APCIC - Vol 11 No 03 - 1986

Magazine Overview

Title: UFO NEWS
Issue: Volume 11, No. 3
Date: March 1986
Publisher: AERIAL PHENOMENON CLIPPING INFORMATION CENTER
Location: Cleveland, Ohio, USA

This issue of UFO NEWS, published by the Aerial Phenomenon Clipping & Information Center, presents a collection of articles and reports on UFO sightings, historical accounts, and public perception of extraterrestrial phenomena.

Public Opinion and Imminent Invasion

A nationwide survey in Britain has revealed an astonishing fact: the majority of British people believe an invasion of Earth from outer space is imminent, within five years. The article "Survey reveals amazing public opinion Close encounters of a shared kind" by Tony Cragg highlights this finding. It notes that even political leaders like Reagan and Gorbachev have discussed combining forces to fight off any alien attack. The Ministry of Defence has also acknowledged the possibility of unidentified atmospheric phenomena (UAP) or unidentified flying objects (UFOs), releasing reports to the British UFO Research Association under pressure from the House of Lords. Despite statistical arguments suggesting the low probability of alien visits, the article emphasizes that people do see the unexplainable, whether it's due to physical reality or psychological effects. The concept of "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," coined by J. Allen Hynek, is mentioned, with the comfort that many encounters are of the "shared kind."

Historical UFO Sightings

The issue delves into historical UFO sightings, suggesting that these phenomena are not exclusive to the twentieth century. An article titled "The day a giant 'serpent' hissed through the skies" by June Moore reports on spectacular UFO sightings before the current century. It contrasts the past, when UFO claimants were often dismissed as attention-seekers or boozers, with the present. The article details a nineteenth-century sighting on April 5, 1800, of an eighty-foot long object flying 600ft above Baton Rouge, Louisiana, which radiated light and heat, followed by an explosion and an earth tremor. A similar event occurred over Siberia on June 30, 1908. The article also mentions sightings of airships with motors and lights over the USA in 1896 and 1897, a time when man had not yet invented the aeroplane. Examples include a metal, cigar-shaped airship seen over Omaha on April 5, 1897. Sightings in the UK are also noted, such as a huge blue-lit sphere over Hull on June 19, 1801, and a conical saucer over London on July 17, 1806. The "Green men" section discusses various shapes reported, including a serpent shape seen in Darlington County, South Carolina, in May 1888, and a giant serpent sighting near Bonham, Texas, in 1873. Other historical shapes mentioned include a twenty-foot pruning fork over Poland (1825), a rectangular luminous body over Niagara Falls (1833), a disc with a tail over the Atlantic (1870), a triangular shape over Bermuda (1855), and a complex object resembling a man over Kentucky (1880).

Specific Sightings and Investigations

Several recent sightings are reported across different regions:

• Dundee, Scotland: Dundee police received calls about a nationwide UFO alert involving green flares falling to earth. While green flares are used as disaster signals, this possibility was discounted. A police spokesman suggested the sightings were likely due to a meteorite burning up in the atmosphere.
• Thomaston, USA: Residents reported seeing blinking red lights that glided silently through the blackness, pausing to hover before darting away. The Torrington Police Department suggested they were five light airplanes, but witnesses like Paul Tracy and David Marcoux were not convinced, citing the objects' slow movement, lack of noise, and unusual flight patterns.
• Barnet, UK: Mrs. Pat Callaghan and her son Paul reported seeing a mysterious triangular-shaped object with flashing red lights over Barnet on January 19. They described it as a "spaceship" that moved in a way not typical of aircraft.
• Kirkton High, Scotland: A Dundee woman and her husband reported seeing two UFOs communicating with each other, displaying red and white flashing lights and transmitting light beams. A police spokesman reported no sightings, but air traffic control at RAF Leuchars confirmed two aircraft were out at the time.
• Harlow, UK: Nightwatchman Harold Hughes reported a close encounter with a pulsating light, which he described as a glowing white ball with a red tail streaking across the sky at high speed. He felt it was a bad omen, as he was made redundant on the same night.
• Isle of Wight, UK: A UFO sighting photographed on May 2, 1982, involved an orange ball of light that ascended and penetrated thick cloud. The object was estimated to be 150 feet high and traveling at approximately 200 mph. The report notes the possibility of a missile during the Falklands Conflict but deems it unlikely due to the object's course.
• Peterborough, UK: Joan Penman reported seeing two bright white lights in the sky that she believes was a UFO, not an aeroplane. Frank Allen, a groundsman, suggested it was likely an aeroplane from RAF Wittering. Joan Crozier also reported seeing a round object with a pointed nose and bright lights flash across at high speed.

