Flying Saucer Digest - No 108 - 1989

Magazine Overview

Title: FLYING SAUCER DIGEST
Issue: No. 108
Date: Winter 1989
Publisher: UNITED AERIAL PHENOMENA AGENCY (UAPA)
Document Type: Magazine Issue

This Winter 1989 issue of Flying Saucer Digest (FSD), number 108, marks a significant change with an increase in pages and a corresponding price adjustment. The editorial states that the increase in size is to offset rising costs and allow for enhanced content rather than profit, reflecting the publication's long-standing commitment to its readers.

From the Editor

Robert S. Easley, the outgoing editor, announces that this issue is four pages longer than previous ones. He explains that the subscription rate increase is necessary to cover increased postage and printing costs, enabling FSD to offer more content without aiming for profit. Easley expresses hope that readers will appreciate the "new" FSD. He also mentions that the next issue will also feature the new size and price, with subscriptions costing $7.00 for four issues or $13.00 for eight issues.

Sister Publication and Catalog

The magazine highlights its sister publication, "WEIRDOLOGY," a bi-monthly Fortean magazine edited by Rick R. Hilberg, available for $5.00 for six issues. Additionally, the "UAPA's UFO Catalog Number 2" is announced as available for $1.00. This 10-page catalog features illustrations and lists various materials for sale, including books, maps, and back issues.

Editor's Transition

A major announcement is the transition in editorship. Beginning with the next issue, Allan J. Manak will assume the role of Editor of Flying Saucer Digest, while continuing as Chairman of the UAPA. Rick R. Hilberg will remain as Assistant Editor, taking on a greater role in assisting Manak. Robert S. Easley explains that he is stepping down after 27 years of researching UFOs due to pressing commitments to Veterans organizations and an impending move. He expresses a belief that the UFO mystery may never be solved but states that life must go on, concluding his tenure with "It has been fun."

Readers Say

This section features letters from readers. Mrs. A. Lepera from Canfield, Ohio, expresses happiness about the increased pages. Mr. P. Franco from Los Angeles, California, inquires about how the magazine obtains so many sightings. Allan J. Manak responds, stating that FSD includes more sightings because they believe people want to know what is being seen. B. Armstrong from Atlanta, Georgia, asks for follow-up information on an article about a sighting at Ruby. Manak replies that no further information has been received. Mr. M. Weitendorf from North Olmsted, Ohio, recounts a detailed sighting of a bright sphere of light that transformed into a rectangle and streaked across the sky on October 31, 1978. He also praises FSD as the finest publication of its kind.

UFO Retrospective: El Cajon Valley, California (1949)

This section reprints an early UFO report from an unknown Southern California newspaper dated April 23, 1949. The article describes four "flying disks" observed in a tight, boxlike formation over El Cajon Valley. The report attempts to discredit the sightings by suggesting they were Air Force experiments with rocket-powered, radio-controlled targets. However, witnesses, including former Air Force personnel, described the objects as bright, silvery, and moving at high speeds. The objects were estimated to be 30 feet in diameter and flew in perfect formation, banking and streaking across the sky.

Analysis in Astronomy

An Associated Press article reprinted from the Cleveland Plain Dealer discusses a debate on the definition of decades and centuries. William M. Protheroe, an astronomy professor, argues that the next decade begins on January 1, 1991, and the 21st century begins on January 1, 2001, based on the calendar's progression from numeral 1.

Foremost Sighting This Issue

This section highlights a UFO report from the Wayne Independent concerning sightings on May 20th and 21st near Long Eddy, Pennsylvania. Several residents observed three reddish-orange lights in a triangle formation, along with two steady red lights. The object emitted a low noise, described as similar to a large electric generator. Fred Weigelt, a retired game protector with 34 years of observation experience, expressed amazement and stated he couldn't explain the phenomenon.

Around and About the Saucer World

This section covers the 1989 National UFO Conference, which was rebranded as the National UFO and New Age Conference. The author attended and found the event to be successful, with a good mix of UFO enthusiasts and "New Agers." Notable attendees included Ed Biebel, Gene Steinberg, Jim Moseley, and others. The article also mentions that Tim Beckley and Jim Moseley are planning the 1990 NUFOC in Miami.

Mini-Flap in California?

