The Twining Letter (1947)
The Twining Memo, formally titled “AMC Opinion Concerning ‘Flying Discs’,” is a classified document dated September 23, 1947, issued from Headquarters Air Materiel Command at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio. It was signed by Lieutenant General Nathan F. Twining in his role as Commanding General of Air Materiel Command and directed to the Commanding General of the Army Air Forces, with specific attention to Brigadier General George Schulgen of AC/AS-2 (Intelligence). The memo represents a coordinated staff opinion based on prior intelligence reports and preliminary technical evaluations.
In the memo, Twining presents one of the earliest official military assessments of the flying disc phenomenon. The document includes the well-known statement that the reported objects are real and not visionary or fictitious. At the same time, the tone remains cautious and analytical. The memo explicitly acknowledges that some incidents may be attributed to natural phenomena, such as meteors, while emphasizing that the overall pattern of reports could not be dismissed and required further structured study.
The characteristics described in the memo are specific and based on compiled observations. The objects are noted as probably approximating the shape of a disc, often circular or elliptical, flat on the bottom and domed on top, with metallic or light-reflecting surfaces. They are frequently reported to operate without visible propulsion or exhaust trails, except under certain high-performance conditions. Additional consistent features include extreme rates of climb, maneuverability particularly in roll, and behavior that appears evasive when encountered by aircraft or radar. Reported speeds are typically above 300 knots in level flight. The memo also notes several reports of well-kept formation flights varying from three to nine objects. Sound is normally absent, except in three instances where a substantial rumbling roar was noted.
Importantly, the memo does not claim that these capabilities are beyond all known technology. Instead, it suggests that the observed performance indicates controlled objects, whether manually piloted, automatically guided, or remotely operated. Twining notes that it is theoretically possible, within then-current knowledge, to construct a piloted aircraft with similar characteristics, though such a project would require significant resources and would come at considerable expense to existing programs.
A key point in the memo is the absence of physical evidence. Twining explicitly states that there is no material in the form of crash-recovered exhibits that would conclusively prove the existence of these objects. This statement stands out given the timing of the memo, which was written roughly two months after the Roswell events of July 1947. Despite that proximity, the document makes no reference to any crash recovery or recovered materials.
The memo outlines several possible explanations for the phenomenon. These include a highly classified domestic project unknown to the reporting channels, advanced technology developed by a foreign nation, or, in some cases, natural occurrences. The document does not mention origins and remains focused on terrestrial or explainable possibilities, even while acknowledging that the full picture was not yet understood.
Section three of the memo provides clear recommendations. Twining calls for the Army Air Forces to assign a priority, establish a security classification, and designate a code name for a comprehensive study of the phenomenon. He recommends coordinated data collection and analysis involving multiple organizations, including the Army, Navy, Atomic Energy Commission, Joint Research and Development Board, Air Force Scientific Advisory Group, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, RAND, and NEPA projects. The memo suggests an initial report within fifteen days, followed by regular updates every thirty days, along with full data sharing between agencies.
This recommendation directly contributed to the creation of Project Sign, the first formal United States Air Force investigation into unidentified flying objects. Project Sign would later evolve into Project Grudge and eventually Project Blue Book, forming the foundation of decades of official inquiry into the phenomenon.
The Twining Memo later became publicly accessible through historical releases of U.S. Air Force records and has been widely circulated through archival collections. Early public references appeared in Edward J. Ruppelt’s 1956 book The Report on Unidentified Flying Objects, and full document scans have long been available through National Archives materials and independent research repositories.
Viewed in full context, the Twining Memo captures a moment where repeated and consistent reports forced a formal response. It does not offer definitive answers, but it clearly establishes that the phenomenon warranted serious attention, coordinated investigation, and ongoing analysis at the highest levels of military command.
