Joint Chiefs of Staff report concerning the sightings of a UFO in Iran on 19 September 1976
A three page teletype concerning the famous observations in Tehran, Iran in 1976.
Comment. This is a spectacular aircraft encounter case.
18. Exploitation report- a fragment, metal recovered in the Republic of the Congo.
Ten, almost impossible to read pages concerning a metallic fragment from an object which "...exploded and fell to earth..."
Comment. The US had a long term Project, Project Moondust to physically recover fragments of earth made satellites and rockets. For those readers who have never heard of this Project I extract the following from the Final Report of the Disclosure Australia Project (full version may be read here.)
"Project Moon Dust?
The USAF had a Project called “Moon Dust.” A check with the authoritative “The UFO Encyclopaedia” written by US Researcher Jerry Clark, indicated that “In 1961 the U.S. Air Force established the classified Project Moon Dust to “locate, recover and deliver descended foreign space vehicles.”” (20)
A Memo on this file, originally from file SA5492/1/1 Part 1 and originally dated 16 Aug 1962 was to the Supt/Woomera from Controller WRE re identification of space vehicle fragments. It reported that a letter received from the Department of External Affairs relayed that the US Embassy was informally seeking assistance in “…obtaining information which might be used in the identification of space vehicle fragments.” (21) It asked for details of sightings of “luminous objects” and “Observations of Impact(s) and/or recovery of fragment(s).” Observations were requested from members of staff.
In a Memo dated 4 Sep 67 the American Projects Division asked the Assistant Sec (Projects) if the 1962 processes regarding the reporting of space vehicle fragments were still needed? This was followed up in a minute from APD to S/APD, reporting that two avenues of reporting UFOs existed. Firstly, one for sightings at the ranges had the steps PO/Ranges to Supt/Trials to DD/Trials to Regional Security Officer Adelaide to Chief Security Officer to Dept of Air to? The second was for all other sightings. The route was observer to Supt/APD to Head Office to Dept of External Affairs to US Embassy. The Memo was trying to delete input to US Embassy.
A further Memo dated 13 Dec 67 from a/g Supt American Projects Division to Asst Sec Projects again asked for clarification if instructions contained in memo of 8 Aug 62 were still in effect. The 1962 memo stated that the US Embassy. “…had informally sought the assistance of the Department of External Affairs in obtaining information which might be used in the identification of space vehicle fragments…” (22) Subsequently, arrangements were made for Woomera staff to report sightings in that area. Reports outside Woomera details were sent to Head Office for transmission through Dept of External Affairs to the US Embassy as per memo of 8 Aug 62. Reports from WRE would go to the RAAF. It suggested changes to refer all reports to RAAF."
According to some UFO researchers the Project also recovered downed UFOs.
19. Navy report -Country:Cuba. Subject UFOs.
A one page report of a UFO seen 10 Aug 1968 from US Naval Base GTMO. Seen by many local observers. Azimuth north, 60 deg elevation. Glowing brightly and emitting spiral trail of smoke. Possibly a satellite decay.
20. Routing and transmittal slip from Louis E Foster, Defence Intelligence Agency with a DIA summary sheet and attached report on the sighting of a UFO in Iran on 19 Sep 1976.
Page 1 is a routing and transmittal slip, dated 8 Dec 78 To (Missing word/s) Fm Louis E Foster, DIA.
Page 2 is an evaluation sheet with check-boxes "Reliability of information" X "confirmed by other sources." "Value of information" X "High." "Usability of information" X "Potentially useful."
Pages 3-6 are a teletype message re 19 Sep 76 Tehran, Iran aircraft/UFO case. From US DAD, Tehran To DIA Washington.
Comment: Here are the full details of this fascinating UFO encounter. Visible in this copy of the teletype, but missing from the version given in document 17 above is the detail:
"()Actual information contained in this report was obtained from source in conversation with a sub-source and IIAF pilot of one of the F-4s."
