Disclosure Australia (AURA) - No 06 - Oct Pt.2 2003

Magazine Overview

Title: DISCLOSURE AUSTRALIA
Issue: NEWSLETTER SIX PART 2
Date: OCTOBER 2003

This issue of Disclosure Australia, a publication auspiced by the Australian UFO Research Network and the Australian UFO Research Association, focuses on a significant investigation into Australian UFO cases documented in RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force) files. The newsletter presents findings from a search of the National Australia Archives, specifically highlighting reports from 1958 to 1962.

Australian UFO Sightings and the Secret USAF U-2 Aircraft Program

The central thesis of this newsletter is that a number of Australian UFO sightings may have been caused by secret USAF (United States Air Force) aircraft programs. The article begins by referencing historical accounts from "UFOs Over the Americas" by J. and C. Lorenzen, which describe secret high-flying reconnaissance planes operating from secret bases and military airbases equipped with unmarked US-manufactured vehicles and planes during the late 1950s and the pre-Bay of Pigs era.

The authors note that, to their knowledge, no Australian researcher had previously suggested that 'secret aircraft' were the cause of Australian UFO reports. This prompted a review of RAAF UFO reports files, where they encountered a report that led to this investigation.

The Devonport, Tasmania Sighting (May 1961)

A key case examined is a report from a Department of Agriculture inspector to the RAAF in May 1961. The incident involved children playing in a backyard in Devonport, Tasmania, who saw an object in the sky. The male witness described a definite object, 'silvery but not reflective,' shaped 'like a thermometer or a pencil without a point.' It was seen travelling slowly in a straight line to the NNW, and was lost to sight behind bushes. The weather was noted as 'Fine trace cumulus cloud on horizon.' Crucially, the RAAF pro forma, filled out by an interviewer/analyst, included the response to a question about air traffic: "U2 aircraft over Great Lake at approximately 8.15 am travelling in a northerly direction, leaving a distinct vapour trail."

While the RAAF pro forma and covering letter did not contain an analysis of the cause, a review of the RAAF's "Summary of Unidentified Aerial Sightings reported to Department of Air, Canberra, ACT, from 1960" listed "aircraft" as the "possible cause." The newsletter suggests that given the timing and location, the Devonport sighting could indeed have been an American U-2 secret aircraft.

Further Cases and Evidence of U-2 Operations

This discovery prompted a search for other instances where U-2 aircraft might have been implicated in UFO sightings within RAAF files. The newsletter details several other cases:

• Liffey, Tasmania (November 1962): A woman reported a bright, "needle shaped," "bright glinting metallic" light for 2 seconds. The RAAF pro forma stated "No air traffic operating in area," yet the RAAF's summary listed "aircraft" as the "possible cause."
• Hagley, Tasmania (October 1960): A couple reported a "pencil-like" object high in the night sky, described as "pencil thick."
• Richmond Victoria (May 1962): RAAF air traffic controllers saw a contrail with no known aircraft present. The "Summary of Unidentified Aerial Sightings" listed "aircraft" as the "possible cause."
• Holbrook, Victoria (May 1962): A "Dark glinting object leaving 4 condensation trails-climbing vertically" was reported, again with "aircraft" as the "possible cause."
• Norfolk Island (December 1962): Numerous reports described a cylindrical object with two vertical projections, with no aircraft reported in the area.
• Forster, NSW (March 1963): A "Long slender, silvery-white, pencil-like object-soundless" was reported, with "aircraft" as the "possible cause."

Interestingly, after this series of cases, the "Summary of Unidentified Aerial Sightings" did not list "aircraft" as a possible cause until December 1965.

