THE A.P.R.O. BULLETIN

Magazine Overview

Title: THE A.P.R.O. BULLETIN
Issue Date: December, 1977
Volume: 26, No. 6
Publisher: AERIAL PHENOMENA RESEARCH ORGANIZATION, INC.

This issue of THE A.P.R.O. BULLETIN features several key articles and reports related to UFO phenomena, including a detailed account of a UFO landing in Norway, an analysis of a recovered UFO fragment, a critical book review, and an extensive examination of historical FBI UFO investigation files.

Letters

The "Letters" section opens with a letter from Dr. D. Herbison-Evans, Field Investigator, addressing a previous article titled "Ghost Riders Through the Gates of Hercules." Dr. Herbison-Evans proposes that the objects seen by Mr. Leatart were likely artificial man-made satellites. He explains that approximately 10,000 man-made objects, including satellites and rocket stages, orbit the Earth. These objects, particularly rocket casings, can glint at regular intervals and tumble due to varying moments of inertia. He calculates that with a typical telescope field of view, a piece of space junk might be sighted every couple of hours. These objects are typically visible only during twilight periods when the observer is in darkness but the junk is still illuminated by the sun. Dr. Herbison-Evans suggests that if Mr. Leatart's telescope had a 0.2-degree field of view, his observations of flashing, non-flashing, smoothly moving objects of 8th magnitude within two hours of sunset are consistent with seeing space junk. To distinguish his sightings from space junk, he recommends checking exact times and dates with professional observatories or obtaining a spectrum of the light, which would differ from sunlight if it were a genuine UFO.

UFO LANDING IN NORWAY

Fragment Fell From UFO

This section details a significant case from the history of UFO Research of Finland, involving a strange fragment that fell from a UFO into Kallavesi Lake in August 1964. The event was witnessed by Mr. Raimo Blomqvist. The fragment has undergone extensive study in Finland and Sweden, including analyses at universities and metallurgic laboratories. Documents include photographs, electron microscope analyses, and X-ray papers. All information gathered supports Mr. Blomqvist's account, and no natural objects or machines are known from which the fragment could have originated.

Mr. Blomqvist and his family were at their summer house when he saw a light approaching. The silent UFO, described as multicolored, oval, and hazy, stopped about 10 meters away, hovering a couple of meters above the water. Mr. Blomqvist felt a force field around himself. The object appeared to have its left edge bent upwards, as if it had collided with something. It was three to four meters in diameter and about two meters high. After 20 seconds, a fragment fell from the UFO into the shallow water with a hissing sound, appearing as bright as a welding light before landing. The UFO then zoomed into the clouds within a second. The fragment was later studied, and Professor Edelman stated that its material could be found near active volcanoes but is definitely not a geological entity. An expert on meteorites stated it is not a meteorite. Analysis by mass spectrometer revealed complex contents, including iron, oxygen, manganese, copper, silicon, vanadium, titanium, phosphorus, sodium, tin, chromium, tungsten, potassium, tantalum, zirconium, zinc, magnesium, sodium, rubidium, calcium, lanthanum, cerium, neodymium, samarium, praseodymium, lead, strontium, and barium. The fragment was not radioactive but was magnetic. The study concluded that the fragment is not a piece of ore, volcanic origin, meteorite, or any known machine, but it may have been affected by very high temperatures.

Norway

This report details a UFO sighting in Nybygda, Ringerike, Norway, on November 1, 1977. Two boys, Johnny Myhr and Frank Sverre Mandt, observed a flying object coming from the north that landed on a newly-plowed field near their school. They described a figure inside the object, which was light green with windows. After 10 seconds, the object lifted off, leaving three marked tracks in the ground. The acidity of the soil in the tracks was found to be considerably greater than in the surrounding field. The case has attracted significant public interest, with many people visiting the site. Investigations by Norsk UFO Center (NUFOC) Ostlandet, including Eldbjorg Fjeldberg, support the conclusion that it was a UFO. The boys, being deaf, present a challenge for interviews, but further research is planned. The report notes that the War Defense Chief Command has also reported unusual observations at Gardermoen airport.

A subsequent report from NUFOC Ostlandet Investigation Section on November 8, 1977, confirms that tens of trustworthy persons have observed similar phenomena. The investigation section took photos and made a gypsum cast of the best-preserved print, which was U-formed, 36 cm long, 14.5 cm wide at its broadest, 7 cm at its narrowest, and 10 cm high. The case has been recommended for further investigation by the War Defense Chief Command.

