APRG Reporter - Vol 1 No 02 - 02 1957

Magazine Overview

This issue of the A.P.R.G. Reporter, dated February 1957, is Volume 1, Number 2, and is priced at 30¢. The cover headline proclaims 'FLYING OBJECTS CONTROLLED, SAYS RET. ADMIRAL', indicating a focus on official statements regarding UFOs.

Noted Astronomer Says UFO's May Come From Another Solar System

Clyde W. Tombaugh, the discoverer of Pluto, is quoted as stating on January 19th that unidentified flying objects seen in recent years might originate from outside our solar system. As a research professor at New Mexico A. and M. College, Tombaugh suggests that while many worlds might sustain life, Earth is uniquely favored. He posits that humanity is a relatively recent arrival on Earth, existing for perhaps only two million years on a planet much older. Tombaugh believes that advanced civilizations, having potentially progressed millions of years ahead of us, could have developed the technology for interstellar travel, possibly utilizing vast energy sources like nuclear power. He acknowledges the vast distances involved in space travel, noting the nearest solar system is over four light-years away, and cautions about the tricks radar can play.

Flying Objects Controlled, Says Ret. Admiral

By Jim French, this article reports on a January 16th statement by retired Rear Adm. Delmer S. Fahrney, former head of the U.S. Navy's guided missiles program. Fahrney declared that unidentified flying objects are 'directed by intelligent beings' and are entering Earth's atmosphere at speeds that neither the U.S. nor Russia can duplicate. This statement was made upon the introduction of the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena (NICAP), of which Fahrney is chairman. The article notes the unusual attention given to this story by major wire services, contrasting it with their typical skepticism towards UFO reports. Associated Press, United Press, and International News Service have historically been dismissive or critical of UFO stories unless officially sanctioned.

Fahrney's announcement is seen as a significant milestone in the public's attitude toward aerial phenomena. The article suggests that NICAP's formation and Fahrney's involvement could lead to more factual information being disseminated to the public, potentially prompting a rational demand for government explanations. The author expresses belief that NICAP, with Admiral Fahrney's cooperation, will help break down the 'paper curtain' surrounding UFO news.

UFO Filter Center Organized

This section announces the establishment of the first civilian UFO filter center in the U.S. at A.P.R.G. Headquarters. The center aims to analyze, plot, and correlate UFO reports with almost perfect accuracy. Reports classified as 'unknown' are pinpointed on a map, and the center is operational 24 hours a day. While acknowledging limitations in checking all air traffic, the center believes a pattern in UFO activity is emerging, allowing for the sifting out of conventional objects. APRG Headquarters will now serve as the national filter center for all unidentified flying object reports and other aerial phenomena. Members are urged to submit information on UFO activity in their areas, providing publication details for clippings and exact dates and locations for broadcast information. The organization is also planning a large map of the United States to visually represent the concentration of UFO sightings.

Book Review: The Report On Unidentified Flying Objects

Reviewed by Lise Lagozzino, this section discusses Edward Ruppelt's book, which details the U.S. Air Force's research into UFOs, including cases that were explained and those that remain unknown. The reviewer notes that while the book can be exasperating for enthusiasts, Ruppelt's objective approach and the thoroughness of the investigations are admirable. Ruppelt's own view is that many initially unexplainable reports are resolved upon thorough investigation, but he acknowledges that some reports remain truly unknown, particularly those made by experienced pilots and radar operators.

The Brazilian UFO Review: The Guaiba-Tapes Road Incident

Part IV of this series, continued from the January issue, details an incident involving Mr. Rebelo and his family. While driving near Tapes, they observed a bright, silvery-white light that hovered about five hundred meters high. The light grew in size, reflecting sunlight. A second similar light appeared and approached the first. Despite the initial fear of his family, Mr. Rebelo decided to observe further. The lights remained motionless as the car passed beneath one of them, eventually fading into darkness. The article notes that the Air Force ordered a careful investigation by Major Hungaretti, Chief of Air Force special investigation of UFO's in Rio Grande do Sul, which was conducted secretly. The press initially ignored the story, but a Rio magazine later published an article by Mr. J. Martins, which documented the case and added new facts. A conflicting version of the story, involving beings emerging from the crafts, was denied by Mr. Rebelo. The investigation found no physical evidence like marks or tracks, and no conventional explanations like marsh gas or reflections from the car's lights fit the observed phenomena. Questioning of witnesses in Tapes revealed that others had also seen strange lights. The article concludes by suggesting that the UFOs might have been conducting a 'cold-blooded test' to study human reactions to danger.

News Of Spitzbergen UFO Revealed

This section, by William H. Noordhoek Hegt, references Donald Keyhoe's book 'Flying Saucers From Outer Space' regarding a large disc found near Spitzbergen. A Norwegian board of inquiry, chaired by Colonel Gernod Darnbyl, is preparing a publication on the examination of the crashed UFO. Darnbyl states that the disc was not built in any country on Earth and contains instruments with Russian symbols. The materials used are unknown, and the disc's properties can only be obtained through processes still unknown to science. The board is awaiting discussions with U.S. and British experts before publishing a full report to avoid public panic. Lieutenants Brobs and Tyllensen claim flying discs have landed in the Arctic regions multiple times, suggesting it serves as an air base for 'unknowns' during snowstorms. They observed the discs executing rapid rotations upon landing and noted a brilliant glow of light that obscured the interior.

The Universe

By Carol Honey, this is the first in a series of articles designed to inform APRG members about astronomy. It explains basic terms like 'Parsec' (19,200 billion miles) and 'galaxy' (a system of suns). The Milky Way galaxy contains approximately 100,000 million stars, each potentially having planets. The article highlights the vastness of the universe, with galaxies existing billions of light-years away. It mentions the brightest star, Sirius, and explains that its apparent flashing colors are due to atmospheric haze. The sun is described as a yellow dwarf, with its surface temperature equivalent to 12,000 earths and its core temperature estimated at 30 million degrees, powered by atomic energy.

New Planet Found By Palomar Scope

Palomar Observatory astronomers have named a newly discovered small planet 'Geographos'. Dr. Ira Sprague Bowen announced that Geographos comes closer to Earth than any other celestial object with a known orbit, except the moon. In 1969, it will be less than four million miles away. Geographos' year is about 17 months, and its size is estimated to be less than a mile in diameter, making it too small to be seen with the naked eye but detectable on photographic plates.

Long John and "The Party Line"

This section describes 'Long John', host of a unique radio forum on WOR in New York, which has evolved from a disc-jockey show into a public forum for 'Off Beat' subjects like UFOs, reincarnation, and occultism. The program, called 'The Party Line', features informal discussions with guests. An estimated 1,500,000 UFO 'party-liners' participate. Listeners are encouraged to write to Mutual Broadcasting Co. to request the program be put on the Mutual network.

Late Bulletins

Brief news items include the discovery of four small unrecorded planets by the Purple Mountain Observatory in Nanking and the confirmation of two flying discs over Burbank, California, by Officer Robert Wells.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the increasing official acknowledgment and investigation of UFO phenomena, the vastness of the universe and the possibility of extraterrestrial life, and the reporting of specific UFO sightings. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, encouraging the collection and analysis of UFO data, and advocating for greater transparency from government and military sources regarding these events. There is a clear interest in promoting the A.P.R.G. as a central hub for UFO research and information dissemination.