Internet Search for U-2 Activity in Australia

To corroborate the presence of USAF U-2 aircraft in Australia during the relevant period (May 1961 to March 1963), an internet search was conducted. The findings included:

• Information that the "U-2 deployed to East Sale RAAF, Australia for HASP missions" in October 1960, with the HASP program terminating in March 1963.
• Details about the 4080th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing (SRW), which flew Lockheed U-2 and Martin RB-57D aircraft for "sensitive surveillance missions worldwide," including the High Altitude Sampling Program (HASP).
• A photograph of Lt Col. Tony Bevacqua in the cockpit of a U-2A at RAAF Laverton, Australia.
• A photograph labelled "Jim Campbell was kind enough to send along these photos that he took while he was deployed with the U-2 in the town of East Sale, Australia in 1961."
• A section titled "Oscar Down Under" discussing a U-2 sampling program flown from Australia for about five years.
• Indication that U-2s were deployed to East Sale RAAF, Australia.
• A record from the Australian Federal Parliament website mentioning U2 basing in relation to cooperation on nuclear weapons issues and chemical/biological warfare research.

The newsletter concludes that these findings strongly suggest the existence of a publicly little-known USAF U-2 surveillance program based at RAAF East Sale, Victoria, between October 1960 and March 1963, which likely caused some reported UFO sightings. The dates align remarkably well with the observed UFO reports.

Call to Action for UFO Groups

The newsletter urges Australian UFO groups to review their own case files from the period October 1960 to March 1963 to see if other UFO reports might have originated from observations of USAF U-2 aircraft.

File Summaries

The newsletter also provides summaries of two RAAF files:

• RAAF file series 580/1/1 (various parts): This file contains a mixture of reports and policy documents. A summary of file number 114/1/197 is presented, listing numerous individual reports and correspondence from 1954 to 1955. These include sightings of meteor-like objects, brilliant lights, orange objects, glowing objects, silver stars, and round objects, with locations across Australia such as Whittlesea, Kalamundra WA, Cue WA, Burketown Qld, Carlton Melbourne Vic, Yannathan Vic, and Ballarat Vic.
• RAAF file 580/1/1 Part 2 (June 1958 to January 1961): This section provides a detailed listing of UFO cases from this period, including the date, location, duration, number of witnesses, type of report (using a Modified Hynek classification system), and a summary of the event. Locations covered include Papua and New Guinea, Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland. The descriptions vary widely, from "red object" and "brilliant white light" to "cigar shaped light," "shiny piece of aluminium," "green, large, elliptical shaped object," and "round, multi coloured light."

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme throughout this issue is the potential for misidentification of advanced military aircraft, specifically the USAF U-2, as UFOs. The editorial stance appears to be one of critical inquiry, encouraging researchers to re-examine historical UFO cases with a new perspective informed by declassified or newly understood military operations. The newsletter emphasizes the importance of scrutinizing official RAAF files and cross-referencing them with known military activities to provide more plausible explanations for past sightings. There is a clear implication that government secrecy surrounding military projects has historically contributed to the UFO phenomenon's mystique.

This document, "Newsletter Six" from AURA, published in October 2003, focuses on a comprehensive listing of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) cases documented by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) between 1960 and 1962. It serves as an archival record, detailing individual sightings with specific dates, locations, witness information, and descriptions of the observed phenomena. The content is primarily a catalog of events, referencing original RAAF file numbers and providing context for each entry.

RAAF File Listing: 1960-1962

The core of the newsletter is a chronological compilation of UAP reports, organized by year and date. Each entry typically includes:

• Date and Time: Precise date and time of the sighting.
• Location: Specific place in Australia where the object was observed.
• Duration: The length of time the object was visible.
• Number of Witnesses: The count of individuals who observed the phenomenon.
• Witness Gender/Name: Details about the witnesses, if available.
• Type of Report: Often indicated by a Modified Hynek classification (e.g., DL for Daylight light, NL for Nocturnal light, NO for Nocturnal object, CE for Close Encounter, RV for Radar Visual).
• Description: A detailed account of the object's appearance, behavior, and movement.
• RAAF File Reference: The corresponding file number within the RAAF archives.

1960 Cases:

The year 1960 saw numerous reports, including a bright object emitting flashes over Hawthorn East, a dull silver object seen by a witness in Yarralumba, two lights observed by a pilot near Mugalgee, and an explosion of light with sparks over Box Hill South. Pont Lookout reported an object with a green head and white tail, while Yallalong Station noted a bright flashing object. Notable events include a "long cigar shaped object" emerging from a rain squall near Cressy, Tasmania, followed by smaller saucer-like objects. Other sightings in Tasmania included a crescent-shaped light in Launceston and a cigar-shaped object with a round nose in Delmont.

