AKUALELE RESEARCH GROUP Bulletin

Magazine Overview

The AKUALELE RESEARCH GROUP Bulletin, Vol. II, No. 1, dated January 20, 1957, published by the NORTH JERSEY U. F. O. GROUP and originating from Honolulu, Hawaii, addresses a variety of unexplained phenomena and incidents. The bulletin notes that the next monthly meeting was not planned for January.

Reports from the Pacific

Vanishing Seaweed After Atomic Explosions Reporter Jack Thornton of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin relays accounts from three British skippers who were in Central Pacific waters during the atomic explosions at Bikini atoll in 1956. They reported that seaweed vanished from their ships' hulls within 24 hours of the first explosion on May 5. Capt. V. Ward, serving on the ship John Williams VI, noted that grass on the ship's bottom disappeared the day after the bomb went off. Capt. Alf Peckham, who had skippered wooden ships in the Gilberts, reported a similar experience with timbers becoming smooth. ICDR S. Brown of the Royal Fiji Navy also reported the same phenomenon occurring on his ship 800 miles from the Bikini tests.

Saucer Sightings on Increase

The bulletin highlights an increase in saucer sightings. Mrs. Martha Stermer of Holualos, Hawaii, confirmed details of a light incident reported in the previous bulletin. She personally sighted a UFO on December 4 at 6:10 am, describing it as hovering over the sea, too bright to be a planet and too big for a plane. She concluded it was a UFO after reading Ruppelt's 'Report on the UFOs'.

An Air Force employee at Hickam Field reported seeing two small, spindle-shaped clouds on January 17, which later divided into three. The sighting occurred west of the observation point between 12:50 pm and 1:20 pm. The employee also noted a bright, metallic flash. The clouds reminded her of an image from Aimee Michel's 'Saucer book'.

A neighbor of the publication's staff reported seeing a glowing, disc-shaped object motionless in the sky on Sunday morning, January 13, around 6:30 am. The object was observed against the backdrop of trees on a ridge and appeared to have brighter points of light along its sides, possibly indicating windows. After hovering for several minutes, the object tilted and moved away.

Phenomena in Honolulu

A mysterious explosion was heard rolling across the Honolulu waterfront area at 3 pm on December 21, with its origin remaining unknown to the police. The Star-Bulletin reported it sounded like a large artillery shell.

On New Year's Night, a blue-white fireball was observed flashing across Honolulu skies in a westerly direction at about 9:45 pm. The Advertiser reported on January 2 that it "broke up and burst out while traveling diamond head." Robert Pilzer, director of the Punahou School observatory, identified it as a meteor but noted it slowed down and cooled from an incandescent glow to a cherry red before disintegrating.

On January 9, 1957, Oahu residents witnessed a spectacular meteor streaking southwest shortly after 6 am. One observer described it as falling at a 60° angle, with a small bluish body and a fiery tail. The bulletin speculates if this "meteor" might have broken the sound barrier, causing a delayed sonic boom that resulted in a double explosion in Honolulu at 4:10 pm.

Aviation Incidents and Concussions

Larry Barlow, an eight-year-old boy in Harbor Navy housing, was reportedly knocked to the floor by a concussion, which his mother described as not being like a jet crashing the sound barrier. A Navy public information officer and an Air Force spokesman agreed it was likely a sonic boom from a crashing plane, though not a B-47. Another Navy wife described the event as "an awful blast," feeling like something real big landed on the house.

"The Melancholy Toll" section reports the first air fatality in Hawaiian waters for 1957 on January 16. Navy pilot Ken West crashed into the sea after takeoff from Kaneoke Marine Corps Air Station. Control tower operators observed his Fury takeoff and disappear beyond Pyramid Rock, with a puff of white smoke indicating a crash at sea. His body was recovered by helicopter. The article notes that in the previous year, 19 people died in 12 crashes in and around the Islands, including three Navy pilots. Additionally, two Marine jet pilots disappeared with their planes without radio warning or debris, one on June 11 and another on October 1, both having made final contact with Kaneche prior to landing at night.

The Fahrney Interview and Research Group Stance

The "Flying Saucers Are Real" Story

The bulletin discusses the "Flying Saucers Are Real" story originating in Washington D.C. on January 16, crediting Rear Admiral Delmer S. Fahrney (ret) for his public stance. However, the author notes that since Fahrney is retired, his opinion is all that is available, and from the Pacific perspective, the situation in Washington regarding UFO information appears unchanged. The article suggests the National Security Council holds the real power and remains intransigent. It questions whether the President, who has allegedly suppressed UFO information for four years, will change his stance, especially after his recent election victory, which indicates public approval of his policies.

Research Group Activities

The Fahrney news release generated interest in Honolulu, resulting in phone calls, comments from friends, and interviews with a newspaper and radio station. The article states that the AKUALELE RESEARCH GROUP has been engaged in similar activities for the past two or three years and will continue to patiently gather information. They aim to gradually increase their understanding of life and their relationship to the universe, gradually separating from the masses until the "gulf of ignorance" becomes unbridgeable.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue include an increase in UFO sightings, unexplained aerial phenomena, and mysterious events, particularly in the Hawaiian Islands. The bulletin also touches upon the impact of atomic testing and military aviation safety. The editorial stance, as expressed by Riley Crabb for the AKUALELE RESEARCH GROUP, is one of persistent, methodical research and a commitment to uncovering deeper truths about life and the universe, even if it leads to a divergence from mainstream public understanding. There is an underlying tone of skepticism towards official explanations and a belief that significant information is being withheld.