APRG REPORTER

Magazine Overview

Title: APRG REPORTER
Issue Date: March 1969
Volume: 7
Issue Number: 78
Publisher: Aerial Phenomena Research Group (APRG)
Editor: Robert J. Gribble

This issue of the APRG Reporter, published by the Aerial Phenomena Research Group, details several UFO sightings and related phenomena from March 1969 and earlier. The publication aims to serve the public with information on aerial phenomena, operating as a non-profit organization since January 1, 1955.

City Trooper Tells of 'Object' Sighted in Sky

A state trooper, DeWayne Barnes, recounted his experience with a reported UFO sighting in the Billings, Nebraska area on the night of March 4, 1969. Barnes stated he had no idea what the object was, and neither did anyone else who observed it. The object was described as 'bright' and flying through the skies. Vance Air Base officials could not confirm their radar screen picked up the object, though it was reported they did see something cross their screen. Mr. and Mrs. Ivan Hostetler, residents southeast of Billings, first spotted the object around 8 p.m. and reported it to the patrol. Highway Patrol headquarters at Pawnee confirmed that one of their units spotted a reddish object, and troopers who went to the Hostetler homes verified the sighting. Barnes observed the object through binoculars, describing it as cone-shaped and very bright, moving slowly across the sky. Hostetler noted it moved west-northwest from Billings and grew dimmer, describing it as not perfectly round but 'sorta different on one side from the other.' An OHP spokesman confirmed an object was on radar from Vance Air Force Base and that its location was confirmed by Highway Patrol units as being the same place the Hostetlers reported. The spokesman stated, 'It was not a helicopter, it was not an airplane...the object was on radar, but we have no idea what it was.'

Strange Lights Terrify Taradale, New Zealand

Two youths in Taradale, New Zealand, claim they had to abandon their car seconds before it crashed into a shop window because they were being chased by a 'diving, flying object.' Napier police have accepted their story and have been patrolling areas where UFOs have been spotted, with at least two constables confirming seeing strange lights in the sky. Many Taradale residents are reportedly jittery about flashing lights and ominous rumblings, and are frightened of traveling alone at night. The youths stated they had to abandon their car last September after being chased by a bright light, which resulted in the car smashing into a fruiterer's shop. A resident, Mr. V. Walker, described the youths as 'trembling with fear' as they hobbled from the scene. He also mentioned that the youths had apparently been hunting the flying object for days. On a previous Friday night, they reportedly heard an explosion near the Taradale dump and saw a massive flashing object rise from the ground. Walker added that the youths claimed they saw 'some of these things flying in formation and told the cops, who laughed at them.' On September 9, the youths reportedly set out again and reported another sighting to the police. The following evening, they claimed to have seen a flying object and followed it by driving around town. Mr. Walker recounted that the youths believed it 'dived on them,' and one of them exclaimed, 'Bail out, it's got us.' The car was traveling at between 30 and 40 mph when they jumped. The youths, one of whom works for Mr. Walker, are unwilling to discuss the incident further. Their fear has become 'infectious,' with at least a score of people claiming to have seen UFOs. One resident stated, 'I wouldn't go to the UFO area in a million years. There's evidently something in it because the whole town knows about it now.' The insurance company handling the crash damage claim has reportedly accepted the UFO story but refused to comment.

UFOs 'Angel Fuzz' Puzzling Scientists

A chemical analysis has reportedly failed to identify a substance that allegedly floated down from a UFO over Houston, Texas, on November 3. The report, released by Gene Senter, president of the Houston Discussion Group on UFOs, indicated the mysterious substance, resembling 'angel hair,' would be sent to the Aerial Phenomena Research Organization in Tucson, Arizona, for further analysis. Robert Hubbard, 15, and David Kelley, 17, students at Spring Branch High School, recounted observing the UFO. Hubbard described seeing something like a coin on its side with a dome and black dots like windows, which moved up slowly and disappeared when a commercial jet appeared. Kelley stated that he and Hubbard retrieved the hairlike fibers that began falling over the area before the jet arrived. Some of the substance reached David Wulgier, a professor of music at the University of Houston with an interest in UFOs. Wuliger reported that a chemist, who requested anonymity, analyzed the substance in the laboratory of a petroleum company. Microscopic and tactile examination indicated the substance was fibrous, elastic, relatively strong, somewhat sticky, and white. Under a powerful microscope, it looked like a rope with many fibers, but after being carbonized, it appeared to have a honeycomb structure. The chemist noted that it only changed color when heated, indicating it was organic. Wuliger stated, 'I assure you it was a tremendous lab. The chemist was unable to determine with his methods and materials what the substance was.'

UFO Mystifies Montana Residents

An UFO reportedly hovered over Miles City, Montana, near the airport around midnight on March 15 for approximately 15 minutes before moving toward the Dickinson, North Dakota area. The object was observed by several Miles City residents, including FAA employee Ray Bishop and City Police Officer Jim Pace. They described it as a large, egg-shaped object with a pulsating orange color. Despite being close to the airport, it made no audible sound. Bishop stated it was definitely not a conventional aircraft. Both Pace and Bishop observed the object with binoculars and reported that a beam of light shone upward, apparently hitting something above. They could not discern any structural design. Bishop contacted the FAA station at Dickinson, which visually observed the same object coming toward them. They watched it for about 15 minutes as it turned north and went out of sight.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The APRG Reporter consistently focuses on UFO sightings and related phenomena, presenting witness testimonies, official reports (or lack thereof), and preliminary scientific investigations. The magazine appears to adopt a neutral stance, reporting events as described by witnesses and officials, while also highlighting the puzzling nature of these occurrences and the challenges in identifying them. The inclusion of scientific analysis, even when inconclusive, suggests an effort to explore potential explanations. The publication's commitment to non-profit service since 1955 underscores its dedication to disseminating information on this subject matter.