CIA Robertson Panel of January 1953 recommended Project Blue Book as cover. CIA Office of Scientific Intelligence (OSI) convened the Robertson Panel in mid-January 1953 Panel was chaired by H.P. Robertson OSI persuaded US Air Force to use Project Blue Book to publicly debunk UFOs

In mid-January 1953, CIA's Office of Scientific Intelligence convened the Robertson Panel, chaired by H.P. Robertson. They pushed using Project Blue Book as a public debunking tool while quietly collecting data. A 16 February 1953 memo preferred abandoning public investigation entirely for secrecy.

Key Facts

  • CIA Office of Scientific Intelligence (OSI) convened the Robertson Panel in mid-January 1953
  • Panel was chaired by H.P. Robertson
  • OSI persuaded US Air Force to use Project Blue Book to publicly debunk UFOs
  • CIA dated memorandum of 16 February 1953 preferred to publicly abandon investigation while secretly collecting data
  • Project Blue Book was reduced to virtually inactive status by September 1953 with only one airman
  • Investigation transferred to 4602nd Air Intelligence Service Squadron reporting to Air Defense Command and USAF Intelligence