American UFO Committee Review - 1966 Q3 Fall - Issue No 7

Magazine Overview

Title: AMERICAN REVIEW
Issue: No. 7
Date: Fall 1966 (Cover date July 31, 1966)
Publisher: American UFO Committee
Country: USA
Language: English
Price: $2.00 per four issues

This issue of the American Review, published by the American UFO Committee, a non-profit UFO Research Organization, features a cover illustration of a woman driving a car and observing a UFO through the windshield. The magazine is published three times yearly and is available through membership.

Contents and Key Articles

Editorial

The editorial section reports on the merger of the Organization for Scientific Ufology Research (OSUR) of North Royalton, Ohio, with the American UFO Committee, Cleveland Chapter, on July 24, 1966. This merger formed the largest UFO Study group in the Northeastern Ohio area. The combined group will focus on "Project Grayfile," a large-scale project that began in 1965 and is sanctioned by the Congress of Scientific Ufologists. The project involves extensive filing and recording of UFO sightings, with the goal of providing constructive answers to cases. The American UFO Committee has been overwhelmed by newspaper clippings, necessitating more personnel for the initial filing phase. The second phase involves recording sightings on special forms, and the third phase is transferring this data to an IBM sheet for analysis in New York.

Venus Life Possible, Experts Believe

This article discusses a report by the space science board of the National Academy of Sciences, suggesting that Venus might still harbor some form of life, despite earlier conclusions to the contrary. The report questions the interpretation of radio emission data from the Mariner 2 fly-by, which indicated a surface temperature of 800 degrees. It suggests that lower temperatures might exist on high mountain ranges and that life could potentially develop in Venus's dense atmosphere. The report also outlines recommendations for planetary and lunar exploration for 1970-1985, prioritizing Mars, then the Moon, followed by other major planets like Jupiter and Saturn, comets, asteroids, and finally interplanetary dust.

A Critique on the "Big Bang" Theory

Authored by Lawrence Blazey, this article critiques the "Big Bang" theory of the universe's origin. It argues that the theory, which posits the universe began from the explosion of a gigantic primordial atom, fails to explain how such a mass could exist without motion or what triggered the explosion. The author suggests that scientific concepts are often limited by narrow physical manifestations and that a more spiritual concept, acknowledging both mental and physical forces, might be necessary to explain the universe's origin, potentially involving a "mind force" or "The Universe" as the creator.

Inside Project "Grayfile"

This section, written by Ronald Jos. Pelger, details "Saucer Week," the week of August 1st to August 7th, 1965, which was the biggest flap of saucer activity. "Project Grayfile" contains 142 pages of sightings from this period, with reports of mysterious, multi-colored objects seen over Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Wyoming, New Mexico, and Colorado. Numerous reports flooded police and newspaper switchboards, and many law-enforcement officers witnessed the phenomena.

The article includes various newspaper headlines from the week, such as "UFO's REPORTED OVER COLORADO, WYOMING" and "THOUSANDS WATCH LIGHTS CROSS WESTERN SKIES." Descriptions of the lights varied, with some witnesses describing them as completely white, others noting red pulsating lights, and some reporting diamond-shaped formations. A police officer in Caldwell, Colorado, described an egg-shaped object that was red, greenish-blue, and yellowish-white, hovering about 100 yards long. Other sightings included white and blue lights, bright objects, and formations of objects. A sighting near Denver involved four V-shaped, flashing white-silverish objects described as chevron-shaped lights making a shrill whine.

The U.S. Air Force's typical response to such events is mentioned, often providing a "calming down answer." The latest Air Force explanation for these sightings was that observers were "seeing stars," and the observations were "astronomical in nature." The article concludes by stating that "something is up there."

Who Said That

This section compiles quotes and ideas from various sources. Dr. Bernard M. Oliver of Hewlett-Packard is quoted stating that there may be a million highly developed civilizations in the universe and that man should attempt to contact them. Dr. Max Lerner questions whether there is intelligent life on Earth. An article from Radio-TV Experimenter discusses Dr. Stephen H. Dole's doubts about human life on Mars due to its small size but belief in 600,000,000 habitable planets in outer space, suggesting the universe might be inhabited by diverse forms of life.

Could Those UFOs Really Be Insects?

Authored by Elmer Schutt, this article explores the theory proposed by Norton T. Novitt, an amateur Denver scientist, that some Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) might be insects with an electrical charge. Novitt, who studies the electric properties of insects, suggests that shiny-bodied insects could be mistaken for flying saucers. He believes this theory could explain a small percentage of unexplained UFOs. Novitt's research involved gluing ants to a plastic ball and exposing them to a static electric generator, which caused the ball to glow with a dim blue light, suggesting that swarms of ants could potentially emit light through static electricity.

Novitt's theory is based on natural principles from meteorology, atmospheric electricity, physics, and entomology. He notes that gossamer (spiderwebs) also floats in the air during spider migration. The article outlines four ways ants might pick up a glow: individual charging, flying through charged air layers, static electricity generated by rubbing, and charging after thunderstorms. Novitt suggests this theory can explain various UFO characteristics, including materialization, hovering, glowing lights, and humming noises.

