Aviary Origin Meeting: Kellerstrauss Gathers Insiders at Beavercreek
In the fall of 1986, retired USAF Colonel Ernie Kellerstrauss, who had worked at the Foreign Technology Division (FTD) at Wright-Patterson AFB, invites a number of individuals to his home in Beavercreek, Ohio: Harold Puthoff, John B. Alexander, C.B. Scott Jones, Robert Collins, William Moore, and Jaime Shandera. Kellerstrauss claims knowledge of physiological studies done on alien bodies during the 1960s, an alien base near Area 51 at Groom Lake, and a complete covert UFO history from 1947 onwards kept by a chief scientist at FTD named Anthony Cacciopo. This gathering becomes the nucleus of what William Moore later names 'the Aviary' — a loose association of intelligence insiders given bird code names (Kellerstrauss=Hawk, Puthoff=Partridge, Jones=Hummingbird, Alexander=Chickadee, Collins=Condor).
Background
EVENT TITLE: Aviary Origin Meeting: Kellerstrauss Gathers Insiders at Beavercreek
EVENT DATE: 1986-10-01
EVENT TYPE: program
In the fall of 1986, retired USAF Colonel Ernie Kellerstrauss, who had worked at the Foreign Technology Division (FTD) at Wright-Patterson AFB, hosted a meeting at his home in Beavercreek, Ohio. This meeting is considered the origin of a group that would become known as "the Aviary," a collection of individuals with backgrounds in intelligence and an interest in UFOs.
The Incident
In the fall of 1986, Ernie Kellerstrauss invited several individuals to his home in Beavercreek, Ohio. The attendees included:
* Harold Puthoff
* John B. Alexander
* C. B. Scott Jones
* Robert Collins
* William Moore
* Jaime Shandera
Kellerstrauss was a retired USAF Colonel who had worked at the Foreign Technology Division (FTD) at Wright-Patterson AFB. Puthoff and Alexander were involved in the Advanced Theoretical Physics Group. Scott Jones was an aide to Senator Claiborne Pell. Collins was an Air Force Captain working at Wright-Patterson’s FTD. Moore and Shandera were UFO researchers.
Investigation
The source text does not provide information about any official investigation into this meeting.
Significance
The meeting at Kellerstrauss's home is considered the genesis of "the Aviary," a group of individuals with backgrounds in intelligence and an interest in UFOs. The Aviary is a significant piece of UFO lore, with speculation surrounding its purpose, ranging from a secret UFO control group to a disinformation source, or simply a group of interested insiders. The existence of such a group suggests a deeper level of interest and involvement in the UFO phenomenon by individuals with connections to intelligence and the military.