Flying Saucer Digest - No 033

Magazine Overview

Title: FLYING SAUCER DIGEST
Issue: No. 33
Publisher: UAPA Publications
Country: USA
Date: Undetermined

This issue of the Flying Saucer Digest focuses on recent UFO sightings and related events, including a dramatic encounter in California, reports from Spain and Germany, and information about an upcoming UFO conference.

'WE FLED FOR OUR LIVES': A Terrifying Encounter in Colusa, California

The lead story details an incident where Bill Pecha, 39, a mechanic, his wife Lenda, 34, and their children recently fled their home in Colusa, California, due to a frightening encounter with two unidentified flying objects (UFOs). The event began when a power failure caused their TV and air conditioner to shut off, prompting Bill Pecha to investigate outside. He then saw a flying saucer hovering above his home, described as approximately 140 feet wide. Pecha, who had previously been skeptical about UFOs, stated, "But I believe now... There's got to be something." His wife added that it was unlike anything she had ever seen and not of human make.

A local policeman, Bill Wheeler, who investigated the incident, described Pecha as a reliable and sane individual, not prone to excitement. Pecha observed the object on a clear night around 12:45 a.m. He described it as having a ribbed dome of a dull silvery color, with an edge that looked like stainless steel and was rotating. Notably, there was no sound emanating from the object.

The saucer then began to move away, retracting six dangling objects that resembled metallic cables and two long hooks. It then emitted two white lights and a shaft of white light. Terrified, the Pecha family retreated inside, and they witnessed the UFO speeding towards a ridge of hills about 20 miles away. The object reached them in seconds, flooding their location with light, before turning back towards their home. Pecha described the experience as becoming "more horrifying the more I saw of it."

Pecha quickly gathered his family into his pickup truck and drove towards the home of friends, Les and Gayle Arant, at 90 miles per hour. Gayle Arant recounted that Pecha was yelling for them to look up, and they saw a "very large object" moving from east to west across the sky, which she believed was from outer space.

The report suggests that the object was responsible for chasing the Pechas and that another, smaller UFO may have caused the initial power failure. Pecha had first seen them hovering over 500,000 volt power lines near his home, which were glowing red.

UFOs Tracked in Spanish Province of Biscaye

This section reports on numerous UFO landing tracks discovered on a raised strip of ground near Ballarta, in the Spanish province of Biscaye. According to witnesses, there have been reports of noises and strange lights, particularly at night, above a terrace located in a remote area near a mine. The discovered tracks are circular with varying radii.

One witness, a technical manager from Bilbao, claimed to have seen a "a queer object shaped like a mushroom" rise with high speed from this earth platform in full daylight.

UFO Over Lake Bodensee Seen by Eight People

This report details a sighting near Lake Bodensee (Germany) involving two UFOs. Herr Schaffler, emerging from his bar in Langenargen at 2:00 a.m. on a Thursday, heard a shrill sound and saw two objects about 50 meters high making a ringing noise. He cried for help and ran away, jumping through a glass window in fright. His friend noted that the marketplace was lit with a green light. Five other friends corroborated seeing and hearing the two UFOs.

1977 National UFO Conference Announcement

An announcement for the 14th Annual National UFO Conference, to be held on Saturday, August 6, 1977, at the Hotel San Franciscan in San Francisco, California. The letter, addressed to "Diehard Saucerite" and signed by Dale Rettig, a member of the Permanent Organizing Committee Sponsor, notes that the conference has been a gathering of various UFO researchers since 1964. It highlights that this is the first time the event is being held west of the Mississippi River, a region known for high UFO activity, and anticipates strong attendance from Californians. The letter expresses anticipation for an "éclaircissement for all who attend."

Spellbinding UFOs - Des Moines Register Article Summary

This article, dated April 4, 1977, from the Des Moines Register, discusses the continued public enthusiasm for UFO stories, despite the 1968 Condon report's conclusion that further study was likely unnecessary. It mentions that the Air Force discontinued Project Bluebook eleven months after the Condon report, having investigated 12,618 reports over 20 years, with natural explanations found for all but 701 cases. The article notes that while some studies are by biased believers, others are conducted by respected scientists. A recent questionnaire sent to members of the American Astronomical Society revealed that 80% of the respondents thought UFOs deserve further study.

The article concludes with the statement: "The subject will not die. Condon and the Air Force killed in vain. UFOs are important if real; tantalizing whether real or not."

UFOs Over Hannibal - Quincy Herald Article Summary

An article from the Quincy Herald, Whig, Illinois, dated April 13, 1977, reports on two UFOs spotted hovering over the Burlington Northern railroad yards in Hannibal. However, police investigation revealed they were not UFOs but two chemical flares suspended from a kite, separated to appear as if chasing each other. The kite string was attached near the base of "Lovers Leap."

Publication Information

The Flying Saucer Digest is published bi-monthly by UAPA Publications, P.O. Box 9399, Cleveland, Ohio 44138. Subscription prices are listed for the U.S.A., Canada, Mexico, and elsewhere. The publication is described as a nonprofit organization dedicated to the study of unidentified flying objects of undetermined origin. Allan J. Manak is the Managing Editor, and Donna M. Manak handles Circulation. Comments and manuscripts are welcome, with a request for stamped, self-addressed envelopes for the return of materials.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are UFO sightings, witness testimonies, and the ongoing investigation and public interest in UFO phenomena. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry and a belief that UFOs warrant continued study, as evidenced by the coverage of various sightings and the critique of the Condon report's conclusions. The magazine actively promotes the study of UFOs and encourages reader participation through manuscript submissions.