BOOK REVIEW: UFOs, the Eye, and the Camera

This section reviews the book "UFOs, the Eye, and the Camera" by Adrian Vance, written by Douglas Johnson. Johnson criticizes the book for its "mishmash of misinformation, warmed-over cases, and unfounded speculation," despite the author's credentials as "west coast editor of Popular Photography." The book's strength lies in a chapter comparing human vision and cameras. However, Vance's main thesis, based on analyzing multiple-image UFO photographs (like the "Sedona photograph" and "Oregon photograph"), is that these objects were "teleporting rapidly" and are actually "time machines from the future." Johnson refutes Vance's interpretation of the special theory of relativity, explaining that it prohibits exceeding the speed of light and that approaching light speed would cause time to slow down relative to a stationary observer, effectively moving the craft into the future, not the past. Vance's further suggestion that reducing temperature to absolute zero could send an object into the future is also questioned. Johnson finds Vance's ideas to be "cockeyed" and lacking logical connection, comparing his conjectures to comic-book physics. Vance's reliance on questionable sources, such as Arthur Ford (a discredited spiritualist), and his dismissal of meticulous research on the Bermuda Triangle are also highlighted. Johnson concludes that the book, presented as a scientific approach to UFOs, contributes to ufology being perceived as a pseudoscience.

BOOK PROBLEMS PERSIST

This brief article discusses ongoing issues with the publication and sale of APRO books, specifically "Encounters with UFO Occupants" and "Abducted." The publisher failed to list "Encounters" in "Paperbound Books in Print," leading to incorrect information about its availability. For "Abducted," Columbia Pictures threatened a lawsuit over the cover art and subtitle, leading to changes. The first printing of "Abducted" sold out quickly. "Encounters" went out of print, and the rights reverted to the authors.

UFO Related Information from the FBI File

This extensive article by Dr. Bruce S. Maccabee examines UFO-related information from FBI files, focusing on the period before October 1, 1947. It details a dispute between the FBI and the Army Air Forces (AAF) regarding the investigation of flying disc incidents.

An AAF letter, designated "restricted," indicated that the AAF Intelligence intended for the Bureau to investigate incidents of "discs" found on the ground, while the AAF would interview observers. The letter's wording was perceived by the FBI as "insulting" and dismissive of their role, suggesting they would only be tasked with investigating "ash can covers, toilet seats and whatnot."

Assistant Director D. M. Ladd summarized the situation for Director H. Hoover, noting that the AAF suggested that alleged sightings might be made by individuals with Communist sympathies to cause mass hysteria. The FBI's investigation had failed to reveal any subversive individuals. Ladd recommended that the Bureau protest to the AAF and discontinue all activity in this field, referring all complaints to the Air Forces.

Hoover responded to Major General George C. McDonald, Assistant Chief Air Staff-2, stating that the FBI would not dissipate its personnel and time in this manner and instructed Field Divisions to discontinue investigative activity, referring all complaints to the Air Force. A subsequent FBI bulletin on October 1, 1947, officially directed agents to refer all future reports connected with flying discs to the Air Forces and take no investigative action.

Despite this directive, the article notes that FBI agents continued to file brief reports and interview officers for about 16 years, collecting important information on governmental involvement with UFOs. The article also includes a list of "SAMPLE CASES" from the FBI files up to October 1, 1947, detailing numerous sightings across various locations and dates, often describing objects as discs, silver, rapidly moving, or with unusual flight characteristics. Some cases are noted as potentially being in the OSI (Office of Special Investigations) section of the National Archives, which lacks a table of contents.

A specific case mentioned is from July 18, 1947, where a scientist employed at American Cyanamid Research Laboratories reported a theory that flying saucers could be radio-controlled germ bombs or atom bombs. He also noted sightings in various cities forming a direct orbit around the Earth. He suggested that visitors from the future might be kidnapping humans from the Triangle area.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the investigation and analysis of UFO phenomena, with a particular focus on distinguishing between genuine unexplained aerial phenomena and more mundane explanations such as satellites or hoaxes. The magazine presents detailed case studies, scientific analysis of physical evidence (like the Finnish fragment), and critical reviews of speculative theories. The editorial stance appears to be one of rigorous investigation, seeking factual evidence, and maintaining a critical perspective on unsubstantiated claims, as demonstrated by the book review and the detailed account of the FBI's historical involvement and eventual withdrawal from UFO investigations. There is a clear emphasis on documenting sightings, analyzing evidence, and understanding the official governmental stance on the subject.