Letter From Gerald Ford About UFO's - 1966

Here is another piece of history that I thought I'd share with ATS. Attached is a letter from Gerald Ford discussing UFO's. This was sent to my father in 1966. I had to laugh at the actual date (April 1st). I hope you all enjoy this for both its content and its history.

Full Size Image Here

You got an interesting letter here. Do you know what happened to that investigation? Was there any hearing done by congress regarding this matter? If there was an investigation done by congress about his matter, I expect it to be behind closed doors and hence the report will not be known by the media.

You might have been too young (or may not be born yet) during this time so I don't really expect that your father told you anything about this. But he might have told your mother about what happened. Did your mother tell you something about this?

I'm not sure what happened with the investigation. I was born in 1972, so I wasn't around, however, my dad is still on this side of the flower patch. Next time I talk to him, I'll ask if he knows what the outcome was.

Was the investigation public?

I would assume it was. My dad lived in Loveland, CO, and managed to hear enough about it via the news, or maybe CB/HAM or something. I'm pretty sure this was common knowledge in that year.

so it's...not an april fools joke?

Hello OP, thanks for your interesting contribution!!

I also heard, that Gerald Ford, before he became POTUS, was very interested in the investigation of UFOs. And because of that, several people held hopes, that he would let significant information out, when he would become president. The fact that he didn't may imply, that he wasn't able to do it for unknown (but in the conspiracy theories in Ufology much discussed) reasons.

reply to post by navy_vet_stg3


Was your father a Mr Clendenon?

I ask because...

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/49562651e135.png[/atsimg]

Link

reply to post by navy_vet_stg3


The letters don't seem like it belongs in the paper. The paper looks old but the letters are so clean and undisturbed especially those title which seems to pop out from the background. Looks like it is made up. This is my opinion.

Originally posted by radkrish
The letters don't seem like it belongs in the paper. The paper looks old but the letters are so clean and undisturbed especially those title which seems to pop out from the background. Looks like it is made up. This is my opinion.

I don't think there is any real reason to question the authenticity of the letter.

The letter is basically a form letter sent to various people and the content also ties in with a well-known letter sent on 28 March 1966 by Congressman Gerald Ford to the Armed Services Committee criticising the Air Force investigations and proposing that a Congressional committee schedule hearings on the subject of UFOs.

I don't know if the Mccormack hearing, the Mendel Rivers hearing and the Roush hearing are well known on ATS (but it appears from the comments in this thread that they are not).

All the best,

Isaac

Originally posted by Chadwickus
reply to post by navy_vet_stg3

 

Was your father a Mr Clendenon?

I ask because...

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/49562651e135.png[/atsimg]

Link

edit on 6/9/11 by Chadwickus because: (no reason given)

if you´re implying this is the same letter... it´s not...

look at the date and adress

ETA:

autograph isn't the same either.

reply to post by IsaacKoi


Well that would explain the identical letter found in the book I linked to.

reply to post by kn0wh0w


Wasn't implying anything.

I was wondering why there is an identical letter found in that book.

IsaacKoi's explanation makes a lot of sense.

reply to post by Chadwickus


k, point taken

i also said IF you are.

i simply didn't know, just wanted to point out the subtle differences

reply to post by kn0wh0w


I actually missed the signature, well spotted.

Originally posted by wavemaker
Was there any hearing done by congress regarding this matter? If there was an investigation done by congress about his matter, I expect it to be behind closed doors and hence the report will not be known by the media.

At different times, Congressional committees have held both public and closed-door hearings regarding UFOs.

The Congressional Research Service has also produced material relating to UFOs, which is available to the public (I have a copy somewhere).

The hearing held following the calls by Gerald Ford and others in 1966 were held in public.

All the best,

Isaac

reply to post by IsaacKoi


You mean one need not question its authenticity just because there are these types of letters in common? I searched the web for such letters and there are so many in similarity. But one can produce it artificially based on the originals in order to falsely attribute it to someone else. That is what is being questioned here.

That letter has hung in my parent's basement my entire life, inside a glass frame. It's been kept in very good condition. It's authentic, but as other have said, there are many other Gerald Ford letters on the internet discussing this subject. This is just one that I personally have access to. If you're ever in Colorado, give me a shout, and you can have a look yourself. We even have the original envelope. You'd be amazed at all the crap my mom and dad have from over the years. The really cool stuff are all the letters from the original AFL team owners and coaches back in the inception of that league. Lamar Hunt, Al Davis, etc. Not to mention the letter from the Colts after Superbowl III when the Jets beat the Colts. My mom shot a crow, cooked it, then mailed it to the Colts headquarters. The Colts organization sent a pretty funny reply about how they enjoyed eating crow. HA!

The one thing I can't stand are people who fake stuff. That's not my style. Disinformation, whether it's 9/11, UFO's, Bilderberg, etc., only hurts the real causes. But, you're free to believe what you want.

Wasn't that letter about the infamous "swamp gas" sightings in Michigan

second line

Originally posted by CynicalWabbit
Wasn't that letter about the infamous "swamp gas" sightings in Michigan

In part, yes.

See, for example, the discussion at the link below:

www.presidentialufo.com...

In 1966 Michigan experienced hundreds of UFO sighting. The reports of weird dancing light produced quite a furor. To handle the demands for an explanation the Air Force held a quickly arranged news conference where J. Allen Hynek, an astronomy advisor to Project Blue book, made a statement he would regret the rest of his life. He declared that a sighting made by Frank Mannor on March 16, 1966, in Dexter, Michigan was probably "swamp gas."

The comment made Hynek an instant celebrity. It did not, however, calm the calls for answers to the mystery, or for Hynek’s head. In fact, it made the calls for an investigation louder. One of those who came to the help of the public in their demands for answers from the government was House Republican leader Gerald Ford, who would later become President.

Dexter, the town involved in the sighting declared to be "swamp gas" by Hynek, happened to be in Gerald Ford’s district. Like any good Congressman Ford came to the defense of his constituents.