LETTER TO US ARMY MISSILE AND DEVELOPMENT COMMAND FROM DAVID JOHNSON

CIA-STARGATE

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According to a document from the CIA's Stargate program, Hal Puthoff and Russ Targ conducted research at the Stanford Research Institute's Radio Physics Laboratory. A meeting was held where six senior members reviewed their work and concluded that the phenomena being studied were probably real and outside the understanding of conventional physics. The document emphasizes the need for rigorous protocols and critical review of the research. The goal is to describe the observed data in terms of physics and validate theories through further observation and experiment. The document suggests that supporting this research could contribute to an important area of research. The director of the laboratory welcomes monitoring and guidance from the recipient of the document.

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Body:  or Release 2001/03/07 CIA-RDP96-00788R002000010002-8
 ST:-'ANFORD RESEARCH INSTITUTE
 C) PARK, CALIFQ  NIA 94025
 326??6'OO
 _':,c,Jquarters
 U.S. Army Missile Research
 and Development Command
 4U.ta,  DRDMI-YE, R. Clinton
 ~-.edstone Arsenal, Alabama  35809
 To supplement our conversation today, let me take this opportunity to
 d scribe to you some of the history and our thoughts related to the research
 being conducted by Hal Puthoff and Russ Targ.  Russ and Hal transferred from
 another division in SRI to ours and have been members of the Radio Physics
 Laboratory for approximately 10 months.  At the time I agreed to undertake
 .esponsibility for their research I convened a group of six senior members
 o. the staff of 150 that constitute this laboratory to review and discuss
 tbcir work and its findings.  Each of the six is cleared to levels where all
 of the material could be discussed.  The meeting was held in an appropriate
 facility so that we could be assured that our discussions with Russ and Hal
 wcuid not be fettered in any way.  Although the meeting was planned for
 approximately one and one-half hours, it actually took over six.  Throughout,
 t.hti conversations were unrestricted, wide ranging,. direct, and to the point.
 At the end of the discussions each of us had arrived at the conclusion that
 the data we had considered indicated that the phenomena being described are.
 Probably real, that they are completely outside the understanding afforded
 by conventional physics, and that research in this area should be continued.
 'T1c  all, felt that the research should be conducted in a laboratory accustomed
 "o operating in the realm of hard science; furthermore, we all felt that this
 lc,'ac,ratory, and I wish to stress that it is an operating laboratory, is an
 l',,;ropriate environment for the conduct of this research.  Nothing that has
 occurred since that meeting has swayed us from these convictions.
 As I am sure you are well aware, this area of research is, to say the
 iR st, unusual.  We recognize that much of the previous work done elsewhere
 leas been slipshod and that it has received sensational and irresponsible
 press.  We believe that our research must be conducted with protocols that
 a''e as tight as possible and that are open to critical review by other quali-
 fied researchers before they are put into effect.
 Most of the work that has been conducted by Hal and Russ in the past has
 been oriented toward satisfying client operational needs.  Both Russ and Hal
 ='grPu with those of us who are in supervisory and line-management roles that
 strong and fundamental requirement exists--namely, the requirement to
 Lxlc'erstaad what is happening.  Consistent with good scientific method, it is
 our view that the phenomenon or set of phenomena responsible for the observed
 data must be described in the terms of physics through the inductive process.
 INCLOSURE 1
 LJNCLASSIH D
 A`p*bvvd^Far Release 120,0110x1073 ~ ~C A-RDP96-00788R002000010002-8
 Approved For Release 2001/03/07 : CIA-RDP96-00788R002000010002-8
 R." Clinton.                                            _
 188 Auust 1977
 It will then be appropriate to validate theory through subsequent deductive
 predictions that can be tested by further observation and experiment.  It is
 only in this way that we can hope to achieve an understanding of what is
 happening.  Furthermore, it is only in this way that we will be able to estab-
 lish whether or not this field will yield results of value to you.  If you are
 able to support a portion of this work being conducted in the manner that I
 have described, it is my belief that you will, have contributed in an important
 area of research--an area that must be of concern to all of us.
 I hope that these thoughts are of help to you.  We will welcome your
 monitoring and helping to guide this research.
 Very truly yours,
 David A. Johnson
 Director
 Radio Physics Laboratory
 Approved For Release 2001/03/07 : CIA-RDP96-00788R002000010002-8