Flying Saucer Digest - No 109 - 1990

Magazine Overview

Title: FLYING SAUCER DIGEST
Issue Date: Spring 1990 (Issue No. 109)
Publisher: United Aerial Phenomena Agency (UAPA)

This issue of Flying Saucer Digest, published by the United Aerial Phenomena Agency (UAPA), covers a variety of UFO and unexplained phenomena reports from late 1989 and early 1990. The magazine is edited by Allan J. Manak, with Rick R. Hilberg as Assistant Editor, Carol Hilberg as Typist, and Robert S. Easley as Associate.

From the Editor

The new editor, who took over two months prior to this issue, notes that this is his first time as editor since August 1973. He announces that the magazine has expanded to 14 pages and introduces Carol Hilberg as the new typist, working with a computer processor typewriter. While this is good news, he also shares the bad news that paper costs have increased by 10%, though they will not raise subscription prices. He mentions that their UFO catalog is selling well and encourages readers to purchase a copy for $1.00. The next issue will also be 14 pages and will cost $7.00 for four quarterly issues or $13.00 for eight.

Our Sister Publication

WEIRDOLOGY is introduced as a bi-monthly Fortean publication edited by Rick Hilberg, covering various mysteries. Subscription rates are $5.00 for six bi-monthly issues, with a free gift for new subscribers. The mailing address for WEIRDOLOGY is P.O. Box 347032, Cleveland, Ohio 44134.

UAPA's UFO Catalog Number 2

The UAPA announces its new ten-page catalog, available for $1.00. It lists materials for sale, including books, maps, back issues, and rare items. To obtain a copy, send $1.00 to UAPA, P.O. Box 347032, Cleveland, Ohio 44132.

UFO Bits and Pieces

This section provides brief news items related to UFO events and organizations:

• UFO Congress: The "Central N.J. and Pa. UFO Study Group" and the "UFO Book Club" are presenting "The First Great UFO (ET) Humanoids / Visitors / Alien and Abduction Congress" from March 30 to April 1, 1990, in Trenton, N.J. Information can be obtained by writing to Pat J. Marcattilio.
• UFO Calendar: A UFO calendar is available for $9.95 plus $1.50 postage and handling from UFO Photo Archives, P.O. Box 17206, Tucson, Arizona 85710.
• The Researcher: The Pennsylvania Center For UFO Research at 721 Old Greensburg Pike, North Versailles, Pa. 15137, is publishing "The Researcher" and offers it free to anyone who writes.
• National UFO Conference: The 27th National UFO Conference is scheduled for May 11-13, 1990, at the Holiday Inn Oceanside in Miami Beach, Florida. Interested individuals can write to UFO Conference, Box 753, New Brunswick, N.J. 08903.

Readers Say

Two letters are featured:

• R. Tommaso from Wallham, MA, expresses regret for not subscribing sooner, having been a UFO buff for 25 years and preferring a "middle of the road" approach.
• R. Guthrie from Milwaukee, WI, notes the high cost of attending UFO conventions ($40.00 to over $100.00), making it difficult for families to attend, contrasting it with the $8.00 price for two sessions at the 1988 National UFO Conference in Cleveland. He hopes Cleveland will host the 1991 conference.

The editorial staff (AJM) responds briefly to both letters.

Foremost Sighting This Issue

UAPA Chairman Allan J. Manak selected a sighting released on November 8th by the Newhouse News Service, attributed to David Snyder, as the UFO sighting of the quarter. The report details an encounter by pilot Bill Kimmel, who has 20 years of flying experience.

Kimmel, while ferrying a rice farmer, Felin Cooper, near Memphis, Tennessee, at 5:30 p.m. on a clear fall day, observed a bright light about 30 miles to the northeast. Initially thinking it was a jet, he soon realized the object was moving fast and was something new and weird. He described it as a "solid round metal ball about twice the size of a light twin-engine airplane," with no cockpit, wings, or tail section. The object disappeared quickly. Cooper corroborated the sighting. Lee Abide Jr., a crop duster, also reported seeing a similar round object, estimated at 90 feet in diameter, that moved quickly and was "more orange than yellow."

