Telephone: FAr Rockaway 7-5853
LLOYD MALLAN
20-04 SEAGIRT AVENUE, Apt. 2-C
FAR ROCKAWAY, LONG ISLAND, N.Y.
October 23rd, 1955
Captain C.A. Hardim
AFOIN-4E-4 ATIC
WPAFB, Ohio
Dear Captain Hardim,
I am writing to you at the suggestion of two persons: Captain Bob White, at the Press Desk of Air Technical Intelligence in the Pentagon, and Lew Zarem, Chief of Public Information at WADC. After speaking with both of these men, they felt that you might be amenable to an interview.
At present, with the cooperation of USAF Hq and ARDC Hq, I am working on a book devoted to various aspects of air research and development. Included among the chapters will be one on "flying saucers." However, I should like to emphasize that this chapter will not in any way play up to the crackpot fringe of enthusiasts nor will it attempt, as so many other writers do, to imply that Air Force Intelligence is trying to hide things from the general public.
In fact, the major aim of my chapter will be quite the opposite: I want to give an honest human-interest report on how harrassing and even nerve-wracking the "saucer" situation has been to personnel of the Air Force, who are only trying their darndest to do an honest job of protecting the American people by keeping a close watch on the skies of the United States.
Actually, I would like to present the story in human terms such as this: little anecdotes that may have happened to you and other men on the project at WPAFB--false reports, false condemnations, even false accusations by the press; the scientific techniques or systems you use to evaluate reports of "saucers"; your attitudes toward the overabundance of irresponsible writers (without naming them, of course) who cause you unnecessary trouble and take up valuable time by inspiring hysterical people throughout the U.S. to bother you, etc.
If you agree to an interview (and I sincerely hope that you will), I can promise you three things: 1. the story will be