Frederick C. Durant
Frederick Durant was originally a chemical engineer with an interest in rocketry. Early on he joined the CIA and became an operative in their Office of Scientific Intelligence, where he worked for Philip G. Strong who worked with then chief of OSI, Marshall Chadwell. UFO students know Durant from his work on the famous Robertson Panel, where he was the recording secretary, and wrote the final report. He did much of the pre-work for Chadwell in intelligence gathering at the Pentagon and Wright-Patterson. Durant was listed to the outside world as an officer in a public chemical company, Arthur D. Little Corp, which made rocket fuel among other products, but this was a cover for his real CIA work. As an example of the latter, Durant would join organizations such as international astronomical unions and then volunteer for serving in office, ultimately becoming a big wheel in such things and hob-knobbing with scientists and technologists from all over the world, few if any would know that he was CIA. Upon "retirement", Durant got into the Smithsonian Institution and ended his employment as the director of the Air & Space Museum. Doubtless, it was a reward for fine earlier service. He wrote this interesting comment about Captain Edward Ruppelt: "His investigations, as his writings indicate, were thorough, unbiased and competent. I can think of no one better qualified to write on the Air Force activities in this regard. His book is a splendid account of this work, readable and enjoyable. It should be of wide interest to both the professional and the layman."
Frederick Durant was originally a chemical engineer with an interest in rocketry. Early on he joined the CIA and became an operative in their Office of Scientific Intelligence, where he worked for Philip G. Strong who worked with then chief of OSI, Marshall Chadwell. UFO students know Durant from his work on the famous Robertson Panel, where he was the recording secretary, and wrote the final report. He did much of the pre-work for Chadwell in intelligence gathering at the Pentagon and Wright-Patterson. Durant was listed to the outside world as an officer in a public chemical company, Arthur D. Little Corp, which made rocket fuel among other products, but this was a cover for his real CIA work. As an example of the latter, Durant would join organizations such as international astronomical unions and then volunteer for serving in office, ultimately becoming a big wheel in such things and hob-knobbing with scientists and technologists from all over the world, few if any would know that he was CIA. Upon "retirement", Durant got into the Smithsonian Institution and ended his employment as the director of the Air & Space Museum. Doubtless, it was a reward for fine earlier service. He wrote this interesting comment about Captain Edward Ruppelt: "His investigations, as his writings indicate, were thorough, unbiased and competent. I can think of no one better qualified to write on the Air Force activities in this regard. His book is a splendid account of this work, readable and enjoyable. It should be of wide interest to both the professional and the layman."