Locals began gathering on the Mississippi River Levee with binoculars to watch for the object. Two other pilots reportedly told Kimmel they had also seen UFOs.

The article also mentions UFO sightings around Pine Bluff, Arkansas, starting October 23rd. Sheriff's deputies, including Sgt. Bernard Adams, observed an object hovering 150-200 feet above tree-top level. The Sheriff's Department received numerous calls about a glittering object, sometimes ringed with blue haze or lights. The FAA reported the object did not appear on radar, possibly due to its low altitude. Charles Hemann from the University of Arkansas Planetarium suggested Venus as a possible explanation for some sightings, noting its appearance can be affected by atmospheric conditions, but witnesses insist the object was close.

Around and About the Saucer World

This section, written by Rick R. Hilberg, covers several distinct reports:

• "Green Fireballs" Again?: A report from the Los Angeles Times describes a large, greenish fireball sighted at high altitude on December 28th, visible from the Grand Canyon to San Diego. Pilots flying between 13,000 and 35,000 feet reported seeing it over Arizona and Nevada. The Griffith Observatory stated they lacked sufficient information for an explanation.

• "Alien Being" at Florida Shopping Center?: A report from Jon O'Neill of the Miami Herald details an incident on December 7th at the Colonial Palms Shopping Center. Night watchman Tony Arias described a large, ugly "thing" (7 feet 5 inches tall, 150 pounds, bald with a "big head and cat eyes") that walked through the center. Arias drew a composite sketch. Officer Juan Santana and Sgt. Joe Wyche of Metro's Kendall Station investigated but found no evidence. Wyche speculated it might have been a costume, but Arias was visibly shaken.

• "Alien" Caught on Video Tape?: A report from Matthew Burns of the Greenville, South Carolina News describes an incident on November 7th. Gina Jones videotaped five orange lights in a "W" shape in the sky. Upon reviewing the tape, she discovered a shadowy figure, about 18 inches to two feet tall, moving across her bathroom window. She described it as having "little man, a little alien" features. The figure had two tiny feet and its arms were held up to its face. Federal Aviation Administration supervisor Elbert Elmore stated there were no unusual activity reports for Greenville's skies that night. A UFO expert was scheduled to visit Greenville to view the tape.

UFOs and "Little Men" in Hungary?

A dispatch from the November 14th edition of the Aukland, New Zealand STAR, reports on sightings in Hungary:

• Air force pilots in Kecskemet were followed during training flights by a "strange, spherical, orange-colored" flying object that did not register on radar.
• Two soldiers at the same airport saw a fluorescent green figure, about 1.2 meters tall, who created a cone-shaped light-beam and disappeared into a light tunnel. A reddish deposit was left behind, similar to reports from Voronezh, Russia.
• Deputy Defense Minister Janos Stock suggested the deposit was synthetic resin used for pavement repair and that soldiers sometimes have visions.
• A farmer in Gyomaendrod reported seeing two long-eared little green men who paralyzed him with an unknown power.

Mystery Lights in Oklahoma Causes Media Flap

This section, the first of two on midwest aerial lights, draws from the October 13th edition of the Miami, Oklahoma News-Record:

