Awareness - 1978 - Vol 07 No 2 - Summer

Magazine Overview

AWARENESS, Volume 7, no:2, published by Contact (UK) in Summer 1978. The cover features the title 'AWARENESS' prominently, with 'ARBETSGRUPPEN FÖR UFOLOGI' above and 'SUMMER 1978' below.

Contents

The issue begins with an editorial address in Oxford, Oxon. The table of contents lists several articles:

• Editorial (Pages 1-2)
• SELECTED UFO REPORTS, by D.N.Mansell (Pages 3-13)
• A PLETHORA OF UFO GROUPS, by Jennie Randles (Pages 13-15)
• UFOS: THE TIP OF AN ICEBERG, by J.B.Delair (Pages 16-22)
• RESULTS OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE, by P.Flatman (Pages 23-24)
• NEW INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT ELECTED (Page 24)
• NEWS FROM BUFORA, by L.Beer (Page 25)
• Advertisements (Page 25, Page 26)

Following the main articles is 'The Contact (UK) Directory', listing key personnel and their roles, including F.W.Passey (National Chairman), J.Loveridge (General Secretary), D.N.Mansell (Treasurer, Senior Research Officer), Mrs S.Robb (Membership Secretary), J.Sears and P.Flatman (Research Enquiries), J.B.Delair (Librarian & Research Programme Co-ordinator), and E.Cox (Archivist).

The copyright for the material is held by CONTACT (UK) 1978.

Editorial

The editorial discusses the organization's interactions with the public, including members of old people's clubs and women's guilds, as well as schoolchildren researching UFOs. It notes that many people are prompted to investigate ufology due to personal experiences, and often these sightings are not previously recorded. The editorial highlights the increased public discussion of UFOs, partly influenced by films like "Star Wars" and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," and urges members to encourage individuals with unrecorded sightings to share their accounts while the current climate is favorable.

It also thanks members and associated groups for sending in clippings of historical UFO sightings, acknowledging that the volume of material received has made individual acknowledgments impossible. The editor expresses hope to republish some of these old reports in the future and emphasizes the importance of membership cooperation for the organization's survival.

SELECTED UFO REPORTS

This section, compiled by D.N.Mansell, presents a chronological list of UFO reports received by the Data Research section of Contact (UK) from December 1977 to June 1978. The reports include:

