General Samford Press Conference on Washington D.C. UFOs
On July 31, 1952, the U.S. Air Force held a press conference to address widespread UFO sightings over Washington, D.C. Major General John A. Samford explained that while most reports were misidentifications, a small percentage remained unexplained and were under investigation by Project Blue Book. Researcher Donald Keyhoe also appeared in the archived footage.
Background
Following the sensational July 1952 Washington D.C. UFO incidents, Major General John Samford, Director of Intelligence for the U.S. Air Force, held the largest press conference since World War II.
Public Statement
General Samford acknowledged analyzing between 1,200 and 2,000 UFO reports since 1947. He noted that a certain percentage of these reports came from credible observers of relatively incredible things.
Publicly, Samford attributed the radar returns to temperature inversions.
Behind-the-Scenes Assessment
FBI memos revealed a starkly different private assessment. Samford told the Federal Bureau of Investigation it was not entirely impossible that the objects may be ships from another planet.