• Unusual lights were reported over Miami and Commerce, Oklahoma, starting Tuesday night. The lights, seen to the northeast, attracted media attention, including features on "Good Morning America" and "Unsolved Mysteries."
• The Miami and Ottawa County Civil Defense leaders and volunteers conducted an organized attempt to verify the sightings, which was deemed "inconclusive" after nearly four hours. Volunteers covered seven vantage points.
• Twelve reports of sightings were received by the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) within a four-hour period. Most callers were older residents (50-60 years old), indicating the reports were not from pranksters.
• The sightings were generally described as objects in the northeast and northwest skies at 20-30 degrees on the horizon. Jim Green, City CD Director, discounted theories involving kites wrapped in aluminum foil, citing wind conditions and altitude.
• In Commerce, Police Chief Bob Baine and skywatchers insisted an object was a UFO, while others suggested it was a star reflecting light due to heat inversion. The question of whether the sightings were natural phenomena or extraterrestrial visitors remained.
• Lights appeared around 7:45 p.m. each night, blinking red, blue, and white, with streaks of gold and red tandem lights. Richard Fry reported seeing a large, bright blinking light hovering low across Highway 137.

And Meanwhile Over in Kansas

This report from the October 20th edition of the Salina, Kansas Journal details unusual lights over Cherokee County, Kansas, the night after reports from Miami, Oklahoma:

• Sheriff's offices began receiving reports around 8:00 p.m. People from Columbus, Galena, and Baxter Springs areas reported seeing the lights.
• Galena Police Chief Pat Collins saw at least two, possibly three, deep red hovering lights about seven to eight miles away for seven to eight minutes. He also saw a bright white light for about 30 seconds. He had previously seen an orange light in 1975.
• Baxter Springs Police Chief Jerry Nohren received one call from someone who took pictures of the lights.
• Miamians observed a flurry of tandem, mostly red streaks at 8:00 p.m., traveling east to west, with some gold streaks going west to east. The lights disappeared by 9:00 p.m.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are UFO sightings, aerial phenomena, and alleged alien encounters, with reports spanning the United States and extending to Hungary. The magazine maintains a stance of presenting these reports as credible accounts from witnesses, including pilots, law enforcement, and ordinary citizens, while also acknowledging potential explanations or ongoing investigations. The editorial team, particularly Allan J. Manak and Rick R. Hilberg, are actively involved in collecting and disseminating these stories, promoting their publication and sister publication, WEIRDOLOGY, and encouraging reader engagement through correspondence and catalog sales. The overall tone is one of serious inquiry into unexplained aerial events.

Title: UFO RETROSPECTIVE
Issue: 12
Volume: 1
Date: December 1949 - January 1950
Publisher: UAPA
Country: USA
Language: English

This issue of UFO RETROSPECTIVE, continuing from page 12 of the previous issue, presents a collection of historical UFO sightings and related news reports from the late 1940s through the mid-1970s. It focuses on witness testimonies, newspaper accounts, and the public's perception of unidentified flying objects.

Newspaper Reports and Early Sightings

The issue begins by referencing a report from The Rockingham Post-Dispatch on December 28, 1949, under the headline "Saucer Myth." This article briefly mentioned an "unknown object, with a trail of smoke," seen high in the sky over Rockingham, suggesting it might be a weather gauge or a prank. The Hamlet News Messenger of December 29, 1949, made no mention of this incident.

From The Richmond County Journal, dated January 2, 1950, reports from Carolinians indicated the continued sighting of a mysterious aircraft over the weekend. The object was first reported in Fayetteville around 4:30 p.m. on a Wednesday, seen a few minutes later over Hamlet, and then over Greenwood, South Carolina. The object was described as traveling in a straight line for over 200 miles and remained unidentified. Descriptions varied: in Fayetteville, it appeared as a "vertical neon lighting tube," while in Hamlet, it looked like a "dirigible standing on end." A Greenwood pilot who pursued the object described it as a "smoke trail coming from an unseen plane." The article notes that such sightings were being discounted as "flying saucers," which the Army had recently declared as imagination.

True Magazine and 'Project Saucer'

A subsequent report from The Richmond County Journal on January 9, 1950, details a visit from John DuBarry, the aviation editor for True Magazine. DuBarry visited The Journal's office to investigate reports of "flying objects" in the area. True Magazine's January issue had published an article concerning "flying saucers," suggesting they were "aircraft from another planet." Following this publication, the Army and Air Force announced the abandonment of "Project Saucer," an investigation that had been ongoing for two years, stating they had found no evidence to continue it. A Journal staff writer attempted to contact DuBarry after his investigation, but he had "disappeared as completely as a flying saucer."

