APRO Bulletin - 1957 09 - September

Magazine Overview

The A. P. R. O. Bulletin - September 1957

This issue of The A. P. R. O. Bulletin, dated September 1957, is a publication of the Aerial Phenomena Research Organization (A. P. R. O.), dedicated to investigating unidentified aerial objects (UAOs).

Cover Story: WSPG Scientist Sees UAO

The main headline reports on a UAO sighting by Nathan Wagner, Chief of Missile Flight Safety at White Sands Proving Ground and Holloman Missile Test Center. On July 24th, at 10:30 a.m., while driving to El Paso, Texas, Wagner and his wife observed an unconventional aerial object. Wagner, responsible for safety factors in missile launches, is described as a qualified observer. Mrs. Wagner called the object a "flying saucer." The object was traveling almost due east toward the Organ Mountains. Wagner's son and daughter also confirmed the observation. The object was observed for 35-40 seconds. The El Paso Times reported the sighting on an inside page, quoting Wagner as saying it was a "reasonable position to take to say that such a craft might have been involved in some incidents." He also stated the object was not picked up on surveillance radar at White Sands. Clyde Tombaugh, a famed astronomer, was quoted as saying that the possibility of space travel in "near-collisions" existed.

Landing in Ontario, Canada

A fifteen-year-old boy, Ted Stephens, claimed to have witnessed a "flying saucer" land in a corn-stubble field near Galt, Ontario, on July 30th. The Toronto Telegram and Toronto Daily Star reported details. Physical evidence included a 30-foot diameter circle of burned corn stubble and three pressed-down areas inside the circle. Stephens described the object as about 30 feet in diameter, silver-colored, with a turret and portholes, hovering for 40 minutes before landing. The farm owner, Mr. Knapp, expressed skepticism about a hoax, noting the difficulty of creating such marks. The depressions were about 10 feet apart, tapering to a point, and about 10 inches deep at their broadest. The burned area was a two-inch ribbon of charred ground. The Stephens boy was alone with his dog when the object appeared. The newspaper accounts noted that the triangular-shaped depressions were likely made by occupants, but the editor suggests they were made by a steadying device. The editor also comments on the significant weight an object would need to create such indentations.

Pilot Relates UAO Encounter

Captain Wladimiro Fernandez, commander of a Venezuelan Aeropostal Lines passenger plane, reported an encounter with a UAO on August 7th while landing at Maiquetia, Venezuela. Fernandez, his passengers, and crew described the object as huge and luminous, with red and white lights, traveling at high speed and disappearing to the north. Fernandez confirmed with the Maiquetia Control Tower that no aircraft was in the area. He radioed the tower, describing it as a "strange luminous space craft." The object was observed near Cape Codera.

Freighter Sights UAO Over Pacific

Roy Melton, chief electrician, and Virge Dixon, second cook, aboard the Matson freighter Hawaiian Fisherman, reported observing three unconventional aerial objects about 150 miles off San Francisco Bay on June 18th. The objects were spotted around 8 p.m. and were described as about 10,000 feet high, emitting a cold, white, unchanging light. A third object joined the two, and they moved in a "V" formation, pacing the freighter. Speculation aboard ship identified them as weather balloons or flying saucers, but their continued movement at night dispelled the balloon theory. Crew members expressed awe, with the skipper noting he'd never seen anything like them.

The West Coast "Meteor"

