CIA Letter to Dr. Thornton Page on Declassification of the Robertson Panel UFO Report
This CIA document is a letter addressed to Dr. Thornton Page, a member of the Scientific Advisory Panel on Unidentified Flying Objects convened in January 1953 with H. P. Robertson as chairman and members Samuel Goudsmit, Luis W. Alvarez, Lloyd V. Berkner, and Page. The Panel reached conclusions and made two recommendations. The Air Force requested that the report's conclusions be declassified for use in the press. The letter, signed by Philip G. Strong, Deputy Assistant Director, reports that Dr. Robertson and Dr. Goudsmit agree that the conclusion in paragraph 2 and the recommendation in paragraph 4a may be declassified, but they and the Agency will not agree to declassifying the conclusion in paragraph 3 or the recommendation in paragraph 4b. The letter expresses the position that the association of the Panel with the Agency should not be disclosed, that paragraph 1 could be rewritten to eliminate this connection, and that the final six lines of paragraph 4 can stand as written. It notes the Air Force replied that Panel members' names would be used only within official circles and not given to the press, while cautioning that such information tends to filter out and names could become common knowledge. Strong requests Page's reaction to the declassification proposal and whether he approves use of his name, granted that the Agency's connection to the Panel is withheld.
Description
A CIA letter from Philip G. Strong, Deputy Assistant Director, to Dr. Thornton Page of Johns Hopkins University, regarding a request to declassify portions of the Scientific Advisory Panel report on Unidentified Flying Objects (the Robertson Panel). The document exists in two near-identical typed drafts and discusses which conclusions and recommendations may be released to the press while concealing the Agency's connection to the Panel.
Claims
A Scientific Advisory Panel on Unidentified Flying Objects, chaired by Dr. H. P. Robertson with members Goudsmit, Alvarez, Berkner, and Page, was constituted in January 1953.
90%A Scientific Advisory Panel on Unidentified Flying Objects was constituted in January 1953, chaired by H. P. Robertson.
90%The Air Force requested declassification of the panel report's conclusions so they could be used in the press.
85%The CIA and panel members agreed to declassify the conclusion in paragraph 2 and recommendation 4a but refused to declassify the conclusion in paragraph 3 and recommendation 4b.
85%The Agency's association with the Panel was to be concealed, with paragraph 1 to be rewritten to eliminate that connection.
85%The CIA sought to withhold the Panel's association with the Agency while permitting selected conclusions to be declassified.
85%The Air Force stated that Panel members' names would be used only within official circles and not given to the press.
82%Panel members' names would be used only within official circles and not given to the press, though officials acknowledged such information tends to filter out publicly.
80%
Events
Dec 31, 1952
Constitution of the Scientific Advisory Panel on UFOs (Robertson Panel)
A five-member scientific advisory panel on Unidentified Flying Objects was convened in January 1953, chaired by Dr. H. P. Robertson, reaching conclusions and two recommendations.
Air Force request to declassify report conclusions
The Air Force requested that the conclusions of the panel report be declassified for use in the press, prompting this correspondence.
Air Force request to declassify Panel report conclusions
The Air Force requested declassification of the Panel's report conclusions for use in the press.
Dates mentioned
Keywords
Entities
Extracted text (OCR)
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Dr. Thorton Page ; ee - a
You vill recall in Jeauszyl93, we constituted a Scientific
_ favisory: Penal on Unicentified Flying Ovjects vith Drse H. Pe Robertson
as Casiraed, Semel ¢ pascit; Luis W.-Alvareg, Lloyd Ve Farkner, end”
yoursel? 23 DeEberse - Arter 1s geliderstion, tac Pench reacned tv
o? the report. Very recently, te Air Force hes requested that the
conelusions of tiis-repor’ be geciessivied so thet they nay be used -
gn the presses A copy of the report is enclosed herewith for your.
conclusicss end made two recoumendatioss ‘yaith vere Included 2s fap A
‘E have discussed this matter with Dr. Robertson ond Dr. -Coudsait -
who faxce that the conclusioa contained in paregrenit 2 end tae TT.
xecomeniat on conveited in parograpa 4a can be Geclessified- Bub, they, —
a3 vell 2s tais Agency, vill nos egree to & dGeclassification of the ~—— —
conelusiea In paregregh 3 or the recommendavion in paresreph bo. 1
4a our feeling tust the association of the Panel with tals Agency
should rob be disclosed} thst paregrepa L could be revritten 40 elininate
this connection; end that the final six lines of paregrepa 4 con stand
es vritted. ees .
ZT have meried the fir Force es to whether the nenes of the Panel
members vould be used. They have replied that naues vould be used only
yittuin officiel circles end would nos be piven to the press. Bub, as
suca infercation hes a tendency ab tices to £ilter cut, it saould be
yecomiced that, if epproval-is given for use o? the nates, they ney
yell become coma engwbedsee "os
ee Ate ee
7 Deed
Dr. Thorton Page ae ,
Johns Hopicics Uaiversity © a 7
Dear Dr. Paget \
You will recall in denuaxyl993, ye conatituted & Scientific
_ Bpavisory Panel op Unidentified Flying Onjects with Drs. BH. DP. Robertson
as Caaimmod, carmel Coudeait, Luis W. Alvarez, Lloyd VecPersmer, end
yourself? 23 nemberse fiver ivs deliberation, the Pench rescned $30 ee
conclusions end made tvo pecommendabions waich vere jncluded as Td A-
o? the report. Very recently, the Air Force hes requested that tae —
conelesiozs of dais report be dGeciessified 60 that taey nay be used -
in the press» A copy of the report is enclosed herewita for your... —"
{ have discussed 4his matter vith Dr. Robertson ond Dr. Condsalt
who saxce anat the conclusion contained in poregregi Oendtas .. --
pecomeniatlon combeined in paregrapa ha cen-be ceclessified. But, they,
=
fa well 2s tais Agency, will nob e5rS6 to a declassification of the ~~~”
coneluszoa in paregrapa 3 0r the recommendation in poregraph Wb. a
wy se
ig our feeling tush the association o? the Panel with tais Agency--
should not be disclosed; tzst poregresa 1 could be rewritten to elininete
this connectior; end that the $anal six lines of paxegrepa + cen ‘etand |. .s-.
es writtea.
Tpave qeried the Air Force 68 to wiether the nezes of the Panel
mesbers ould be used. Tey have replied that nacies vould be used only
within official ireles ena would nob be givea to the press. But, a3
sucn iuforzstion nas & qendency at ticcs to filter cut, it snould be
yecomized that, if approval is: given for use of the nates, they pey
yell become coma Knowbecuc+
1
is
ene nrene piste nie Ant heresehaat 5h Aine AON nme ae 9H
o*
_elassification proposal; whether you egree with Dr. Robertson, - -
#
«Ye WouLd be very much eporeclated 4f-you could let me mow 0:
a3 soon as possible viet -your reaction is to the Air Force ce<
De Coudsalt end ryuelf of Linkting my declessification; end vaether
you would _epprove or disaoprove the use of your nemes, gronted that
Acency connectiou with the Penel ie vithaclde . :
Philip G. Streag me
sputy Asaiatent Dirsctor \]-
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Enclesurs —_ 7a - i Lo
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