A three page teletype concerning the famous observations in Tehran, Iran in 1976.
Comment. This is a spectacular aircraft encounter case.
18. Exploitation report- a fragment, metal recovered in the Republic of the Congo.
Ten, almost impossible to read pages concerning a metallic fragment from an object which "...exploded and fell to earth..."
Comment. The US had a long term Project, Project Moondust to physically recover fragments of earth made satellites and rockets. For those readers who have never heard of this Project I extract the following from the Final Report of the Disclosure Australia Project (full version may be read here.)
"Project Moon Dust?
The USAF had a Project called “Moon Dust.” A check with the authoritative “The UFO Encyclopaedia” written by US Researcher Jerry Clark, indicated that “In 1961 the U.S. Air Force established the classified Project Moon Dust to “locate, recover and deliver descended foreign space vehicles.”” (20)
A Memo on this file, originally from file SA5492/1/1 Part 1 and originally dated 16 Aug 1962 was to the Supt/Woomera from Controller WRE re identification of space vehicle fragments. It reported that a letter received from the Department of External Affairs relayed that the US Embassy was informally seeking assistance in “…obtaining information which might be used in the identification of space vehicle fragments.” (21) It asked for details of sightings of “luminous objects” and “Observations of Impact(s) and/or recovery of fragment(s).” Observations were requested from members of staff.
In a Memo dated 4 Sep 67 the American Projects Division asked the Assistant Sec (Projects) if the 1962 processes regarding the reporting of space vehicle fragments were still needed? This was followed up in a minute from APD to S/APD, reporting that two avenues of reporting UFOs existed. Firstly, one for sightings at the ranges had the steps PO/Ranges to Supt/Trials to DD/Trials to Regional Security Officer Adelaide to Chief Security Officer to Dept of Air to? The second was for all other sightings. The route was observer to Supt/APD to Head Office to Dept of External Affairs to US Embassy. The Memo was trying to delete input to US Embassy.
A further Memo dated 13 Dec 67 from a/g Supt American Projects Division to Asst Sec Projects again asked for clarification if instructions contained in memo of 8 Aug 62 were still in effect. The 1962 memo stated that the US Embassy. “…had informally sought the assistance of the Department of External Affairs in obtaining information which might be used in the identification of space vehicle fragments…” (22) Subsequently, arrangements were made for Woomera staff to report sightings in that area. Reports outside Woomera details were sent to Head Office for transmission through Dept of External Affairs to the US Embassy as per memo of 8 Aug 62. Reports from WRE would go to the RAAF. It suggested changes to refer all reports to RAAF."
According to some UFO researchers the Project also recovered downed UFOs.
19. Navy report -Country:Cuba. Subject UFOs.
A one page report of a UFO seen 10 Aug 1968 from US Naval Base GTMO. Seen by many local observers. Azimuth north, 60 deg elevation. Glowing brightly and emitting spiral trail of smoke. Possibly a satellite decay.
20. Routing and transmittal slip from Louis E Foster, Defence Intelligence Agency with a DIA summary sheet and attached report on the sighting of a UFO in Iran on 19 Sep 1976.
Page 1 is a routing and transmittal slip, dated 8 Dec 78 To (Missing word/s) Fm Louis E Foster, DIA.
Page 2 is an evaluation sheet with check-boxes "Reliability of information" X "confirmed by other sources." "Value of information" X "High." "Usability of information" X "Potentially useful."
Pages 3-6 are a teletype message re 19 Sep 76 Tehran, Iran aircraft/UFO case. From US DAD, Tehran To DIA Washington.
Comment: Here are the full details of this fascinating UFO encounter. Visible in this copy of the teletype, but missing from the version given in document 17 above is the detail:
"()Actual information contained in this report was obtained from source in conversation with a sub-source and IIAF pilot of one of the F-4s."
Friday, January 1, 2010
Further National Security Agency documents
But first, happy New Year from Adelaide!
