CIA and UFO Documents

Summary

In 1958, a scientist from Yale University wrote to the CIA expressing interest in some UFO-related documents. Philip C. Strong, representing the agency, responded with openness to the idea of reviewing the materials. He mentioned that his team would be interested in analyzing them, though he was unsure of the ultimate course of action. He suggested that if the documents were sent to Washington, the agency should not be identified directly, but rather that they were being reviewed by a part of the national defense establishment. This correspondence shows the official interest in investigating unidentified aerial phenomena.

Strong promised to write further once the documents were reviewed. The letter reflects a cautious yet open stance by the CIA at that time. Although the results of this review are unknown, the communication between scientists and the agency suggests that UFOs were considered relevant to national defense. This kind of exchange helps to understand how sensitive information on unexplained phenomena was handled in the second half of the 20th century.