Government / Military
Jimmy Carter
1969–2024
39th U.S. President; while campaigning for Governor, reported witnessing a UFO near Leary, Georgia on January 6, 1969, with about ten Lions Club members. Filed a report with the International UFO Bureau and NICAP in 1973 (which classified it as a Hynek "Nocturnal Light"), and said as a candidate, "I am convinced that UFOs exist because I have seen one." Did not release U.S. UFO files once in office, citing defense implications. Included a peaceful greeting to extraterrestrials on the Voyager Golden Record.
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Connections (8)
his sighting was classified under Hynek's reporting scale
Source: J. Allen Hynek classification system
NICAP evaluated his 1969 sighting report
Source: NICAP case files, 1973
served as special counsel to Carter's 1977 congressional UFO study
Source: Official government / corporate service records
asked it to lead a White House UFO study, reportedly pressured to drop
Source: Russell Targ, The Reality of ESP (2012) [Targ's account]
later served as his Secretary of Defense
Source: Official government / corporate service records
his Voyager Golden Record greeting to ET was a NASA mission
Source: NASA Voyager mission; the Golden Record
both future presidents engaged publicly with UFO reports pre-office
as outgoing CIA Director, reportedly refused his 1976 request for UFO file access