Scientific Study of Unidentified Flying Objects (the Condon Report, complete, three volumes)

whom I might send it for analysis. I never read about a
fIring disc being found, o~ about fragments or parts of a
saucer that had been picked up. Unless the finding was
made. by military authorities and the whole thing kept as
a top-secret subject. I am certain the matter will be of
great interest to the brilliant columnist and I am sending
two copies of this letter - to the newspaper and to your
home address."
From the admirer (the signature was not legible),
together with the above letter, I received fragments of
a strange metal .....
Following the appearance of this account, the claim was published
that analyses of tIle fragments, performed by a Brazilian g0vernment
agency and others, showed the fragments to be magnes ium of a purity
unattainable by production and purification techniques known to man
at that time. If this proved to be true, the origin of the fragments
would be puzzling indeed. If it could then be established that the
fragments had actually been part of a flying vehicle, that vehicle
could then be assumed to have been manufactt:red by a culture unknown to
man.
The first step in checking this claim was independent analysis
of the magnesium fragnlents, and comparison of their purity with
conunercially produced pure magnesium A comparison sample of triply
sublimed magnesium, simil~r to san~le5 which the Vow Chemical Company
has supplied l1'l requ~;t for at ] east 25 years, was acquired from
Dr. R. S. Busk, Resclrc!1 Director of the Vow Metal Products Dept., Midland,
~lich. Since it was .. ssumed that extremely small qlJ:lnUties of impuri-
ties would need to tie measured, neutron-al:tlvatioll analysis i'HiS selected
as the analytical method. Thp. samples were taken to the National Office
Laboratory, Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Oivision, Hun:au of Internal Revenue,
140
',~hom I might send it for analysis. I never read about a
flying disc being found, 0,' about fragments or parts of a
saucer that had been picked up. Unless the finding was
made by military authorities and the whole thing kept as
a top-secret subject. I am certain the matter will be of
great interest to the brilliant colwnnist and I am sending
two copies of this letrer - to the newspaper and to your
home address."
From the admirer (the signature was not legible),
together with the above letter, I received fragments of
a strange metill .....
following the appearance of this account, the claim was published
that analyses of the fragments, performed by a Brad Han government
agency and others, showed the fragments to be magnesium of a purity
unattainable by production and purification techniques known to man
at that time. If this proved to be true, the origin of the fragments
would be puzzling indeed. If it could then be established that the
fragments had actually been part of a flying vehicle, that vehlc Ie
could then be assumed to have been manufactcred by a culture unknown to
man.
The first step in checking this claim was independent analysis
of the magnes i wn fragnJent s, and comparison of thei r purl ty wi th
commercially produced pure magnesium A comparison sample of triply
sublimed magnesium, similiiT to samples which the Dow Chemical Company
has supp lied WI requ< it for a t leas t 25 years, was acqui red from
Or. R. S. Bu~k, RescHclt Director of the lJowMctal Prod'.I,~ts lJept., Midland,
~1icn. Since it was .. ssumed that extremely small YlI<Jntit ies of impuri-
ties would need to be measured, netltron-activatjcm analysis I,as selected
as the analytical method. The samples were taken to the National Office
Laboratory, Alcuhol and Tobacco Tax Division, Ilureau of internal Revenue,
140