Project 1947 Research Group
Project 1947 represents a unique and invaluable contribution to UFO research, serving as the world’s premier historical research organization dedicated to documenting and preserving the early history of UFO phenomena. Named after the pivotal year that marked the beginning of the modern UFO era with the Kenneth Arnold sighting, Project 1947 has established itself as the definitive source for historical UFO documentation and research.
Founding and Mission
Historical Context and Establishment
Project 1947 was founded in the 1990s by Jan Aldrich, a former U.S. Army counterintelligence specialist who recognized the critical need for systematic preservation and analysis of early UFO documentation. Aldrich observed that many important historical records were being lost, destroyed, or forgotten as the original witnesses and investigators from the early UFO era aged and passed away.
The organization emerged during a period when many UFO researchers were focused on contemporary cases and phenomena, leaving significant gaps in historical documentation and understanding. Project 1947’s founders recognized that without proper preservation of historical records, future researchers would lack the foundational knowledge necessary to understand the evolution of UFO phenomena and investigations.
Core Mission and Objectives
Project 1947 operates under several fundamental objectives:
Historical Preservation: Collecting, preserving, and digitizing historical UFO documents, photographs, and other materials from the early period of modern ufology (1940s-1970s).
Research and Analysis: Conducting detailed research into early UFO cases, investigations, and the development of official and civilian UFO research programs.
Documentation: Creating comprehensive databases and archives that serve as resources for researchers worldwide.
Education: Promoting understanding of UFO history and the evolution of attitudes toward the phenomenon.
Truth and Accuracy: Correcting historical inaccuracies and myths that have developed around early UFO cases and personalities.
Organizational Structure and Operations
Leadership and Governance
Project 1947 operates as a volunteer-based research organization with a small core team of dedicated researchers and a larger network of contributors and collaborators worldwide.
Director: Jan Aldrich serves as the primary director, bringing decades of experience in intelligence analysis and historical research to the organization’s leadership.
Research Associates: A team of specialized researchers who focus on specific aspects of UFO history, including military cases, civilian investigations, and government programs.
Contributing Researchers: A broader network of individuals who contribute documents, conduct research, and provide expertise on specific topics or time periods.
Technical Support: Volunteers who assist with database management, digitization projects, and website maintenance.
Operational Approach
Project 1947’s approach emphasizes rigorous historical methodology and source verification:
Primary Source Focus: Prioritizing original documents, contemporaneous accounts, and first-hand testimony over secondary sources and popular accounts.
Source Verification: Implementing careful verification procedures to ensure document authenticity and accuracy.
Contextual Analysis: Placing UFO events within their proper historical, social, and technological contexts.
Cross-Referencing: Comparing multiple sources and accounts to identify consistencies and discrepancies.
Research Focus Areas
Early UFO Wave Documentation
Project 1947 has conducted extensive research into the foundational cases and waves of UFO activity that established the modern phenomenon:
1947 Wave: Comprehensive documentation of the pivotal year including the Kenneth Arnold sighting, the Roswell incident, and hundreds of other reports that marked the beginning of the modern UFO era.
1950s Military Cases: Research into military UFO encounters during the Korean War era and the establishment of official investigation programs.
Blue Book Era: Analysis of Project Blue Book cases and documentation, including cases that were never properly resolved or investigated.
Early Contactee Movement: Documentation of the early contactee movement and its impact on UFO culture and research.
Government Program Research
The organization has conducted extensive research into early government UFO programs and policies:
Project Sign/Grudge: Documentation of the first official U.S. Air Force UFO investigation programs and their evolution into Project Blue Book.
Military Intelligence: Research into military intelligence activities related to UFO investigations during the early Cold War period.
International Programs: Documentation of early government UFO investigation programs in other countries.
Classification and Secrecy: Analysis of how government secrecy policies affected early UFO investigations and public understanding.
Personnel and Biography Research
Project 1947 maintains extensive biographical databases of key figures in early UFO history:
Military Personnel: Documentation of military officers and personnel involved in early UFO investigations and encounters.
Civilian Researchers: Biographical information about early civilian UFO researchers and organizations.
