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Data Net - No 20 - 1968
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Title: DATA-NET CONTROL Issue: No. 20 Volume/Identifier: WB6RPL Date: August 1968 Publisher: Data-Net Description: This is the official newsletter of Data-Net, a group of radio amateurs interested in the UFO problem. Membership is $4.00 per year, and the report is published…
Magazine Overview
Title: DATA-NET CONTROL
Issue: No. 20
Volume/Identifier: WB6RPL
Date: August 1968
Publisher: Data-Net
Description: This is the official newsletter of Data-Net, a group of radio amateurs interested in the UFO problem. Membership is $4.00 per year, and the report is published monthly by the control station, WB6RPL, operated by Michel M. Jaffe. All rights are reserved.
Seattle UFO Incident: July 7, 1968
The newsletter details a significant UFO event that occurred in Seattle, Washington, on Sunday, July 7, 1968. Thousands of residents witnessed nine red lights in the sky for over 40 minutes. Rudy Malaspina, a pilot flying at approximately 7000 ft, was asked to descend and then noticed the lights. Initially, he described them as looking like small aircraft, then a 'military formation.' He reported that four rockets were fired from these objects, three hitting southeast of Green Lake and one hitting the southern tip of Green Lake. Malaspina stated that the military and Boeing Field tower had no knowledge of any military formation in the area. Upon landing, his magnetic compass was off by 170 degrees, and his clock had stopped at 10:35 pm.
The official explanation provided by authorities was that pranksters were responsible, using balloons with flares attached. However, Robert Gribble, identified as the DIRECTOR of the National Investigating Commission on Aerial Phenomena (a group distinct from NICAP), questioned this explanation, noting that remnants of flares were found north of the sightings, and the wind direction did not support the official account. Gribble asserted, "They had to be UFOs, balloons couldn't have blown that way!!"
APRO's book, "UFOS OVER THE AMERICAS," is mentioned for reporting cases of UFOs shaped like aircraft, often smaller and without visible propulsion systems. One case detailed involves someone named Hertzke who saw a UFO on the ground and whose story held up under hypnotism.
A brief report from the SAN JOSE NEWS on July 9, 1968, also covered the Seattle incident, attributing the 'nine red lights' to pranksters with balloons and flares. Skeptics, including Rudy Malaspina, maintained that the objects flew in formation and changed speed and direction unlike balloons. Robert Gribble again disputed the official explanation regarding the flare remnants.
Scientific Symposium on UFOs
The newsletter reports on a symposium sponsored by the House Science Committee where six prominent scientists urged Congress to establish long-term, government-backed programs to understand UFOs. They stated that it was time to stop dismissing the phenomenon and that many sightings defied analysis, making it impossible to rule out the possibility of surveillance by beings from outer space.
Appearing at the symposium were Dr. J. Allen Hynek (Northwestern University), Dr. James E. McDonald (University of Arizona), Dr. Robert L. Hall (University of Illinois), Dr. James A. Harder (University of California, Berkeley), Dr. Robert H. L. Baker, Jr. (Computer Sciences Corp.), and Dr. Carl Sagan (Cornell University).
Dr. McDonald emphasized the seriousness of the possibility of surveillance, stating, "If there is even a chance of surveillance, we should explore it." Dr. Hall noted the growing public demand for sound information, moving beyond "casual and bland explanations."
Recommendations from the scientists included establishing a board of scientific inquiry, an international clearing house for UFO reports, setting up UFO tracking systems, and providing teams and instruments for rapid response to sightings. Dr. McDonald suggested that if Earth is being watched, it is by a society so advanced that its technology would appear as magic to humans. He also noted a correlation between UFO sightings and the Northeast power blackout in 1965, the cause of which remains unidentified.
Other Reports and Investigations
Zond 4 Debris: The North American Air Defense Command stated that fiery objects seen over the eastern United States were debris from the Zond 4 launching. The Air Force office at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base had assembled approximately 70 eyewitness accounts. A study of these files illustrated the 'near hysteria' that can grip observers, but also highlighted how airline pilots' reports could help weed out misleading information. Reports from pilots over Connecticut, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Canada led FAA to search radar scopes, finding no unidentified objects below 60,000 feet. Lt. Col. Hector Quintanilla, head of the aerial phenomenon office, believed the debris passed over Lexington, Kentucky, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Decline in UFO Reports: Colonel Quintanilla noted a sharp decline in UFO reports in the current year, with the Air Force receiving about one-quarter the monthly rate of the previous year. As of the report's date, 155 reports had been received since January 1, with many attributed to planets, aircraft, balloons, satellites, or other known causes.
