There were two separate ufo reporting channels within the government through the 50s and 60s. Many people who study ufo sightings have suggested that the. Project blue book and the university of colorados ufo study were receiving reports filed using air force regulation 8017 afr 8017. Very few photographs are included in these records. In 1966 a separate air force committee was set up to further delve into some of the cases within project blue book. The project, headquartered at wrightpatterson air force base, ohio, was tenninated dec. In december 1969, secretary of the air force, robert c. Also included is a listing of uforelated materials currently available. Air forces project blue book in december 1969, our interest in all things ufos has only grown stronger. It started in 1952, and it was the third study of its kind the first two were projects sign 1947 and grudge 1949. From 1947 to 1969, the air force investigated unidentified flying objects under project blue book.
Project blue book unknowns this list claims 701 ufo reports which represent all of the unexplained sightings recorded by the air forces project blue book, a seventeen year investigation. Attached for your information is the project blue book sighting summary for the period 1947 1969. Started in 1952, it was the second revival of such a study. Project blue book was one of a series of systematic studies of unidentified flying objects ufos conducted by the united states air force usaf. The history channels project blue book features mysterious ufo encounters that are based on government files documenting decades of sightings. The unexplained ufo cover up cases and the end of project. Project blue book has been declassified and the records are available for examination in our research room. Project blue book unidentified flying objects national. The group reexamined the information from project blue book and published its efforts in the scientific study of unidentified flying objects also known as the condon report in 1968. A termination order was given for the study in december 1969, and all activity under.
Allen hyneks government investigations of ufo sightings. Air force inquiry into unidentified flying objects that ended in 1969. Fact sheet usaf fact sheet 9503 unidentified flying objects and air force project blue book from 1947 to 1969, the air force investigated unidentified flying objects under project blue book. From alaska to arizona, from florida to labrador, ufo sightings were reported from within north america and even around the world. In 1969, project blue book was formally shuttered for good. Indeed, between 1952 and its termination in 1969, the u. Onceclassified ufo files now searchable online huffpost. Project blue book, as ufo enthusiasts and history buffs are well aware, was the official u. Project blue book from 1947 until 17 december 1969, the united states air force actively investigated reports and sightings of unidentified flying objects ufos, under a program called project blue book. National archives, from 1947 to 1969, a total of 12,618 sightings were reported to project blue book. Two years later this committee, which made a detailed study of 59 ufo sightings, released its results as scientific study of unidentified flying objectsalso known as the condon report, named for edward u. The list provides the dates, locations, and blue book case numbers for the incidents. The goals of project blue book were to scientifically analyze ufo data and to determine if ufos were a national security threat. Of a total of 12,618 sightings reported to project blue book, 701 remained unidentified.
A termination order was given for the study in december 1969, and all activity under its auspices ceased inread more. Project blue book 1951 1969 by michael hall september 10th, 1951 marked a series of sightings that would prove to be the impetus for a serious reevaluation of the air force investigation into the ufo phenomenon. It remains the most influential public document concerning the current scientific status of. Worlds strangest ufo cases revealed daily mail online. Unidentified flying objects and air force project blue book from 1947 to 1969, the air force investigated unidentified flying objects under project blue book.
Although hynek started out as a skeptic and helped the air force to debunk most ufo reports, he gradually became convinced that a small number of ufo cases were not hoaxes or explainable as misidentifications of natural phenomena, and that these. Project sign was later replaced by project grudge, though neither collected sufficient data or turned out any viable conclusions. The new history channel tv show project blue book is based on the true story of j. In addition, it suggested that the air force end project blue books investigations into ufoswhich it did in 1969. See photo complete, original newspaper, the york dispatch pa dated dec 18, 1969. The battelle memorial institute, a thinktank consulting firm, was asked to prepare a statistical study of ufo reports obtained up until that time period. Documentation the minot afb ufo case 24 october 1968. Carried out by the us air force between 1952 and 1969, project blue book was an indepth study of unidentified flying objects the largest of its kind ever undertaken.
