CIA-UAP-004, CASE 17708 (CLOSED) and DR. Leon Davidson

[PAGE 1] Approved for Release 2026. Chief, Contact Division. 9 January 1958. Support Branch. CII-58-17. Chief, Chicago Office. Case 17708 (Closed) and Dr. Leon Davidson. Reference: [EEY?] WA 26643, and [R.P.B./Lafountain?], Telecon of 8 Jan. 58. 1. We have contacted Dr. Davidson by telephone advising him that we cannot resolve his problem concerning the spoof [space?] message and its transmitter because records on the transmitter have been destroyed by the originating agency. Davidson accepted this statement with the comment that he had been told this before, that he now had a second article for publication concerning Air Force handling of UFO sightings that had passed [the] Pentagon security review people (which he thought was mild enough to pass), and he hinted that he might wish to take up again at a later date the matter of this particular message. 2. We are aware that there have been many cooks in the kitchen on this dish, and that, as a result, the somewhat noncommittal and evasive answer we were instructed to give Davidson was perhaps the only one possible if we were to avoid crossing up previous statements made -- by our own, and other involved agencies -- to this man. But the answer is hardly fair to Davidson, and is not likely to be fully accepted by him. 3. Referenced telephone conversation disclosed that there is nothing in the record to show that Davidson knew he was dealing with the Agency in his contacts with 'Walker' and 'Smilich,' that in fact an effort had been made to conceal their CIA identity from him. We are less sure that, when he visited us in the Court of Appeals Building conference room, he knew very well with whom he was dealing, [as noted] in the Davidson-Lafountain telephone conversation, [where] Davidson specifically mentioned 'your agency,' which he presumably meant. 4. The undersigned feels more will be heard from Davidson. [Signed] R.P.B. Lafountain: [initials]