CIA Letter on Unidentified Flying Objects

Summary

This letter, dated March 21, 1958, is part of a correspondence between the CIA and Major Donald S. Keyhoe, a well-known researcher of unidentified aerial phenomena. Keyhoe, who had been director of the National Confrontation Air Project (NCAP), wrote about various reports on unidentified flying objects (UFOs). The CIA responded that the letter had been referred to their respective officials and that, following a preliminary investigation, further inquiry and coordination with other organizations was needed. Although no specific details are given, the letter reflects institutional interest in UFOs during the 1950s.

The response, signed by C. P. Cibell (or possibly Odell, according to a variation in the text), indicates that the case was not ignored but treated with seriousness. However, the lack of specific information suggests that the CIA wished to maintain some ambiguity or that the matter was still under investigation. These types of historical documents help to understand how authorities handled UFO reports during a time of great concern for national security.