Chronology of UFO History

1944
Non-aggressive "Foo-fighters" reported buzzing and flying formation with Allied combat airplanes in European and Pacific Theaters of ar! "uggestions that they were A#is air weapons were found unconvincing!

1946
$f %&''( "ghost roc)ets" reported from "weden and neighboring countries* most flew slowly* +uietly and level! Attempts to blame "oviet roc)et and missile tests from Peenemunde failed! 1947 First ma,or American wave of "flying disc" sightings started with formation of ovals seen weaving through the -ascade .ountains of ashington "tate at %/'' mph by businessman0pilot 1enneth Arnold! 2round observers reported seeing formations of discs at same time and place! .ore than %&'' reports of daylight sightings in newspapers! $fficial report of crashed flying disc recovered near 3oswell* New .e#ico* +uic)ly e#plained by Army Air Forces as weather balloon* despite later witness descriptions of unusually light and strong materials! First preliminary study by 4! "! Army Air Forces 5ntelligence of a dozen flying disc sightings concludes6 ""omething is really flying around"!

1948

Air National 2uard fighter pilot Thomas .antell dies during attempted intercept of 4F$ over 1entuc)y! 4!"! Air Force establishes Pro,ect "ign as first long-term* official 4F$ investigation! Pro,ect "ign staff report on alien origin of 4F$s is re,ected by 4"AF -hief 7oyt 8andenberg due to lac) of physical evidence!

1949

Pro,ect 2rudge replaces Pro,ect "ign! 2overnment conference on rash of large* brilliant green fireballs leads to %9&':s Pro,ect Twin)le* which allegedly failed to trac) and photograph any! True .agazine publication of ;onald 1eyhoe:s article is first in ma,or magazine to claim 4F$s are alien craft* and that the 4!"! 2overnment is withholding confirming information!

1950
First 4F$ boo)s published by investigative reporter 1eyhoe <elaboration of his magazine article= and 7ollywood gossip columnist Fran) "cully <poorlysupported tale of crashed saucer and little men=!

1952

Pro,ect >lue >oo) replaces Pro,ect 2rudge!

Aerial Phenomena 3esearch $rganization <AP3$= becomes first long-term private 4F$ association! "econd ma,or American sighting wave centered on ashington* ;!-!? many radar0visual sightings +uietly admitted by Air Force to be une#plained! 1953 -5A-sponsored 3obertson Panel of scientists concludes 4F$s are probably all mista)es! 7arvard astronomer ;onald .enzel becomes highly vocal spo)esman for those opposed to study of 4F$s! 2eorge Adams)i emerges as leading "contactee"* claiming to have traveled to un)nown worlds with benevolent spacemen! 1955 4!"! Air Force releases Pro,ect >lue >oo) "pecial 3eport @%A* the first of several ma,or reports in which the negative summary is contradicted by positive elements in the te#t!

%9&B

National 5nvestigations -ommittee on Aerial Phenomena <N5-AP= becomes first private 4F$ group with a ashington office!

%9&/

Third American 4F$ wave highlighted by electrical interference reports around Cevelland* Te#as! Air Force blames all the car stoppings on an intense electrical storm* even though the night was clear!

%9BA
3eport of landed 4F$ with nearby crew by "ocorro* New .e#ico* policeman is first "-lose Encounter of the Drd 1ind" to attract national attention and the only one to be labeled "une#plained" by Pro,ect >lue >oo)! N5-AP:s "The 4F$ Evidence" is first scientifically-based study of 4F$s* analyzing /&' cases having high "strangeness" and "credibility" ratings!

%9BB

"ighting of landed 4F$ in ;e#ter* .ichigan* is e#plained by Pro,ect >lue >oo) as "swamp gas"* producing long-term public ridicule! 7ouse Armed "ervices -ommittee hears 4"AF suggest university study of 4F$s* which is accepted by 4niversity of -olorado* under ;r! E! 4! -ondon! "tory of "alien abduction" of New England couple published as first convincing case of "face-to-face" meetings with aliens! Phillip 1lass* of Aviation ee) magazine* proposes <then +uietly withdraws= ball lightning as e#planation for many 4F$ reports!

1967

American 5nstitute of Aeronautics and Astronautics <A5AA= establishes 4F$ subcommittee! esleyan 4niversity offers first credit course on 4F$s! "oviet T8 announcement reveals short-lived non-governmental 4F$ group!

1968

7ouse "cience E Astronautics -ommittee holds one-day 4F$ symposium! N5-AP publishes series of once-classified >lue >oo) status reports* proving unclassified 4F$ information had long been withheld from public!

1969

Final report of 4niversity of -olorado 4F$ study combines negative summary with positive portions of te#t! 4!"! Air Force uses 4niversity of -olorado report as basis for closing Pro,ect >lue >oo)! Air Force scientist +uantifies temperature inversions* concluding that few* if any* 4F$ sightings are caused by mirages! Annual meeting of American Association for the Advancement of "cience <AAA"= includes 4F$ session despite strenuous ob,ections from ;onald .enzel! .utual 4F$ Networ) <.4F$N= established by alter Andrus to stress field investigations!

1973
Cast <so far= wide-spread American 4F$ wave highlighted by abduction of two fishermen in Pascagoula* .ississippi! -enter for 4F$ "tudies established by disillusioned former 4"AF consultant ;r! F! Allen 7yne)!

1975
Pro,ect >lue >oo) case files made available to the public at the National Archives* though names of all witnesses were censored!

1976
Amended Freedom of 5nformation Act opens door to some previously classified 4F$ documents* but to almost none classified Top "ecret or higher! -ommittee for the "cientific 5nvestigation of -laims of the Paranormal <-"5-$P= formed to attac) promoters of what it considers anti-science!

1978

First witnesses to %9A/ 3oswell crash are interviewed* including e#-5ntelligence officer Fesse .arcel who handled wrec)age!

1979

Fund for 4F$ 3esearch incorporated by 3ichard 7all* Tom ;euley* >ruce .accabee to provide funding for scientific research!

1983

"tudy of eight "alien abductees" by clinical psychologist is published by Fund for 4F$ 3esearch* revealing lac) of mental problems that might e#plain their stories!

1987
Publication of best-selling boo)s by hitley "treiber <"-ommunion"= and >udd 7op)ins <"5ntruders"= ignites world-wide interest in "alien abductions"! Allegedly-official .F-%G report describes recovery of crashed alien craft at 3oswell in %9A/* but remains highly controversial!

1991

Poll by The 3oper $rganization suggests that as many as A*'''*''' adult Americans could be "alien abductees"!

1992

Four-day conference on "alien abductions" held at .assachusetts 5nstitute of Technology includes chairmen of university psychology departments and directors of mental health groups!

1993
4F$ 3esearch -oalition formed by .4F$N* -4F$" and Fund for 4F$ 3esearch to manage ,oint programs!

1995
Air Force announces that wrec)age recovered near 3oswell in %9A/ was not a weather balloon* but was from then-secret Pro,ect .ogul cluster of weather balloons! 2eneral Accounting $ffice investigation into 3oswell crash concludes6 "The debate over what crashed at 3oswell continues!"

1997

4!"! Air Force attempt to discount reports of small bodies found in con,unction with %9A/ 3oswell crash produces press bac)lash! 3oc)efeller-sponsored conference of scientists nervously concludes 4F$s are worthy of study! -entral 5ntelligence Agency claims thousands of 4F$ reports were caused by secret high-altitude spy planes* even though they couldn:t be seen from the ground!

1998
4ncensored microfilms of Pro,ect >lue >oo) case files found at National Archives!