Witnesses: Documentation of key witnesses to significant early UFO cases.
Debunkers and Skeptics: Research into individuals who played important roles in explaining or debunking early UFO cases.
Archives and Databases
Document Collections
Project 1947 maintains several specialized document collections:
Official Documents: Government documents, military reports, and official correspondence related to early UFO investigations.
Newspaper Archives: Extensive collections of newspaper clippings and articles documenting contemporary reporting of UFO events.
Personal Papers: Collections of papers, correspondence, and materials from key figures in early UFO history.
Photographic Archives: Historical photographs related to UFO cases, investigations, and personalities.
Digital Database Systems
The organization has developed sophisticated database systems to manage and provide access to historical information:
Chronological Databases: Time-based organization of UFO events and investigations allowing for pattern analysis and research.
Geographic Information Systems: Mapping capabilities that show the geographic distribution of early UFO activity.
Personnel Databases: Comprehensive records of individuals involved in early UFO history.
Case Files: Detailed documentation of specific UFO cases including all available evidence and analysis.
Significant Research Contributions
Historical Corrections and Clarifications
Project 1947 has made numerous important contributions to correcting historical inaccuracies in UFO literature:
Roswell Research: Detailed analysis of the Roswell incident that has clarified many aspects of the case and corrected numerous inaccuracies in popular accounts.
Kenneth Arnold Case: Comprehensive research into the Arnold sighting that established many previously unknown details about this foundational case.
Early Wave Analysis: Statistical and analytical work that has provided new insights into patterns of early UFO activity.
Debunking False Claims: Identification and correction of numerous false claims and fabricated documents that have circulated in UFO literature.
Military History Documentation
The organization has made significant contributions to understanding military involvement in early UFO investigations:
Air Force History: Detailed documentation of Air Force UFO investigation procedures and policies during the formative years.
Radar Cases: Analysis of early radar-visual UFO cases that helped establish the phenomenon’s credibility.
Pilot Testimony: Preservation of testimony from military and civilian pilots who reported UFO encounters.
Intelligence Operations: Research into intelligence community involvement in UFO investigations and policy-making.
Academic Contributions
Project 1947’s research has been cited in academic studies and has contributed to scholarly understanding of UFO history:
Historical Methodology: Development of rigorous research methodologies for UFO historical investigation.
Source Criticism: Application of historical source criticism techniques to UFO documentation.
Cultural Context: Analysis of how social and cultural factors influenced early UFO reporting and investigation.
Institutional History: Documentation of how institutions responded to and shaped early UFO investigations.
Challenges and Methodological Issues
Source Verification Challenges
Project 1947 faces ongoing challenges related to source verification and authentication:
Document Authentication: Developing techniques for verifying the authenticity of historical documents, particularly in an era of increasingly sophisticated forgeries.
Witness Reliability: Assessing the reliability of witnesses and testimony decades after events occurred.
Memory Issues: Accounting for changes in memory and perception over long periods of time.
Secondary Source Contamination: Identifying and correcting instances where secondary sources have influenced or contaminated historical accounts.
Access and Preservation Issues
The organization faces various challenges related to accessing and preserving historical materials:
Classified Documents: Dealing with classification issues that prevent access to potentially important historical documents.
Private Collections: Negotiating access to materials held in private collections or by family members of deceased researchers.
Physical Deterioration: Racing against time to preserve materials before they deteriorate or are lost.
Digitization Costs: Managing the significant costs associated with properly digitizing and preserving historical materials.
Resource Limitations
As a volunteer organization, Project 1947 faces ongoing resource constraints:
Funding: Limited financial resources for travel, document acquisition, and preservation activities.
Personnel: Reliance on volunteer researchers limits the scope and speed of research activities.
Technology: Need for updated technology and systems to manage growing databases and archives.
Storage: Physical and digital storage requirements for expanding collections of materials.
International Collaboration
Global Research Networks
Project 1947 maintains relationships with historical researchers and organizations worldwide:
European Researchers: Collaboration with European historians and researchers studying early UFO cases in their regions.
Military Historians: Relationships with military historians who can provide context and expertise on historical military operations.
Academic Institutions: Partnerships with universities and research institutions interested in UFO history and documentation.
