How Special Report 14 Came To Be

Section Operations ATIAA

Visit to xxxxxxx Battelle

8 June 1952, 

Lt. E. J. Ruppelt and General Kirkland conferred with members of  xxxxxxxxx on 26 December 1951 in regard Project Grudge.

The question of weather or not there was enough material available on unidentified aerial objects to warrant a detailed scientific study was discussed.

It was decided that there was enough material available and xxxxx would submit a proposal to furnish consultants in the field of astronomy, applied psychology, physics, etc. 

They will also attempt to make a statistical analysis of the reports  in an attempt to obtain some pattern or trend. 

"It is very reasonable to believe that some type of unusual object or phenomens [sic] is being observed as many of the sightings have been made by highly qualified sources."

This is a very interesting memo. Interesting on several levels.

This is a memo of a report to an un-named group, led by an un-named individual that plans a study of things that it is "reasonable to believe..." are some type of unusual object or natural phenomena.

Although the dating is a little out of sync with the published timeline for the emergence of the ROBERTSON PANEL, it could easily be part of a long run plan to achieve specific goals related to the subject.

It dovetails with the emerging interest in the topic by the CIA that will see the ROBERTSON PANEL emerge. The CIA was concerned of communication jams due to people "seeing things" and the confusion that could arise from a perfect storm of a "flap" as cover for an invasion. 

This event is flagged "BATTELLE" and that is significant as some have alleged connections with major projects there in metallurgy, nuclear sciences, and other fields may have been the result of alien technology.

So here we have an interesting note that serves to prove the AF and others did have concerns in 1951 about topic of unidentified. This led to the Special Report # 14 that led directly to the CIA's Robertson Panel.

In most records the ROBERTSON PANEL OR COMMITTEE was a scientific committee which met in January 1953 headed by Howard P. Robertson. The Panel apparently came out of a recommendation to the Intelligence Advisory Committee (IAC) in December 1952 from a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) review of the U.S. Air Force investigation into the topic of unidentified flying objects.

Of Note:

Air Force Special Report # 14 (1952) Project Blue Book Special Report #14 : United States Air Force : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

Durant Papers (Robertson Panel): REPORT OF SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY PANEL ON UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS CONVENED BY OFFICE OF SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE, CIA January 14 - 18, 1953 (cufon.org)

In the Durrant Papers is a note that in the presentations related to the report, "The Project STORK support at Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, was described by Dr. Hynek." Battelle Memorial Institute was founded in 1923 with an endowment from the estate of Gordon Battelle. Located in Columbus, Ohio, the institute's mission is to develop practical applications for scientific research. Battelle was officially incorporated in 1925 and began its laboratory operations for the first time in 1929.