General Nathan Twining was a highly influential U.S. Air Force officer who served as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, making him one of the most powerful military figures of his time. Before attaining this role, he was the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force and played a significant role in shaping post-World War II aviation strategy and military preparedness. Twining was instrumental in advancing the development of U.S. air power during the early years of the Cold War, ensuring the Air Force remained a dominant force in global military strategy.

Twining is also known for his 1947 memo regarding unidentified flying objects (UFOs), which was addressed to high-ranking military officials. In this memo, he acknowledged that UFO sightings were real and not merely hallucinations or misidentifications. He stated that the objects displayed advanced aerodynamics and were likely under intelligent control, suggesting that they warranted serious study. His stance was significant because it came at a time when the U.S. government was officially dismissing UFO reports. Twining’s memo remains one of the most frequently cited documents in UFO research, as it provides early official recognition of the phenomenon by a high-ranking military official.