Cowflop Alert

Magazine Overview

Title: Cowflop Alert
Issue: Special Edition
Date: Friday, September 22, 1995
Publisher: Cowflop Alert
Country: USA
Language: English

This special edition of Cowflop Alert, dated September 22, 1995, features a lead article by Robert G. Todd titled "RANDLE DUMPS -- AND DUMPS ON -- SCHMITT." The issue focuses on the public dispute between UFO researchers Kevin Randle and Donald Schmitt, who were formerly half of the Center for UFO Studies' (CUFOS) Roswell "investigation" team.

Randle's Accusations Against Schmitt

The article begins by detailing a letter written by Kevin Randle on September 10, 1995, in which he attempts to distance himself from Donald Schmitt. Randle accuses Schmitt of numerous falsehoods and claims that research performed by or for Schmitt was incompetent. Randle asserts that everything he included in their two books was based on his own research and verified documentation.

Scrutiny of "UFO Crash at Roswell"

Robert G. Todd, the author, expresses skepticism about Randle's claims of truthfulness, referencing his own experience after reading their first book, "UFO Crash at Roswell." Todd recounts writing to Donald Schmitt about a specific claim on page 7 of the book concerning the government cover-up of the Air Force UFO investigation. The book stated that the Roswell file contained only a single press clipping, while the file for a similar case in Circleville, Ohio, allegedly contained much more documentation.

Todd investigated this claim and found that neither the Roswell nor the Circleville incident was listed in the Blue Book index, and the actual case files contained no such detailed documentation. When Todd inquired about the location of these files, Schmitt did not reply. Kevin Randle responded, stating that he had done most of the work on that section of the book and admitted that the Blue Book file on Roswell specifically did not exist, with the only mention appearing in a newspaper clipping. He also clarified that the Circleville "file" was not a distinct Blue Book file but rather a mention within another case's newspaper clippings.

Allegations of Deliberate Deception

Todd argues that Randle and Schmitt's presentation of these "files" was a deliberate lie, not merely a "lack of clarity." By implying that the Circleville file had extensive documentation while the Roswell file had only a clipping, they suggested a sinister motive behind the official handling of the Roswell incident. Todd contends that the truth was that neither case had an official Blue Book file beyond a single clipping.

Randle's explanation for this discrepancy was that the Circleville newspaper clipping contained "more detail." Todd dismisses this as an "insulting" explanation and uses Randle's own words to describe it: "He was caught and tried to lie his way out of it."

Todd wrote back to Randle, suggesting that the discrepancy was more than a lack of clarity and appeared to be a deliberate lie. Randle took offense and refused further cooperation. Inquiries about other dubious claims, such as missing military personnel files, also went unanswered by both Schmitt and Randle.

Access to Research Materials

When Todd contacted CUFOS to verify claims that their research materials were available, he was informed that the materials were either not at the Center or that Schmitt and Randle were unwilling to grant access. Randle later claimed this was to protect copyright, despite materials being made available to others. Todd concludes that either CUFOS' "scientific director" lied about access or Randle lied, leaving the two to resolve who was responsible for the "lies and the selective use of rewards and punishments" in their "scientific method."

Reproductions of "Blue Book Files"

The issue includes reproductions of the complete contents of the Blue Book "files" that Randle cited on page 7 of his book. These reproductions are presented as the "file" on the Circleville, Ohio, radar target case and the "file" on the Roswell incident, according to Kevin Randle.

Related Article: "Flying Star Lands in Ohio"

A brief article describes an object found on a farm in Circleville, Ohio, on July 5th. The object was a six-pointed star, covered with tin foil, measuring 50 inches high and 48 inches wide, weighing about two pounds, with the remains of a balloon attached. The description matched an object used by the Army Air Forces to measure wind velocity at high altitudes using radar.

Related Article: "Saucers, If Any, Fading Away To Blue Yonder"

This article, dated July 9th, reports that the flying saucer phenomenon had largely disappeared. Reports of sightings had dropped to a trickle, and claims of recovered "discs" were proven false. The Army Air Force headquarters in Washington reportedly rebuked officers at the Roswell air base for announcing the discovery of a "flying disc," which turned out to be the remnants of a weather observation balloon. The article also mentions Dave Johnson, an aviation editor from Idaho, who reported taking motion pictures of a black object that might be a disc, but was unable to capture much film before it disappeared.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the integrity of UFO research, the alleged deception by prominent researchers, and the critical examination of the Roswell incident and its associated documentation. The editorial stance is highly critical of Kevin Randle and Donald Schmitt, accusing them of fabricating or misrepresenting evidence to support a narrative of government cover-up. The publication, Cowflop Alert, positions itself as a source that exposes what it perceives as falsehoods and incompetence within the UFO community, particularly concerning the Roswell case. The article emphasizes the importance of factual accuracy and transparency in research.