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A.F. . .. July 28, 1952 MElmRANDUU To: \ Jir. A~rong Paul Nitze asked me what the Air Force thought about tLe flying saucers , and I susooct that the others would be interested. I recommend, therefore , vhat you pass on the gist of the attached at the ~orning meeting tonorrow. Samford gave it to me at the IAC . r .a .. Att. DECLASSIFIED NND 852931 .. . ... July 28, 1952 UE~.IORANDU?.'! Subject : Flying Saucers General Samford, 1 - 2, in response to my inquiry, said that there is very little that can be said to clarify the flying saucer business : It is still a complete enigma. He did, hOivever, point out that phenomena falling ?athin the general description of flyin~ saucers have actually been known to exist and have been reported one way or another for over 100 years . The increase in observation and in reporting and publicity on the su~ject is probably attributable in the main to vastly inproved r.iethods of observation and reportin~, including not only radar but the reporting systems used bv civilian and military pilots . It is also attributable in some measure to the publicity which is given it, which takes on certain elements of a II fad . 11 There is no question, according to Samford, that "credible observers are reporting the incredible . 11 The radar observation may have elements of "electronic fluke , 11 but is sufficiently tied in with pilot observation so that it cannot be attributed entirely to this . The Air Force views the flying saucers as a threat only because they are not understood and they are sufficientl; .:r.rtJquentas a phenomena to mean that they will give great attention to them until they understand them. General Samford did not say anything about the possibility that they were man- made or controlled, friend or foe , but the whole implication of his remarks 1"1"as that this possibility was ~ emote~ not te be se?iotmfy considered. tfM\. ,t F.H. DECLASSIFIED NND 852931 ~