AMERICAN UFO COMMITTEE REVIEW

Magazine Overview

Title: AMERICAN UFO COMMITTEE REVIEW
Issue: Volume Two, Number Three
Date: Summer 1966
Publisher: American UFO Committee
Type: Magazine Issue

This issue of the American UFO Committee Review, published by a non-profit UFO research organization, delves into the persistent questions surrounding unidentified flying objects (UFOs). It challenges official explanations and explores the broader implications of UFO phenomena, including potential government secrecy and the scientific plausibility of extraterrestrial visitation.

Am I Wrong?

The lead article, "Am I Wrong?" by an unnamed author, expresses frustration with how UFO phenomena are portrayed, particularly by television programs and government agencies like the U.S. Air Force and CIA. The author feels personally attacked and ridiculed, asserting their "not guilty" plea against being labeled as a misfit or part of a cult. They criticize the use of Air Force Regulation 200-2, suggesting it's used to keep UFOs in a negative light, and questions why the public isn't made aware of its contents, which they believe imply the existence of UFOs. The author points to the large number of pilots who have witnessed UFOs and contrasts their experiences with scientific explanations like temperature inversions, as proposed by figures like Dr. Menzel.

The article also questions the extraterrestrial origin of UFOs, noting that neither the U.S. nor foreign powers claim to possess them, leaving open the possibility of visitors from "another world" or "space."

Science, Sightings and Secrecy

This section, authored by Allan J. Manak, Chairman of Scientific Ufologists, examines UFO reports through the lens of "Science, Sightings and Secrecy." It acknowledges the recent surge in public attention due to sightings in Southern Michigan and references the Kenneth Arnold sighting in 1947. Manak notes that while approximately 50,000 worldwide sightings have occurred over twenty years, their impact has not been fully realized by the public.

Two main schools of thought are presented: the government's view that sightings are natural phenomena, hoaxes, or hallucinations, and the "UFO Enthusiasts'" belief that UFOs are vehicles of intelligent extraterrestrial races. The article mentions House Minority Leader Gerald Ford's call for a "full-blown" Congressional Investigation into UFO sightings.

The author breaks down the evidence into three categories: Science, Sightings, and Secrecy. In science, the article highlights the revolution in astronomy, biology, and electronics, noting that astronomers now believe planetary systems are common and that life might be abundant in the galaxy. Advances in synthetic biology suggest life could be created from inorganic matter. In rocketry, progress makes interstellar travel seem more feasible.

However, scientific skepticism remains due to two main points: the speed of light as a theoretical limit for travel, making interstellar journeys extremely long, and the lack of publicly captured and tested UFOs. The article then recounts historical sightings, including an 1897 incident in Kansas involving a blimp-shaped object and a carriage, and a 1950 incident over North Korea where two large disc-shaped objects jammed radar and radio sets. It also mentions sightings in France in 1954, involving cigar-shaped objects dropping smaller discs.

The article notes that while the Air Force explains many sightings as natural events, balloons, hallucinations, or hoaxes, they admit to being unable to explain at least 646 cases. It references Major Keyhoe's organization's book, "U.F.O. Evidence," which details 750 U.S. sightings since 1947. The scientific community, represented by figures like David Dietz and Dr. Donald Menzel, maintains that without repeatable experiments, UFO evidence remains unproven.

Government Secrecy and Managed News

Peter Thompson's article connects the UFO controversy to government secrecy and "managed news." He quotes Arthur Sylvester, Assistant Secretary of Defense, who stated that "management of news was 'part of the arsenal of weaponry' available to an administration in dealing with crises." Thompson also cites Governor George Romney of Michigan, who criticized the press being treated as an enemy and information being centralized to cover up political indiscretions.

The author suggests examining government procedures for investigating UFOs and releasing conclusions. He quotes a Project Blue Book report stating that the Air Force is responsible for investigating UFOs and that their conclusions have been: (1) no indication of threat to national security, (2) no evidence of technological principles beyond current knowledge, and (3) no evidence of extraterrestrial vehicles.

