NSC/ MJ-12 Special Studies Project

A memorandum dated May 14, 1954, labeled for special restricted security information, addressed to General Twining, has been documented regarding the NSC/MJ-12 Special Studies Project. The memo indicates that the President at the time determined that a briefing on the NSC/MJ-12 SSP should be incorporated into a prearranged White House meeting on July 16, as opposed to being held afterward. Detailed arrangements for this change were to be communicated to General Twining upon his arrival. The document presumes General Twining’s agreement to this change in schedule. Robert Cutler, serving as the Special Assistant to the President, signed off on the memorandum. The document can be found in a PDF format on the official website of the Reagan Library at this link: Reagan Library NSC/MJ-12 Document.

The President of the United States in 1954 was Dwight D. Eisenhower. He served as the 34th President from January 20, 1953, to January 20, 1961. Harry S. Truman served as the 33rd President of the United States from April 12, 1945, to January 20, 1953. He assumed the presidency upon the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

“NSC” stands for National Security Council, which is a part of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for advising the President on national security and foreign policy matters.

“MJ-12” or “Majestic 12” is the name associated with a secret committee of scientists, military leaders, and government officials formed in 1947 by an executive order by U.S. President Harry S. Truman. According to various documents, the group was created to manage and conceal information regarding unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and extraterrestrial encounters.

The document refers to a top-secret operation directly responsible to the President of the United States. The operation was controlled by a group established by a classified executive order from President Harry S. Truman, based on recommendations from Dr. Vannevar Bush and Secretary James Forrestal. The members of this group are as follows:

• Adm. Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter – The first Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), serving from 1947 to 1950.
• Dr. Vannevar Bush – An American engineer and inventor, he headed the U.S. Office of Scientific Research and Development (OSRD) during World War II, through which he initiated the Manhattan Project.
• Secy. James V. Forrestal – Served as the last Cabinet-level United States Secretary of the Navy and the first United States Secretary of Defense. He died in May 1949.
• Gen. Nathan F. Twining – A United States Air Force General, he served as the Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, and as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
• Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg – The second Chief of Staff of the Air Force and the second Director of Central Intelligence.
• Dr. Detlev Bronk – A prominent American physicist and biophysicist, he was the President of Johns Hopkins University and later the President of the National Academy of Sciences.
• Dr. Jerome Hunsaker – An American aeronautical engineer who made important contributions to the field of aircraft design and aerodynamics.
• Mr. Sidney W. Souers – An American admiral who served as the first Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) before the CIA was established.
• Mr. Gordon Gray – Served as the Assistant Secretary of the Army, Secretary of the Army, and the first Secretary of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. He was also a National Security Advisor.
• Dr. Donald Menzel – An American astrophysicist who served as the director of the Harvard College Observatory and was a prominent UFO skeptic.
• Robert M. Montague – A U.S. Army General active in the development of early missile defense systems during the Cold War.
• Lloyd V. Berkner – An American physicist and engineer who contributed significantly to the development of radio and radar technology, and was instrumental in the International Geophysical Year during 1957-58.
• Gen. Walter B. Smith – An officer in the U.S. Army who served as Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Chief of Staff during World War II, the second Director of Central Intelligence, and later as the Under Secretary of State.

The document notes the death of Secretary James V. Forrestal and his eventual replacement by General Walter B. Smith. This document is aligned with the type of information associated with the Majestic 12 (MJ-12) group, which is claimed to have been involved with classified information regarding unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and extraterrestrial technology.

The document discusses the widely known event that happened on June 24, 1947, which is often considered the beginning of the modern UFO phenomenon. This sighting by civilian pilot Kenneth Arnold featured “flying saucers,” leading to widespread media interest in UFOs. The report mentions subsequent efforts by the military to investigate these sightings and indicates a secret operation initiated on July 7, 1947, likely referring to the Roswell UFO incident, where it is alleged that a UFO crashed and was retrieved by military forces.

This document discusses a request for a briefing on a project, referred to as “Project A,” with certain details redacted. MJ12, possibly referring to Majestic 12, a purported secret committee formed in 1947, is mentioned as an advising entity, indicating that the information requested by “R2” was not available to “P2”. The text suggests frustration over an inability to convey that certain information is not available for dissemination, referring to an Executive Order (EO), which is also redacted.

It also contains a caution against allowing the Air Force (presumably ‘AF’) to evaluate “IDENT info,” suggesting that this might lead to the disclosure of sensitive information. “KEND-2” is mentioned as someone who could provide some level of assistance.

Given the nature of the document and the context of the information, it seems to be discussing the control of classified information and the need to keep certain aspects of a project or operation restricted to a small group of individuals or a particular protocol. The language used indicates a level of secrecy and the potential sensitivity of the information related to national security or other classified activities.

The term “KEND-2” in the context of a partially redacted government document appears to be a codename or a designation for an individual, a department, or a specific operation. Codenames are frequently used in classified and sensitive documents to maintain secrecy and to protect the confidentiality of the operations and the individuals involved.

The documents presented offer a glimpse into the operations and concerns of the United States government during the 1940s and 1950s regarding unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and national security. The 1954 memorandum to General Twining about the NSC/MJ-12 Special Studies Project, signed by Robert Cutler, along with mentions of a top-secret operation and the MJ-12 group, highlights the era’s focus on managing sensitive information related to aerial phenomena and extraterrestrial encounters.

The involvement of high-profile individuals, including Admiral Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter, Dr. Vannevar Bush, and Secretary James Forrestal, underscores the project’s significance and the government’s efforts to maintain strict control over classified information. This is further evidenced by the restricted dissemination of information as per Executive Orders, the establishment of codenames like “KEND-2,” and the caution against allowing certain branches, such as the Air Force, to evaluate sensitive IDENT info, all of which point to a multi-layered approach to information security.

Coupled with the historical context of the UFO sightings reported by civilian pilot Kenneth Arnold in 1947 and the subsequent Roswell incident, these documents reflect the government’s rigorous measures to investigate and contain the public narrative surrounding UFOs, demonstrating an ongoing pattern of meticulous regulation of high-security information within the U.S. intelligence and defense establishments.