1958 in UFO history
From the UAP Encyclopedia, the open encyclopedia of UFO and UAP history · 📅 Year
Contents 5
| Year | 1958 |
|---|---|
| Events | 11 |
| Decade | 1950s |
| Topics | Government programs (topic), Congress & law (topic), Secrecy & cover-up (topic), Military encounters (topic) |
| Timeline | 1958 on the UAP Timeline |
1958 in UFO history — the UAP Timeline records 11 events in 1958, mostly about government programs and congress & law. People named in these events include Richard Doty, William Moore, Linda Moulton Howe, Paul Bennewitz, Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Overview
In 1958 the space race reshaped U.S. research. Before NASA took over human spaceflight, the Air Force sponsored "Man In Space Soonest," contracting Lockheed to build a one-person spacecraft. The program was cancelled when President Eisenhower gave crewed flight to NASA, though the timeline says the Air Force still had Lockheed build the craft.[1][2] The timeline also says NATO began supporting anti-gravity research through science grants that year.[2] An Air Force Intelligence study group headed by Stefan Possony analysed a book by former German officer Rudolf Lusar, who claimed Nazi Germany had developed "flying saucers" from 1941. See Nazi UFOs.[1]
Congressional interest was growing, and the timeline shows the Air Force working to contain it. On 28 February an Air Force information chief wrote that informal talks had persuaded a Senate investigations subcommittee that there was "no need" for UFO hearings.[3] On 20 June the Air Force briefed Representatives Henderson, Cramer, Magnuson and Walker on handling constituents' UFO questions. All agreed it would be unwise to give the subject "undue publicity."[3] On 13 August it told a House subcommittee that the greatest UFO-related problem was civilian organisations "and spectacular news reporting."[4] On 21 December about 50 airline pilots told a reporter that the Air Force's gag rules under JANAP 146, with penalties of up to ten years in prison, were like "Big Brother."[4]
Other entries are claims. An Air Force colonel's 30 October letter reportedly referred to a "UFO crash" near Hunter Air Force Base, Georgia, and classified the letter to protect "official Air Force interest in the recovery of UFOs."[4] An anonymous source said a UFO was deliberately landed at Hill Air Force Base.[2] A Navy veteran described a cigar-shaped object with figures inside near Cuba, and neuroscientist John C. Lilly is said to have taken part in an Air Force project using drugs and hypnosis.[3][4]
Events
- Hill AFB landing claim (1958) (1958) — An anonymous military source claims a UAP deliberately landed at Hill AFB.
- Man in Space Soonest (1958) — The Air Force's pre-NASA 'Man-In-Space-Soonest' program funds a Lockheed spacecraft, later cancelled.
- NATO science grants and anti-gravity claim (1958) — NATO begins supporting anti-gravity research through its science grants.
- Rudolf Lusar and the Nazi disc claims (1958) — An Air Force intelligence group analyzes a German author's claims about Nazi flying discs.
- John Lilly and the alleged hypnosis project (1958) — An alleged Air Force project used drugs and hypnosis; one participant believed he contacted aliens.
- McClellan subcommittee persuaded against hearings (1958) (28 February 1958) — An Air Force general says informal talks persuaded Senate investigators no UAP hearings were needed.
- Henderson UFO briefing (1958) (20 June 1958) — The Air Force briefs members of Congress on handling constituent questions about UAP.
- McCormack subcommittee UFO briefing (1958) (13 August 1958) — The Air Force tells a House committee civilian UAP groups are its biggest UAP-related challenge.
- USS Franklin D. Roosevelt sighting (1958) (October 1958) — A Navy veteran says he saw an orange cigar-shaped object with figures inside near Cuba.
- Hunter AFB "UFO crash" letter (1958) (30 October 1958) — An Air Force colonel writes about a 'UFO crash' near Hunter AFB, Georgia.
- Airline pilots and the "Big Brother" gag rules (1958) (21 December 1958) — About 50 airline pilots criticize the Air Force's UAP gag rules as 'Big Brother'.
People
- Richard Doty — Air Force Office of Special Investigations agent who fed disinformation to UFO researchers in the 1980s.
- William Moore — Researcher who admitted in 1989 that he cooperated with intelligence agents in the Bennewitz affair.
- Linda Moulton Howe — Journalist and filmmaker who runs the Earthfiles website and has reported many crash-retrieval claims.
- Paul Bennewitz — Albuquerque physicist targeted by Air Force disinformation in the Bennewitz affair.
- Dwight D. Eisenhower — 34th U.S. president, named in the MJ-12 briefing document.
- Rudolf Lusar — German author of a 1957 book on secret weapons that popularized the Nazi flying disc story.
- Bernard Schriever — Air Force general who led the ballistic missile program and Air Force Systems Command.
- Stefan Possony — Air Force intelligence analyst cited on German and Soviet disc claims.
- Horten brothers — German aircraft designers of the Ho 229 jet flying wing, investigated in 1947 as a possible source of the discs.
- Nick Cook — Jane's Defence Weekly aviation editor and author of The Hunt for Zero Point.
Nearby years
1957 in UFO history · 1959 in UFO history
References
- UAP timeline published with Michael Shellenberger's 2024 congressional testimony, entries for 1958 (Man In Space Soonest, NATO, Rudolf Lusar) · oversight.house.gov
- UAP timeline (Shellenberger testimony), undated 1958 entries · oversight.house.gov
- UAP timeline (Shellenberger testimony), entries for 28 February and 20 June 1958 · oversight.house.gov
- UAP timeline (Shellenberger testimony), entries for 13 August to 21 December 1958 · oversight.house.gov
This page was last edited on 29 October 2026. Articles are written in our own words from the sources listed under References; disputed claims are attributed to the people who made them.
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