ACOS Bulletin - Number 20

Magazine Overview

Title: A.C.O.S. BULLETIN
Issue: No. 20
Volume: NUMBER TWENTY
Date: August 1979
Publisher: AUSTRALIAN CENTRE FOR UFO STUDIES
Country: Australia

This issue of the A.C.O.S. Bulletin, the journal of the Australian Centre for UFO Studies, delves into the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) involvement with UFO investigations. It critically examines the RAAF's policies, the explanations offered for sightings, and the accessibility of their case files to civilian researchers. The bulletin also presents historical UFO reports and specific Australian cases, some of which left physical trace evidence.

Editorial

The editorial, by H. Griesberg & D. Seargent, emphasizes the difficulty in finding truth in the UFO field, likening it to searching in a deep well. They stress the paramount importance of thorough documentation, stating that clear, concise, and comprehensive reports are essential for impressing scientists and professionals. The editors lament that a lack of well-documented reports can lead to the phenomenon being dismissed as unworthy of study, urging the readers to take responsibility for documenting cases.

Articles

The Visionary & the UFO

By David Seargent, this article explores the concept of 'visionaries' and their potential connection to UFO phenomena. It uses the example of Irish artist G. W. Russell (A.E.), who described luminous landscapes and 'aerial wanderers' in his visions. Seargent draws parallels between A.E.'s descriptions and early UFO reports, questioning whether some UFO sightings might be unrecognized visions or manifestations from a 'world mind'. The article also touches upon the wheels of Ezekiel as an example of visionary experiences.

The RAAF Investigations of UFOs

Authored by Bill Chalker, this extensive article details the RAAF's involvement in investigating unusual aerial sightings from the 1950s to 1976. It references a Department of Defence document outlining the RAAF's responsibility and policy, which largely mirrored the USAF and the Condon Report's conclusions. The RAAF's stated aim was to allay public fears and provide a service, though they acknowledged a small percentage of cases remained unresolved due to insufficient information or scientific limitations.

The article presents a table showing the number of reports examined by the RAAF annually from 1960 to 1976, with the percentage of unidentified cases. Chalker argues that many of the 'possible causes' assigned by the RAAF were unsatisfactory. He provides detailed accounts of three specific sightings:

1. Cressy, October 10th, 1960: The Reverend Lionel Browning and his wife reported a grey, cigar-shaped object with vertical bands and a rod, accompanied by smaller discs. The RAAF's explanation was a 'moon rise associated with meteorological conditions', a conclusion strongly refuted by Dr. James McDonald, a senior physicist.
2. Moe, February 15th, 1963: Charles Brew witnessed a 'tornado-like' manifestation, described as a dome with a mast and rotating base, which hovered and then climbed. The RAAF suggested a 'tornado-like meteorological manifestation'.
3. Vaucluse, July 19th, 1965: Dennis Crowe observed a large disc-shaped object resting on a beach, which lifted off with a glow and noise. The RAAF's explanation was also a 'tornado' sighting.

Chalker criticizes the RAAF's methodology, particularly their dismissal of witness testimony and the lack of scientific rigor in their explanations. He notes that civilian organizations often found these cases to be 'unknown'. The article also highlights two impressive RAAF 'UFO investigations' that were not included in public summaries: one near the US Naval Communications Station at North West Cape in Western Australia (October 1973) involving a high-speed object, and another near Dingo Mount Flora road in Northern Queensland (March 1975) which left physical trace evidence.

UFOs in Newsprint - A Historical Feature

Compiled by D. Reneke, this section presents a collection of historical news reports on UFO sightings:

• November 1957 (Broken Hill): Men at Men Murtree station reported and photographed a 'flying saucer' over 100 feet long, described as silvery with a tower and portholes, making a terrific noise. The Commonwealth Government requested the photographs.
• October 1954 (Belgrade): Yugoslav scientists suggested that seven reported 'flying saucers' might be a new secret weapon. The objects were described as pear-shaped, cigar-shaped, and round, with various colors.
• August 1954 (Sydney): A mysterious light that terrified people in the city and suburbs baffled Air Force authorities.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the investigation of UFO phenomena, the quality of evidence and documentation, and the relationship between official RAAF investigations and civilian research. The editorial stance is critical of simplistic or unsubstantiated explanations for UFO sightings, emphasizing the need for rigorous documentation and open access to information for serious research. The bulletin advocates for a more thorough and less dismissive approach to UFO reports, particularly those that present unusual characteristics or leave physical traces.

This issue of 'UFO Entities in Australasia' from 1977, summarized by Keith Basterfield, focuses on entity reports and unusual sightings from the region. The publication, likely from ACOS, delves into specific cases investigated by Australian UFO research organizations.

Entity Reports from 1977

The article details five significant entity observations from 1977:

Tasmania, February 3rd

Children at a youth camp in Tasmania reported a stationary, dome-shaped object with 'windows' and spinning lights. One witness described a thin figure with a rounded head visible within a window. The object was also described as two saucers stuck together and moved away with a whining noise.

Southwest Queensland, June 22nd

A Queensland prospector reported a prolonged visit from alien beings. Three slim cylinder-shaped craft, approximately 50 meters tall, landed near his camp. The beings, described as having blue-grey skin and wearing either summer clothes or grey business suits, told him they came from 'Begua'. They demonstrated abilities to materialize and dematerialize. This was the prospector's fourth experience in the area, having previously reported hovering objects, a 'cigar' with a 'woman' in the window, and a brilliantly lit object in 1976.

West Australia, October

On October 16th, a disc-shaped object was observed in broad daylight near Meekatharra by a group of 112 people, which was tagged as 'unknown' by the RAAF. The following day, a group of 8 people saw 'round, pulsating green and red objects' landed in a paddock near the Mount Magnet rubbish dump.