11. UFOs as advanced technology.
This is another copy of the two page document referred to in a previous post. It has a sub-heading "UFOs in advanced technology."
12. French Government UFO study.
A single, undated 1 page item. Apparently page 6 of a longer item. Headed "French Government UFO Study." It reports on the 1978 GEPAN French UFO study group's findings.
13. Communications intelligence (COMINT) reports-UFOs.
This is a two page teletype message with many blacked out portions. The sense of the document is reporting observations. Bits of text which can be read include "The light was a satellite not an aircraft." "The light was subsequently identified as at least one aircraft." "It was a cargo flight."
14. COMNAVSECGRU visual sighting report.
A two page sighting report dated 30 April 1979 concerning a bright white light bearing 02? el 15 deg. Originally pulsating at approx 1 second intervals, the light pulsed in concentric rings of light "...which flared from the central source...diminishing in brightness as they drew further and further away from the original source." A blue-green beam of light "...appeared from the central core" extending out and down to the left. The beam retracted. Finally, the beam and core formed a "...nebulous cloud-shaped mass..." At the end the city of HAVA. In the text is marked "Posit of Muller 23 17 82-19W.
15. Report bibliography.
A 9 page "Defense Documentation Centre" document listing a few references such as the National Academy of Sciences review of the Condon Report. Nothing startling.
16. Now you see it now you don't.
A three page document, declassified 4 Dec 1981 attributed to Captain Henry S Shields, HQ USAF/INOMP. An account of the 1976 Iranian aircraft case.
Comments on 14. This sounds strangely like the recent Scandinavian Russian missile launch which appeared as concentric rings of light.
11. UFOs as advanced technology.
This is another copy of the two page document referred to in a previous post. It has a sub-heading "UFOs in advanced technology."
12. French Government UFO study.
A single, undated 1 page item. Apparently page 6 of a longer item. Headed "French Government UFO Study." It reports on the 1978 GEPAN French UFO study group's findings.
13. Communications intelligence (COMINT) reports-UFOs.
This is a two page teletype message with many blacked out portions. The sense of the document is reporting observations. Bits of text which can be read include "The light was a satellite not an aircraft." "The light was subsequently identified as at least one aircraft." "It was a cargo flight."
14. COMNAVSECGRU visual sighting report.
A two page sighting report dated 30 April 1979 concerning a bright white light bearing 02? el 15 deg. Originally pulsating at approx 1 second intervals, the light pulsed in concentric rings of light "...which flared from the central source...diminishing in brightness as they drew further and further away from the original source." A blue-green beam of light "...appeared from the central core" extending out and down to the left. The beam retracted. Finally, the beam and core formed a "...nebulous cloud-shaped mass..." At the end the city of HAVA. In the text is marked "Posit of Muller 23 17 82-19W.
15. Report bibliography.
A 9 page "Defense Documentation Centre" document listing a few references such as the National Academy of Sciences review of the Condon Report. Nothing startling.
16. Now you see it now you don't.
A three page document, declassified 4 Dec 1981 attributed to Captain Henry S Shields, HQ USAF/INOMP. An account of the 1976 Iranian aircraft case.
Comments on 14. This sounds strangely like the recent Scandinavian Russian missile launch which appeared as concentric rings of light.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
More NSA UFO documents
Hi all
The next documents from the FOIA page of the National Security Agency are:
3. Affidavit of Eugene F Yeates -Citizens Against Unidentified Flying Objects Secrecy v NSA
This is the public version of the secret 21 page "in camera" affidavit previously described. The CIA conducted a document search for its own FOIA case, and found a number of NSA documents in its own (CIA) files. The NSA argued against the release of its COMINT reports.
4. "UFO files" The untold story by Patrick Huyghe.
5. "Government's super-secret security agency warns: take UFOs seriously or be prepared for sneak invasion by space aliens" by Thomas L Muldoon, National Enquirer.