Witness Accounts and Later Sightings

The issue includes an account from Roy L. Lucas, a staff writer for the Daily Journal, who reported seeing seven UFOs in 1955. He described "bright white lights moving in formation" low in the sky over the Officer's Club near Edwards Air Force Base in California. The objects would stop and hover before moving away quickly. Jets were sent to chase them, but the objects disappeared. Lucas believes "everyone has seen at least one UFO" and that people often dismiss their puzzlement over unexplained aerial objects.

Lucas also shared experiences from his time at The Winston-Salem Journal in 1972, where UFO sightings in the mountains were reported, and a reporter who investigated saw one. He also recalled a report from a preacher at The Moore County News who saw a UFO in broad daylight.

Stan McQueen of Rockingham contacted The Daily Journal after reading about a UFO sighting in Chester County, South Carolina, in 1968 by Garland Gilchrist and his family. McQueen noted the striking similarity to an event he, his mother Sybil, and his late father Carl experienced around 1961 or 1962. He described a bright, circular object with lights in its windows, appearing flat on the bottom, that seemed to be rotating. He stated he had never told anyone about it until that day.

The 'Lumberton Wave' and a Landed Craft

The issue mentions the "Lumberton wave" of UFO sightings, which began on March 27, 1975. A specific incident reported in Fawcett's files describes a UFO landing in a man's front yard in Hamlet. The craft had revolving pink lights on top and landed around 11:15 p.m. Two small creatures in silver suits, joined by a silver bar, emerged and attempted to communicate in an unintelligible language that sounded like Polish. After a few minutes, they re-entered the craft and it ascended vertically and disappeared. The man, a former police officer and trained observer, was deeply affected by the experience, becoming asocial and requiring institutionalization for a period.

Wisconsin Sighting: Large Lighted Object

A report from the October 12th issue of the Hillsboro, Wisconsin Sentry Enterprise, written by Steven J. Stanek, details a sighting by Betty and Harley Pliner. On a warm night in late August, they observed an unidentified flying object for over five minutes, hanging motionless in the night air above Hillsboro. Harley Pliner saw the "big thing in the sky" while walking home. The object was described as "round and covered with red and blue lights," with "a million lights all around it, and they were all blinking." Betty Pliner found it beautiful and noted that it made no sound and could not have been a plane or helicopter. They estimated they watched it for nearly five minutes before it moved out of sight. Harley considered chasing it. Betty remarked that it was "nothing we had ever seen" and "weird." They have looked every night since but have not seen it again.

Advertisement

The final page contains an advertisement for "two large (8½"x11") illustrations on heavy paper board suitable for framing" available for sale for a limited time. These illustrations, featuring various UFO shapes like "Little 30," "Domed Disc," "Egg-Shaped," "Popular 'Cigar-Shape'," "Saturn-Shaped," "Flatwoods, W.V. 'Monster' Saucer," "Venezuelan Creature," "Crescent," "Tear Drop," "Popular Type," "Cone Like," and "Football Type," were priced at $1.50 for one set and $2.00 for two sets. Orders were to be sent to UAPA Illustrations, Box 347032, Cleveland, Ohio 44134.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the historical documentation of UFO sightings, the challenges of reporting such phenomena in mainstream media, and the personal impact of these encounters on witnesses. The editorial stance appears to be one of presenting these accounts for public consideration, highlighting the persistence of UFO reports across different decades and locations. There is an emphasis on witness credibility, particularly when individuals are described as trained observers or when multiple people witness the same event. The issue also touches upon the official government stance, noting the abandonment of 'Project Saucer,' and the skepticism often faced by those reporting UFOs.