APRO Bulletin - 1978 09 00 - Vol 27 No 3

Magazine Overview

Title: THE A.P.R.O. BULLETIN
Issue Date: September, 1978
Volume: 27, NO. 3
Publisher: AERIAL PHENOMENA RESEARCH ORGANIZATION, INC.
Country of Publication: USA
Original Language: English

This issue of THE A.P.R.O. BULLETIN delves into various UFO and paranormal phenomena, featuring reports on government investigations, witness testimonies, and critical reviews.

Continuation of CAUS Release

The issue begins with an update on the Robert Todd case, who is reportedly under investigation by the FBI and NSA. Paul B. Lorenzetti, a spokesman for the FBI field division in Philadelphia, stated he was unaware of any investigation, suggesting a call back after security clearance. Special Agent Roger Midkiff of the FBI later commented that if an investigation were completed, an official statement might be released. John Perks from FBI headquarters also claimed ignorance, promising to check. Tom Coll, Perks' superior, declined to confirm or deny any contact with Todd. Charles Sullivan, a spokesman for NSA, stated he could not provide information about FBI involvement and emphasized the difficulty of obtaining information between government agencies. The report also mentions Todd's inquiry about Todd Zechel, director of CAUS, and his alleged connection to the Cuban incident, which Todd denied. Todd stated he has filed approximately 1,000 freedom of information requests about UFOs since 1974 and is seeking the FBI file on his investigation, which he was told was classified.

UFO Over New York

This section details a sighting by Daniel J. Noonan on June 4, 1978. Noonan, a 26-year-old medical student, was on the roof of a 16-story dormitory when he observed a brilliantly glowing, noiseless, ball-shaped object. He described it as having no wings or propellers and emitting no sound. The object was estimated to be about 3 feet in diameter and moved eastward. Noonan managed to take photographs of the object, which was hovering over Franklin D. Roosevelt Drive. The article notes that many people were in a position to observe the object. The photograph, when developed by the New York Post, was described as clear and unexplainable. Preliminary analysis suggested the object was solid, metallic, and approximately 3 feet in diameter, with a half semi-circle of dark mass and a smaller shiny semicircle. The case is highlighted as important due to it being a daylight UFO sighting over a major city, backed by photographic evidence from a credible source.

Mini Flap In Mexico

Paul R. Hill reports on a 'mini-flap' of UFO sightings in Mexico, forwarding three newspaper clippings. A primary sighting involved a green disc-shaped object seen by over a dozen witnesses over Gomez Palacio in April. Eight taxi drivers and an independent group of three witnesses provided triangulation data, estimating the object's altitude at about 3100 feet above ground level. The object was described as rotating, with yellow spots of light on its rim. Another incident occurred in Gomez Palacio on January 2, 1978, where a witness reported seeing a tall blond, blue-eyed man surrounded by a glow, who floated out of the house and into the air. The witness's name was withheld.

Book Review: Extraterrestrial Intervention: The Evidence

This review by Jacques Bergier and the Editors of INFO is critically assessed. The reviewer finds the book to be a loosely organized collection of stories about anthropological mysteries and oddities, lacking hard evidence. Specific criticisms are leveled at the interpretation of carbon-14 dating for Acumbara figurines and the claims about a 500,000-year-old sparkplug artifact. The review also debunks the 'Great Airship of 1897' and the Alexander Hamilton calf-napping UFO story, suggesting historical inaccuracies and unreliability of sources.

Review: Bigfoot, Loch Ness Monster and Other Paranormal Phenomenon "Bite Back!"

John de Herrera critiques an article by Kendrick Frazier in Smithsonian magazine and Readers Digest, which dismissed UFOs, horoscopes, Bigfoot, and other phenomena as nonsense. De Herrera challenges Frazier's authority, questioning his knowledge of UFOs and his representation of the scientific community. He cites a poll by Dr. Peter Sturrock indicating that 80% of polled astronomers believe the UFO question deserves scientific study, and that 62 had observed something unusual. Another poll by Industrial Research found 54% of scientists and engineers believed UFOs exist, with 8% claiming to have seen one. De Herrera's interview with Jim Frazier, Kendrick's brother, reveals Jim's belief that Kendrick is an authority on UFOs without having studied the literature, relying instead on debunkers like Phil Klass. The section also touches upon the 'Ancient Astronauts' documentary and instances of alleged fraud within the scientific community.

Old Sighting Department

This section presents two older UFO sighting reports. The first, from February 18, 1973, in Pearson, Georgia, describes a bright white, football-shaped light hovering near a car and then over a corn field. The second report, from October 3, 1977, by a housewife, details seeing a shiny black box-shaped object with a rounded shape, approximately 3 feet by 2 feet, which appeared in a triangular area lit by snow patches. The witness and her daughter observed it. The section also mentions ongoing animal mutilations in 1976 and a neighbor family being terrified and moving away.

Multiple Phenomena on Colorado Ranch

This is Part Three of a report detailing alleged paranormal events on a Rocky Mountain ranch, recounted by Jim and Barbara. The incidents include a disk-shaped object landing in the front yard, a 'hairy creature' harassing the residents, car transmissions being mysteriously damaged, and unusual sounds described as 'ultrasonics'. The report details a particularly unnerving incident where nine disks landed in the front yard, and Barbara was forcefully impacted by something unseen. The narrative also touches upon alleged government involvement and the occupants' attempts to understand and cope with these phenomena.

Letters

Michael R. Wilson, a member, expresses his reluctant acceptance of the APRO theory that UFOs might be hostile, not out of malice, but as 'frustrated meddlers' or for sociological study. He speculates that aliens might be studying humanity's progress, drawing parallels to Immanuel Velikovsky's theories and books by Robert Temple and Lucan Duncan. Wilson questions the idea of extraterrestrials intervening to 'fix' human problems, posing hypothetical scenarios of alien ideologies and the potential for humanity to be seen as failures. He concludes by stating that mankind must struggle to become strong, like a butterfly, and questions whether humanity is ready to accept other intelligences.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The issue consistently features a tension between witness accounts of UFOs and paranormal phenomena and the skepticism or active debunking by certain individuals and organizations. The APRO, while presenting diverse opinions among its members, seems to lean towards investigating and documenting these phenomena rather than outright dismissal. The editorial stance, particularly in the 'Letters' section, acknowledges the possibility of UFOs being more than just benign visitors, suggesting a need for caution and a critical approach to their intentions. The publication also highlights the challenges in obtaining information from government agencies and the perceived bias within the scientific community against paranormal research. The recurring theme is the presentation of evidence, or lack thereof, and the differing interpretations of unexplained events.