This article, compiled by "Mr. X," details a widespread sighting of a glowing object across a vast area of the Western United States on the night of August 1st at 9:30 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time. Thousands of Westerners reported seeing the object, with reports varying on direction, speed, coloration, shedding of fragments, and altitude. Official evaluators concluded it was a meteor, but disagreed on its behavior. The object was consistently observed for five to ten seconds. Sightings were reported from San Francisco, Fresno, Medford, Boise, Portland, Lovelock, and Salt Lake City, with slight time variations in Eureka and Yreka. The object was described as trailing a tail, shedding sparks or fragments, and changing color. In Yreka, reports mentioned an explosion and disintegration. Bob Curry, a Civil Aeronautics Administration controller, noted CAA was receiving sighting reports from planes across a wide area. Dr. Thomas C. Poulter, a polar scientist, described seeing a meteor that became visible 60-65 miles above the earth and faded out about 30 miles above the ground, leaving a stream of fragments and a continuous tail. In contrast, Eureka amateur astronomer William Abbey reported the object traveled north and disintegrated in the northeast, with fragments falling straight down. Deputy Sheriff Allan Morris of Smith River reported seeing a blue incandescent light hovering near U.S. Highway 101 for eight to ten seconds, describing it as "definitely below the rim of the hills." He reported the sighting to the Air Force. Mrs. Lois Wright reported a bright, glowing green oval with a streamer or tail.

'Ball of Fire' Burns Plane In Flight

On July 28th, the tail of an American Airlines plane was pierced by a small "ball of fire" while airborne near Knoxville, Tennessee. The incident was attributed to static electricity by an Air Lines spokesman. Passenger Mrs. Leo Soroka described a flash of light and a "ball of fire" coming up the side of the plane, causing a sudden lurch and loss of altitude. The Air Force stated that short wires on aircraft are designed to carry static electricity away, but the charge built up due to a thunderstorm. The damage was a small puncture in the vertical fin.

Two Planes In Near Collisions With UAO

Captain Ted Bachner of American Airlines reported a near-collision on July 17th at 3:30 a.m. near Salt Flats, Texas. His DC-6 plane was at 14,000 feet when he spotted an object about ten miles away, climbing fast and traveling east. The object swerved directly into his path, forcing Bachner to drop his ship 200 feet in a right turn to avoid disaster. The object passed only 50 feet over their heads and was described as a "big jet, like a B-47 or bigger." Two passengers were detained for observation at El Paso hospital. The CAA and Air Force investigated, establishing that no planes were in the area. On July 22nd, a Trans-World Airlines plane piloted by Capt. G. M. Schemel of Kenosha, Wisconsin, had a similar near-miss near Amarillo, Texas. The Constellation airplane was at 18,000 feet when Schemel spotted a green light and a red light bearing down on the plane. Schemel, busy avoiding the object, could not describe it but noted it went over their head. One passenger suffered head cuts and a bruised back. The article suggests that pilots are reluctant to discuss these incidents for fear of reducing air travel and speculates that some "mysterious air disasters" blamed on "metal fatigue" might be caused by UAOs.

Saucer Mags

This section reviews several "saucer mags," praising UFO Critical Bulletin (Brazil), "Uranus" (UK), and S. P. A. C. E. (Florida) for their quality reporting. It also mentions the UFO NEWS REPORT (Japan) and the "Civilian Saucer Investigation" of New Zealand. The article notes receiving "Flying Saucer Review" from London and "Satellite" from New Orleans. It also highlights the "Catholic Association of International Astrophysics" and its publication, edited by APRO member Joseph Rolas.

Recent Sightings

This section details numerous sightings from various locations:

• Venezuelan Cities (June 4, 1957): A large bolide meteor or UAO crashed near Arapuey, leaving a 90-120 foot charred area.
• Roswell, New Mexico (May 17, 1957): Two men observed a glistening white, oval object moving horizontally at high speed, performing a sharp 90-degree turn north. It changed shape and color against a cloud.
• Indianapolis, Indiana (May 29, 1957): Two objects were observed at approximately 25,000 feet, shining with brilliant white light. One disappeared and reappeared. They engaged in complex maneuvers, including moving toward and away from a jet's vapor trail.
• Monticello, Indiana (June 21, 1957): A UAO paced an airliner, circled it, and then shot straight up at tremendous speed, emitting a dull blue-white light.
• Greencastle, Indiana (June 24 & 26, 1957): Teenagers reported a "huge", "red-lighted" object hovering about 200 feet above their car, with white lights resembling spotlights. An object ejected something that exploded, causing minor injuries.
• Toronto, Ontario, Canada (July 22, 1957): The RCAF Ground Observer Corps tracked a "flying saucer" described as a "little ball of fire" that shifted direction.
• Kitwe, Northern Rhodesia (July 21, 1957): Copper miners reported "flying saucers" with flaming tails moving at high speed.
• Ciudad Bolivar, Venezuela (July 4, 1957): A large, luminous object crossed the sky, leaving a trail of smoke.
• San Cristobal, Venezuela (July 7, 1957): A large, round, luminous orange-colored object traveled at high speed.
• Mapire, Venezuela (July 8, 1957): An object resembling a ball of fire fell into the Orinoco River.
• Great Bend, Kansas (July 12, 1957): A round, silver object was spotted hurtling through the sky.
• Roswell, New Mexico (July 27, 1957): Three UAO were reported traveling west, then stopping and moving backward. They were described as white and round, not planes.
• Collingwood, Ontario, Canada (July 2, 1957): A yellow-white light maneuvered for about an hour.
• Chester Park, Pennsylvania (August 2, 1957): A "shooting star"-like object stopped and moved erratically for an hour.
• Caracas, Venezuela (August 2, 1957): Residents sighted numerous stationary luminous circular objects that hovered and then shot off at high speed.
• Naples, Italy (August 4, 1957): Residents reported "flying discs" and luminous beams of unknown nature cruising swiftly.
• Alton, Illinois (August 5, 1957): A rocket-like object with a "tail of fire" was observed descending and then moving north at high speed.
• Siquiesique, Venezuela (August 5, 1957): Oval-shaped objects passed overhead at high speed, leaving a white trail.
• Barjuisimeto, Venezuela (August 5, 1957): Six oval-shaped, luminous objects passed overhead, leaving a white trail that took a long time to disintegrate.
• Winchester, Indiana (August 7, 8, 9, 1957): A "2-block-long cucumber-shaped whitish-green" object was sighted three times, hovering and then disappearing into clouds.
• Indianapolis, Indiana (August 7, 1957): Multiple unconventional aerial objects were seen, described as brilliantly colored (red, white, green, pink), flashing, dimming, sparkling, and wavering.
• Salta, Argentina (August 8, 1957): "Spinning-top" shaped objects of approximately 900 feet diameter were observed, making rapid descents and later exploding into luminous beams.
• Calabozo, Venezuela (August 8, 1957): A circular, luminous object traveling at high speed was seen by a large crowd, then disappeared and reappeared, describing large circles.
• Anapolis, Brazil (August 9, 1957): A luminous disc-shaped object hovered for 40 minutes before disappearing toward the Atlantic Coast.
• Lawrence, Kansas (August 9-13, 1957): A bright yellow light was reported flashing through the sky on five separate nights, traveling at high speed.
• Tampico, Mexico (July 30, 1957): A round, luminous object gave off a whitish light, hovered, and performed maneuvers before disappearing south, sporting a yellowish halo.
• Yokohama, Japan (June 10, 1957): A cigar-shaped object gave off a brilliant silvery glow, traveling from southwest to northeast.
• Tokyo, Japan (June 10, 1957): Two small round silvery objects made "zig-zag fluttery movements" and hovered.
• Mt. Fujiama, Japan (July 1, 1957): Six mountain climbers observed a disc-shaped silvery, glowing object that oscillated in flight.
• Manila, Philippines (June 4, 1957): A greenish-white colored light was observed moving slowly over the southeastern area.

Odds and Ends

This section compiles various unusual incidents:

• Sonic Blasts: In Pasadena, California, on April 9th, a huge concussion rattled windows and set off alarms. AF jets were airborne, but spokesmen couldn't confirm their flight plan was over the area. The article notes that flight plans are required to indicate exact locations.
• Mystery Vibrations: Parts of New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania were rocked by "mystery vibrations" on April 2nd, shaking state buildings and cracking a sidewalk. McGuire AFB stated pilots have orders to break the sound barrier far offshore, making it unlikely an AF plane was involved.
• Falling Ice: On January 20th, 1957, a 12-inch hole was made in a ceiling in Limerick, Ireland, by falling ice, attributed to a transatlantic airliner. On March 28th, a 135-pound hunk of ice fell in Moline Acres, Missouri, making a 15-inch dent in the ground. The airliner theory is discounted, and some ice was saved for study. Another incident involved a disk found in Temple City, Calif., with the legend "Poison Inside." A chunk of ice also fell on Roy Kellet's car.
• Windshields Exploding: The theory of expanding hot air in a closed automobile is mentioned as a possible explanation for exploding windshields, but it doesn't explain pitting observed in 1954.
• Dr. Otto Halpern: Dr. Halpern lost a bid to sue the government for damages related to a secrecy order that barred his patent application for a method to escape radar detection.
• Roy Kellet's Car: A chunk of ice fell on Roy Kellet's car.
• Van Tassel: Van Tassel, who runs "Saucer conventions" at Giant Rock, California, announced his candidacy for President in 1960.

The 'Unexplainables'

This section presents incidents not directly connected to "flying saucers" but related to aerial phenomena:

• Louisville, Kentucky (June 13): A fireball followed Raymond E. Creek through his home during an electrical storm. Creek theorized it struck the screen at the bathroom window, causing third-degree burns to his wife.
• Giant Rock: Aura Rhanes, described as Betherum's saucer-captain paramour, was introduced in a space suit. Many plane passengers on night flights are reportedly carrying cameras to photograph UAOs.
• Chicago Visionaries: A group led by John Otto was organizing to signal UAOs with a "light beam projector." The article questions the research value of this.
• Chicago Tribune Article: An article on April 29th featured Detroit publisher Henry Maday, who claimed to have seen five UAOs. The audience paid $1.50 to hear him. Mrs. Alice Toudor, Miss Chicago of 1934, claimed to have met a Venusian "saucerman" in Hollywood and arranged a date to Venus.
• New Exterior Plane-Lighting System: A new system is being tested that flashes lights from tail to nose, intended to eliminate air disasters. It provides the visual effect of a stream of lights.
• Comdr. George W. Hoover: The Office of Naval Research official stated at a Denver symposium that space flight might eliminate war, especially if an extraterrestrial enemy threat emerged.
• Falling Ice Incidents: Detailed incidents of falling ice are reported from Reading, Pennsylvania (July 30th), where two chunks of ice fell near farmer Edward Groff, and Ainsworth, Nebraska (July 14th), where a "sky concussion" shook the area. Authorities were baffled, and airlines stated their ice carried is cube-sized.
• Sonic Booms: A sonic boom in Omaha, Nebraska (July 5th), was unexplained. In Los Angeles, California (May 21st), a sonic boom rocked a wide area, cracking ceilings and driveways. Military and aviation authorities denied having planes aloft. The article includes an editorial comment questioning Colonel Dean Hess's statement about sonic booms being a "Mother's whisper" compared to potential future events.

An Editorial

The editorial requests leniency from members regarding release dates of the September and November issues due to the Asiatic flu epidemic affecting Texas and expected to spread to New Mexico. It notes that with only ten local members, confinement could impair headquarters' work. The editorial also asks members to check their cards and receipts and make renewals on time to reduce the workload of dues reminder mailings.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the widespread reporting of Unidentified Aerial Objects (UAOs) across various geographical locations, the detailed accounts of sightings, and the investigation into physical evidence. The bulletin also highlights near-miss incidents involving commercial aircraft, raising concerns about air safety. There's a consistent effort to present eyewitness accounts and official reports, often juxtaposed with skeptical or conventional explanations like meteors or weather balloons. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into UAO phenomena, encouraging members to contribute and stay informed, while also acknowledging the practical challenges of publication and organization. The inclusion of "Odds and Ends" and "The Unexplainables" sections suggests a broad scope of investigation, encompassing unusual events that may or may not be directly related to UAOs but are deemed of interest.