UFO Probe Never Gets Off Ground

This article reports on House Republican Minority Leader Gerald R. Ford's demand for a congressional investigation into the Air Force's treatment of UFOs. Ford was rebuffed by the House Science and Astronautics Committee chairman, Rep. George P. Miller, who stated the committee lacked jurisdiction. Rep. Ford also sought hearings from the House Armed Services Committee chairman, L. Mendel Rivers, but was informed that a fellow committee member who had wanted a probe five years prior needed to be consulted. The article notes that the recent UFO sightings in Michigan began on March 16th and have continued nationwide. It mentions the Air Force's Project Bluebook, which has investigated over 10,000 sightings since 1947, explaining all but 646. The article highlights AF Directive 200-2, which prohibits disclosing information on unidentified objects, and a Joint Chiefs of Staff directive (JANAP 146) that threatens prosecution under the Espionage Act for military personnel, pilots, and seamen discussing sightings.

News and Notes

This section likely contains brief updates and miscellaneous information, though its content is not detailed in the provided OCR.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of American Review include the reporting and analysis of UFO sightings, the scientific exploration of extraterrestrial life, and critiques of established scientific theories. There is a clear interest in investigating unexplained phenomena and questioning official explanations. The magazine also highlights the efforts of UFO research organizations like the American UFO Committee and their projects, such as "Grayfile." The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into UFO phenomena, encouraging research and questioning governmental or official dismissals of sightings, as seen in the article about Congressman Ford's probe.

This issue of the New York Journal-American, dated March 31, 1966, delves into the ongoing controversy surrounding UFO sightings and the official responses to them. The publication features a reporter's direct questions to the White House, a detailed account of a sighting in Erie, Pennsylvania, and a philosophical essay on humanity's intelligence in the context of potential extraterrestrial life.

White House and Government Response to UFOs

The issue highlights a reporter's attempt to get answers from the White House regarding UFOs and Project Bluebook. The White House's response was to direct all inquiries to the Air Force's public relations department, indicating a reluctance to directly address the matter. In Washington, Defense Secretary Robert S. McNamara and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Earle G. Wheeler testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee. They both stated that there was no evidence to support the theory that reported UFOs had extraterrestrial implications or were controlled vehicles from outer space. McNamara also denied the possibility that the U.S. itself possessed secret devices that could explain the sightings. Despite these official denials, Representative James G. Fulton of Pennsylvania criticized the Air Force's UFO investigation, likening it to a child who denies believing in ghosts while still being aware of them.

Erie UFO Report: A Cover Story

The cover story focuses on a UFO report from Erie, Pennsylvania. Major William S. Hall of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base investigated the claims but stated that any findings would be released by the Secretary of the Air Force. The report details an incident where several individuals in a disabled auto on Presque Isle Peninsula sighted a 'flying saucer.' Betty Jean Klem described the object as 'metallic, sort of silvery' and noted that it landed between two trees. Subsequently, a 'formless' creature, described as six feet tall with a head and shoulders but no visible legs, emerged from nearby bushes. The creature's appearance caused distress, leading to the car horn being blown and police being called. The flying craft was reported to make a noise similar to a loud telephone receiver. Police Chief Dan Dasconio, who interviewed the witnesses, found them to be sensible and expressed conviction that they had seen something. The article also briefly mentions another UFO sighting and photograph taken in Lawrence County the day before.

Commentary on Earth Intelligence and Extraterrestrial Life

An essay titled 'EARTH PEOPLE MUST RANK LOW IN INTELLIGENCE' reflects on the search for intelligent life on other worlds, referencing Walter Sullivan's book 'We Are Not Alone.' The author expresses disbelief in the theory that advanced extraterrestrial creatures would seek to conquer Earth. Instead, the essay posits that any intelligent beings capable of interstellar travel would likely be perplexed and disgusted by humanity's irrational behavior, self-destructive tendencies, and capacity for warfare. The author argues that humans have created advanced technology but lack the wisdom to use it constructively, leading to a greater capacity for destruction than for peaceful coexistence. The piece concludes that truly intelligent beings would avoid contact with Earth due to humanity's inherent weaknesses and preoccupation with immediate, delusive advantages over the survival of the race.

Additional Content and Advertisements

The issue also includes a poem titled 'TWINKLE, TWINKLE LITTLE STAR,' which muses on the nature of stars and their perceived movements. Advertisements promote 'FLYING SAUCER CLASSICS,' a book featuring documented UFO cases, and 'The Review,' a publication offering upcoming issues and an addendum. A 'HOT NEWS' section hints at the potential merger of two major UFO publications.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the official handling of UFO reports, the skepticism of military and government officials regarding extraterrestrial explanations, and the inherent dangers of human behavior and intelligence. The editorial stance appears to be one of critical inquiry, questioning official denials while also presenting a sober assessment of humanity's own shortcomings in the face of potential cosmic encounters. There is a clear skepticism towards the idea of alien invasion and a focus on the more immediate threat posed by human conflict and lack of wisdom.