USAF: Project Grudge renamed Project Blue Book
On March 25, 1952, the U.S. Air Force reorganized Project Grudge into a distinct unit called Aerial Phenomena Group, renaming it Project Blue Book. The name was proposed by Lt. Col. Charles Cooke for its neutral connotations.
Background
Background
Project Grudge, an earlier investigation into unidentified flying objects, was converted on March 25, 1952 into a separate organisation known as the Aerial Phenomena Group, which was renamed Project Blue Book shortly afterwards. This marked an important step in the official UFO research of the U.S. Air Force, which had previously run under various names such as Project Sign and Grudge.
Naming
Lt. Col. Charles Cooke, editor of the Air Intelligence Digest, proposed the name, as it would raise no exaggerated associations. He had originally thought of "Project Book", but someone at the Joint Chiefs of Staff extended it to "Blue Book". Edward J. Ruppelt explained that the name was inspired by the blue books used for college examinations at Iowa State University.
Significance
Project Blue Book became the Air Force's longest and most comprehensive programme for systematic UFO analysis, based at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. It was aimed at security threats and scientific assessment, examined thousands of sightings until 1969, and left 701 unresolved cases. The renaming signalled more serious treatment of the subject amid Cold War fears.