The Birth of The CIA and Flying Saucers II
Now this is where it gets interesting; there seems to be a contradiction in facts as "evidenced" by the "Oral History Interview with Robert B. Landry" given February 28, 1974, by, James R. Fuchs for Harry S. Truman Library: (Robert B. Landry was a member of faculty, National War College, 1946; Executive Officer to Army Air Force Chief of Staff, General Carl Spaatz, 1947; United States Air Force Aide to President Truman, 1948-53).Subject: UFOs;
Date: 1948
In this time period the UFO phenomenon was getting quite a bit of play in the press, radio, TV and from miscellaneous other sources. All manner of objects and things were being seen in the sky by people, including attempted UFO landings and UFO hoverings over isolated areas. There was even a report of seeing little men with big round heads getting in and out of a UFO. Well, the President, like any other citizen, is exposed to all these goings on, too.
In any case, I was called one afternoon to come to the Oval Office. The President wanted to see me. We talked about UFO reports and what might be the meaning for all these rather way-out reports of sightings, and the subject in general. The president said he hadn't give much serious thought to all these reports; but at the same time, he said, if there was any evidence of a strategic threat to the national security, the collection and evaluation of UFO data by Central Intelligence warranted more intense study and attention at the highest government level.
I was directed to report quarterly to the President after consulting with Central Intelligence people, as to whether or not any UFO incidents received by them could be considered as having any strategic threatening implications at all.
The report was to be made orally by me unless it was considered by intelligence to be so serious or alarming as to warrant a more detailed report in writing. During the four and one-half years in office there, all reports were made orally. Nothing of substance considered credible or threatening to the country was ever received from intelligence. Note: the Air Force had been charged by the Department of Defense with the collection and evaluation of UFO data from all sources such as the other services, the National Weather Service, and any other reliable source.
It would appear, based on "that interview" that the CIA was "directly involved" in the "investigation of UFOs" as early as 1948, not 1952, as previously mentioned in the article by "Gerald K. Haines." Landry concludes that "nothing of substance considered credible or threatening to the country was ever received from intelligence," however we know that's not true based on Haines' article:"a massive buildup of sightings over the United States in 1952, especially in July, alarmed the Truman administration. On 19 and 20 July, radarscopes at Washington National Airport and Andrews Air Force Base tracked mysterious blips. On 27 July, the blips reappeared." Personally I believe that Landry played no real part in any serious investigation by CIA. I think his role, was for appearance sake, unwittingly. Truman was receiving "intelligence reports" on a daily and weekly basis, since 1946, from CIG, then CIA beginning in 47. There would have been no reason for Landry to be involved. Having said that, remember that "Flying Saucers" were being seen all over the country and were making headlines coast to coast. Any "lack of response" on Truman's part, I think would have been highly unusual. So, overtly, he tasked Landry in his minor role, to report to the President as to "appease" outward appearances of official concern of the "aerial phenomenon."
In conclusion, as more and more documents become "declassified," and "Ufology moves forward (albeit sometimes at a snail's pace), I think we as the public, won't be surprised to see the "ever changing" official positions of various government agencies. Moreover we've witnessed this in recent years, with the Air Force's explanation(s) of the "Roswell Incident." Fortunately, with man's advancement in personal technologies, e.g., desk top computers, camcorders, cellular phone cameras, and the internet, it's getting much harder for the government to pass off eye witness sightings of UFOs as, mass hysteria, hallucination, swamp gas, ball lightening or heat inversions. Because of that, this author feels we're coming to the inevitable, eventuality of "government disclosure" in regards to the UFO phenomenon.See Part One