UFOs and Cattle Vanishing

An article titled "UFOs steal 1000s of U.S. cattle" by Royal McCollum reports that thousands of cattle are vanishing from ranches across the United States, with UFOs suspected as the culprits. These mysterious rustlings are often accompanied by strange lights, explosions, and electrical storms. A northwest rancher reported over 100 head of prime steers disappearing without any tire or boot tracks. A cattle inspector found a circular burned-out area where cows were grazing. The article also touches on the book "Sky Crash: A Cosmic Conspiracy," which discusses alleged UFO activities in Rendlesham Forest, Suffolk, in 1980.

Zimbabwe Jet Chase

"Stunned Air Force Marshal: UFO Gave Our Jets the Slip - At 1,400 m.p.h." reports on an incident in Zimbabwe where two Hawk jet fighter pilots chased a UFO. The object, initially orange, later appeared white, and zoomed from 7,000 feet to 70,000 feet at over 1,400 miles per hour. Air Marshal Azim Daudpota and Flight Lieut. Roddy Van Rooyen described the object's incredible speed and vertical ascent, stating that no known craft could achieve such a feat. They concluded it was an extraterrestrial craft.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of UFO NEWS are the prevalence and persistence of UFO sightings throughout history and across different countries, the public's growing belief in extraterrestrial visitation, and the ongoing efforts to investigate and explain these phenomena. The magazine's stance appears to be one of open inquiry, presenting witness accounts and reports without outright dismissal, while also acknowledging official explanations and statistical probabilities. The inclusion of historical accounts suggests a belief that UFOs are a long-standing phenomenon, and the coverage of diverse sightings indicates a commitment to documenting the breadth of reported experiences. The publication aims to inform its readers about the latest developments and historical context within the field of UFO research.

This issue of THE SUNDAY STAR, dated December 15, 1985, features a prominent article titled "Another round in UFO row" by Henry Gordon, which critiques the UFO community and its proponents. The magazine also includes several articles detailing various UFO sightings and related phenomena across North America, as well as an in-depth report on the persistent mystery of cow mutilations.

UFO Debate and Critiques

Henry Gordon's lead article, "Another round in UFO row," addresses an address given by Stanton T. Friedman at a Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) symposium. Friedman, a nuclear physicist and full-time UFO lecturer, apparently attacked "negativists" who question the extraterrestrial spacecraft theory and government cover-ups. Gordon, identifying himself as a "negativist," views Friedman's accusations as hypocritical, stating, "A clear case of the pot calling the kettle black." Gordon notes that he and Philip Klass, senior editor of Aviation Week And Space Technology, are targets of Friedman's criticism. Surprisingly, J. Allen Hynek, a prominent ufologist and technical adviser for "Close Encounters Of The Third Kind," was also apparently criticized by Friedman, a move Gordon likens to "Gorbachev accusing Gromyko of being a capitalist."

Gordon suggests that ufologists are becoming sensitive due to declining public and media interest in their theories, citing the financial troubles of organizations like the National Investigations Committee On Aerial Phenomena (NICAP) and the Aerial Phenomena Research Organization (APRO). He also touches upon the ufologists' long-standing complaint about governments not funding UFO investigations, contrasting it with the funding for "Star Wars." The article concludes with a quote from Ronald Reagan about global unity in the face of an external threat, which Gordon speculates could apply to alien visitors.

Strange Lights and UFO Sightings

Several articles report on specific UFO sightings:

