Majestic-12 Group Special Operations Manual – The MJ 12 SOM 1-01 Booklet
The Majestic-12 Group Special Operations Manual, also known as the MJ 12 SOM 1-01 booklet, is a purported top-secret document allegedly leaked in the 1980s. This manual is said to have contained detailed information on the recovery, handling, and disposal of extraterrestrial technology and biological entities, suggesting the existence of a secret government group focused on UFOs and alien encounters. Although the exact origins of this manual remain uncertain, it has become a significant piece of UFO lore.
The manual reportedly surfaced in the 1980s, when several journalists claimed to have received hard copies in the mail. Among the most notable of these journalists were Timothy Good and Don Berliner, who received the booklet in 1994. The manual was allegedly a part of a larger set of documents collectively known as the MJ 12 or Majestic-12 documents. These documents supposedly detailed the formation and activities of a secret government organization called the Majestic-12, which was said to have been established in 1947 by President Harry Truman to manage UFO-related matters.
The Majestic-12 Group Special Operations Manual would have been intended for military and government personnel involved in the recovery and handling of extraterrestrial materials and entities. The manual is divided into several sections, covering topics such as:
- UFO crash retrieval protocols
- Decontamination procedures for handling extraterrestrial materials
- Guidelines for interacting with extraterrestrial biological entities
- Storage and disposal of recovered materials
- Security measures and protocols to ensure the secrecy of the operations
Skepticism surrounds the authenticity of the Majestic-12 Group Special Operations Manual, with some researchers in the field of ufology questioning its origins and contents. Critics argue that the manual may be a hoax or disinformation campaign, pointing to inconsistencies in formatting, typography, and language that do not match with official government documents from the period. Additionally, no credible source has come forward to confirm the manual’s authenticity or the existence of the alleged Majestic-12 group.
In conclusion, the Majestic-12 Group Special Operations Manual is a controversial and enigmatic document that surfaced in the 1980s, claiming to provide guidelines for handling extraterrestrial technology and beings. While it has become a significant part of UFO lore, the authenticity of the manual and the existence of the Majestic-12 organization remain subjects of debate and skepticism.
Stanton Friedman Investigates MJ 12
Stanton Friedman played a significant role in bringin MJ 12 or Majestic-12 to the attention of the public. He was one of the first researchers to investigate the alleged MJ 12 documents, which included the Majestic-12 Group Special Operations Manual (SOM 1-01).
Friedman expressed interest in the MJ 12 documents and devoted a significant portion of his career to researching and validating their authenticity. He believed that the MJ-12 documents, including the manual, were genuine and provided evidence of a government cover-up related to UFOs and extraterrestrial encounters.
However, Friedman’s views were not universally accepted within the ufology community. Critics of the MJ-12 documents and the manual pointed out inconsistencies in formatting, typography, and language, suggesting that the documents may be hoaxes or disinformation campaigns.
Nevertheless, Friedman was a proponent of the authenticity of the Majestic-12 Group Special Operations Manual and the existence of the alleged MJ 12 organization.

Top Secret/Majic: Operation Majestic-12 and the United States Government’s UFO Cover-up
Top Secret/Majic is the result of nuclear physicist and renowned UFO investigator Stanton T. Friedman’s twenty-one year search for the truth about the mysterious Operation Majestic 12, President Truman’s top-secret UFO investigation team. In this updated edition of his landmark book, he tells the incredible tale of the July, 1947 recovery of a crashed flying saucer near Roswell, New Mexico, and the establishment by President Truman of a truly all-star cast to deal with the saucer and its non-human inhabitants. The first four Directors of Central Intelligence, the first Secretary of Defense, and several outstanding scientists and military leaders were part of the team.
The History of MJ-12
The MJ-12, or Majestic-12, is an alleged secret government organization that has become a central part of UFO lore. It is said that MJ-12 was formed in 1947 by President Harry Truman in response to the recovery of extraterrestrial materials and entities from crashed UFOs, such as the infamous Roswell case.
The MJ-12 story is primarily based on a set of leaked documents that surfaced in the 1980s, including the Majestic-12 Group Special Operations Manual (SOM 1-01). The most famous of these documents is the “Eisenhower Briefing Document,” which was allegedly discovered by filmmaker and ufologist Jaime Shandera in 1984. The document is said to be a briefing for President-elect Dwight D. Eisenhower, prepared by Admiral Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter, then the Director of Central Intelligence, in 1952.
According to the briefing document, the MJ-12 group consisted of 12 high-ranking military and scientific personnel, including notable figures such as:
- Rear Admiral Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter
- Dr. Vannevar Bush, an engineer and inventor
- Secretary of Defense James Forrestal
- General Nathan Twining, the Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force
- General Hoyt Vandenberg, the Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force and later the Director of Central Intelligence
- Dr. Detlev Bronk, a prominent biochemist and biophysicist
- Dr. Jerome Hunsaker, an aircraft designer and aeronautical engineer
- Dr. Donald Menzel, an astrophysicist and UFO skeptic
- Dr. Lloyd Berkner, a geophysicist and atmospheric scientist
- Sidney Souers, the first Director of Central Intelligence and later an executive secretary of the National Security Council
- Gordon Gray, Assistant Secretary of the Army and later the Secretary of the Army
- Dr. Robert Montague, a high-ranking officer in the U.S. Army and a physicist
The purpose of the MJ-12 was to manage the recovery, analysis, and concealment of extraterrestrial technology and biological entities while maintaining strict secrecy surrounding these operations. The organization is said to have conducted its activities through compartmentalized projects, using covert operations, and keeping the existence of extraterrestrial life hidden from the public.
Vice Admiral Roscoe Hillenkoetter’s UFO Quote
“Behind the scenes, high-ranking Air Force officers are soberly concerned about the UFOs. But through official secrecy and ridicule, many citizens are led to believe the unknown flying objects are nonsense.”
The quote above is attributed to Vice Admiral Roscoe Hillenkoetter, who was the first Director of Central Intelligence (1947-1950) and an alleged member of the MJ-12, or Majestic-12, group. The quote, which is often cited by UFO researchers and enthusiasts, comes from a statement Hillenkoetter made in 1960.
This statement appeared in a letter to Congress written by Hillenkoetter, which was published in The New York Times on February 28, 1960. In the letter, Hillenkoetter urged Congress to address the issue of UFOs and provide more transparency on the matter. He also expressed his support for the establishment of a Congressional committee to investigate UFO sightings and related phenomena.
Hillenkoetter’s quote reflects the concern and interest that some high-ranking officials had in the subject of UFOs during that time.
