Washington, 1958: Donald Keyhoe pergunta ao FBI se investiga UFOs e recebe uma resposta geral, enviada também à Força Aérea

,. 62-'03581 () fl I\ r Date: October 2, 1958 To: Director of Special Invostigetions The Inspector General Department of the Air force Building Tompo E 4th and Adams Drive, S . . Washington 25, 0. c. From: John Edgar Hoover, Plrector Federal Bureau of Investigation Subject: OONALO E. KEYHOE J ·;:"'~~r IANEOUS - INFORMATION OONCERNif\'G (Nationalities Intelligence) ,·or yvur infozmation, "th\.:~~e ..i.re enclosed two hotostats of a letter datod September 22, 1958, ad￾drossed to this Bureau by the subject and two copies of this Bureau's reply doted September 26, 1958. Enclosures - 4 l - WFO (Enclosure - copy of Bureau reply to Keyhoe dated September 26, 1958 ) NOTS: Subject' s letter made pointed inquiries relating to Bureau ' s participation in investigations relating to -unidentified A 1/lying objects. Our reply was general in nature. Copies of ·ncoming and are reply being furnished to OSI since Air Force oordinates matters relating to unidentified flying objects. SS: jas (6) 66 OCT 6 1958

• , ' I ,,, MR. A. H. BEUlONT September 26. 1958 s. a. OONAK)E ½: ::!::nt ..,.l,- Donahoo ;fx~~~tltJE~EINFORMATION OONCERNING...(.!Y- Saodars lfl f (Nationalities Intelligence} Subject, Director of National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena, br letter of 9/22/58 requested particulars of Bureau's participat on concerning unidentified flying objects. The committee he heads is de~cribed on letterhead as "A privately sup­ ported fact finding civilian committee serving the public interests" and he lists several prominent individuals among our Board members and Special Advis,trs.• He is '4 retired Marine. Kerhoe has been known to the Bureau since 1935 and was, and cay st11 be, a free-lance writer. In 1948 he was described by Mr. Nichols as na flamboyant writer and we have found from previous experience that much of h1a material i& irresponsible." In 19~1 the Director concurred with Mr. NicholG' statement that" 'e should not gtt involved with him.• As an example of hls writing, the January, 1941, issue of •Cosmopolitan• magazine carried an article written by Keyhoe and John J. Daly entitled "Hitler's Plan to Seize the United State& Merchant Marine. This article indicated the Bureau had in its possession documents concerning such a plan by Hitler which indication was completely false. The attached suggested letter to Keyhoe responds in a very general way to hi& quostions, some of which are extremely pointed such as •Have FBI Agents told witnesses not to talk about UFO sightings?" and •Does the Bureau make character 1nvestigationsof UFO witnossos in some cases?" The anowors which have bean furnished are designed to avoid the charge we have not answered questions yet they are broad in nQturo to avoid h15 apparent pointed inquirles. His roquost for an interview with a Bureau official concerning our policy concerning unidentified flying objects haa been side-stepped since there appears to be no point in discussing this matter further with him. JANAP 146 is ACTION: Defense document re reporting intelligence sightings. That the attached suggested lett ~ to forward4t!'J to Keyhoe. In view of Air Force interest, copy of incoming with copy of our 6 •103581 reply being sent Air Force separately. }~closure ~ 'l>c "'1('gj:Jas ~~ .... ' l J> • .... ].J">, ENCLOSURE ~ y G;; -~3~ °If-

• a - Mr• Nease Belmont • ·- Mr. l • Mr. Donahoe l ajor Donald E. Keyhoe, Director Nation l Inveetigatlons Conmitt e on Aerial Phenomena 1536 Connecticut Avenue aahington 6• o. c. Dea~ Sirs In respon to your letter of September 22, 1900, th• following req1.tested inform tlon le fw:nished: Tho federal Bureau of Inv atigation dos not investigate sightings of unld ntlfied flying objects. When the details of such a gight1ng are reported to~ presentativ I of this Bur u, the information is forwarded to th Air Force. Repro ontctives of th1& Bur~au do not isGue lnatruct1ons to 1nd1v1du 1 who h ve ,;1ghtod un￾identified flying objocts th t thy should not t lk bout such ightlngs. It lG note function of this Bureau to ko character inveetlgations of individuals who ha~e witn aaed unidentified flying objects. Thls Bureau ~oaa not have information on unidentified flying objects which can be re￾leased. This does not imply that this Bureau has information cone rnlng unidentified flying objects which cannot bo r leased. It 1s understood that JANAP 1~6 i• • Depa~tm nt of Defense document nd 1 not. aG such, pplicable to the operations of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Foa&ible communication Vil.th extraterrestrial ' vehicles from another pl not, should th unidentifi d ESS:jas See cover memo Donahoe to Belmont. captioned (6) "Donald E. Keyhoe. Misc·ellaneous .. Information Concerning (Nationalities Intelligence):• dated 9/26/58. ESS:jas. 'il.. r ft b,3 l) ':t1l .!!i.NCLOfJURE ~ ·~ '° L. - fJ <> PT (; d-- 7) 7) q 'f ./?~~.

r' -• . . r , jor Oonald E. Keyhoe 1 flying objects prove to be extraterrestrial, is not a function of the f•deral Bureau of Investigation. !his Bureau is, of course, interested in any aspect of anr development which would affect the internal secur ty of the United States. Your letter of September 22, 1958, requested an interview with an official of this Bureau concerning the matter of unidentified flying object& and this Bureau's policy in connection therewith. Since this Bureau's policy in connection with unidentified flying objects has been fully set forth above, you may feel that the requested interview is not now necessary. Sincerely yours, John Edgar Hoover Director

• J.

• • l 1 ~emorandum to Mr . Donahoe RE: FLYING SAUCERS Neither Agents Handbook nor manuals contain instructions re­ garding handling of reports of sightings of uni dentified flying objects although policy has been well established by above Bureau bulletins and SAC Letters and no problems have arisen in connection with this matter. Air Force has on several occasions assured that Bureau will be advised of any developments of interest to us. Last such assurance given 11- 12- 57 (62- 8389~ - 38 7) . Our lTaison with Air Force on this matter is with OSI although within Air Force this matter is handled by Ai r Technical and Intelligence Center, Wright- Patterson Air Force Base , Ohio . ACTION: For your information. There appears to be no necessity for further instructions to the field or insertions in the Handbook or manuals at this time . - 2 -