• December 30th, 1977: Exhall, Warwickshire, England. Mrs Edith Lane and others observed a golden oval object hovering over electricity pylons for about 5 minutes before shooting away at high speed. A 'clearing' in the sky persisted after the object vanished.
• January 2nd, 1978: Worthing, Sussex, England. A husband and wife saw a dark coloured stationary object surrounded by a brilliant red vapour. It was soundless and is under further investigation.
• January 2nd, 1978: Bexhill, Sussex, England. Two witnesses saw a bowl-shaped object with dull orange lights hover over trees, which then regenerated into brilliant white lights before departing with a spinning motion.
• January 2nd, 1978: Leicester, Leicestershire, England. A small silvery object flew over the city, leaving a white elliptical vapour trail and emitting no sound.
• January 3rd, 1978: Heathland between Cadnam and Fordingbridge, Hampshire, England. Mr and Mrs Brian Stovold observed a saucer-shaped object with a 'turret' and flashing lights hovering over the road for about an hour before moving slowly.
• January 3rd, 1978: Aylestone Park, Leicestershire, England. A lone eyewitness saw a round object with a bright flashing light that suddenly dematerialized.
• January 4th, 1978: Near the Tana River, Lamu, Kenya. Several witnesses saw a large star-shaped object with a tail travel across the sky, emitting a very bright light, and disappearing over the Indian Ocean with a loud bang.
• January 10th, 1978: Cannock, Staffordshire, England. A female witness saw a bright orange saucer-shaped object rise from behind trees, rotate, and move off at high speed.
• January (approx. 10th), 1978: Blandford, Dorset, England. Mr and Mrs G.Blakemore saw a black cylindrical object with a turret hovering, which emitted black smoke and then climbed into the sky.
• January 15th, 1978: Near Emily Hall, Stetson campus, Deland, Florida, USA. Bruce Dahlstrand saw a bright silver 'dish' hovering noiselessly overhead before sliding into the clouds.
• January 17th, 1978: Near the Goldberg residence, Mahoning Valley, Pennsylvania, USA. Leo and Grace Goldberg photographed a bright silver white saucer-shaped object during a snowstorm.
• January 19th, 1978: Estes Lake, near Sanford, Maine, USA. Three residents saw two large oval objects with red lights hovering over trees, which then shot off at high speed.
• January 24th, 1978: Patcham, Sussex, England. A married couple saw a large orange-hued light resembling twin headlights that approached and then abruptly dematerialized.
• January 24th, 1978: Leicester, Leicestershire, England. At least eleven different objects, ranging from star-shaped to triangular, were observed, with colours including silver, white, and orange.
• January 25th, 1978: Woolwich ferry, Woolwich, Kent, England. Two silver-grey cigar-shaped objects were seen, one vertical and one horizontal, with the vertical object later ascending rapidly.
• January 28th, 1978: A2 motorway near Gravel Hill, Bexleyheath, Kent, England. Occupants of a car saw a bright orange light descend behind houses, then reappear and hover before disappearing.
• January 29th, 1978: Longworth, Oxfordshire, England. A male witness saw a stationary, cigar-shaped object with four dull lights and a bright landing light, which then vanished.
• February 4th, 1978: La Florida club, San Luis, Argentina. Manuel Alvarez and friends saw a saucer-shaped object from which a door opened and a humanoid figure descended.
• February 5th, 1978: Bexhill, Sussex, England. Witnesses observed flashing yellowish-white lights that were faster than conventional aircraft lights.
• February 9th, 1978: Bell Island, near Pole Pass, Shaw, Washington State, USA. Clayton and Eve Shaw observed an oblong, oval-shaped object with windows emitting red light, which had been seen in the area since March 1977.
• February 22nd, 1978: Banstead, Surrey, England. Observers saw white pea-sized lights that hovered, then changed to bright red before disappearing.
• February 22nd, 1978: Route 37, Vallejo, California, USA. A motorist saw two oval, silvery objects over Mare Island, one motionless and the other performing acrobatics.
• February 25th, 1978: About 1 mile from McKinney, Kentucky, USA. A grey coloured round object with a square top and a window, carrying red, white, and green lights, was seen before it took off at high speed.
• March 8th, 1978: Crooks Road, Avon, Michigan, USA. A fast-moving green triangular object was seen, along with other reports of doughnut-shaped and cone-shaped objects in the Macomb area and over Lake St.Clair.
• March 9th, 1978: Risley, Warrington, Cheshire, England. Mr Kenneth Edwards reported seeing a strange man-like entity about 7 feet tall, wearing a silver suit, which descended from a motorway embankment and appeared to walk through a fence.
• March 13th, 1978: Near Lake Baskatong, Ontario, Canada. Jacques Lavoie and Richard Huot photographed a bright, glowing object hovering silently over a lake.
• March 15th, 1978: One mile west of Moser Channel, near Key West, Florida, USA. Police deputies reported that two cars claimed a 'big, bright, white light' had plunged into the water.
• March 16th, 1978: Near Mt.Kaala, Honolulu. A 'weirdly pulsating' light larger than the Moon lit up the North Shore district.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around detailed eyewitness accounts of UFO sightings, emphasizing the variety of shapes, colors, and behaviors observed. There is a consistent focus on the soundless nature of many reported objects and the occasional presence of unusual lights or vapour trails. The editorial stance, as expressed by 'The Editor,' is one of encouraging the collection and dissemination of UFO data, recognizing the growing public interest in the subject, and valuing the contributions of members and associated organizations in this endeavor. The publication aims to document these phenomena and foster a greater understanding of ufology.

This issue of Flying Saucer Review, identified as issue number 10 and volume 24, published in 1978, focuses on a collection of UFO sightings and related phenomena reported between March and June of that year. The magazine's cover headline, "UFOS: THE TIP OF AN ICEBERG," by J.B. Delair, sets the tone for an in-depth exploration of the subject.

UFO Sightings: March - June 1978

The issue meticulously documents numerous UFO encounters from various locations, primarily in the USA and England. Each entry provides the date, time, location, and a detailed description of the sighting, often referencing local newspaper reports.

March 1978:

• March 19th, 9:30 pm, Hickory, North Carolina, USA: Five teenage girls reported a circular object, about 10 feet long with two tails, emitting bright white lights that turned red and then green before disappearing soundlessly. The Hickory (NC) Record published an account.
• March 29th, 9:00 pm, Ratby, Leicestershire, ENGLAND: A student nurse, Lynn Brown, observed a remarkable object, described as long, red, and belching white hot flames, hovering over fields with a loud droning noise. She noted it tilted and had lights in a triangular shape. The Hinckley Times reported this sighting.
• March 31st, 7:30 pm, Near Fareham, Hampshire, ENGLAND: Louise Dillon-Shallard and her father saw two pale white cigar-shaped objects moving steadily northwards. One had an orange patch on its underside. No noise was audible. The Portsmouth News featured this observation.
• March 31st (overnight), Fremont, New York State, USA: A significant event involved a 12-foot diameter, 15-foot deep round hole with perfectly smooth vertical sides appearing overnight in a field at the Sherlock residence. The hole's symmetry ruled out natural explanations like cave-ins or meteor impacts. While not directly tied to UFO activity, similar holes have been associated with it. The Post-Standard of Syracuse covered this.