This section presents a chronology of UFO reports from the Anza, California area, published in the Anza Valley Outlook on July 14th. Multiple sightings are detailed, including:

• June 28, 1989 (10:00 P.M.): Six lights sped by, with the last being a "huge" gold light that glowed red and became engulfed in flames near Vail Lake.
• June 28, 1989 (10:00 P.M.): A similar sighting of six lighted objects in a triangular formation, with the last being an enormous glowing light resembling a "floating barge."
• June 29, 1989 (9:00 P.M.): Bright amber-colored lights in a triangular formation were observed, which went dark when military aircraft approached.
• June 29, 1989 (9:30 P.M.): A large lighted object over Cahuilla Mountain was seen.
• June 30, 1989 (2:55 P.M.): A cylinder-shaped object moved across the sky at a 45-degree angle and appeared to set down on a mountain.
• July 3, 1989 (11:30 P.M.): An enormous craft, shaped like sergeant's stripes, sped toward the Vail Lake area.
• July 9, 1989 (12:05 A.M.): A brilliant white light rotated and changed color before vanishing. A car engine died when observers approached the area, and the TV reception improved significantly.

George Fawcett Investigating North Carolina UFO

Long-time UFO researcher George Fawcett is investigating a daylight sighting of a reddish-brown triangle near McGuire Nuclear Station on August 18th. Paul Moore, a disabled security guard, reported seeing the object, which dived to about 500 feet and headed toward the substation before disappearing. Fawcett is appealing for other witnesses, noting that daytime reports are considered more valid and that sightings around nuclear stations are common.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue include the reporting of numerous UFO sightings from various locations, the ongoing research and investigation into these phenomena by organizations like UAPA and MUFON, and the publication of reader experiences and opinions. The editorial stance emphasizes a commitment to providing detailed information and diverse perspectives on UFOs, even as the publication navigates changes in editorship and operational costs. The magazine aims to be a comprehensive resource for those interested in the UFO mystery.

This issue of a publication, likely a newsletter or magazine focused on UFO phenomena, features a guest article and a section titled "UFO BITS AND PIECES." The guest article, originally published in the November/December 1988 issue of "New Age" publication "Body, Mind & Spirit," is by Paul Zuromski and discusses alleged government cover-ups of UFO incidents. The "UFO BITS AND PIECES" section is the second in a five-part series by Clark Cox, originally printed in the Richmond County Daily Journal of Rockingham, North Carolina, and focuses on historical UFO sightings in that region.

Guest Article: "Only Aliens Can Keep Secrets" by Paul Zuromski

Paul Zuromski's article begins by referencing a "discovery" of classified U.S. Government documents that purportedly prove at least two UFO crashes occurred in the Southwestern United States in the late 1940s. The most prominent of these is the Roswell, New Mexico incident, where a wrecked alien spacecraft and the bodies of four non-human pilots were allegedly recovered. These documents reportedly indicate that Presidents Truman and Eisenhower were aware of the situation, and that the recovered materials were taken to a U.S. Government installation for study. This is presented as the first hard evidence supporting the theory that the U.S. Government possesses actual UFO materials.

The article acknowledges that debunkers claim these documents are faked, while many UFO researchers believe they are real. Regardless of the documents' authenticity, Zuromski argues that the U.S. Government is responsible for a massive, 40-year cover-up of UFO activity, which he believes continues to occur.

Zuromski's central thesis is that "PEOPLE CANNOT KEEP SECRETS." He finds it outrageous to believe that news of UFO wreckage and alien bodies stored at a government installation could be kept secret for 40 years. He draws a parallel to U.S. military personnel who sell sensitive defense information to Soviet operatives for money, suggesting that if classified military data can be leaked, then a UFO secret of this magnitude would be even harder to contain.

He questions how everyone involved in an incredible UFO incident could remain silent. He posits that at some point, someone would reveal the story to a tabloid for fame and fortune, becoming a national star. Unlike selling military secrets, a UFO story is perceived as something the American public deserves to know, and the person who reveals it would be seen as a hero.

Zuromski extends this argument to U.S. Government employees and civilian scientists, stating that they are human and it's ludicrous to think they would keep such a secret under wraps for 40 years to gain fame and fortune, foregoing their government paychecks.

He clarifies that this doesn't mean UFOs don't exist. Instead, he suggests that instead of worrying about government cover-ups, people should focus their energy on objectively examining credible UFO sightings and experiences. He notes that since the U.S. Air Force ended its UFO investigations in 1969 and researcher J. Allen Hynek passed away, there has been no scientifically credible organization collecting UFO data. The field is dominated by sensationalized rehashes and a few reliable voices like Whitley Streiber, who describe UFOs as multi-dimensional.

Zuromski mentions a few UFO reports that defy explanation, such as the 1986 sighting by a Japan Airlines jet crew over Alaska, which baffled scientists. He concludes by suggesting that instead of trying to get the U.S. Government to admit to a cover-up it may not even have, people should channel their energy into writing congressional representatives to convince the government to conduct serious and objective research into UFOs and other paranormal phenomena. He believes the ultimate winners in this effort will be the public, who cannot keep secrets.

