Wilton E. Lexow

Wilton E. Lexow was head of the CIA's Applied Sciences Division during the 1950s, playing a significant role in the Agency's early UFO investigations. Skeptical of extraterrestrial explanations for UFO sightings, Lexow questioned why the Soviet Union would continue developing conventional aircraft if they possessed advanced flying saucer technology. In the early 1950s, he was assigned responsibility by CIA Deputy Director Allen Dulles to fully assess the capabilities and limitations of nonconventional aircraft and to maintain the OSI central file on UFOs. Lexow's analytical approach contributed to the CIA's shift toward attributing UFO reports to classified military projects and natural phenomena rather than extraterrestrial origins.