"Use NASA for a Cover": A 1963 Memo About Recovering Fallen Fragments - Case EOP-2

Memorandum for Dr. Welsh - Conference with Frutkin, Fragments

• National Aeronautics and Space Council (Executive Office of the President)
• EOP-UAP-D002 - released 23 Oct 2026 (Release 07)

May 29, 1963

MEMORANDUM FOR DR. WELSH

Subject: Conference with Frutkin -- Fragments

I saw Frutkin (and his assistant Marvin Robinson) for more than an hour in his office on May 28. It was necessary to review the background and course of the meetings held last year because he was away at the time and now is very negative on the project. Frutkin seems to feel that:

1. No public announcement is now needed;

2. An Executive Order or statement from the White House would scare people needlessly;

3. The problem is overseas and State would like to be able to point to NASA as the U.S. responsible agency (without a scary public announcement);

4. DOD and AF want to use NASA for a "cover" but have no intention of letting NASA do anything but return some pieces;

5. CIA and NASA get along fine and can do so in the future on this matter;

6. NASA should wait to see what the USIB settles on (and would like to have us pass Frutkin's comments on the DOD paper to AEC (at staff levels for information); and

7. Although NASA was drafting legislation, they (legal?) would oppose sending anything up to Congress in the foreseeable future because of the harmful debate it would touch off.

R. W. Hale

Transcribed from EOP-UAP-D002, page 1 (the only page).