Flying Saucer Digest (ICARF) - Vol 1 No 3

Magazine Overview

This issue of the FLYING SAUCER DIGEST, the "Official Organ of the Inter-Continental Aerial Research Foundation (ICARF)", is dated April 1959 and is priced at 35¢ a copy. The editor and publisher is Gene Duplantier, with editorial and publication addresses listed for Toronto, Canada, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, respectively. The issue notes a change of address for ICARF and apologizes for a delay, resulting in the omission of the "Club News Corner" page.

Key Articles and Reports

The majority of the magazine is dedicated to detailed accounts of numerous UFO sightings that occurred primarily on November 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th, 1957, across various locations in the United States and Canada. These reports are presented as "Special Reports" or direct accounts from witnesses.

November 5, 1957 Sightings:

• Mitchell, South Dakota: Four individuals, including Police Chief Don Licht, witnessed three UFOs described as having one large bright white light with smaller lights around it. The objects maintained formation, made no noise like an airplane, and changed direction abruptly, growing brighter when they did so. They were observed for 15-20 minutes.
• Hebron, Illinois: Six UFOs were seen circling, described as rotating with flashes of white, red, and yellow, changing direction and color rapidly. They appeared like "moving lights, pretty high up."
• Houston, Texas: William Rush reported that an unidentified flying object caused electrical interference that killed his car engine and blanked out his car radio. The object was described as egg-shaped and glowing brightly.
• Hedley, Texas: W.V. Bain reported a mysterious light hovering over his farm, described as flickering, between blue and green, and brilliant. It flashed on and off six times before disappearing. A neighbor's television also went off at the same time.
• Galesburg, Illinois: A farmer's wife reported a "fiery orange" object hovering over the area, described as cigar or egg-shaped.
• Near Antioch, Illinois: Larry and Marilynn Beaman described a "burning white ball" that followed their car and nearly landed behind a school. This event was accompanied by television sets in Ringwood dimming and losing their picture and sound.
• Near Hobbs, New Mexico: Two unnamed men reported a mysterious light hovering over their speeding car, causing the engine to stop and the lights to go out, exhausting the car battery.

November 6, 1957 Sightings:

• Stanton, Minnesota: Two housewives reported seeing a bright object in the sky, described as a "flying soup bowl," bright porcelain, round-like, changing color, predominantly greenish-yellow. The object hovered over a house and was described as glowing.
• New Orleans, Louisiana: Coast Guard officials received a report of a UFO just before picking up a UFO on radar. A milkman and his helper saw an object rise over a levee, described as a cluster of lights.
• Waukesha, Wisconsin: Ray Wuchterl and William Madden saw a strange cigar-shaped object streaking across the sky, then hanging in mid-air. It was described as glowing or sparkling like polished chrome.
• Westport, Indiana: Albert Small and a companion saw a bright object that appeared to be a "perfect ball" and later "half of a ball," glowing white. It moved with darting, jerking motions.
• Albany, Georgia: Multiple witnesses, including Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) personnel, reported a mysterious flying object described as 75-100 feet long, brilliant red toward the back, and bluish-white in front. It was observed at about 12,000 feet, gliding downward to an estimated 1,000 feet.
• Near Atlanta, Georgia: Three truck drivers independently reported seeing a red, egg-shaped ball on the highway, described as "about the size of the moon."
• Bonners Ferry, Idaho: Several residents reported seeing a fireball crash to earth, but searches found no trace.
• Dugger, Indiana: Varnie Gilham reported an eye inflammation after looking at an unidentified flying object that hovered over him for ten minutes.
• Long Beach, California: The motors of three cars traveling along Vista del Mar conked out simultaneously, and drivers saw a mysterious egg-shaped spaceship "in a blue haze on the beach." Two beings reportedly emerged from the ship and spoke in "broken English" before departing.

November 7, 1957 Sightings:

• Fort Hood, Texas: Two Military Police reported a mysterious blue-bright light hovering about 100 feet above the reservation.
• Near Waco, Texas: Texas Ranger Captain Clint Peoples described a mysterious blue-bright light that seemed to dim as planes approached. It was observed at several hundred feet up and later appeared to be heading toward the ground.
• Weatherly, Pennsylvania: Teenagers reported seeing a large oval-shaped thing with four bright red, diamond-shaped lights that zoomed into sight at tremendous speed and then shot upward.
• Anaheim, California: Edwin G. Leadford photographed a mysterious cigar-shaped object, described as resembling a twin jet bomber without wings.
• Amarillo, Texas: Plant guards reported three brilliant objects hovering above a plant area. One object was reported to have landed on a farm road. The patrolman who investigated also saw a "strange light" and believed the guards saw something land.
• Alamogordo, New Mexico: An insurance man, his wife, and son reported seeing a silvery object traveling at "tremendous" speed, described as cylindrical or oval-shaped.
• Spokane, Washington: Two Deputy Sheriffs searched for a strange cigar-shaped object, described as orange and green, hovering about 150 feet off the ground.
• Midland, Texas: A brilliantly lighted object, round-shaped and blue-white, was tracked across the sky and later gave off a brilliant red light.