1961 Cases:

1961 continued the trend with reports such as a squadron of silver discs in formation over South Launceston, greyblue objects approaching Invermay, and a starlike object moving over Campbelltown. Circular pearl grey objects were observed near South Launceston. Northern Territory sightings included an object heading towards Darwin with loud noise and a fiery tail, a glowing object with a bluish tinge over Darwin, a fast-moving object described as a ball of fire over Tennant Creek, and an object climbing vertically and performing a wide orbit near Wonarah Station. Kerang, Victoria, reported a light that "fell rapidly...to hover over hill top." A large object seen near Newcastle was described as "brilliant orange" and broke into two. Indooroopilly, Queensland, reported a bright white light that turned copper flame green. A white, wide beam light was seen near Beaconsfield, Tasmania. Devonport, Tasmania, reported a silver object, with a note suggesting a U2 aircraft was in the vicinity. Darwin, NT, had reports of a cone-shaped object with a white tip and red tail, and a radar contact at high altitude. Cairns and Townsville, Queensland, reported multiple sightings, including cone-shaped objects and stationary lights, with some initially mistaken for Venus. Richmond, Victoria, noted a contrail in the NW sky. Lucinda Point, Queensland, reported a light that stopped and changed course. Launceston, Tasmania, had reports of moving objects. North Richmond, NSW, described an object that rose vertically. Giles, WA, saw a bright flash of light. Kimberly, Tasmania, reported a low light changing colors. Yass, NSW, had sightings of a silver colored object, with RAAF aircraft sent up but seeing nothing. Denmark, WA, reported a bright starlike object, concluded to be a DC3 aircraft. Cressy, Tasmania, observed a round silver light. Sydney, NSW, had an aircraft crew report an object travelling at high speed that turned into a cluster of lights. A satellite was sighted near Lolobau Island.

1962 Cases:

In 1962, Campbelltown, ACT, reported a bright "meteor" with a short tail. Cresy, Tasmania, saw a very bright, needle-shaped light. Goulburn, NSW, reported a large, strange object with an "Orangecoloured exhaust." A yellow light was seen over Cresy, Tasmania, thought to be a satellite. Norfolk Island reported an object described as "cylindrical in shape with two vertical projections." Richmond, Victoria, reported a contrail. Lucinda Point, Queensland, saw a light that stopped and changed course. Launceston, Tasmania, had reports of moving objects. North Richmond, NSW, described an object that rose vertically. Giles, WA, saw a bright flash of light. Kimberly, Tasmania, reported a low light changing colors. Yass, NSW, had sightings of a silver colored object. Denmark, WA, reported a bright starlike object, concluded to be a DC3 aircraft. Cressy, Tasmania, observed a round silver light. Sydney, NSW, had an aircraft crew report an object travelling at high speed that turned into a cluster of lights. A satellite was sighted near Lolobau Island.

Modified Hynek Classification System

The document explains the Modified Hynek classification system used to categorize sightings:

• DL (Daylight disk or other shape): Daytime sightings of objects with defined shapes.
• NL (Nocturnal light - a point source of light): Nighttime sightings of lights that appear as points.
• NO (Nocturnal object where the UFO had a defined size rather than being a point source): Nighttime sightings of objects with discernible size and shape.
• CE (Close encounter (within 500m) at any time of day or night): Sightings involving proximity to the object.
• RV (Radar visual): Sightings confirmed by radar.

Attachments and Notes

An "Attachment Two to Newsletter Six" lists files from RAAF 580/1/1 Part 3, covering the period from December 1960 to December 1962. The document also includes notes on the format of each case and definitions for the Hynek classifications. It mentions that some reports were originally classified as "Secret" or "Confidential."

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this newsletter are the systematic documentation of UAP sightings, the detailed cataloging of historical events, and the presentation of official records (RAAF files). The editorial stance appears to be one of archival presentation, providing raw data and witness accounts without overt speculation, though the inclusion of RAAF conclusions or potential explanations (like aircraft or Venus) offers a degree of analysis. The focus is on presenting the factual content of the RAAF files, allowing readers to draw their own conclusions.