John McClellan
From the UAP Encyclopedia, the open encyclopedia of UFO and UAP history · 👤 Person
Contents 5

| Type | Person |
|---|---|
| On the Timeline | 1 event, 1958 |
John Little McClellan (25 February 1896 – 28 November 1977) was a Democratic U.S. senator from Arkansas from 1943 until his death. As chairman of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, he oversaw a 1958 inquiry into whether the Air Force was withholding UFO information, which ended without public hearings.[1][2]
Career

McClellan was born near Sheridan, Arkansas, and entered the Senate in January 1943. He chaired the Senate Committee on Government Operations (1949–1953 and 1955–1972) and its Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (1955–1973), and later the Senate Appropriations Committee from 1972. He led the 1957–1960 investigation into corruption in labour unions, focused on Teamsters leader Jimmy Hoffa, with Robert F. Kennedy as chief counsel.[1]
The 1958 UFO inquiry

In the late 1950s the civilian group NICAP, led by retired Marine Major Donald Keyhoe, pressed hard for congressional hearings on UFOs. Investigators for McClellan's subcommittee held informal discussions with Air Force representatives on 31 January 1958 about claims that information was being withheld. The Air Force persuaded them that nothing was being concealed, and the subcommittee decided that public hearings were not worthwhile. Later Air Force papers described briefings to congressional staff in 1958, 1960 and 1961 as a way of averting hearings.[2][3]
Death

McClellan died in Little Rock, Arkansas, in November 1977, while still in office.[1]
On the UAP Timeline

- McClellan subcommittee persuaded against hearings (1958) (28 February 1958) — An Air Force general says informal talks persuaded Senate investigators no UAP hearings were needed.
References
- John L. McClellan — Wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org · archived copy
- Air Force and congressional UFO documents (1958), UFO Scans · ufoscans.com · archived copy
- National Investigations Committee On Aerial Phenomena — Wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org · archived copy
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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