6. "The US Government and the Iran case" -IUR report. (IUR being the Center for UFO Studies International UFO Reporter journal.)
7. "Report of UFO crash in 47 called false by science panel" by the New York Times.
8. "What the US Government knows about Unidentified Flying Objects" Peter Gersten, Frontiers of Science.
9. "Is the CIA stone walling" by Richard hall.
10. "The Government and UFOs." This is a 2 page item dated May-June 1981 , one page is marked page 27, of a publication, possibly "Frontiers of Science" magazine.It argues that objects which can access our nuclear installations and affect aircraft systems warrant scientific study. It refers to a 1968 NSA report-which is apparently the 1968 "UFO hypothesis and survival questions" released by the NSA in 1980. Also referred to is the 1967 Cuban aircraft encounter, stating that the source "...alleges that all reports, tapes, log entries , and notes on the incident were forwarded to the national Security Agency at their request."
Comment: These are all open source documents that any member of the public would have been able to get hold of. Someone in the NSA was gathering UFO material and it ended up on an NSA file.
The next documents from the FOIA page of the National Security Agency are:
3. Affidavit of Eugene F Yeates -Citizens Against Unidentified Flying Objects Secrecy v NSA
This is the public version of the secret 21 page "in camera" affidavit previously described. The CIA conducted a document search for its own FOIA case, and found a number of NSA documents in its own (CIA) files. The NSA argued against the release of its COMINT reports.
4. "UFO files" The untold story by Patrick Huyghe.
5. "Government's super-secret security agency warns: take UFOs seriously or be prepared for sneak invasion by space aliens" by Thomas L Muldoon, National Enquirer.
6. "The US Government and the Iran case" -IUR report. (IUR being the Center for UFO Studies International UFO Reporter journal.)
7. "Report of UFO crash in 47 called false by science panel" by the New York Times.
8. "What the US Government knows about Unidentified Flying Objects" Peter Gersten, Frontiers of Science.
9. "Is the CIA stone walling" by Richard hall.
10. "The Government and UFOs." This is a 2 page item dated May-June 1981 , one page is marked page 27, of a publication, possibly "Frontiers of Science" magazine.It argues that objects which can access our nuclear installations and affect aircraft systems warrant scientific study. It refers to a 1968 NSA report-which is apparently the 1968 "UFO hypothesis and survival questions" released by the NSA in 1980. Also referred to is the 1967 Cuban aircraft encounter, stating that the source "...alleges that all reports, tapes, log entries , and notes on the incident were forwarded to the national Security Agency at their request."
Comment: These are all open source documents that any member of the public would have been able to get hold of. Someone in the NSA was gathering UFO material and it ended up on an NSA file.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
NSA UFO documents 2 - Taiwan balloons?
I have just finished reading the second set of documents on the NSA's website. They are "Communication Intelligence (COMINT) reports (broken into sizable parts for viewing.)"
You get a list of parts labelled PART A to PART J. Each part, A to J is 25 pages long and Part J is 16 pages making for a total of 241 pages. These 241 pages consist of fragments of visible text, areas of blacked out text and large area completely white.
I'll give a few examples for your edification:
Page 1 "1355-1401 One UFO. From 75NM E of (blacked out text) toward East and faded near ()"
Page 4 "Message 03787232. Radar tracking UFO 0601-1040 One UFO (probably a balloon) From () toward East and passed north of () South of () Alt 46,000-49,200 ft."
Most of the rest of the pages are similar. They mention anywhere between 1-46 UFOs, and various altitudes between 6,500 and 100,000 feet. No dates are given and almost all location names are blacked out. Usually the acronym "UFO" is followed by the words (probably a balloon.)
After you have digested page after page of UFO/probably a balloon you do get some descriptive sightings. Examples are:
Page 136. UFO 2130Z and 2140Z "Semi circle shape and looked like an arc in the sky. This object was also noted as being white and very large. It was seen for a period of about ten minutes and it seemed to just hang in the sky for a few minutes before moving on in a westerly direction."