• "Strange lights in sky" by Gord McCulloch (Temiscaming-Mattawa Bureau) details reports from North Bay and Collingwood, Ontario. Jack St. Onge reported seeing a green light, then two smaller spheres, while Rheal Viau reported seeing a yellow sphere, then a purple ball, and then a white sphere, all with projections like light beams. These sightings were reported to Environment Canada.
• "UFO seen hovering for 2nd straight night" from The Toronto Star (Jan. 15, 1986) describes an unidentified flying object with multi-colored lights spotted near Kingston, Ontario. June Potter and her family, along with three police officers, observed the object hovering for about three hours. The object was described as square with colored lights.
• "Flying objects over Tucson night sky Oct. 7 still haven't been identified" (continued from page 1D) details a significant event in Avra Valley, Arizona. Martha Ann Grill reported seeing numerous lights, described as not being airplanes, zipping in various directions. Federal Aviation Administration radar operators at Tucson International Airport tracked about 15 groups of aircraft, and the Tucson Police helicopter also observed the lights. Officials at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and NORAD had no explanations. Robert G. Marsland of the Aerial Phenomena Research Organization (APRO) is investigating the incident. Grill described one large object as cigar-shaped with lights on the sides and a fuselage like an Army transport plane.
• "Flying objects over Tucson still unidentified" (from AZ-D12 TUCSON CITIZEN, Feb. 7, 1986) further covers the Tucson incident, noting that radar tracked the objects, and people saw them, but no one claimed responsibility. Martha Ann Grill described the lights as zipping in all directions at varying speeds, leading her to wonder if they were airplanes.
• "Carolina Sightings Are Out-Of-This-World" (from SPARTANBURG HERALD JOURNAL, Feb. 9, 1986) presents a collection of UFO sightings in the Carolinas, including a 1966 sighting by Gaffney policemen, a 1979 diagram, a 1968 sighting in Mount Airy, N.C., and a 1973 sighting on Hwy. 18 in Jonesville.
• "CAROLINA SIGHTINGS" by Ginger Lundy profiles George D. Fawcett, an investigator for MUFON and director for North Carolina. Fawcett has investigated over 1,278 UFO experiences since 1944. He distinguishes between skeptics and "nonskeptics" and believes UFOs are real, citing government documents released in 1985. He recounts specific sightings in South Carolina, including a Saturn-shaped UFO in Gaffney in 1966 and a domed saucer in Jonesville in 1973. Fawcett predicts an increase in UFO sightings in 1986 due to interest in Halley's Comet. He requests witnesses to mail reports to him.

Cow Mutilations Mystery

"Rancher claims officials ignore cow mutilations" by Natalie Phillips (Gazette Telegraph, Feb. 2, 1986) reports on Eldon Butler, an 80-year-old rancher from El Paso County, Colorado, whose cow was found mutilated with a 14-inch hole and missing sex organs. Butler reported hearing a helicopter the night before. The article notes that investigators initially attributed the death to predators, a conclusion drawn nationwide in the 1970s and 1980s for similar cases. The mystery of cow mutilations plagued Western states in the early and mid-1970s, with about 1,500 reported in Colorado during the summers of 1975 and 1976.

The article discusses four popular theories from the 1970s: satanic cults, government secret testing, extraterrestrial visitors, and natural predators. Kenneth Rommel, a former FBI investigator, concurs with the predator theory, calling the investigations "garbage" and a waste of money. He states that cows die from various causes, and scavengers consume the carcasses. Rommel believes that the media and some investigators were irresponsible in their reporting.

Carl Whiteside of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation also investigated, concluding that most deaths were due to natural causes and post-mortem mutilation by predators. Former Logan County Sheriff Harry "Tex" Graves reportedly collected over 200 photographs of mutilations and claimed predators could not perform such precise work. However, current Sheriff Dan Bollish expressed skepticism about Graves' claims.

Meteor Sighting

"Ball of fire over Maritimes believed to be a meteor" (Canadian Press, TORONTO GLOBE + MAIL, Jan. 20, 1986) reports on a greenish ball of fire streaking across the sky over the Maritimes, seen from central Newfoundland to Cape Breton. Witnesses reported a rumbling explosion. An RCMP spokesman suggested it was a meteor.

Alien Cemetery in Peru

An article titled "E.T.s killed on earth are being buried in a Peruvian mountain" claims that UFO investigators Felipe Aguilar and Arturo Barana have seen alien "gravediggers" in the Andes Mountains of Peru. They reportedly captured footage of an alien funeral service involving an egg-shaped coffin that hovered. They estimate that up to 1,000 aliens may be buried in this cemetery.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently explores the unexplained, with a focus on UFO sightings, investigations, and the skepticism surrounding them. There's a clear interest in presenting eyewitness accounts and the challenges faced by investigators. The articles on cow mutilations highlight the tension between official explanations and the persistent mystery, often questioning the thoroughness of investigations. The overall stance appears to be one of open inquiry into phenomena that defy conventional explanation, while also acknowledging and presenting critical viewpoints, as seen in Henry Gordon's commentary. The recurring theme is the ongoing search for answers to unexplained aerial phenomena and related mysteries.

