CIA Memo on Unidentified Flying Objects

Summary

In January 1953, the CIA held a briefing for a high-level group on unidentified flying objects. The session was led by P. G. Strong, assisted by P. C. Durant, and included film footage of sightings in Utah and Montana. Attendees included military officers, diplomats, and scientists. The briefing aimed to prepare the group for a later presentation by ATIC, the agency responsible for investigating such phenomena. This declassified document reveals early U.S. intelligence interest in UFO sightings.

The meeting was part of a broader effort to assess whether these objects posed a threat or were natural phenomena. Copies of the Scientific Advisory Panel's report on UFOs were distributed, indicating a technical approach to the issue. While no definitive conclusions are mentioned, the presence of so many experts shows the CIA treated the matter seriously. Historical documents like this remain essential for understanding how authorities evaluated UFO reports in the 1950s.