April 1978:

• April 14th, early hours, Brighouse, West Yorkshire, ENGLAND: Six policemen witnessed a giant glowing globe in the sky that slowly changed color through shades of red, blue, and green. One policeman's transmitter failed while the object was in his vicinity. Checks indicated it was not a balloon. The Huddersfield Examiner reported this.
• April 26th, late evening, Route 532 near Washington crossing, New Jersey, USA: Gene H. Epstein and John E. Karpac saw four extremely bright white lights hovering at an estimated 2,000 feet. The lights accelerated rapidly from zero to infinity and appeared attached to a dark pontoon-shaped object. The Trenton Times published an account.
• April (exact date unnoted), Shiraz, IRAN: A 16-year-old student, Jamshid Sayadinour, photographed a saucer-shaped object with a flattened-off upper cabin. He later saw three similar objects. The Evening Standard published the report and photograph.

May 1978:

• May 1st, 5:10 am, Estral Beach, Monroe County, Michigan, USA: Numerous residents observed a long dark object with two large bright lights and a third orange-red light hovering, which then disappeared rapidly towards Monroe. A cat reportedly went berserk during the sighting. The Monroe Evening News briefly mentioned it.
• May 2nd, 11:15 am, Ironwood, Michigan, USA: Gail Brady reported being pursued by a UFO with blinking lights. A police officer investigating also saw a cylindrical object flying low. Officer Tim Streeter dismissed the possibility of it being the northern lights. The Ironwood Daily Globe covered this.
• May 14th, 9:45 pm, Lewisham, London, ENGLAND: Two policemen observed a distinct yellow glow for 20 minutes, which hovered and was compared to a large object. Police noted several similar reports in south London during the preceding month. The South London Times reported on these.
• May 14th, 10:05 pm, Florida Forest and Silver Glen Springs, Florida, USA: Unexplained lighted objects appeared in the night sky and were tracked by a Navy electronics center. One object hovered and sped away, eluding tracking. The Akansas Gazette and Ocala Star-Banner featured details.
• May 19th, 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm, U.S. Highway 29, near Greenville, South Carolina, USA: A large silver object, described as fountain-pen shaped or pumpkin-shaped and the size of a football field, hovered above the highway for nearly two hours, causing a traffic jam. Police had no record of the sighting. The Greer Citizen reported on this.

June 1978:

• June 1st, 7:30 am, Paclin, Catamarca Province, ARGENTINA: Numerous residents reported UFO observations, including eight teachers who sighted three pale green metallic objects that zigzagged and disappeared. Cronica (Argentina) covered these sightings.
• June 17th, 10:00 pm, Northe Platte, Nebraska, USA: Witnesses reported a strange hovering light ringed with a blue haze that vanished when police officers attempted to get a closer view. One woman watched it for an hour and a half. The Haverhill Gazette printed details.
• June 28th, 110:00 pm, Butler, Ohio, USA: At least 14 residents watched a strange bright yellow light hover over a farm for almost 30 minutes before disappearing and then returning. The News Journal reported on this event.

Analysis of UFO Phenomena and Organizations

J.B. Delair's article, "UFOS: THE TIP OF AN ICEBERG," posits that the UFO phenomenon is real and intelligently controlled. He distinguishes between "pure" ufology, focusing on aerial objects and occupants, and "peripheral" ufology, which includes associated phenomena like "Men in Black" (MIBs), animal mutilations, and strange acoustical events. Delair argues that while these peripheral phenomena may not be directly linked to UFOs, their temporal correlation warrants investigation. He suggests that UFOs are artificial constructions, likely machines, exhibiting advanced technology and requiring sophisticated control systems, implying a highly intelligent origin.

Delair further speculates that UFOs are merely the visible manifestation of a larger, unknown alien culture. He proposes that studying the "peripheral" aspects of ufology could offer insights into the visitors' true purposes, which may extend beyond simple exploration to include biological research, specimen collection, and even cross-breeding experiments. The observed interest in terrestrial animals, plants, and soils, along with reports of advanced medical expertise among alleged alien entities, supports this hypothesis.

The article also addresses the proliferation of UFO groups. Jenny Randles, in her piece "A PLETHORA OF UFO GROUPS," expresses concern over the rapid spawning of new organizations, which she likens to a worm cut in half producing two worms. She notes that many new groups are unaware of established organizations like FSR, Contact (UK), BUFORA, and NUFON. Randles highlights the British UFO Society (BUFOS) and its chairman, Ken Rogers, as an example of a group issuing "highly questionable communiques" and making sensational claims, which she believes discredit ufology and deter potential new investigators. She advocates for smaller groups to affiliate with established ones like NUFON or SUFON to create a network for exchanging information and avoiding confusion.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The issue consistently emphasizes the importance of detailed, eyewitness reporting of UFO phenomena, often cross-referencing with contemporary newspaper accounts. There is a clear editorial stance favoring a serious, analytical approach to ufology, distinguishing between credible reports and sensationalism. The articles collectively suggest a period of intense UFO activity globally in 1977-1978, with a focus on the characteristics of the objects, their potential artificial origin, and the broader implications for understanding potential alien intelligence and their motives. The distinction between "pure" and "peripheral" ufology, and the challenges posed by disorganized groups, are recurring concerns.