Thompson questions the Air Force's explanation of the Ann Arbor sightings as "swamp gas" and the Portage County Deputy Sheriffs' sighting as the planet Venus, citing descriptions of the objects from newspaper articles. He leaves it to the reader to draw their own conclusions about these explanations.

Looking to the future, Thompson references Jacques Vallee's book, where Nikolai Lenin is quoted stating that interplanetary communication would necessitate a revision of all philosophical, moral, and social views, potentially leading to limitless technical potential and the end of violence as a means of progress.

Who Said That

This section compiles various snippets of information. It mentions a warning from Microwaves magazine about laser beam dangers to the retina. It notes the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory's compilation of a comprehensive star catalog using advanced computer techniques and the discovery by navy scientists of galaxies producing powerful x-rays. Two Lockheed engineers observed cosmic debris clouds orbiting Earth. Science & Mechanics magazine published an article on Russian space flights, and IEEE Spectrum magazine discussed methods for communicating with extraterrestrial life. The section also lists several individuals involved in communication research and astronomy, including Harold Wooster, Paul Garvin, John Lilly, William Davis, and Francis Heyden.

Elmer Schutt contributes a piece suggesting that sources other than the government are studying phenomena that some individuals claim do not exist, alluding to the statement "There is no human life on other planets or there is no evidence of human life."

Inside Project Gray File

Authored by Elmer Schutt, this section explores the question of whether "space people" have contacted world leaders. It references a newspaper clipping from the Mail Tribune (Medford, Oregon) dated March 14, 1965, which discusses "The UFO Saga: Part 9." According to this clipping, George Van Tassel, a contactee, claimed that former President Dwight Eisenhower met with spacemen and boarded their craft at Edwards Air Force Base. The article speculates that world leaders may have already been contacted to prevent panic and economic chaos, with the news being kept quiet, though rumors persist.

Stephan W. Moore questions why leaders haven't revealed more about UFOs. He discusses contactees like George Adamski, who claimed to have ridden in alien craft. Moore finds it unlikely that advanced beings would contact random individuals rather than leaders. He poses the question: "Have space people contacted our world leaders?"

An illustration depicts President Eisenhower being greeted by an alien and a flying saucer at Edwards Air Force Base, with the caption "Reason: A spacecraft was supposed to have landed at Edwards and placed in hangar No. 8. Mr. Eisenhower went there to talk to the occupant."

Another section quotes President Johnson speaking to a group of women, stating that no leader can prophesy the future and that humanity faces problems too great for the human mind to solve. This is linked to the Gilpatrick Report on nuclear know-how, raising the question of whether the President is preparing the public for the need for assistance from advanced planets.

Cover Story: One of Cleveland's Best

This detailed account describes a series of UFO sightings in the Cleveland area on October 9, 1965. The first report came from Miss Pat Gresiwald, who saw a large disk-shaped object with white lights. Within minutes, twelve people reported seeing a very large round object with lights, and three people saw a large elongated object with sequential lights. Rick Hilberg was contacted to investigate via CB units, and local radio stations were informed.

Later, another object described as triangular with lights was reported. The article details a sighting by three men of a large, low object with amber lights, described as spinning and appearing about 4-inches in diameter at arm's length. Another report involved four men who saw a large whitish-silver object with sequential lights, with witnesses disagreeing on its exact shape (V-shaped or mushroomed).

Weather conditions at Cleveland Hopkins Airport included cloud layers and light rain. Another report mentioned six square lights following one another, and a final report described a high-pitched sound. The article notes that the names of persons involved in these reports were withheld at their request.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the persistent mystery of UFOs, the perceived inadequacy or deliberate obfuscation of official explanations (particularly from the U.S. Air Force), and the exploration of both scientific and speculative possibilities regarding their origin and purpose. The editorial stance appears to be critical of government secrecy and supportive of independent research into UFO phenomena, advocating for a more open and thorough investigation. There is a clear skepticism towards the official narrative and an openness to the idea that UFOs may represent a significant, possibly extraterrestrial, phenomenon that warrants serious consideration.