Government Archives: Working relationships with national archives and government repositories of historical documents.
Cross-Border Case Research
The organization has conducted research into cases that cross national boundaries or involve international elements:
Cold War Context: Analysis of how Cold War tensions affected UFO investigations and international cooperation.
Military Cooperation: Research into instances where different countries’ military forces cooperated on UFO investigations.
Intelligence Sharing: Documentation of intelligence sharing related to UFO cases between allied nations.
Comparative Analysis: Studies comparing how different countries approached early UFO investigations.
Public Education and Outreach
Publications and Resources
Project 1947 produces various publications and resources for researchers and the public:
Research Papers: Detailed studies of specific historical topics or cases published online and in print.
Document Collections: Compiled collections of historical documents organized by topic or chronology.
Bibliographies: Comprehensive bibliographies of early UFO literature and documentation.
Timeline Resources: Chronological resources that help researchers understand the sequence of early UFO events.
Educational Activities
The organization conducts various educational activities:
Conference Presentations: Regular presentations at UFO conferences and academic symposiums.
Online Resources: Maintenance of extensive online databases and resources accessible to researchers worldwide.
Consultation Services: Providing expertise and resources to other researchers, writers, and documentary producers.
Fact-Checking: Serving as a resource for verifying historical claims and correcting inaccuracies.
Contemporary Relevance and Impact
Modern UFO Disclosure Context
Project 1947’s historical research has taken on new relevance in the context of recent government acknowledgments of UAP:
Historical Precedents: Providing context for understanding current government UFO/UAP policies in light of historical approaches.
Pattern Analysis: Identifying historical patterns that may help understand contemporary UAP developments.
Policy Evolution: Documenting how government UFO policies have evolved over time.
Continuity Analysis: Examining connections between historical UFO programs and contemporary investigations.
Research Community Impact
The organization’s work has significantly impacted the broader UFO research community:
Methodological Standards: Establishing high standards for historical research in ufology.
Accuracy Improvements: Correcting numerous historical inaccuracies that have improved the overall quality of UFO literature.
Source Preservation: Preserving materials that might otherwise have been lost to time.
Research Foundation: Providing a solid historical foundation for contemporary UFO research.
Future Directions and Development
Technology Integration
Project 1947 continues to explore new technologies for historical research and preservation:
AI and Machine Learning: Investigating applications of AI for document analysis and pattern recognition in historical data.
Blockchain Authentication: Exploring blockchain technologies for document authentication and provenance tracking.
Advanced Digitization: Implementing new technologies for high-quality digitization of historical materials.
Database Enhancement: Developing more sophisticated database systems for managing complex historical relationships.
Expansion of Research Scope
The organization plans to expand its research activities:
International Focus: Increasing research into early UFO history in countries outside the United States.
Extended Timeline: Gradually expanding research into later periods of UFO history.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Working with historians, sociologists, and other academics to broaden research perspectives.
Comparative Studies: Conducting more comparative analyses of UFO developments across different countries and time periods.
Conclusion
Project 1947 represents an indispensable resource for understanding the historical foundations of modern UFO phenomena and research. Through its meticulous documentation, rigorous research methodology, and commitment to historical accuracy, the organization has made immeasurable contributions to the field of ufology.
The organization’s work has not only preserved crucial historical materials but has also established important methodological standards for UFO historical research. By correcting inaccuracies, providing proper context, and maintaining comprehensive archives, Project 1947 has helped establish a more solid foundation for understanding the evolution of UFO phenomena and investigations.
As interest in UAP continues to grow at official levels, Project 1947’s historical research provides crucial context for understanding current developments. The organization’s documentation of how governments, military organizations, and civilian researchers have approached UFO investigations over the decades offers valuable insights for contemporary policy-makers and researchers.
The future of Project 1947 will likely depend on its ability to continue attracting dedicated volunteer researchers, securing resources for preservation activities, and adapting to new technologies while maintaining its commitment to rigorous historical methodology. As one of the few organizations dedicated specifically to UFO historical research, Project 1947 carries the important responsibility of preserving the documentary foundation upon which all future UFO research must build.