1948. They are called "The Classics," a name given them by the
Project Blue Book staff, because: (1) they are classic examples of
how the true facts of a UFO report can be twisted and warped by some
writers to prove their point, (2) they are the most highly publicized
reports of this early era of the UFO's, and (3) they "proved" to
ATIC's intelligence specialists that UFO's were real.

The apparent lack of interest in UFO reports by the press was not a
true indication of the situation. I later found out, from talking to
writers, that all during 1948 the interest in UFO's was running high.
The Air Force Press Desk in the Pentagon was continually being asked
what progress was being made in the UFO investigation. The answer
was, "Give us time. This job can't be done in a week." The press
respected this and was giving them time. But every writer worth his
salt has contacts, those "usually reliable sources" you read about,
and these contacts were talking. All during 1948 contacts in the
Pentagon were telling how UFO reports were rolling in at the rate of
several per day and how ATIC UFO investigation teams were flying out
of Dayton to investigate them. They were telling how another Air
Force investigative organization had been called in to lighten ATIC's
load and allow ATIC to concentrate on the analysis of the reports.
The writers knew this was true because they had crossed paths with
these men whom they had mistakenly identified as FBI agents. The FBI
was never officially interested in UFO sightings. The writers'
contacts in the airline industry told about the UFO talk from V.P.'s
down to the ramp boys. Dozens of good, solid, reliable, experienced
airline pilots were seeing UFO's. All of this led to one conclusion:
whatever the Air Force had to say, when it was ready to talk, would
be newsworthy. But the Air Force wasn't ready to talk.