A termination order was given for the study in december 1969, and all activity under its auspices officially ceased on january 19th, 1970. These documents are part of the from the desks of project blue book archive. Despite the fact that blue book was terminated in 1969, friend told the huffington post in 2012 that he thought the ufo issue should have been turned over to scientists, who could best determine what was behind the more unusual reports. Project blue book ended 50 years ago today unexplained. The first two were projects sign 1947 and grudge 1949. Project blue book was one of a series of systematic studies of unidentified flying objects ufos conducted by the united states air force.
Hynek was a scientific consultant for project blue book, the united states air force official study of the ufo phenomenon from 1948 to 1969. Project blue book originally project blue book was the air force name for a project that investigated ufo reports between 1947 and 1969. Project blue book ufo investigations ufo sightings. Air forces official ufoinvestigation program, known as project blue book, came to the following set of conclusions. Project blue book air force declassification office.
Project blue book investigated 12,618 ufo sightings and 701 of those sightings remained unidentified. Robert friend was the director of project blue book from 1958 to 1963. Center for ufo studies no longer hamstrung by the air force, hynek in 1973 formed the center for ufo studies cufos to further. Although grudge reported that ufos warranted no further study, the air forces ufo investigation started up again in 1952 with project blue book. By this time, almost,000 sighting reports had been collected by all three projects combined. The true story behind ufo sighting tv series project blue. Project condign has been compared to project blue book, a u. This followed two other uforelated government projects, the first of which began in 1947. Born in march 1952 on the initiative of general cabell, the so called project blue book was the u. Project blue book was the name for a project that investigated ufo reports between 1947 and 1969. Project blue book 19511969 official nicap web site. Air force conducted a study into ufo sightings, known as project blue book. This would lead directly to the establishment of project blue book. According to government documents released under the freedom of information act, project blue book ran officially from 1952 to 1969.
Since the termination of project blue book, no evidence has been presented to indicate that further investigation of. As stated, the usaf was responsible for the investigation of ufo reports, and they coordinated their investigations and findings with the faa. It started in 1952, the third study of its kind, following projects sign 1947 and grudge 1949. Project blue book was the code name for an air force program set up in 1952, after numerous u. Project blue book was one of a series of systematic studies of unidentified flying objects ufos conducted by the united states air force u. This project, headquartered at wrightpatterson air force base, ohio, was terminated on december 17, 1969, based on an evaluation of a report prepared by the university of colorado entitled scientific study of unidentified flying objects, a. Some of those sightings will be explored in the new history network scripted tv series, project blue book, based on the reallife ufo study of the same. Ufo study artifacts stored at air force museum in dayton, ohio. Instead these are text descriptions of encounters or sightings during the years 1947 to 1969. How the cia tried to quell ufo panic during the cold war. Ending project blue book in 1969 only cut off one channel. Names of people involved in the sightings are excluded. In all these years, we have yet to see more than a very few examples of usafdriven ufo investigation after project blue book closed shop in late 1969. Condon, the physicist who headed the investigation.
In the mid1950s usaf and cia used ufo sightings to cover very high altitude flights of their then secret u2 spy planes. Please visit our ebay store for thousands of historical newspapers on sale or at auction. The following documents were collected by ufo investigator rob mercer, and digitized to preserve their history. Topsecret ufo program revealed in tvs project blue book. In 1989, an organization calling itself the new project blue book contacted the fbi. Air force usaf program which had the aim to study unidentified flying objects. The project, headquartered at wrightpatterson air force base, ohio, was terminated dec. Several months later, in march 1952, grudge ii was officially designated as project blue book a project that would remain in existence until 1969. It had two main goals to determine if ufos were a threat and to scientifically analyze the data. The united states air force retired to the custody of the national archives its records on project blue book relating to the investigations of unidentified flying objects. The unexplained ufo cover up cases and the end of project blue book 1969 findingufo. That group later released a report finding no evidence of ufo activity.