This issue of "Awareness" magazine, published by Contact (UK), delves into various facets of ufology, exploring the nature of UFOs, the potential motivations of their occupants, and the broader context of these phenomena within a hypothesized alien culture. The content is primarily text-based, with a focus on analytical discussion and reporting of research findings and member feedback.

Analysis of UFO Phenomena

The articles discuss the concept of UFO 'repair' cases, questioning the idea of 'thought into existence' for replacement parts and suggesting that UFOs are composed of individually manufactured components. The author posits that UFO occupants possess a significant interest in natural history, biology, and zoology, potentially engaging in breeding experiments and biological research. Furthermore, there's a suggestion that UFO occupants are conducting psychological studies of humans, monitoring individuals and communities. This is supported by observations of light beams directed at terrestrial beings, which may be analogous to recording processes.

The issue introduces the 'tip of the iceberg' analogy to explain the UFO phenomenon. It posits that UFOs and their occupants are merely the visible part of a much larger, unknown alien culture. While this culture is strange and inexplicable, it is believed to function effectively and conform to fundamental universal laws, suggesting it could eventually be understood. However, the author notes that humanity's current understanding of the universe's fundamental building blocks might be incomplete, potentially overlooking a crucial natural law necessary to comprehend the UFO enigma.

Peripheral Ufology and Integrated Research

A significant portion of the magazine is dedicated to the concept of 'peripheral ufology,' which encompasses phenomena that, while not directly linked to UFOs, often coincide spatially and temporally with UFO activity. These include animal mutilations, sightings of strange animals, and reports of unknown humanoid or anthropoid creatures. The author argues that these 'peripheral enigmas' may be interconnected aspects of the same larger phenomenon and that ignoring them could be a disservice to ufology. The article stresses the importance of integrated, interdisciplinary research, comparing the current state of ufology to five hypothetical ufonauts studying different parts of a watch without understanding its overall function. It advocates for correlating data from various sources to gain a wider overview and perceive the full extent of the 'ufo iceberg.' The author suggests that humanity is of interest to this alien culture, and relationships occur on the alien culture's terms, urging a shift towards a more balanced interaction.

Member Feedback and Organizational Matters

A substantial section presents the results of a questionnaire distributed to Contact (UK) members. The questionnaire aimed to gather feedback on the organization's operation, publication content, and services. Key findings indicate high member satisfaction with the information produced in "Awareness," a strong desire for more UFO case inclusions and technical information, and support for a members' letters page. A majority of respondents also expressed willingness to attend UFO meetings and were satisfied with the investigator network. Notably, very few members objected to a potential increase in subscriptions or membership fees.

The magazine also reports on organizational changes. Following the resignation of International President John Longhorn, Mr Philip Burden was elected as the new International President of Contact International. The outgoing president, John Longhorn, is thanked for his service, and his resignation is attributed to his wife's ill-health and his own deteriorating physical condition. The magazine wishes them both a speedy recovery.

Publications and Events

Several pages are dedicated to listing books and cassette tapes available for sale, covering a wide range of UFO-related topics, including specific cases, historical accounts, and theoretical discussions. These include works by authors such as Larry Kettelkamp, Leonard Cramp, Dr. Allen Hynek, Charles Bowen, and John Keel. Cassette tapes feature interviews and narratives from various contactees and researchers.

BUFORA (British UFO Research Association) is highlighted with a report on its 1978 conference in Nottingham, described as successful and well-attended, with speakers from diverse international locations. BUFORA's involvement with a £1,000,000 prize offered by "Cutty Sark" for a genuine UFO artifact is mentioned, along with their ongoing lecture program featuring prominent speakers. Information on BUFORA membership and how to obtain their journal is also provided.

Additionally, "LANTERN," a quarterly journal of East Anglian Oddities, is advertised, edited by Ivan Bunn.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the comprehensive study of UFO phenomena, emphasizing the need to look beyond direct sightings to understand the broader context of a potential alien culture. The magazine advocates for integrated research, connecting 'pure' ufology with 'peripheral' enigmas. There is a strong focus on member engagement and feedback, as evidenced by the detailed questionnaire results, and a commitment to growing the organization. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, encouraging a deeper, more systematic approach to understanding the UFO enigma, and suggesting that humanity's future may depend on achieving a better understanding and balance with this unknown phenomenon.