Page 137. "() a smoking luminous object that moved through the air at an altitude of approximately 630 metres from () towards() at the border opposite () the smoke radius extended about 100 meters from the centre of the luminous object and a green light could be seen following it. The smoke radius gradually increased in size and disappeared. The luminous object which was in the center of the smoke also disappeared."
Page 224 "Sighted a UFO described as spherical or disc-like in form with established color, brighter than the Sun, with a diameter of one-half the visible size of the Moon.2. At the time of observation, object was above the upper edge of the clouds on true bearing 120 degrees, azimuth 280 degrees traveling north."
Comment: Are these the COMINT reports which the NSA would not release in 1980? Could well be. They really don't tell you much, given that dates and times and places are not usually available. Again, I guess thought, that the NSA is correct in its 21 page secret affidavit (which provides some dates and how the COMINTs were sourced) that if they gave these details out, foreign intelligence agencies might be able to work out what the NSA capabilities were. However, given that the newest document described here in now 30 years old, would it really matter at this point in time?
If you diligently read all 241 pages you will find two names which are not blacked out! Hsinchou and Makung. Hsinchu and Makung are both in Taiwan. One could imagine that either China or Taiwan could have been floating propaganda balloons over the other place and NSA was picking up transmissions about these flights.
I therefore searched the Internet for any references to Taiwan and propaganda balloons and, surprising or not, found an article, published in the year 2000 titled "Taiwan's propaganda cold war:the offshore island crisis of 1954 and 1958" by Gary D Rawnsley. The URL is here
Part of the article reads: "...the CIA Far East Division encouraged the launch from Taiwan of balloons loaded with propaganda leaflets, pamphlets and newspapers that would drift across the strait to the mainland."
A reasonable conclusion, after reading these COMINT documents from the National Security Agency is that many refer to propaganda balloons being flown over China from Taiwan.
You get a list of parts labelled PART A to PART J. Each part, A to J is 25 pages long and Part J is 16 pages making for a total of 241 pages. These 241 pages consist of fragments of visible text, areas of blacked out text and large area completely white.
I'll give a few examples for your edification:
Page 1 "1355-1401 One UFO. From 75NM E of (blacked out text) toward East and faded near ()"
Page 4 "Message 03787232. Radar tracking UFO 0601-1040 One UFO (probably a balloon) From () toward East and passed north of () South of () Alt 46,000-49,200 ft."
Most of the rest of the pages are similar. They mention anywhere between 1-46 UFOs, and various altitudes between 6,500 and 100,000 feet. No dates are given and almost all location names are blacked out. Usually the acronym "UFO" is followed by the words (probably a balloon.)
After you have digested page after page of UFO/probably a balloon you do get some descriptive sightings. Examples are:
Page 136. UFO 2130Z and 2140Z "Semi circle shape and looked like an arc in the sky. This object was also noted as being white and very large. It was seen for a period of about ten minutes and it seemed to just hang in the sky for a few minutes before moving on in a westerly direction."
Page 137. "() a smoking luminous object that moved through the air at an altitude of approximately 630 metres from () towards() at the border opposite () the smoke radius extended about 100 meters from the centre of the luminous object and a green light could be seen following it. The smoke radius gradually increased in size and disappeared. The luminous object which was in the center of the smoke also disappeared."
Page 224 "Sighted a UFO described as spherical or disc-like in form with established color, brighter than the Sun, with a diameter of one-half the visible size of the Moon.2. At the time of observation, object was above the upper edge of the clouds on true bearing 120 degrees, azimuth 280 degrees traveling north."
Comment: Are these the COMINT reports which the NSA would not release in 1980? Could well be. They really don't tell you much, given that dates and times and places are not usually available. Again, I guess thought, that the NSA is correct in its 21 page secret affidavit (which provides some dates and how the COMINTs were sourced) that if they gave these details out, foreign intelligence agencies might be able to work out what the NSA capabilities were. However, given that the newest document described here in now 30 years old, would it really matter at this point in time?