University of Colorado Project Controversy: A report from INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH magazine discusses controversy surrounding the University of Colorado's UFO project. Representative J. Edward Roush called for a congressional investigation and evaluation by the Comptroller General due to alleged "stolen" memos and press statements attributed to the project's director, which raised doubts about the project's scientific profundity and objectivity. The project reportedly does not focus on investigating observers but rather physical phenomena, and appears to avoid serious evaluation of extraterrestrial hypotheses.
APRO and Physical Harm: Jim and Coral Lorenzen, founders of the Aerial Phenomena Research Organization (APRO), are presented as leading authorities on UFOs. They expressed concern that the government has not warned the public about potential dangers, citing six documented cases of actual physical harm befalling individuals due to proximity to reported UFOs. APRO has over 20,000 cases in its files and does not claim to know the source of these objects, but emphasizes that multiple witnesses reporting the same observations cannot all be hallucinating.
Adamski Saucer: A brief note mentions that the "Adamski" saucer is believed to be a modified end piece from a 1937 tank-type vacuum cleaner.
WASRON's Investigations: WASRON is reported to be digging in the Aurora cemetery for a spaceman supposedly buried there in 1897.
New ID Cards and Frequencies: New ID cards have been issued, and information is provided on amateur radio frequencies for KP4CH, ZD8PFE, and WB6RFL.
Saucer Seeker Device: Plans for a "Saucer Seeker" device, developed by Robert Z. Achzehner, are available. The device reportedly detects magnetic effects accompanying most saucer sightings.
UFOs and Natural Phenomena: A report from the TAMPA TRIBUNE discusses 'new noise storms' seen as a cloud of electrons from a solar flare, potentially causing disruptions to radio communications and an aurora. Chief Forecaster Dale Bucknam noted a "high probability" of renewed magnetic storms and a "plasma cloud" heading towards Earth.
Vicki's Account: A conversation with Vicki, a secretary, touches on sightings near Holloman AFE, New Mexico, and her speculation about experimental aircraft or natural phenomena.
Larry Drent's Navy Experience: Larry Drent, a U.S. Navy flight engineer, recounted witnessing an unusual object described as a "large light bulb" while aboard a C-130, which was confirmed by radar and appeared to be under intelligent control.
Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance
The newsletter consistently questions official explanations for UFO sightings, particularly those involving balloons and flares, suggesting that military activity or actual extraterrestrial craft are more plausible. There is a strong emphasis on the need for serious, scientific investigation into UFO phenomena, with criticism directed at government agencies and scientific bodies perceived as dismissive or secretive. The publication highlights the work of independent researchers and organizations like APRO, positioning them as dedicated to uncovering the truth. The editorial stance is one of skepticism towards official narratives and a call for greater transparency and dedicated research into what the newsletter considers a significant and potentially dangerous phenomenon.
This document is a two-page excerpt from a magazine, likely "INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH," focusing on a UFO study. The content is primarily text-based, with no visible images or advertisements on these specific pages. The tone is informative and investigative, detailing the progress, challenges, and methodology of a scientific inquiry into UFO phenomena.
The Air Force UFO Study The article details a UFO study, noting that the National Academy of Sciences or the Air Force had not commented on it. Thomas Ratchford, project scientist for the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, described the study as 'an independent one' with freedom granted to basic research contractors, though he expressed skepticism about similar articles previously appearing in magazines.
When contacted, Condon declined to comment on a LOOK article about the study, instead suggesting the publisher review the situation personally. Condon confirmed that a memo regarding the study was stolen from their files. He stated that the study was not biased toward examining observers and was proceeding, with the report expected by the end of September. He declined to explain why two staff members were discharged, stating it was 'for cause.'
Regarding the study's progress, Condon stated, 'We're not talking about the study until the report is in.' He dismissed information seen in publications as 'speculation and guesses by other people' and 'without any foundation in fact.'
Progress Report and Methodology A progress report covering November 1, 1966, to March 31, 1967, indicated that early activities focused on familiarizing the team with existing data and literature on UFOs and establishing a 'reasonable, defensible methodology.'
- Dr. David R. Saunders, a professor of Psychology, played a significant role. He was responsible for:
- Directing the acquisition, cataloging, and organization of the sightings file, using primarily Air Force and NICAP sources.
- Developing interview and sighting report forms.
- Handling statistical analyses of 1,200 coded sighting reports.
- Making decisions on which reports would lead to investigation teams being sent into the field. Low was to make these decisions in Saunders' absence.
However, a LOOK article suggested that 'several potentially interesting cases were turned down for investigation by Low for what were apparently specious reasons.' It also mentioned Saunders reminding Low that he had blocked the investigation of a particularly startling case, to which Low responded that the investigation was completed, with no mention of dissatisfaction with Saunders' work.
The proposal addressed this 'choice-of-sightings problem,' stating an intention to investigate only sightings that 'show promise of yielding additional information about the nature of the UFO phenomenon' and that criteria had been developed for this purpose.