Donald E. Kehoe, Ret. About the author: Jacques Vallee, born and educated in France, holds degrees in mathematics and astronomy. Before coming to the United States he was a government scientist at the Paris Observatory associated with the artificial satellites project, and participated in the theoretical study of a radar alert system, a classified french defense project.
Printed in U. For the months of July and August alone, the United States Air Force received more reports than in the previous three years combined. At the same time, the Air Force estimated the number of objects it had been unable to identify since inception of its Project Blue Book at close to seven hundred. Taking into account these two events, which have greatly contributed to the evolution of the public s view of our problem, this book s appearance in a paperback edition has given me the opportunity to make certain additions and changes in the text.
Some of these modifications suggested themselves as patterns noticeable in early observations which appeared in full light during the world wave of sightings in Other additions fill gaps which exist in the literature of the subject. These writers have insisted that UFO observations were essentially void of any scientific value and should simply be disregarded, no matter how reliable or qualified the observer, as belonging to the same category as manifestations of witchcraft or ap7.
Once again I want to make very clear the explicit distinction between dealing with reports as scientific data they may lie, but they lie in patterns and believing in their contents as such.
When I was authorized to study the general files of the United States Air Force I welcomed this opportunity to clarify my ideas concerning the official approach to the sightings and to understand better the attitude of the scientific and military authorities toward this problem.
