The following open letter to President Ford was written by Colman VonKeviczky, director of the Intercontinental UFO Galactic Spacecraft-Research & Analytic Network with headquarters in Jackson Heights, Queens, N.Y. The organization for a number of years has been devoted to extraterrestrial and outer space research:
The Honorable Gerald R. Ford
The White House
Washington DC 20025
My Dear President Ford:
We were greatly surprised to learn from the story appearing in the March 9, 1976 edition of The National Enquirer that, according to the headline, "For the First Time, U.S. Govt. Admits That It Believes Intelligent Life Exists in Outer Space ... 12 Top Scientists Working on Equipment to Make Contact Within 15 Years."
According to this news item, "The group had been ordered to report to the President by year's end on the best way to contact outer-space civilizations. . ." It therefore appears that this top-level project was initiated on orders from your office and released to the news media by Dr. Ichtiaque Rasool, chief scientist of NASA's Office of Space Science in Washington, D.C., and Dr. John Billingham, Chief of the Bio-Technology Division at NASA's Ames Research Center. Dr. John Billingham is further quoted as follows:
. . the U .S. wants to become the first nation to discover solid. proof of extraterrestrial life and contact it . . . This study is of major importance. It's the first step toward actually contacting extraterrestrial life . . . It'll be the biggest breakthrough in the history of mankind ... By the end of this year we're to report to the President on how to contact life in outer space ... All we need is a go-ahead from Congress."
Although we join with the other researchers and scientists in heartily welcoming your proposed project, may we respectfully remind you, Mr. President, of the following:
On September 18, 1974, the first formal proposal to establish contact and communication with Extraterrestrial Task Forces (UFOs), and the intelligent life controlling them, was proposed to you by our organization. This historic proposal was submitted for your personal consideration and approval in establishing a Space Security and Communication Center for precisely those goals now outlined in the National Enquirer story. (Eighteen months after our proposal was submitted to you.)
At the time of the submission of our proposal, we suggested then that your personal initiative was required to set aside a definite land area for the establishment of such a Space Age Center-as both a necessary and vital government contribution toward solution of increasing problems posed by the appearance of extraterrestrial space crafts in Earth's atmosphere. We further suggested that all the nations of our planet be invited to participate in what amounts to a grave international problem of the highest order. Such an invitation tendered by the U.S. government would be a most generous and humanitarian act.
To further emphasize the critical nature of the growing emergency confronting all mankind, we enclosed for your personal study, our military analysis of the Galactic Task Forces' military-like operation, which occurred between October 14-19, 1973, at "off limits" and "top secret" security and military establishments in the East-Central part of the United States. After receiving an evasive response to our proposal from the Secretary of the U.S. Air Force on October 17, 1974, we urgently requested an answer to our fundamental question in this matter: "Did Gerald R. Ford, President of the USA, reject our proposal to do anything on this acute security problem of the nations, and was he reluctant to take any official step. .. to suggest (the use of) unused land or an abandoned estate, and invite the nations to establish an internationally organized security and scientific authority (to act) on the problem?"
Owing to the lack of any substantive response to our query to the Air Force Secretary, our organization applied for and received a duly registered copyright to our historic "Project on Communication with Extraterrestrial Intelligence", to secure our priority of initiation and participation in the realization and development of this vital work. Our project under legal copyright, was thereafter published and offered for adoption to all the major universities and selected institutions in the United States as a post-graduate curriculum, leading to a doctoral degree in Extraterrestrial/Galactic Affairs. This curriculum would provide the required leadership and knowledge - as well the global cooperation - so essential to the space age and to the planetary scientific community.
Moreover, our post-graduate curriculum project outlines, in essence, the basic establishment of the very “space center" organization assigned by you to the NASA team. However, our project goes much further: It calls for the participation of all nations in an international administration to maintain continuous surveillance of the Galactic Task Forces' operations, and to pool all knowledge and endeavors in order to cope with this global ,security and scientific problem.
May we respectfully remind you, Mr. President, and those esteemed governmental agencies now involved in this problem, that the "Mainz UFO Resolution" declared November 6, 1967, was the very first formal statement urging the establishment of an international authority to seek contact and study alien task forces operating in Earth's biosphere. This resolution was spearheaded by the world-famous "father of astronautics and rocketry" Prof. Hermann Oberth. Again, on July 29, 1968, in our "Petition to the Nations," we attempted to focus national and international attention on the emerging problems posed by UFOs calling this matter to the attention also former President Richard M. Nixon on October 22, 1973.
We assume, that you are serious in your desire to make definite scientific progress with respect to alien life in outer space. We believe it only reasonable and fair-minded to invite those of us who have for many years fought this lonely battle, to actively participate in this venture, to bring our acknowledged expertise to this venture, and to provide your proposed project with the expert analytical knowledge which, in effect, was used by your NASA scientists to promulgate our ideas. In brief we believe, in the name of truth and fact, that the pioneer UFO researchers, who have in actuality already contributed to your project, be invited to openly participate in it.
We are prepared to produce all documentation in support of our claims and contentions. In effect, Mr. President, we plead not from rancor or from slighted feelings, but from the sincere desire to pursue this most vital task to a successful conclusion.
Most respectfully yours,
Colman S. VonKeviczky, MMSE
Director of Project