PURSUE-RELEASE-03 Serial 14540a71-3a02-489f-94e3-13e52cdfc1d6

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Approved for Release 2026 Under Section 1842 of the National Defense Authorization Act

for Fiscal Year 2024

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18 December 1952

MEMORANDUM FOR RECORD

Leon Cuy
Friday - 12/30/52
Chambers 12/22/52
Sunday 23 Dec 52

SUBJECT: British Activity in the field of "Unidentified Flying Objects"

1. On 15 December, the recently arrived messenger from Britain reported the following. He had talked with R. V. Jones and <empty>

2. The British have had a standing committee created about sixteen months ago on flying saucers.. Presumably this is now under Dr. Jones through inheritance. The RAF are action people. The group has concluded that the observations are not enemy aircraft and that none have been over Britain.

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While there is no indication that these objects represent a

direct threat to the national defense, there are certain potential dangers which are related to these sightings. These are:

1.

The difficulty and delay in positive 1dentification

- which could weaken the early warning system in alerting defense in the event of commencement of hostilities.*

2.

The possibillty of mass hysteria whieh might be ~

- posely induced by an enemy at a critical time by faked reports.

3.

The possibillty that the emergency eonmnmications

- systems to command headquarters might be seriously overloaded at a critical time by such reports.

It is believed that the problems of communications confusion and

overload and the serious e:ff'ects of mass hysteriamist be dealt with outside the intelligence community, and 1t is planned to bring these matters to the attention of those agencies with whom the prime respon sibility appears to rest. With respect to ma.ss hysteria, itis believed this problem would lie with the Federal. Civil Defense .Administration and/ or the Interdepartmental. Cammittee on Internal Security. Accordingly, itis planned to bring this to the attention of the FCDA and ICIS through established channels. With respect to emergency eommm:deatiellS overload ing, itisbelieved that each of the individual Mil.itary Services should examine this problem. Accordingly, we intend to introduce the subject at a meeting of the Joint Communications and Electronics Cammittee.

* According to Brij. Gen. AIR. Maxwell (RDB) ADC is "coquizant of this potential danger," and does" express concern"

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