November 8, 1957 Sightings:

• Near Midland, Texas: A woman motorist reported crashing through a mysterious, brilliantly-lighted object. Two "beings" reportedly ran from it.
• Near Abilene, Texas: A Dyess Air Force Base sergeant and his family saw three red glowing objects flying in an unorganized manner, then lining up in a perfect line before disappearing.
• Paris, Illinois: Seventeen high school seniors reported spotting a UFO and a mysterious white substance that couldn't be broken or scratched. Pieces of strange material were found in a field where the object reportedly fell.
• Springfield, Illinois: Two groups reported seeing a mysterious bright light, described as a pale light from a distance. Jet fighters were observed circling the object.
• Tokyo, Japan: Many residents saw a "ball of fire" shoot over the skies and explode in a shower of sparks.

Special Reports and Investigations

• Request Step-Up in U.S. Probe of UFO Sightings: Edward J. Ruppelt, former Captain in the Air Force's Blue Book investigation, urged the government to intensify its UFO probe. He stated that in 1953, scientists found evidence that did not justify concluding the objects were extraterrestrial but urged increased expenditure for investigation, which was not pursued due to governmental economy drives.
• Military Would Like to See Auto Staller: The military is interested in developing technology that can disrupt the operation of motor vehicles. Leonard Hardland, chief engineer of the National Inventors' Council, suggested that electromagnetic radiation could be responsible for stalling cars and blocking radio signals.
• Flying Objects Stir Inquiry by Pentagon: Col. Dean Hess, Air Force Public Information officer, stated that the Pentagon is "greatly concerned" about UFO reports and is directing a "very thorough investigation."

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the sheer volume and geographical spread of UFO sightings, the consistent descriptions of objects (shapes, colors, lights), and the significant impact these phenomena appear to have on electronic equipment and vehicle operation. The magazine adopts a stance of documenting these reports seriously, presenting witness testimony without overt skepticism, and highlighting official interest or concern from entities like the Pentagon and the Air Force. The inclusion of Ruppelt's call for a more intensified investigation suggests an editorial leaning towards the belief that these sightings warrant further scientific scrutiny.

Title: Flying Saucer Review
Issue: Vol. 5, No. 1
Date: January 28, 1959
Publisher: Flying Saucer Review
Country: United Kingdom
Price: 2/6
ISSN: 0016-0572

This issue of Flying Saucer Review focuses on UFO sightings reported in late January 1959, with a prominent headline detailing an incident where three UFOs trailed an American Airlines DC-6.

Key Articles and Reports

UFOs Trail American Airlines DC-6

The lead story describes an incident on the night of February 24th, where three brilliant UFOs, flying in straight-line formation and occasionally maneuvering out of formation, were observed trailing a non-stop Newark to Detroit DC-6 American Airlines plane for 45 minutes. This sighting was witnessed by the pilot, co-pilot, 36 passengers, and pilots of two other nearby planes. Investigators were reportedly on the trail of all witnesses, with a full report promised for the next issue.

Two Flying Objects Landing Reported Seen in Cleveland

This section, dated January 28, 1959, from The Cleveland Plain Dealer, details two mysterious aerial phenomena observed over Cleveland. Robert H. Jamison, a School Board member, reported seeing a sausage-shaped object with lights on it that appeared to land behind the Lincoln Storage Co. warehouse at 11201 Cedar Avenue S.E. around 9:45 p.m. Jamison described the object as rounded at both ends, not like a blimp, and having many separate lights. He observed it drifting down quietly.

Simultaneously, Tim Ponstingle, 17, of 3100 W 146th St., reported seeing an object that looked like the third stage rocket of the most recent Russian satellite. His father, Ernest Ponstingle, confirmed it looked similar to the satellite stage and was high in the sky, about 70 degrees above the horizon, moving from northeast to southwest. Dr. Bruce Stephenson from the Case Observatory stated that satellites were aloft but not visible to the naked eye. Police in Cleveland and Cleveland Heights reported no knowledge of the sausage-shaped object.

Report Odd Capers of "Flying Objects"

This article, from The Cleveland Press dated January 29, 1959, compiles several witness accounts of strange aerial phenomena observed in Greater Cleveland. The reports include:

• Mrs. M.J. Gross of University Heights described an object with a pear-shaped tail that seemed to float down and disappeared when she drove faster.
• Jack Taylor of North Royalton saw an orange ball with a tail that appeared to be moving west.
• Russ Frederick of Parma reported seeing three red objects with tails that were visible for only a few minutes.
• Werner E. Forndran described a small strip of orange-yellow light, like a bulb hanging in the air.
• Mrs. William K. Britt reported an object the size of an airplane without wings, with a dark stretch in the middle.

Additionally, The Cleveland Press reported on January 28th that J.E. Talcott saw a bright blue light in the eastern horizon between 11:30 p.m. and midnight, which the Case Observatory identified as the bright star, Arcturus.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The issue consistently highlights witness testimonies of unidentified flying objects and aerial phenomena, suggesting a pattern of unusual sightings in the Cleveland area during late January 1959. The magazine presents these reports without explicit endorsement but provides detailed accounts from various witnesses, including pilots, school board members, and ordinary citizens. The comparison of sightings to known objects like satellite stages indicates an effort to analyze and categorize these events. The editorial stance appears to be one of documenting and investigating these occurrences, encouraging further reports and analysis within the UFO community.