Data Net - No 03 - 1967

Magazine Overview

Title: DATA-NET Report
Issue: No. 3
Date: March 23, 1967
Publisher: DATA-NET
Country: USA
Language: English

This report from DATA-NET, an organization that began two months prior with two stations and has since grown to 22 members, details various aspects of UFO sightings and related phenomena. The organization operates without funds and relies on member contributions for postage. The report includes a roster of stations and members, and correspondence from members.

Local Sighting and Conflicting Explanations

The report highlights a sighting in the local bay area by member WB6QZD. This sighting was corroborated by three other witnesses, who confirmed the location, duration, height, color, and lights of the object. The sighting was also confirmed by Radio Station KSFO. However, conflicting explanations were provided by official sources. The local airport suggested the object was a weather balloon, while Moffett Field Navy air station, after considerable effort, stated it was a jet's afterburner. The author expresses skepticism about these explanations, noting the absurdity of a jet afterburner hovering for over an hour and questioning if both explanations could be correct or if multiple objects were involved.

The author, Michel M. Jaffe, humorously lists various possible explanations for the sighting, including a balloon, plane, star, swamp gas, insects, or even 'a turtle on LSD,' concluding that all such explanations are equally valid given the lack of definitive answers.

Phenomena of Falling and Ascending Objects

The report delves into various phenomena of objects falling from the sky, moving beyond simple rain. It mentions chunks of ice falling through roofs, snails, periwinkles, tadpoles, sardines, crabs, shrimps, worms, flying fish, and 'manna.' It also notes strange objects seen in the sky and sonic booms, referencing Charles Fort's work and newspaper clippings. The text then shifts to the concept of men ascending into the sky, citing examples from the Holy Bible. It further references the 'Oasphe Bible' from 1891, which describes beings descending from and ascending to 'gigantic ships of light,' characterized as angels, scouts, or bad creatures, who served in a rotation system with various types of leave and jobs that included tutoring, teaching love, wisdom, and government. These beings, described as soldiers, tutors, observers, and pilots, obeyed a supreme commander and their ships could achieve 'faster than lightning' speeds, traveling among the stars.

UFO Incidents and Radiation Poisoning

A particularly striking account is shared from Edward Puppelt's 'Report on U.F.O.'s,' detailing a man flying his personal plane who was hit by a flying object. The object did not stop, and the pilot was thrown from his plane. Despite not wearing a parachute, his only apparent injury was a sprained ankle. However, he died three days later in the hospital from radiation poisoning.

The author criticizes simplistic explanations for UFOs, such as teenagers sending up plastic bags with candles, or insects, dismissing them as inadequate for phenomena tracked by radar, observed by pilots, and pursued by jets. The author sarcastically notes that if one's son builds plastic model airplanes, then real planes do not exist.

Notable Testimonies and Official Statements

The report includes several significant testimonies and statements from prominent figures:

• Astronaut Major Gordon Cooper reported a UFO closing in on his space capsule on May 16, 1963. This event was witnessed and confirmed at the Muchea Tracking Station, Australia, by civilian observers and newsmen.
• Senator Barry Goldwater stated, "Flying saucers, or whatever you call them, are real!"
• Vice Admiral R.N. Hillenkotter, former head of the CIA, agrees with the reality of UFOs.
• Admiral Delmar S. Fahreney, former head of the Navy Guided Missile Program, stated, "Reliable reports indicate clearly that objects are coming into our atmosphere. Their maneuvers indicate that they are under intelligent control!"
• Captain James Howard, a veteran British military pilot, and his passengers saw a giant UFO with six harmonics, concluding, "We are convinced that the things we watched were space crafte."
• H. Percy Wilkins, a world-famous astronomer, described seeing a flying saucer with unique shape and performance unlike anything made by man.
• Frank Halstead, director of the University of Minnesota's Darling Observatory, stated, "Mankind must be prepared to accept the fact that we are having visitors from elsewhere in space."
• Dr. Harlow Shapley, former director of Harvard Observatory, commented, "We must now accept it as inevitable--there are other worlds with thinking beings."
• General McArthur (on October 9, 1955) predicted, "The nations of the Earth must someday make a common front against attack by people from other planets."

Documented UFO Incidents

The report lists several documented UFO incidents:

• August 13, 1952: Report No. 180 of the CAA lists 68 UFOs tracked on radar over Washington D.C.
• April 18, 1962: The Las Vegas Sun reported an object landing beside an electric power station, causing a 40-minute outage. It was tracked on radar, pursued by jets, and exploded, with the official explanation being a 'giant fireball.'
• February 14, 1963: A power blackout in Denver, Colorado, lasted 1 hour and 22 minutes, with the incident 'apparently corrected itself' without explanation.
• August 17, 1959: In Brazil, Uberlandia, a similar incident occurred where a UFO was seen by technicians at the power plant.

These incidents are noted as occurring in various locations including Mexico, Arizona, California, the Northeast, and Canada, with UFOs reportedly visiting important communications centers, industrial centers, and military centers on Earth.

Future Plans and Member Engagement

Professor Phylip Wylie raises the question of why, if these phenomena are real, they are not tracked on radar or seen by astronomers. The author mentions writing to Saga Magazine about their UFO articles and has also contacted N.I.C.A.P. and A.P.R.O. to request mutual cooperation, promising to update members on their responses. The report emphasizes the need for member contacts in Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, and Mexico.

The report concludes with a call for members to keep their eyes and minds open and encourages them to share comments, suggestions, ideas, and criticisms.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of the DATA-NET Report include the reporting and analysis of UFO sightings, the skepticism towards official explanations, the historical and even biblical context of unexplained aerial phenomena, and the compilation of testimonies from credible witnesses and officials. The editorial stance, as expressed by Michel M. Jaffe, is one of open inquiry, critical thinking, and a willingness to consider extraordinary possibilities while acknowledging the lack of definitive answers. There is a clear emphasis on the need for collective investigation and member participation in gathering information and fostering cooperation with other organizations.