Edward J. Ruppelt

Edward J. Ruppelt (1922-1960) was an officer of the US Air Force, very known to have taken part in the Projet Blue Book, an investigation of the American army into the UFO in the Fifties. He is the inventor of term UFO (French UFO).

Ruppelt was born in 1922 in the Iowa, with the the United States. It makes studies of aeronautical engineer before engaging in the US Air Force in 1942, and takes part in the Second world war, where it is useful in the bombers. It will receive several medals (of which the Distinguished Flying Cross, twice). After the war, it is versed in the Reserve and resumes its studies of engineer. He is then recalled in the active service when the Guerre of Korea begins.

He is affected with the Air Technical Intelligence Center on the air base of Wright-Patterson, in the Ohio. This base was the HQ of two draft studies on the UFO: the Project Sign (1947/1948) (stopped because too pro-UFO according to the government) and the Project Grudge (1949 - 1951) (operation of Debunking as Ruppelt in its book will say it). Grudge was dissolved in 1951 and the project Blue Book replaced it, with Rupplet (then captain) at its head, having the reputation to be a good manager.

Ruppelt brings many changes in the work methods inherited Grudge, and rationalizes the way in which the cases of UFO are described and analyzed, partly in the hope to make testimonys less ridiculous to the eyes of its superiors. Conscious owing to the fact that the sectarianism of some had ruined the Sign Project, it decides to recruit people open of spirit, but neutral and rigorous to take part in Blue Book. It tries to avoid the free speculations which had dug a gap between the partisans and the detractors of the extraterrestrial assumption among the personnel of the Sign Project. In addition, he sought council and support aurpès scientists and experts, and makes publish reports.

Major contribution, it makes prepare a standard questionnaire for the witnesses of UFO, always with an aim of rationalization of the data and to if required be able to devote itself to statistical analyzes. It charged the Battelle Memorial Institute creating the questionnaire and with computerizing the data collected. Thanks to that, Battelle could make a great statistical study on the cases of UFO listed by the US Air Force, known under the name of Project Blue Book Special Carryforward No 14 . It establishes, for example, that even after a rigorous study, 22% of the cases studied by Blue Book remain not-elucidated.

Under the direction of Ruppelt, the team of Blue Book studied certain very famous cases of UFO, like the famous " Carousel of Washington " nights of the July 19th and 26th 1952, where luminous spheres flew over the capital of the United States, and whose presence was confirmed by radar and fighter plans sent. A Debunking will follow, which will provide an explanation very disputed as regards the observations radar (of the “inversions of temperature”). July 29th 1952, Ruppelt took part in the greatest press conference since the end of the Second world war, charged to reassure the public opinion after the Carousel.

In 1953, the personnel of Blue Book was tiny room from 10 to 3 people, Ruppelt included/understood, and he resigned of the army to work in aerospace industry. In 1956, it published '' The Report one Unidentified Flying Objects ''. This book is one of most important of the ufologic bibliography, and one of most serious and objective. Josef Allen Hynek declared in connection with this book that it was an obligatory reading for all those which are interested seriously in the UFO. Ruppelt speaks there about Grudge (on which, he writes: With the name change and of personnel, came the change from objective, clearly posted, which was to get rid of the UFO. It was never written nowhere, but one hardly needed efforts to see that it was the true objective of the Grudge Project. This unavowed goal showed through in each memorandum, report/ratio or directive ) and of Blue Book, some cases of UFO with its conclusions, and especially of documents which according to him would have concluded with the real existence from the UFO. According to some, the book of Ruppelt was partially censured by the US Air Force.

In 1959, the book is republished, enriched by 3 new chapters which defend the official version of the Air Force. Certain people think that it would have been victim of pressures on behalf of the army, others which it would have revised its judgment after having taken knowledge of the movement of contacted (these people which claims to be contacted by the extraterrestrial ones)

Ruppelt will die of an heart attack in 1960, at the 37 years age.

A famous declaration of Ruppelt:

What constitutes a proof? Is it necessary that an UFO lands at the entry of the Pentagon, near the chiefs of staff? Or is this a proof when a station of radar on the ground detects UFO, sends a flotilla of interception, that the pilots see the UFO, take it with the radar and see it to move away at a fantastic speed? Is this a proof only when the pilot draws to him above and maintains its version before a martial court? Doesn't this constitute a proof?

External bonds

'' The Carryforward one Unidentified Flying Objects '', by Edward J. Ruppelt

Random links: