APRO Bulletin - 1960 11 00 - November

Magazine Overview

The A.P.R.O. BULLETIN - November, 1960

This issue of The A.P.R.O. Bulletin, published by the Aerial Phenomena Research Organization, focuses on significant UFO sightings and investigations from late 1960. The cover prominently features reports from the U.S. Midwest and Australia, alongside an ongoing investigation into the Trindade Island incident. The publication aims to provide members with detailed accounts and analysis of unexplained aerial phenomena.

Australian UAO Sightings Continue

This section details a sighting that occurred on October 27th in Cressy, Tasmania, Australia. Similar to a previous report from October, witnesses heard extremely loud explosions and experienced strange sensations. Mr. J. Metcalfe described a peculiar 'airlessness' before a violent explosion that caused windows to rattle and made it feel as if the house was being lifted. He and his neighbors observed a fading red glow to the northeast. Mr. and Mrs. K. G. Woodward reported seeing an orange-colored ball hovering above the Western Tiers at the same time as the explosion. Metcalfe stated that these explosions were not similar to those at the Poatina hydro-electric project.

Further Results IGY Investigation

This article presents the final stages of an exchange of letters concerning the Trindade Island incident, aiming to resolve discrepancies between the official Brazilian conclusion and the U.S. Air Force's evaluation. Commander J. G. Brady of the U.S. Navy's Office of Naval Intelligence stated that the U.S. Air Force holds primary responsibility for investigating UFOs, and naval activities are required to report sightings to the Air Force. The Navy made no official evaluation or public statements on the subject concerning Brazil. Colonel Tacker, in a letter dated November 15th, addressed a perceived semantic issue regarding the case, referencing a U.S. Navy Information Report from March 1958 that deemed the incident a 'publicity stunt or a hoax.' The Brazilian Navy Ministry, however, stated that photographs taken by Mr. Almiro Barauna were not sufficient proof for any pronouncement. APRO suggests the case should be reopened based on their correspondence, but this has been ignored, possibly due to a fear of establishing a precedent for 'hobby groups' influencing official investigations.

The article further explains that current U.S. Air Force policy, largely based on recommendations from a 1953 scientific panel, aims to strip UFOs of mystery and reassure the public of no inimical forces. The philosophy is that UFOs can be explained as conventional phenomena if enough information is available. This approach, outlined in AFR 200-2, may prevent the recognition of extraterrestrial UFOs. The bulletin notes that individuals who believed UFOs could be spaceships were a minority who have since been transferred out of the program. The Air Force officially states it has no evidence to support the existence of extraterrestrial spacecraft, despite not denying the possibility of life on other planets.

Nov. 23rd Sightings In U. S. Midwest

This section details a significant event on the morning of November 23rd, 1960, observed by thousands across the U.S. Midwest, from Ontario, Canada, to Indiana, and from St. Louis to Cincinnati. The general consensus points to an unidentified object at high altitude. The article presents personal testimonies, including those of three APRO members.

Mary A. Bradley of Wabash, Indiana, reported seeing a pale, skirt-like trail and a slowly moving, bright object that drifted eastward. The object appeared to be not too far away and its trajectory was unsteady. At one point, the object revealed a bright, searchlight-like light. Later, a second object moved away and gained altitude.

Rex S. Curtiss of Nepessing, Michigan, observed an object that appeared as a yellowish star, increasing in size and developing a dim, funnel-shaped cloud that became vivid blue-white. Two similar objects appeared, proceeding in a northerly direction. One object turned east and disappeared, while the other turned south and became more distinct. The objects were described as long like a cigar or a 'white bullet.'

Other reports include an anonymous observer near Toledo, Ohio, who saw a bluish-white, disc-shaped object with a phosphorescent cloud. At Lambert Field, St. Louis, Missouri, an airline employee spotted two bright objects with darker shapes and fan-like trails. Newspapers in Ohio and Michigan recorded numerous reports, with the Cincinnati Inquirer noting that most agreed the sightings were in the eastern sky between 6:15 and 6:30 a.m. at an elevation of 25-30 degrees.

B. J. Sharrock of Hartwell described a cigar-shaped object with a searchlight at one end and a row of lights. An observer near Toronto, Canada, reported 'reddish' stars with fan-shaped silvery tails. Escal Bennett, Chief of the Cincinnati Weather Bureau, described a 'hard core of light' with another light flaring out, veiled in a 'faint fibrous white stuff.'

