Admiral Roscoe Hillenkoetter was a high-ranking U.S. naval officer who served as the first Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from 1947 to 1950. During his tenure, he played a critical role in shaping the early structure and intelligence operations of the newly established CIA, overseeing the transition from the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) into a centralized agency dedicated to national security. His leadership was instrumental in the early Cold War years, as the U.S. sought to counter Soviet influence and strengthen its global intelligence network. After leaving the CIA, he continued to serve in various capacities within the military and intelligence community, including as a Rear Admiral in the U.S. Navy.

Hillenkoetter is also known for his later involvement in UFO disclosure efforts. He became a member of the Board of Directors for the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena (NICAP), one of the most prominent civilian UFO research organizations in the 1950s and 1960s. He publicly stated that UFOs were real and that the U.S. government had been covering up their existence for years. His position as a former CIA Director lent credibility to the growing discourse on UFOs, fueling speculation that high-ranking officials were aware of an extraterrestrial presence but were suppressing the information. His statements remain a cornerstone of UFO disclosure discussions today.