APRO Bulletin - 1974 07 00 - July-August

Magazine Overview

This issue of The A.P.R.O. Bulletin, Volume 23, No. 1, dated July-August 1974, is a publication of the Aerial Phenomena Research Organization, Inc. It focuses on UFO sightings, alleged landing sites, and scientific investigations into these phenomena.

Cover Story: Ground Blackened At Landing Site

The cover story details an alleged UFO landing at Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada, on August 16th. Field Investigator R. J. Halishoff reported on the incident where three boys, David Bates (7), Steven Stillie (9), and Henry Stillie (7), witnessed a craft shaped like an inverted dish land in a gravelled area. They reported the incident to their parents, and Mrs. Lola Rogers, a neighbor, investigated the next morning, finding two strange black circles on the gravel. The boys described the craft as dish-shaped with a squarish protuberance on top, emitting a buzzing sound and hot air upon landing. Mrs. Rogers confirmed the black spots were not present before the sighting. Samples of the blackened soil and rocks were collected for analysis.

Arizona Flap

This section reports on unusual UFO occurrences in Arizona during July and August. Field Investigators Wayne Egli and James Stavem interviewed eight witnesses near Bylas, Arizona, concerning an alleged landed UFO. Mr. and Mrs. Paul Anderson reported seeing a circular object with gold lights while driving into Bylas. The incident occurred on the San Carlos Apache Indian reservation. The investigators used the local Cantina for interviews, with the owner, Mr. Bollis, cooperating. The report notes that while Arizona usually has sightings that turn out to be ordinary phenomena, these July and August events were unusual.

New York Police See UFO

This article details a sighting on August 20, 1974, by New York State Police from two upstate barracks, as well as the crew of a passing Army training plane. They observed an unidentified flying object and were in communication with the control tower at Albany Airport. Aircraft were dispatched, and radar returns indicated an object moving at about one mile per second. The initial report came from the Army trainer crew describing a fast-moving, high-altitude object. Later, a red object was observed hovering over a trooper's car. State police are now interested in pilots who may have been flying without navigation or other lights. The article notes that while most objects are reported as silent, an airplane-like sound was associated with one report. The speed and silent movement of the objects cast doubt on explanations involving conventional aircraft. The control tower at Albany County Airport suggested the radar returns could have been from a small aircraft or weather, but this explanation is questioned due to the reported speeds. The article concludes that official disclaimers make it difficult to get further information from civilian witnesses, likening the case to 'dead-end streets' due to the difficult nature of the objects and official obfuscation.

Follow-Up: Bahia Blanca

This section provides an update on the Dionisio Llanca case from Argentina, previously reported in the November-December 1973 and January-February 1974 issues. Miss Liria Jauregui conducted a thorough investigation, including interviews with medical authorities and examination of 'truth drug' experiments. The findings indicate that Llanca is telling the truth about being kidnapped by two men and a woman and taken aboard a spaceship. The investigation suggests that the claim is not a hoax.

Something

This article discusses upcoming media productions related to UFOs. Jim and Jennifer Miller are writing fictionalized UFO cases for a project that will introduce the public to various facets of the UFO world, with APRO playing a role. Another film, 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind,' is in production. A documentary titled 'UFOs, Past, Present and Future,' written in part by APRO's consultant in History, Dr. David Jacobs, is planned for an early January release, featuring narration by Rod Serling. A hour-long NBC news feature on UFOs is scheduled for December 15, 1974, with APRO deeply involved in its production, providing visual material and consultation.

22 Years Ago In The Bulletin

This section summarizes key articles from the July 1952 issue of the APRO Bulletin. It highlights the 'Skywatch' initiative by the U.S. Air Force, which some felt was an attempt to track UFO flights. The Barra Da Tijuca, Brazil photographs of a flying disc are documented. A sighting of a large, high-flying disc with illuminated bottom by hundreds of Door County, Wisconsin residents is also featured. The most interesting sighting described is that of an object observed by J. J. Kaliszewski, supervisor of balloon manufacture for General Mills Research Laboratories, on October 10, 1951. He observed a brightly glowing object moving rapidly from east to west, which he determined was not a balloon, jet, conventional aircraft, or celestial object. A second sighting by Kaliszewski and Dick Reilly on October 11, 1951, involved a brightly glowing object to the southwest, moving at high speed and exhibiting unusual gyrations.

General Concepts And Terms Related To Visual Observations Of Aerial Objects (Part I)

Authored by Richard F. Haines, Ph.D., this article emphasizes the importance of standardizing terminology for UFO sightings to improve reporting quality. It discusses basic factors involved in visual sightings, noting that everyone is a potential observer. The article uses Figure 1 to illustrate factors associated with daytime UFO sightings, including the object, background, Earth's surface reflection, and sunlight. It highlights the importance of luminance and reflectance of clouds and the Earth's surface. The article also touches upon nighttime visual sightings, the role of contrast, and potential illusions caused by light sources. It stresses that too much information is better than too little.

A Note On Infrasonic UFO Detection

Written by Daniel H. Harris, this article explores the potential of infrasound (sound with a pitch too low to be heard) for UFO detection. It explains that infrasound can travel long distances through the atmosphere. While natural sources of infrasound are numerous (ocean waves, earthquakes, tornadoes, lightning, etc.), the article suggests that UFOs may be powerful sources of infrasound, citing witness reports of buzzing or humming sounds and effects like oscillating motion of objects near UFOs. The absence of effects expected from magnetic or force fields makes infrasound a simple alternative explanation. The article also notes that some weapon-like effects reported in UFO encounters could resemble damage from intense infrasound. It concludes that while the physics of UFOs is primitive, infrasound detection is a promising area of study.

Color Movie Film Of UFO

APRO has acquired 55 seconds of color film taken near Prescott, Arizona, showing an object maneuvering. The photographer, who wishes to remain anonymous, filmed a shiny object that appeared to be a low pyramid with a dome on top and darkish in color. The object reflected the sun as it maneuvered. The film is being examined, and prints of revealing frames will be made.

Ground Trace Study

APRO is cooperating with the Center for UFO Studies on ground traces, aiming to determine the weight of objects leaving ground impressions. Fred Merritt and Ted Phillips will be involved, with laboratory tests performed by Mr. Martin at Tucson. The technique will involve core samples and penetrometer readings to reconstruct soil consistency and measure bearing strength.

Transition

This section notes the death of Kenneth Steinmetz, a member of APRO since 1967, who passed away on August 29, 1974. He is remembered as an enthusiastic and careful researcher and a competent Field Investigator.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue include detailed accounts of UFO sightings and alleged landings, emphasizing witness testimony and physical evidence. There is a strong focus on scientific investigation, with articles discussing visual perception, infrasound detection, and ground trace analysis. The organization also highlights its involvement in media productions related to UFOs and provides updates on ongoing cases. The editorial stance appears to be one of serious, scientific inquiry into the UFO phenomenon, aiming to gather and analyze data to understand the nature of these events.