We kick off the interview by first finding out about Richard Dolan's background and how he ended up researching Ufology. The evolution of Richard's study of Ufology and the research going into the book. Richard's decision to highlight a number of sightings in the book and the editorial and stylistic decision behind that.

1947 as the beginnings of Ufology, yes and no. We talk about the delicate succession of Truman to Eisenhower and how the UFO secret seemed to be handled within the corridors of power. The crisis of 1960's caused by a major UFO wave and how the government handled it and how it led to today's atmosphere of non-disclosure from the government.

Richard discusses the story in the book of a 1951 meeting attended by Edward Ruppelt that included someone from a shadowy "controller group". Project Blue Book and its degeneration as an investigative unit and some of the reasons for this. He details an infamous potential UFO crash from 1962 and how it is covered by Blue Book.

We talk about the battle within the government in the 1950's between the "UFO Party" and those who wanted to keep the UFO secret "in-house" and how this theme seems to come up again and again throughout Ufology, including an in-depth discussion of the impact of the Freedom of Information Act on Ufology and the evolution of the FOIA and Ufology.

Richard tells us of a fascinating new development with regards to the FOIA that calls for re-classification of previously declassified documents. Frank Edwards and how he was the precursor to the esoteric radio genre.

Mysterious deaths and demises of early figures in Ufology, including the peculiar story of Edward Ruppelt's revised second book which was a complete reversal of his years of research into Ufology. This dovetails into a discussion on Roscoe Hillenkoeter and his sudden resignation from NICAP right before a Congressional hearing on UFOs. Richard reflects on what some of the reasons were for such a high level of secrecy regarding UFOs within the government when the UFO story first began to evolve and that hinders the changes of disclosure in contemporary times.

We discuss the infamous JNAP-146, one of the key directives coming from the Air Force that helped to shut down UFO reports from pilots, both military and commercial. The schizophrenic nature of the UFO enigma when it comes to the Air Force and society in general.

NICAP, its founding, its role in early Ufology, and its demise. APRO, NICAP's friendly rival, and their different approach to tackling the UFO phenomenon. MUFON, which began as NICAP and APRO were folding.

Richard talks about J. Allen Hynek and Ufology's romantization of him and how that portion of his book was perhaps the most controversial portion of the book.

Richard M. Dolan was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1962. He holds an MA in History from the University of Rochester and a BA in History from Alfred University. He earned a Certificate in Political Theory from Oxford University and was a Rhodes Scholar finalist. Prior to his interest in anomalous phenomena, Dolan studied US Cold War strategy, Soviet history, and international diplomacy.

In 2000, he published a 500-page study, UFOs and the National Security State. This is the first volume of a two-part historical narrative of the national security dimensions of the UFO phenomenon from 1941 to the present. Included are the records of more than fifty military bases relating to innumerable violations of sensitive airspace by unknown objects, demonstrating that the US military has taken the topic of UFOs seriously indeed.

Apollo 14 astronaut Dr. Edgar Mitchell has called Dolan’s book "monumental," while Dr. Hal Puthoff, Director of the Institute for Advanced Studies at Austin, has declared it to be "a must-read for serious students in the field."

Dolan has published numerous articles on anomalous phenomena, science, and the intelligence community for UFO Magazine. In 2003, he helped to found Phenomena, a magazine dedicated to leading edge issues pertaining to science and society, and for which he continues to serve as Senior Editor and regular contributor.

Dolan has been appeared many times on television documentaries and radio programs on the theme of UFOs and government disclosure. He has been a featured speaker at numerous conferences, including the International UFO Congress, the International MUFON Symposium, the Aztec UFO Symposium, and others.

Richard Dolan also continues to research and write volume two of UFOs and the National Security State. He lives with his family in Rochester, New York.

His website is www.keyholepublishing.com.

topics discussed:
1 hr 43 min
4.29.06
127
Richard Dolan

Part 1 of 2