APRO BULLETIN

Magazine Overview

Title: APRO BULLETIN
Issue Date: July 15, 1952
Publisher: AERIAL PHENOMENA RESEARCH ORGANIZATION
Document Type: Magazine Issue

This issue of the APRO Bulletin, Volume 1, Number 1, marks a transition to a mimeograph format and a renumbering of issues. It aims to represent the growing Aerial Phenomena Research Organization (APRO) more effectively. The publication covers a range of topics related to unidentified flying objects (UFOs), including public perception, government involvement, and detailed sighting reports.

The Saucer Bandwagon

The lead article, "The Saucer Bandwagon," notes the increasing attention flying saucers are receiving from major publications like LIFE, LOOK, Reader's Digest, and Argosy. The author suggests that these publications, with the sanction of the Air Force, are subtly introducing the idea that extraterrestrial entities might have already mastered space travel. The article critically examines Dr. David H. Menzel's explanations for UFO phenomena, as published in LOOK, arguing that his atmospheric inversion theory is insufficient to explain many reported sightings, such as the New Mexico green fireballs or double-decked ships.

Public Apathy Fouls Skywatch

This section addresses the upcoming 'Skywatch' initiative, scheduled to begin July 15th, which the Air Force is promoting to enlist public cooperation in monitoring the skies. The article expresses skepticism about the Air Force's motives, suggesting that the timing and emphasis on 'Skywatch' might be related to the increased frequency of saucer sightings during summer months. It implies that the Air Force, having potentially recovered alien technology (referencing the 'Mexico Crash-landing'), is now focused on capturing a live UFO for contact, and that public participation in 'Skywatch' might provide opportunities for individuals to witness or gather information about such events, though such information would likely not be made public.

The Editorial

The editorial explains the decision to renumber the bulletin as Volume I, Number 1, due to the adoption of a mimeograph machine and the significant increase in membership following a May drive. It acknowledges that older issues were poorly printed and lacked recent sighting information. The editorial also announces an upcoming supplement featuring articles by member Art Jaffray, who has extensively investigated saucers. It highlights the need for new members to bolster APRO's capacity for investigating sightings and rumors. The formation of a Sturgeon Bay chapter is mentioned, along with the election of Coral Lorenzen as its director. The editor notes that a feature article on flying saucers, written by the director, was published in the Green Bay Press Gazette and that mimeographed copies will be made available to members to encourage local newspaper publication. The editorial also introduces Dick Haislet as a new writing staff member for the bulletin and urges members to contribute information and ideas, emphasizing that the bulletin is their publication.

Grapevine

This section presents rumors and unconfirmed reports related to UFOs. One rumor suggests an editor of an SF magazine is under FBI surveillance due to contact with 'space spies.' Another rumor, previously mentioned by Walter Winchell, concerns a saucer landing in the Mojave Desert with four occupants. Frank Edwards, a news analyst, is cited as reporting that the Pentagon (Air Force) believes saucers are interplanetary vehicles and that attempts have been made to contact them, including an incident in Maryland where a saucer was allegedly 'shot' at with a radar beam. The section also includes a rumor about a spaceship from Mars, Venus, Saturn, and the Wold 359 system, with occupants ranging from 3 to 6 feet tall, who have learned Earth languages by monitoring radio broadcasts. A member in New York City reported contacting a 'space spy' at an atomic energy exhibit.

Recent Sightings

This section details numerous UFO sightings from around the world:

• Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (May 7-8, 1952): Reports describe a blue-grey object, seen by hundreds and photographed, which was too large and fast to be a conventional aircraft or balloon. The INS reported on pictures showing a pot-lid-shaped object with a knob, rocking like a falling leaf and disappearing.
• Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, USA (May 21, 1952): A flying saucer was spotted by multiple witnesses, including a tavern owner and the superintendent of Peninsula State Park. It was described as round, wingless, and noiseless, with a glow and a red light. Later, a similar object was observed at a 45-degree angle, oval-shaped with a red glow, moving northeast.
• Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, USA (May 22, 1952): A saucer-shaped object was seen in the evening, described as dark, round, and emitting brilliant light. A General Mills spokesperson suggested it might have been a balloon.
• Los Angeles, California, USA (December 30, 1951): Vincent Sonsini, a tool designer, sketched a fast-moving blue light, described as a flying saucer, about 4,000 feet up, making no noise and exhibiting advanced maneuverability.
• Chicago, Illinois, USA (June 25, 1952): John Olivero reported seeing two 'silver' discs flying about 10,000 feet up, going straight up and making no noise.
• Texarkana, Texas, USA (June 27, 1952): Clifton Spears reported a 'double-decker type' saucer, composed of two gleaming silver oblong shapes, moving at a terrific speed.
• Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, USA (June 23, 1952): Four young people observed a brilliant blue light and a red one hovering and maneuvering in the sky.
• Milwaukee and Stevens Point, Wisconsin, USA (June 26, 1952): A 'fireball' was reported, with the Milwaukee Astronomical Society attempting to trace its movement.
• Japan (May 1952): A strange, round floating object, impenetrable by mine-sweeper bullets, was found bobbing in the Tougaru Strait.
• Sister Bay, Wisconsin, USA (July 1951): Mr. Harlow Nolson observed an orange-red fireball, round and about ten inches in diameter, moving very fast.
• St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin, USA (October 10, 1951): J.J. Kaliszowski and Jack Donahue observed an object crossing the skies from east to west, higher and beyond a balloon.
• Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA (October 11, 1951): Kaliszewski and Dick Reilly observed a brightly glowing object to the southwest, moving at a very high rate of speed and altitude.
• Arizona (April 17, 1952): Frank Edwards reported a sighting of a huge, bright oval object by two pilots, estimated at 70,000 feet, five times larger than a B-29, with no wings and very luminous.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of the APRO Bulletin include the perceived government cover-up or slow-release of information regarding UFOs, the potential for interplanetary origins of these craft, and the need for public awareness and investigation. The editorial stance is one of skepticism towards official explanations that dismiss UFOs as balloons or natural phenomena, and a strong belief that these objects represent a genuine, possibly extraterrestrial, phenomenon. The bulletin actively encourages member participation in reporting sightings and contributing to the collective effort to understand these events. There is a clear emphasis on the idea that the Air Force is aware of the true nature of the saucers and is strategically managing public perception. The publication also highlights the role of media in either promoting or suppressing information about UFOs.

Notable Quotes

• "Scientists welcome this strange invasion, They do so for one important reason: They realize our need for the lesson that has already been learned in some other world."
• Lawrence

• "We cannot stress enough the need for new members, for in number we will be capable of ferreting out and investigating every new sighting and rumor."
• THE EDITOR

FAQ

• Q: What is the purpose of the 'Skywatch' initiative? A: The purpose of the 'Skywatch' is to provide complete protection for the country by filling in where the radar blanket is incomplete.

• Q: What is Dr. David H. Menzel's theory on flying saucers? A: Dr. Menzel's theory suggests that atmospheric conditions can create light inversions that account for flying lights and other phenomena attributed to saucers.

• Q: What is APRO's stance on the origin of flying saucers? A: APRO's stance, based on conservative deduction and elimination of other possibilities, is that the saucers are interplanetary vehicles of some kind.

• Q: What historical UFO sightings are mentioned in the issue? A: The issue mentions historical sightings including a 'birdlike' form in Oakland, California in 1896, and an object sighted in 1951 near St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin.

• Q: What is the significance of the Rio de Janeiro saucer sighting? A: The Rio de Janeiro saucer sighting is considered significant because the object was seen by hundreds, recorded by camera, and described as a large, round, wingless, and noiseless craft.