APRG Reporter - Vol 7 No 02 - No 74 - 11 1968

Magazine Overview

Title: APRG REPORTER
Issue Date: November 1968
Volume: 7
Issue Number: 74
Publisher: Aerial Phenomena Research Group (APRG)
Editor: Robert J. Gribble

This issue of the APRG Reporter focuses on multiple UFO sightings and investigations, presenting eyewitness accounts and expert analysis from late 1966 through late 1968.

Key Articles and Reports

Alien Craft Lands Near Washington, D.C.

This lead article details a sighting by a 16-year-old Bethesda, Maryland youth on October 24, 1968. The youth described a large, disc-shaped craft with a cone-shaped protrusion that landed in a park near River Road and Western Avenue around 6 a.m. The craft, estimated to be about 17 yards across, had alternating red, white, and yellow lights and appeared to be made of silver, metallic material. After about 20 minutes, the craft departed, leaving behind a hole in the ground (approximately two feet by a foot and a half) and a scorched circular area of earth (about two feet wide).

A team of eight investigators, including representatives from NASA and the Library of Congress, led by Gordon Lore, examined the site. They collected earth samples for chemical analysis to detect foreign metal particles and conducted a Geiger counter test, which showed no unusual radiation levels six days after the sighting. The youth, described as a 'stable young man' and 'a reliable source,' stated that he and his friends had played in the area for years and had never seen the hole before. His parents requested anonymity due to potential bad publicity.

Psychiatrist Reports on UFOs

This section features a report by Dr. Berthold Eric Schwarz, an assistant attending psychiatrist at Montclair Community Hospital in Montclair, New Jersey. While Dr. Schwarz has not personally seen a UFO, he has interviewed many witnesses. He cites four cases in his article for 'Medical Times,' two from New Jersey and two from Pennsylvania. Dr. Schwarz believes the 'objective details of the reported UFO experiences are essentially real, and neither phantasied nor dereistic.'

One case detailed is that of Sergeant Benjamin Thompson of the Wanaque Reservoir Police Force. Thompson reported observing UFOs on four separate occasions. On October 11, 1966, he saw a UFO described as 'big as an automobile, or bigger,' about 250 feet up, which was so bright it blinded him. He described it as a basketball with a hole and a football set in it, capable of shooting straight up. A fellow officer and a woman driving by also witnessed this craft.

Another New Jersey case involved Jerry H. Simons, a 22-year-old forester, who reported a sighting five days after Thompson's. While camping at Split Rock Reservoir, Simons saw a bright light that resolved into a distinct, solid body. The 'wierd light' pursued his car, causing him to speed to a friend's house. Simons estimated the UFO to be 25 by 30 feet and at tree height, making no noise and emitting no odor. His car's engine became unresponsive for less than a minute, and later started spontaneously even with the ignition key off. Three months later, Simons was admitted to the hospital for a 'fascinating illness' characterized by fatigue, anorexia, generalized soreness, weakness, drowsiness, chills, and weight loss.

A Pennsylvania case involved a 73-year-old electrical contractor who, with a friend, witnessed an 'awesome, huge, flaming body' that caused his auto engine to stall and lights to go out momentarily. Dr. Schwarz notes that Thompson's drawing of the UFO closely resembled Simons' sighting.

Fishermen Report Flying Object

Three fishermen reported witnessing an alien object on November 22, 1968, while their shrimp boat, the Gulf Central, was heading to Biloxi, Mississippi. The object reportedly came from the stars, crossed the water to their boat, hovered for a minute, and then flew straight up at high speed. The skipper, Preston L. Mallette, Sr., was trying to locate another lost vessel, the Bobby Charles. The object was described as a brilliant light, initially mistaken for a star, that descended rapidly, made a 45-degree turn, and then traveled across the water towards their boat.

It approached within 1000 feet overhead, made no noise, and was brilliantly lighted. The fishermen estimated its size to be about 15 feet in diameter. It was described as flat on top, bulging at the bottom, and round, like a plate. The craft emitted a bright white light that illuminated the boat without blinding the observers. They looked for blinkers but saw none. It took 30 seconds to a minute to disappear after shooting straight up.

UFO 'Sank in River'

This report details an incident evaluated by Professor R.H. MacNeill, a geology professor at Acadia University. On September 15, 1968, four boys, including 14-year-old David Taylor, were on the Cornwallis River dyke near Port Williams, Nova Scotia, Canada. They observed a black craft, about 15 feet across and six feet high, hovering 100 feet above the river. The craft appeared to be oscillating like a spinning top. It then slowly moved down and onto the water, moving with the current without a splash or noise. When the boys reached the spot, they saw only a black shadow under the water. The object broke the surface twice before slowly moving out and sinking into the river, described as a 'huge mass.' Professor MacNeill, who arrived later, did not see the object but felt the boys, described as an intelligent group, had seen something.

Three Alien Craft Land in Mississippi

John M. Putnam of Cameron described three alien craft that landed in his driveway around October 20, 1968. He awoke to a scraping sound and discovered three extremely bright objects in his driveway. The objects were so bright they lit up the countryside. They were described as round metal corn bins, with one seven feet in diameter, another five and a half feet, and a third four and a half feet across. All were about 12 feet tall. Putnam could see through them as if they were Christmas trees. As he went out to investigate, the craft disappeared instantly, 'just like blowing out a match.' Putnam noted three distinct circular tracks left in his driveway.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The APRG Reporter consistently presents eyewitness accounts of UFO phenomena, often with a focus on physical evidence such as landing traces or witness testimony corroborated by others. The magazine appears to take a serious, investigative approach to these reports, often citing the involvement of scientific or governmental agencies (NASA, Library of Congress) in investigations. The editorial stance seems to be one of open inquiry, presenting the data and witness accounts without definitive pronouncements, but with an underlying suggestion that these phenomena are real and warrant further study, as indicated by Dr. Schwarz's quote about the 'essentially real' nature of the reported experiences.