Interplanetary Phenomenon Unit
The Interplanetary Unit, abbreviated IPU, was a government agency formed in the US around 1947. Government officials confirm its existence, and many believe it was similar to or another name for Majestic 12. Very little is known about this organization, but what is known gives us more evidence that UFO phenomenon is more than just "Venus" or "shooting stars."
Many Ufologists are convinced that the IPU, based on its name alone, is clear evidence that the US government viewed the UFO phenomenon with serious interest. It is also believed that the IPU also viewed the extreterrestrial hypotheis as the best possible explanation for UFOs.
A MJ-12 document which is of questionable authenticity said that the organization was formed in 1942 after the famous "Battle of Los Angeles," in which a barrage of bullets were fired in the sky by anti-aircraft units against UFOs.
Others claim Douglas McAuthor was involved in the formation of the organization, because of the many UFO sightings over the Pacific near the end of World War 2.
In 1984, William Steinman wrote a letter to the Army Directorate of Counterintelligence. The reply he received was somewhat evasive, yet very interesting. The reply was that "the IPU had only an unofficial existence and refused to definitely acknowledge the existence of any unit records:" taken from the Wikipedia online encyclopedia. Here is an exteneded quote from the letter:
"As you note in your letter, the so-called Interplanetary Phenomenon Unit (IPU) was disestablished and, as far as we are aware, all records, if any, were transferred to the Air Force in the late 1950's. The 'unit' was formed as an in-house project purely as an interest item for the Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence.
It was never a 'unit' in the military sense, nor was it ever formally organized or reportable, it had no investigative function, mission or authority, and may not even have had any formal records at all. It is only through institutional memory that any recollection exists of this unit. We are therefore unable to answer your questions as to the exact purpose of the unit, exactly when it was disestablished, or who was in command. This last would not apply in any case, as no one was in 'command'. We have no records or documentation of any kind on this unit."
Only time will reveal more of what this organization discovered, and its impact on the UFO community.
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