Explanations offered included dropping tin foil by high-flying jet craft, a weather balloon from Sioux Falls, and 'chaff' from Selfridge AFB. However, many of these explanations were dismissed by APRO and other agencies due to inconsistencies with witness descriptions, particularly regarding the object's shape, distinctness, and self-illumination.

Orthoteny In Brazil - Part III

This section, authored by Dr. Olavo Fontes, continues the analysis of 'Orthoteny' in Brazil, focusing on UFO alignments observed on May 13th. Engineer Joao Martins provided new sighting reports from the Northeast region, including towns in Rio Grande do Norte and Paraiba. These observations involved various types of UAOs, some described as small luminous globes and others as disc-shaped objects with cupolas and red glows.

The study of Map 2, which plots 51 alignments, reveals a network covering seven Brazilian states. The alignments form 15 'stars' and 16 'multi-radial apexes,' with no point failing to lie within the established geometrical network. This pattern suggests a highly organized reconnaissance of the Northeastern region, potentially by extraterrestrial machines.

However, the author posits a more complex meaning. Since 1953, the Northeast has been subjected to intense exploration by discs, ball-shaped, and cigar-shaped UAOs, initially for mapping but gradually shifting to military reconnaissance. Targets included Air Force, Navy, and Army bases, civilian airports, federal highways, railroads, dams, power plants, and water supply centers. This reconnaissance was often conducted by solitary UAOs, making it difficult to detect a pattern until all observations were plotted.

The Northeast is described as a backward region, but strategically important for aerial and ocean navigation. The author highlights that the May 13th alignments focused on communication centers of strategic importance, excluding major military centers. This suggests a tactical maneuver by alien intelligences, possibly a test for future mass-landings. The operation involved at least 8 different objects seen simultaneously, with at least 7 cigar-shaped ships launching smaller scout craft. A total of 42 UAOs may have been involved.

The article concludes that this operation was a large-scale, well-planned, and coordinated maneuver, indicating intelligences with a perfect knowledge of the region. The author warns that similar tactical operations could be expected in other areas, and that the Northeast may be a site for future mass-landings. He stresses the importance of informing the public and preparing for potential encounters to prevent panic and tragic mistakes.

Editorial

The editorial discusses the perceived need for a clarification regarding censorship in UFO research over the past thirteen years. While acknowledging that information may have been withheld at times, the author states that attempts to prove censorship have failed. The editorial criticizes the tendency for UFO research to be associated with 'crackpotism,' particularly among those in the Air Force involved in UFO analysis. It references Colonel Tacker's book, 'Flying Saucers and the United States Air Force,' noting his critical stance towards private researchers and suggesting his book is an act of faith in his military branch.

Special Report

This section announces that Headquarters has not received enough orders for Special Reports to justify printing. Members are urged to order immediately, as only a limited number will be printed.

Hopf Elected Chief Two-State UFO Group

John T. Hopf, APRO's Photo Analyst, was elected President of the Two-State UFO Study Group, which aims to hold meetings for those interested in aerial phenomena in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The next session is planned for February.

World Roundup

This section includes brief reports of UFO sightings from various locations:

• Warsaw, Poland (October 5, 1960): A flying saucer was seen above Starolka village, moving in various directions and altitudes before disappearing south.
• Warminster, England (November 13): Capt. M. J. Massey-Beresford and four others saw a brilliant white object that blinded them temporarily, trailing white sparks.
• Cordoba, Argentina (December 26, 1960): A strange object over the Maronas Hippodrome caused panic, changing color from sky blue to bright blue to red, remaining stationary for 45 minutes before disappearing silently.
• Washington, D.C. (December 14): A report presented to NASA by the Brookings Institute suggested that the discovery of superior beings could cause Earth's civilization to topple, though immediate future encounters are unlikely.
• Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois (November 14, 1960): Numerous individuals reported seeing a bright object, some thought to be a crashing plane, which exploded into three pieces. A police sergeant reported being thrown from his chair by the force of the explosion.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the detailed reporting of UFO sightings, the analysis of potential patterns and meanings behind these phenomena (as seen in the Orthoteny section), and the examination of official attitudes and potential secrecy surrounding UFO investigations. The editorial stance, as expressed in the editorial and the IGY investigation section, is one of advocating for transparency and a more objective approach to UFO research, challenging official conclusions when evidence suggests otherwise. There is a strong emphasis on gathering and disseminating information to the public and researchers alike, with a call for truth and preparedness regarding potential extraterrestrial contact.