If you diligently read all 241 pages you will find two names which are not blacked out! Hsinchou and Makung. Hsinchu and Makung are both in Taiwan. One could imagine that either China or Taiwan could have been floating propaganda balloons over the other place and NSA was picking up transmissions about these flights.
I therefore searched the Internet for any references to Taiwan and propaganda balloons and, surprising or not, found an article, published in the year 2000 titled "Taiwan's propaganda cold war:the offshore island crisis of 1954 and 1958" by Gary D Rawnsley. The URL is here
Part of the article reads: "...the CIA Far East Division encouraged the launch from Taiwan of balloons loaded with propaganda leaflets, pamphlets and newspapers that would drift across the strait to the mainland."
A reasonable conclusion, after reading these COMINT documents from the National Security Agency is that many refer to propaganda balloons being flown over China from Taiwan.
NSA UFO documents 1
Well, I've been reading the documents released by the NSA under the US FOIA. There are 42 documents in all. I thought I'd summarise what is there and comment where I find something worthwhile.
1. "In camera" affidavit of Eugene F Yeates-Citizens against Unidentified Flying Objects Secrecy v NSA (Civil action no 80-1562)
This is the famous 1980, 21 page secret affidavit by Eugene F Yeates, the chief, office of Policy at the NSA. It was provided to the District Court, District of Columbia when a private UFO group asked the NSA to produce their UFO documents. It is a sequel to a public affidavit, a copy of which follows later.
In summary, it states that 239 relevant documents were located in NSA files. 79 originated with other agencies. 1 document included, was outside of the FOIA request. 1 document was declassified and released. Two other non COMINT records were released. The remaining 156 documents are with held and are COMINT reports for the period 1958-1979. 154 of these were based wholly upon intercepted communications of foreign governments transmitted on non-public "government net" communication links or systems.
The affidavit argues that "Revealing the contents of these reports would disclose the capabilities of NSA to target these government controlled communications systems." "...foreign intelligence services would be able to evade or defeat portions of NSA's present foreign intelligence efforts targeting international common carrier links." "Because each record and each portion thereof is properly classified under Executive order 12065, it is exempt from disclosure pursuant to 5 U S C S552 (b) (1)."
In summary the NSA argued that the COMINT reports should not be released to the general public.
Comment: From an intelligence perspective the NSA is correctly stating its position. Full release of the documentation would most likely cause problems.
1. "In camera" affidavit of Eugene F Yeates-Citizens against Unidentified Flying Objects Secrecy v NSA (Civil action no 80-1562)
This is the famous 1980, 21 page secret affidavit by Eugene F Yeates, the chief, office of Policy at the NSA. It was provided to the District Court, District of Columbia when a private UFO group asked the NSA to produce their UFO documents. It is a sequel to a public affidavit, a copy of which follows later.
In summary, it states that 239 relevant documents were located in NSA files. 79 originated with other agencies. 1 document included, was outside of the FOIA request. 1 document was declassified and released. Two other non COMINT records were released. The remaining 156 documents are with held and are COMINT reports for the period 1958-1979. 154 of these were based wholly upon intercepted communications of foreign governments transmitted on non-public "government net" communication links or systems.
The affidavit argues that "Revealing the contents of these reports would disclose the capabilities of NSA to target these government controlled communications systems." "...foreign intelligence services would be able to evade or defeat portions of NSA's present foreign intelligence efforts targeting international common carrier links." "Because each record and each portion thereof is properly classified under Executive order 12065, it is exempt from disclosure pursuant to 5 U S C S552 (b) (1)."
In summary the NSA argued that the COMINT reports should not be released to the general public.
Comment: From an intelligence perspective the NSA is correctly stating its position. Full release of the documentation would most likely cause problems.
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