Did the U.S. Navy Admit that UFOs Are Real in 1961? Or was it 1954?

On October 1, the veteran Canadian UFO researcher Chris Rutkowski posted on the Facebook group UFO Updates the wry comment, "Wow! The US Navy admitted UFOs are real!... In 1961." He refers to a brief article published by  NICAP, the largest UFO investigative group in the U.S. at that time, in its publication UFO Investigator, July-August, 1961."UFO Recognition Charts Issued to U.S. Ships" was the headline.

Approved by the U.S. Navy, recognition charts showing two types of UFOs are now posted for quick use on the bridges of most American ships.

Designated "OPNAV-94-P-3B," and bearing the words "Authorized by the Secretary of the Navy," these early-warning recognition charts show two sketches of UFOs - one as a typical round "flying saucer," the other a bat-like space craft with ports along the side.

With the illustration of these two UFO types specifically authorized by the Secretary of the Navy, this appears to be official Navy recognition that UFOs are real, regardless of public Air Force denials.

Rutkowsi adds, "Please alert Fox News immediately and thank Tom DeLonge for advancing Disclosure." He is referring, of course, to DeLonge's frequent claim that he and his colleagues at his To The Stars Academy are single-handedly responsible for the U.S. Navy 'admitting that UFOs are real.' 

NICAP UFO Investigator, July-August, 1961.

 Below we see the chart to which the NICAP article refers:

This is the actual "recognition chart" released to sailors in 1961.

Of course Tom and his pal Luis Elizondo won't know this, as they are Babes in the Woods concerning what happened in UFOlogy before they came along. But those of us who have been around for a while will remember hearing about JANAP 146, which is mentioned in the above article as the requirement for reporting unidentified objects. JANAP 146 was promulgated by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest level of U.S. military command. It concerns "instructions for reporting vital intelligence sightings from airborne and waterborne sources."

It all seems eminently reasonable. The U.S. military, then as now, has a need to know if unknown aircraft, ships, or missiles are encroaching into the territory that they are sworn to protect. They would be derelict if it were otherwise.

In related news, Tom DeLonge announced that his series on the "History" Channel, Unidentified, would be back for a second season.  The first season ended on a disastrous note with TTSA's descent into pure crackpottery. Let's hope that they can be a bit more skeptical and sophisticated in the next season, but I wouldn't bet on it.