UFO BITS AND PIECES by Clark Cox

This section, reprinted from the Richmond County Daily Journal, presents a collection of UFO sightings and related information, focusing heavily on North Carolina.

Historical Context of UFO Sightings

It is commonly believed that UFO sightings, or "flying saucer" reports, began around 1947 in the United States. However, the article notes that strange objects in the sky have been recorded throughout history. Some UFO enthusiasts theorize that biblical references, such as the "wheel within a wheel" in the Old Testament, could refer to alien spacecraft, or that the parting of the Red Sea was caused by a spacecraft's close passage.

Local Collections and Early Reports

Joe M. McLaurin of Rockingham, compiler of the "Richmond County Historical Collection," stated that his files do not specifically categorize UFO reports. However, he provided what is considered perhaps the earliest UFO sighting report from the Sandhills area: his grandfather, Daniel Lee McLaurin (born 1874), recounted an experience from his childhood (around age five) where he and his own grandfather saw a light in the sky stop and then circle their area in Marlboro County, South Carolina.

UFO Activity in North Carolina

George D. Fawcett, an investigator for the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON), has personally investigated over 1,200 UFO reports, primarily in North Carolina. He states that North Carolina ranks fourth among the 50 states in the number of UFO reports, with over 800 recorded in the last 50 years.

Fawcett identifies three major "waves" of UFO reports in North Carolina: 1973, 1975, and 1978. Sightings were reported in the Richmond County area during all three years, with a particularly intense period during a six-day span in early April 1975. This wave of activity in Lumberton and the surrounding Sandhills area was significant enough for another UFO organization, the Center for UFO Studies (CUFOS), to publish a book about the "Lumberton sightings." During this 1975 wave, Fawcett reported 23 sightings, including nine with "spotlights," three making flat turns, three reporting noises, two making signals in response to car headlights, ten seen hovering, and eleven spotted at treetop level or below. One notable incident from this period involved a Hamlet police officer who reported a UFO hovering beside his police cruiser on the highway.

Despite the significant activity, Fawcett notes that none of the 1973, 1975, or 1978 sightings were reported to The Daily Journal, indicating a reluctance among witnesses to report their experiences. The only mention of the Lumberton sightings in local newspapers was in a column by Harvey Burgess in The Hamlet News. Some local sightings were reported directly to MUFON and other investigatory agencies, which keep respondent names confidential. Others were reported to metropolitan newspapers and radio stations, but major news agencies like the Associated Press did not pick up most of these stories.

Henry H. Morton, another MUFON investigator, mentioned receiving "21 reports of UFO sightings in Anson County last January alone" but had not received reports from Richmond County recently, attributing this to a lack of contacts.

The First "Flying Saucer" Era Sighting

The article highlights the first detailed mention of a UFO in local newspapers concerning the "flying saucer" era: a sighting on December 28, 1949, over Hamlet. According to The Richmond County Journal on December 29, 1949, witnesses agreed it was not a flying saucer but could not identify the object. It was first reported over Hamlet around 4:45 p.m. and was described as being 30 or 40 feet in diameter. Witnesses stated the object flew crazily, passed over Hamlet, and headed West, then leveled off and turned over.

Phillip Gibbons, an Air Force veteran, took off in a light airplane to chase the object. He reported that it quickly turned into the sun when he neared it and that he last saw it about 12 miles Southwest of Hamlet. Some suggested it was a weather balloon, but Gibbons stated it did not appear as such, and weather stations partially discredited this theory. Gibbons added that the object was not disk or saucer-shaped and that its consistent direction for a period tended to prove it was not a balloon.

Advertisement: UFOLOGY: AN INFORMAL SURVEY

An advertisement promotes "UFOLOGY: AN INFORMAL SURVEY," published in April 1966 by Allen Greenfield. It is described as a classic in the UFO field, written by an intellectual researcher who used logic and thought in his research. The 54-page booklet is said to be full of unique theories and offers a look at the state of UFO research in the mid-Sixties. The UAPA (presumably the publisher of this magazine) has a limited number of copies available for $2.00 each, postpaid, and provides a P.O. Box in Cleveland, Ohio, for orders.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the possibility of government cover-ups of UFO phenomena, the nature of secrecy, and the historical documentation of UFO sightings. The guest article by Paul Zuromski strongly advocates for the idea that governments cannot effectively hide UFO evidence and criticizes the notion of a decades-long cover-up, while simultaneously acknowledging the existence of UFOs and the need for objective research. The "UFO BITS AND PIECES" section focuses on cataloging and reporting historical sightings, particularly within North Carolina, emphasizing the persistence of these phenomena across different eras. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into UFOs, acknowledging both the potential for government concealment and the importance of eyewitness accounts and empirical investigation, while also promoting specific research materials and organizations like MUFON and UAPA.