CIA Initiates Formal UFO Study Group

Administrative Action Ralph L. Clark, acting assistant director of the CIA's Office of Scientific Intelligence, sends an internal memorandum on July 29, 1952 to Deputy Director Robert Amory Jr. announcing the formation of a specialized investigation unit. The memo indicates that while the agency had been collecting UFO reports since 1949, a more systematic approach was now required.

Study Parameters The newly formed group would include participation from Walter Bedell Smith (CIA Director) and H. Marshall Chadwell (Assistant Director of Scientific Intelligence). The investigation was expected to produce preliminary findings by approximately August 15, 1952. The memo references a meeting held the previous day with Frederick C. Durant, a CIA rocket consultant, suggesting external expertise would inform the study.

Significance This formal establishment of a dedicated study group marked an escalation in institutional attention to the UFO phenomenon, reflecting concerns about the high volume of sightings reported during the 1952 Washington, D.C. flap and their potential national security implications.