Title: THE SUN
Issue Date: February 17, 1986
Volume: 1986
ISSN: CA-D18
Publisher: THE SUN
Country: USA
Document Type: Magazine Issue

Articles

"UFO Over Zagreb"

This news brief reports on a sighting of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) over Zagreb, Yugoslavia, on a Wednesday evening. According to witness statements, the objects were oval-shaped, moved soundlessly and with great speed, were light-yellow in brightness, and left a green track. The event was confirmed by the captain of a West German passenger plane flying to the Near East. He reported seeing six unidentified objects at a distance of 20 kilometers from the town and at an altitude of over 10,000 meters. These objects were moving in formation at a speed estimated to be four or five times the velocity of sound. The second pilot and navigator of the plane also observed the UFOs, but the radio location apparatus did not detect their presence. The report originates from Glos Szczecinski, dated January 5, 1986, from Szczecin, Poland, and was translated by Mr. Lech Galicki.

"Confessions of a UFO Hoaxer"

By STEVE COOPER, Sun Staff Writer

Steve Cooper confesses to having participated in spreading UFO hysteria in his youth. He admits that in the mid-1960s, while a student at Pacific High School in San Bernardino, he and his friends would create "dandy UFOs" using a clear plastic bag and a candle. These devices, when sent aloft at night, would rise with an eerie glow, easily mistaken for alien spacecraft. Cooper expresses regret for his actions, acknowledging the potential fire hazard and the fear they might have instilled in skywatchers. He apologizes for inciting public panic, stating that while it was fun, it was wrong. He mentions that two other individuals involved in their "phony UFO squadron" have since taken on roles in religious organizations, suggesting they have also repented.

"UFOs: Unbelievable Foolhardy Observations?"

By STEVE COOPER, Sun Staff Writer

This article features Phillip Klass, a senior editor at "Aviation Week and Space Technology" magazine, who was invited to Pasadena to debunk popular beliefs about unidentified flying objects (UFOs). Klass firmly believes that most UFO sightings can be easily identified and that none are from other worlds. He argues that reports often present only partial information and that thorough investigation is needed before invoking paranormal explanations. Klass claims that about 90 percent, and he believes 100 percent, of sightings can be explained prosaically. He lists common explanations such as meteor fireballs, reflections, unusual natural phenomena, and re-entering man-made objects, as well as hoaxes.

Klass recounted a baffling 1973 incident involving an Army reserve helicopter crew in Ohio, who received $5,000 from the National Enquirer for what was considered the best UFO evidence of the year. The crew reported seeing a red light approaching rapidly, after which the helicopter made a rapid dive, then swiftly rose as if pulled by a mysterious force, without the pilot remembering touching the controls. They also experienced a radio blackout. Klass, however, offered explanations: the sighting occurred during a meteor shower, the green light was likely from the fireball's tail, and the apparent hovering was just the object passing. He suggested the helicopter's rapid ascent was the pilot's trained, automatic reaction to danger, not a result of the UFO. He also noted the helicopter was out of normal radio range, with only one overworked man on duty at the nearest airport.

Klass also addressed the case of two fishermen from Mississippi who claimed to have been taken aboard a UFO in 1973, noting that his investigation turned up serious doubts about their testimony, despite a polygraph test. He was critical of reports surrounding the supposed 1947 UFO crash in New Mexico, which claimed wreckage and alien bodies were recovered and kept in a government warehouse. Klass suggested this was a distortion and that the crash involved a special balloon sent aloft to reflect radar signals, not a UFO. He questioned why, if concrete evidence exists, the National Enquirer's million-dollar reward for proof of UFOs from other planets has not been claimed.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine, through its articles and the featured opinions of Phillip Klass, adopts a strongly skeptical stance towards UFO phenomena. The primary theme is the debunking of UFO sightings and the promotion of rational, prosaic explanations. The editorial stance appears to favor scientific investigation and critical analysis over sensationalism and belief in extraterrestrial visitation. The inclusion of a confession from a former hoaxer reinforces this theme, suggesting that many reported sightings may be the result of deliberate deception or misinterpretation. The magazine highlights the importance of thorough investigation and evidence-based reasoning when examining claims of UFOs.