''NICAP''

By Crusader1307

NICAP stood for The National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomenon. It was one of two well known privately funded, Civilian organizations which compiled reports of sightings, encounters and evidence of Unidentified Flying Objects (UFO) and Aliens. Formed in 1956, NICAP was Headquartered in Washington DC. They ''steered'' clear of possible, often too fantastic reports about abductions by Aliens, and centered their information gathering on more credible and proven witnesses.

The Board of Directors for NICAP was originally formed by retire USAF Officers and known Scientists, and mirrored much of The US Government's infamous ''Project: Blue Book''. Within the first 2 years of operation, NICAP boosted 5,000 Members. Members paid a monthly subscribers fee and were ''sent'' monthly (at first) a Newsletter (paper really), documented known and recent UFO Cases. They also provided B&W Photo reproductions. They were one of the first to do so even before the rampant deluge of UFO Magazines that hit the News Market trade in the late 1960s thru early 1980s. Somewhat ''grown out of'' by Mainstream Researchers (UFOlogists), by 1980, still holding a membership of 60,000+, NICAP ceased operations due to rising costs in publishing and marketing. All information gathered over the years was taken over by The Center for UFO Studies (formed by famed UFO Researcher J. Allen Hynek in 1973). It is still in existence today.