APRO Bulletin - 1984 08 00 - Vol 32 No 5

Magazine Overview

This issue of "The Apro Bulletin," Volume 32, Number 5, published in August 1984, focuses on the question "WHO IS WATCHING US?" It features articles on UFO sightings, the Extraterrestrial Hypothesis (ETH), and a review of a book about the controversial contactee George Adamski.

Meet Our Cartoonist

The magazine introduces Dave Roeck, a new addition to the APRO staff, who will be contributing original cartoons. Roeck, originally from Florida, has had two impressive sightings that are slated to be featured in future issues.

1953 RADAR UFO

Mr. Harry Levine, a retired electronics mechanic-technician, submitted an account of his experience in May 1953 at the U.S. Navy Base at Charleston, N.C. While working with an A-scan sweep of a radar, he detected an unusually fast-moving object that exhibited rapid changes in range and altitude, making large circles. The object was tracked automatically, and its speed was estimated to be extremely high, possibly up to 7200 MPH. The radar antenna dish was observed making a circling movement, inclined from the vertical. The object 'disappeared' and 'reappeared' due to rapid altitude changes, making it difficult for the instruments to keep up. The object was described as making huge circles directly over the van, with the antenna dish inclined about 22 degrees from the vertical. The entire event lasted for about 12 seconds per revolution, with approximately ten revolutions observed. A field engineer who looked through a telescope mounted axially with the antenna did not see anything.

Levine speculates that these sightings might be related to high-power radar energy used during World War II, rather than the atom bomb. He notes that similar maneuvers were described in a New York Times article about five years later. He believes the energy of the radar beam is attractive and is being sampled, perhaps like a nourishment.

Who? (Czechoslovakia Sighting)

This article, by Milos Krmelj, APRO Representative from Czechoslovakia, details a mass UFO sighting that occurred on Friday evening, December 2, 1983. Thousands of people across Czechoslovakia reported seeing an unusual flying object. The sky was clear and studded with stars. At approximately 7:45 p.m., an object with intense, multi-colored lights, difficult to make out due to darkness, moved silently from northwest to southeast. Eyewitnesses strongly opposed the idea that it was a plane or helicopter. The Czechoslovakian youth paper "Mlada Fronta" published reports after a delay of over a month, allowing time for study. The object was described as having contours that were not easy to discern, with unusually intense lights of various colors. It moved without sound. Some witnesses described it as a "phantom." The object's diameter was estimated to be between 30 and 40 meters, flying at a height of about 300 meters. The flight lasted for more than a minute, characterized by absolute silence. Another report from soldiers described an illuminated point that separated into two lights, one with a luminous tail, and the other forming a triangular shape. The object maintained its speed and intensity of lights. A report from P. B. from Plave described a triangular object with three clear lights in front and one in the rear, estimated to be flying at a height of 200 meters with a diameter of about 30 meters. Engineer L. K. described the object's front part as clearly viewed, with luminous sources of minor intensity in the "invisible" part. Engineer J. V. from Prague initially thought it was a plane but then observed nine luminous points of various intensity, described as white, yellow, and orange, with contours that seemed indistinct, like a "pear" followed by a luminous trail.

The common characteristics of the phenomenon included sightings across the entire Czechoslovakian republic, lasting from ten seconds to three minutes. Witnesses reported seeing a single light, then dazzling brightness, followed by luminous points of various colors. Scientists and experts could not provide a satisfactory answer. Presumptions of it being an American rocket booster were discarded due to the timing of the American object's flight.

Experts are hesitant, attributing the event to natural phenomena, but those who experienced it are not so sure. The article notes that Czechoslovakian scientists exclude meteorites and British Research Center confirms no artificial satellites or disintegrating rockets were registered. The unusual object's high altitude is suggested as the reason it was spotted from the whole territory. The article concludes that the object had enormous dimensions. "Mlada Fronta" invited citizens to report any similar sightings. The article quotes a commentator stating, "If extraterrestrial creatures really walk above our heads, we will probably not learn anything about it unless they become so kind as to tell it to us by themselves," referencing Shakespeare.

Book Review: George Adamski/The Untold Story

Richard W. Heiden reviews the book "George Adamski/The Untold Story" by Lou Zinsstag and Timothy Good. The book is described as puzzling, containing both pro-Adamski and critical material. The first section, "The Man I Knew," by Lou Zinsstag, presents Adamski's claims and personal stories. The second section, "The Investigation," by Timothy Good, attempts to corroborate Adamski's claims by comparing them with scientific knowledge. The review highlights Adamski's controversial status as a contactee. It mentions "juicy" revelations such as newspaper ads seeking contacts, Adamski's later articles on voodoo, and his possible use of trance mediumship. Good's section is noted for comparing Adamski's descriptions of celestial bodies with scientific knowledge, though he is sometimes critical and acknowledges Adamski's errors. The review points out that much of Adamski's writings were adapted from earlier works. The book also addresses Adamski's alleged meetings with President John F. Kennedy and Pope John XXIII, with denials from the Vatican. The reviewer notes that Adamski's claim of a "blustery night" during a contact in Los Angeles was contradicted by weather data. The review also corrects the author's involvement with the Blue Book record of the Salton Sea pilot sighting. The reviewer concludes that while the book aims to rehabilitate Adamski's name, it fails to do so for him, but commends the authors for including unfavorable material.

I Was an Innocent Abroad

This short piece by Robert F. Creegan, Ph.D., recounts a trip to France and Great Britain in May and June 1984, noting the loss of identification material when his pocket was picked. He mentions that some people he might have expected to hear anecdotes from were involved with entertaining important visitors.

The Extraterrestrial Hypothesis

This section, by Vincent-Juan Ballester Olmos and Miguel Guasp, taken from their book "Los OVNIs y la ciencia," discusses the Extraterrestrial Hypothesis (ETH). After years of study and healthy skepticism, the authors have concluded that the UFO enigma lies in interaction with extraterrestrial intelligence. They argue that the ETH is the most logical framework, supported by the exclusion of other hypotheses and the accumulated body of evidence. They address common objections to the ETH, such as the vast distances of space and time, and the high number of reported sightings. They argue that the number of flights dedicated to cosmic contact, rather than the number of civilizations, is key. They also discuss the objection regarding the variety of shapes of UFOs and their occupants, suggesting that this diversity actually supports the ETH by implying multiple extraterrestrial civilizations. The authors propose that the apparent "absurd behavior" of UFO occupants is not necessarily unintelligent but could be due to a lack of understanding between different intelligences, or a form of communication transfer that the human brain, particularly the right hemisphere, is not equipped to process. They reference the work of Dr. Harold Puthoff and Aimé Michel in this context. The article suggests that the "imagery transfer" from UFOs might be a sophisticated communication attempt, and that the human brain's limited capacity to interpret such stimuli could lead to distorted memories. The article concludes by stating that the diversification of shapes observed in humanoids would require a multiplicity of origins.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The issue consistently explores the possibility of extraterrestrial intelligence and its interaction with Earth, as evidenced by UFO sightings. The APRO Bulletin maintains a stance of investigating and reporting on these phenomena, encouraging critical analysis while remaining open to the Extraterrestrial Hypothesis. The publication appears to value detailed eyewitness accounts and scientific inquiry, even when faced with skepticism or unexplained events. There is an underlying theme of questioning official narratives and seeking a deeper understanding of the UFO phenomenon, as suggested by the cover headline and the discussion of "synoptic intelligence" versus biased releases of information. The review of the Adamski book and the discussion of the ETH highlight the publication's willingness to engage with controversial figures and complex theories within the field of ufology.