Flying Saucer Digest - No 122 - 1993

Magazine Overview

Title: FLYING SAUCER DIGEST
Issue: NO. 122
Volume: 93
Date: SUMMER 1993
Publisher: United Aerial Phenomena Agency (UAPA)
Country: USA
Language: English

This issue of Flying Saucer Digest delves into various UFO phenomena, featuring reports from the Czech Republic and Alabama, a retrospective on a past sighting, and information on upcoming UFO conventions. The cover art depicts a man on the ground with a hovering UFO above.

From the Editor

The editor, Allan J. Manak, discusses the influx of UFO clippings received by the UAPA. Two particularly interesting reports are highlighted: Czech Republic sightings and mutilated cattle in Alabama.

Czech Republic Sightings

Vladimir Siska of the Czecho-Slovak Archeo-Astronomical Association (AAA) reports an overwhelming number of UFO sightings in Moravia, the eastern region of the Czech Republic. While officials deny suppression during the communist era, reported sightings have dramatically increased in the past two years, from 40 in 1991 to 101 in 1992. Siska's organization receives about 10 reports a month. The Prague branch of AAA holds monthly meetings for enthusiasts, attracting 50-100 people. A specific incident on February 8, 1993, involved Mrs. Anna Sitarova, who reported a brilliant star-like object that blazed over the hills, hovered over her car, and emitted a bright red light. She described feeling stiff and compelled to follow the object. She and her friend eventually watched it from a distance in the village of Rychnov. The UAPA has three other cases mentioning similar stiffness.

Mutilated Cattle in Alabama

Since October 1992 through March 1993, 26 animals, primarily cows, have been mutilated in small rural communities on Sand Mountain in northeast Alabama. The mutilations are described as precise, bloodless, high-tech surgical incisions removing tongues, teeth, eyes, ears, hearts, and excretory and sexual organs. The mystery is compounded by the presence of helicopters with colored lights (reported in 95% of cases) and UFOs (seen in 5% of cases). Farmers reported seeing large helicopters with spotlights hovering over their pastures the night before the mutilations were discovered.

Manak personally believes that government agencies (CIA, FBI, NSA, AEC, or similar) are involved in these mutilations, potentially as part of experiments with atomic, poison gas, or agent orange, or other nerve gases that may have gone wrong. He invites reader comments, promising confidentiality.

UFO Bits and Pieces

This section provides brief news and information related to UFOs.

The New Herald

A newsletter published by Bill Howard, The New Herald, covers strange and unknown happenings worldwide. It costs five dollars a year and can be ordered from 125 West 222nd St., Carson, CA 90745-2903.

National UFO Conference (NUFOC)

The National UFO Conference (NUFOC), founded in 1964, is the oldest US organization dedicated to informing the public about flying saucers and New Age topics. This year's convention will be held October 15th-17th at the Days Inn in Bordentown, New Jersey. A press conference is scheduled for Friday, October 15th at 5 p.m., with speakers throughout Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $40 for Saturday and $35 for Sunday. Hotel rates are $45 per night plus tax. Advance tickets can be obtained by contacting local chairman Pat Marcattilio at 138 Redfern St., Trenton, N.J. 08610. National Chairman Jim Moseley can be reached at 305-294-1873. Approximately 16 speakers are expected, including David Huggins, who will speak on abductions and show slides of his paintings.

NUFOC Speakers

Several speakers are slated for the NUFOC. Robert Oechsler will present on a "Recent Landing of an Extraterrestrial Craft in Canada" with video evidence. Timothy Green Beckley will discuss unusual UFO and "Fortean" cases. Frank Stranges will share personal experiences with a spaceman named Val Thor. George Hansen will lecture on "Comparisons of Ufology to Parapsychology." Tom Benson will speak on "Prelude to the UFO Abduction Experience." Rick Hilberg will outline the history of ufology. Jim Moseley will discuss his experiences. Pat Marcattilio will illustrate his lecture "Brain Scan Anomalies of Two UFO Abductees." Alice Haggerty will speak on her lifetime of UFO abductions and other unexplainable experiences.

Cleveland National UFO Conference 1994

The Cleveland National UFO Conference is planned for September 1994. Advance tickets will be sold through Flying Saucer Digest starting in early 1994. This is expected to be the largest UFO convention ever held in Cleveland, with UFO-related material valued up to fifty dollars given away to attendees. Flying Saucer Digest will be the host.

