The Pentagon Disinformation That Fueled America’s UFO Mythology - WSJ


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Key Finding: Pentagon's Role in UFO Mythology

A Pentagon investigation uncovered evidence that at least one UFO conspiracy theory stemmed from actions within the Pentagon itself.

The 1980s Incident

An Air Force colonel shared photos possibly depicting flying saucers with a bar owner near Area 51 in the 1980s. These photos fueled local belief that the U.S. military was testing alien technology.

Consequences

This incident highlights how internal actions can unintentionally contribute to widespread misinformation and conspiracy theories.

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A tiny Pentagon office had spent months investigating conspiracy theories about secret Washington UFO programs when it uncovered a shocking truth: At least one of those theories had been fueled by the Pentagon itself. The congressionally ordered probe took investigators back to the 1980s, when an Air Force colonel visited a bar near Area 51, a top-secret site in the Nevada desert. He gave the owner photos of what might be flying saucers. The photos went up on the walls, and into the local lore went the idea that the U.S. military was secretly testing recovered alien technology.

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