Waimata Valley, New Zealand, December 2nd

A farmer was awakened by his dogs and observed a landed object with a metallic outer shell glowing bright blue. He saw two humanoid figures, about 1.4 meters tall, wearing close-fitting silver overalls and white helmets, carrying one of his dogs towards the object. The farmer fired a rifle, hitting one entity, which then fled with the other into the object. The object then left at high speed. The farmer later found markings and 'ripple sole shoe' footprints.

Waimata Valley, New Zealand, December 8th

On the same date, a smallish 'man', approximately 1.45 meters tall, wearing a silver suit and bright red boots, was encountered on a road. The entity waved frantically and jumped to attract the attention of a passing car, but the driver did not stop.

Discussion on UFO Shapes and Perception

John Prytz contributes an article discussing the diversity of UFO shapes, arguing that the range is not as vast as some suggest, often falling into basic categories like spheres, cigars, discs, cones, and domes. He critiques the idea of an 'embarrassment of riches' regarding UFO reports, comparing it to the diversity of fish in a tank. Prytz suggests that UFO shapes have evolved over time, similar to the evolution of automobiles, possibly due to extraterrestrials adapting them for different purposes.

Prytz also addresses the diversity of reported humanoids, suggesting it's superficial and comparable to human diversity. He posits that different extraterrestrial civilizations might be represented, or even different intelligences from Earth, such as Cetacea (whales and dolphins).

David Reneke writes about 'Perception', highlighting how environmental conditions and psychological factors influence how witnesses interpret events. He uses the example of people mistaking Venus for a UFO, demonstrating how the brain organizes sensory input into meaningful patterns, sometimes leading to misinterpretations. Reneke emphasizes that perception is not a direct reflection of reality but a dynamic process.

Moira McGhee's article, 'Amnesia in Close Encounter Witnesses', discusses the challenge of contactee witnesses suffering memory lapses. She explores the scientific understanding of memory storage, including the roles of DNA, RNA, and protein structures, and how substances like puromycin can interfere with memory formation. McGhee suggests that advanced intelligences might be able to manipulate memory storage processes, urging investigators to consider this possibility when analyzing witness testimony, especially under hypnosis.

UFO Reports from Around Australia

The issue includes a section detailing UFO reports from Australia, with specific case numbers, dates, times, locations, and brief descriptions:

• NA79001 (December 21, 1978): A semi-circular bright object near Mosman, NSW, transformed into a cigar shape and sped off at high speed.
• NA79006 (December 31, 1978): A red and yellow ball of light moved above Pittwater, NSW, for five minutes.
• NA79049 (January 24, 1979): An intensely bright light source hovered above a hill near Oberon, NSW, emitting a scanning beam.
• NA79058 (1966): A large disc-shaped object with a revolving turret was seen hovering above the Nepean River, NSW.
• TA79051 (March 30, 1979): A yellowish light grew in size above a boat near Maatsuyker Island, Tasmania, causing a dog to react.

Bibliographies and Updates

The issue concludes with several bibliography updates, covering 'Exobiology' and 'UFOs', listing various books and articles relevant to the topics discussed. There is also a section on the 'Loch Morar Monster' and a general bibliography on 'Monsters'. A final 'Words of Wisdom' quote suggests that jumping to conclusions can lead one to overlook the challenges involved.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the detailed reporting of UFO and entity sightings in Australasia, the analysis of witness perception and memory, and the classification of UFO phenomena. The editorial stance appears to be one of serious investigation into these reports, encouraging open-mindedness while also emphasizing the need for critical analysis of witness testimony and the potential influence of psychological factors. The publication aims to document and understand the UFO phenomenon through case studies and theoretical discussions.

This document contains two incident reports from the publication UFOR (FNQ), issue number 19, dated January 16, 1979, and February 9, 1979. The reports detail sightings of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) in Queensland, Australia, and their effects on nearby vehicles.

Incident Report 1: Bramston Beach, QLD (January 16, 1979)

A woman was driving home from work when she noticed an object she initially mistook for the moon. However, she realized it was too low in the sky and full, thus not the moon. The object was described as moon-sized, perfectly round, and golden in colour. While the object was stationary, the headlights of her car began blinking on and off, and then went off completely. Some distance later, the headlights came back on. The car's electrical system was checked, but no fault was initially detected. Over the following two weeks, the headlights progressively dimmed, with one light returning to its usual brilliance while the other grew weaker. A subsequent check of the electrical system revealed a loose earthwire, which was rectified, and the lights returned to normal.

Incident Report 2: Cowley, QLD (February 9, 1979)

An elderly man was driving down a hill and rounding a corner when he noticed a dull light on the left edge of the road. As he approached, he saw a dark beehive-shaped object behind the light. The light then rose vertically. When his car was about 30 feet away, the witness was blinded by a flash of light emanating from where the dull light had been. After blinking a few times and regaining his sight, he realized that the car's headlights, dashlights, and engine had ceased to function. The witness put the car into neutral and coasted to the side of the road. He then lit a cigarette, and approximately 30 seconds later, the car's headlights and dashlights came on by themselves. He was able to start the engine without any trouble. There was no sign of the object. Upon arriving home, he checked the battery terminals, finding them tight and free of corrosion.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance The recurring theme in these reports is the interaction between unidentified aerial phenomena and conventional vehicle electrical systems, resulting in temporary malfunctions. The publication, UFOR (FNQ), appears to document eyewitness accounts of such encounters, focusing on the details of the observed phenomena and their immediate effects. The stance is observational and reportorial, presenting the incidents as described by the witnesses.