FOIA: J. Allen Hynek asked to give speech by USAF

Troy_Ohio_Briefing_1961.pdf
Hynek talk in Ohio correspondence
A series of letters Between Lt. Cl. Tacker, Mr H.L Heise and J. Allen Hynek
Document date: 1961-01-09
Department: USAF
Author: Mr H.L Heise, Lt Cl. Tacker, J.Allen Hynek
Document type: collection of correspondence
pages: 7


Archivist's Notes: This is a series of letters in which Mr Heise requests a speaker for the Rotarians of Troy, Ohio to speak on the topic of UFO's.
Tacker in turn writes to J.Allen Hynek asking him to give the talk.
Hynek responds that it would be difficult to justify but suggests that if he were to be 'called' for consultation that day by 'Major Friend', whom I am assuming is Robert J. Friend of Project Blue Book, it would be possible. This is highlighted by hand on the letter.
This letter also features a handwritten apology from Hynek, blaming his secretary for the lateness of the response.
The matter concludes with Hynek being scheduled to give a speech on April 4th.
Hynek is describing as being suitable for giving the talk as he supports the Air Force and Department of Defense on the subject.

This document is a not so interesting report of correspondence on a request to have J. Allen Hynek speak at a rotary club meeting. What I find interesting is that someone felt the need to document this in the first place. Was someone in the government keeping track of Professor Hynek's speaking engagements?

J. Allen Hynek was a consultant on the subject of UFO’s for U.S. Government programs, including Projects Sign, Grudge, and Blue Book. He started as a skeptic, but later believed that there was something to the UFO Phenomenon.

Related Link:
Wikipedia link: J. Allen Hynek

My interpretation of these letters are that H.L. Heise of The Gummed Products Company had an interest in UFOs due to the viewing of a television show. He writes the Air Force to procure a speaker for the local rotary club.

The Air Force decides that this is an opportunity to have a speaker, J. Allen Hynek, to voice a pro Air Force stance on the subject.

Mr. Hynek is not interested in the speaking engagement, based on part of his reply to Lt. Col. Tacker

"I am sure that you would agree that I could hardly afford the time to make the trip from Chicago to Troy for the purpose of a noon luncheon. Even were there a very handsome honorarium, I would still hesitate taking that much time from my professional life for these public relations purposes....".

He does make the trip to speak at the rotary club. The Air Force gets their wish.

I thought the handsome honorarium point stated something about this man.

[edit on 11/18/2007 by roadgravel]

[edit on 11/18/2007 by roadgravel]

I am very much of the opinion that the wording of the letter is implying that Hynek would do the talk if:
a) It looked like he was not simply going to the do the speech, but to take part in a wider consultation exercise with the military
b) He was paid an appropriate sum for giving up his time.

This is of course reading between the lines, but I essentially believe that he was essentially saying 'pay me enough and I'll do it.'

Handsome pay to toe the official military line perhaps?

[edit on 21-11-2007 by more_serotonin_pls]