Bermuda Triangle Incident

From the Daily Mail of January 4, 1993, three sailors were feared dead after their yacht disappeared on a voyage through the Bermuda Triangle. The French crew of a 42-foot catamaran failed to arrive at Martinique from Rhode Island on December 23rd. A five-day search yielded no results, and the disappearance remains a mystery, with no storms reported. The area has a history of ships and aircraft disappearing since the 1940s.

UAPA Information

Flying Saucer Digest is published quarterly by the United Aerial Phenomena Agency (UAPA). Allan J. Manak is Chairman/Editor, Rick R. Hilberg is Assistant Editor, Carol Hilberg is Typist, and Benita C. Owens is Staff Artist. UAPA is a non-profit organization studying UFOs. Correspondence and manuscripts are welcomed but must include a SASE for return. Subscription rates are $9.00 for 4 issues or $17.00 for 8 issues, with an additional $3.00 per year for foreign subscriptions. The UAPA address is P.O. Box 347032, Cleveland, Ohio 44134.

More Rare UFO Material at Special Prices

The magazine offers a collection of rare UFO material for sale, including back issues of "Probe" and "UFO Universe." Prices include postage, and items are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Examples include "Probe: The Unknown May 1976" for $3.00, and "Starlog's Science Fiction Yearbook No.1 1979" for $4.00.

Readers Say

This section features correspondence from readers.

Mu-Meson Archives

Mu-Meson Archives in Sidney, N.S.W. Australia, requests samples of UAPA's products for archiving and review in their newsletter.

K. Brown (San Francisco, CA)

K. Brown inquires about the dates of the next Cleveland UFO convention. AJM (Allan J. Manak) states the exact date will be announced in the next issue and that Brown is now on the mailing list.

M. Maratobi (Tucson, AZ)

M. Maratobi is interested in a sighting and landing that took place in 1964 in New Mexico. AJM suggests the Socorro, New Mexico case and recommends "The UFO Encyclopedia."

J. Perez (Los Angeles, CA)

J. Perez, a 14-year-old interested in ufology terms, is directed by AJM to a booklet UAPA published in 1969-70 titled "UFO Terminology." AJM will send a xerox copy as the booklet is no longer sold.

Barry Chamish (Bet Shemesh, Israel)

Barry Chamish, a writer with over 300 credits, shares an account of a UFO incident in Israel on March 20th. Tzipotit Carmel reported seeing a UFO shaped like an "orange storage tank" and a seven-foot humanoid. Investigation revealed metal shards and oil stains of unknown origin, studied by Tel Aviv University. Chamish offers to write a story on the Israeli landing for FSD.

AJM expresses delight in running the story.

Bill Howard (Carson, CA)

Bill Howard shares information from an aerospace engineer friend who works at Rockwell's Palmdale plant. The friend observed Lockheed employees leaving their "skunk works" facility at sunrise and returning at dusk, boarding a company airplane. Howard believes this involves advanced Earth technology, not alien technology.

Howard also recounts a story from a friend whose husband, an engineer at Northrup, brought home a small bit of metal that could not be cut, drilled, or marred. The wife was not supposed to have it or discuss it. Howard reports this anecdotally and asks for reader input.

AJM asks if readers have more information on this mysterious metal.

UFO Retrospective

This section details a UFO sighting that occurred on August 5, 1963, at 11:30 p.m. Ronnie Austin and Phyllis Bruce were driving home from a drive-in theater near Mount Vernon, Illinois, when they noticed a round ball of light at tree-top level. The light kept pace with their car, slowing down when they slowed and speeding up when they sped up. The object, about the size of an automobile, then moved into a collision course and stopped within 200 feet. Later, when Ronnie left his girlfriend's house, the light reappeared in front of his car. As he pulled into his driveway, the light dived at him, stopped within 100 feet, and passed over his car, causing radio static and motor sputtering. Upon reaching home, he called the police, and the story was picked up by the news media worldwide.

Around and About the Saucer World

This section compiles various UFO reports from different locations.

Many See Lighted Object in Louisiana

Mindy Wilson of the Monroe News-Star reports on a multiple-witness case from December 24th in southwestern Ouachita Parish, Louisiana. Linda Dicks and others observed a red-and-white-lighted object flying just above the tree line, which they were convinced was not an airplane. Skywatchers gathered after hearing police scanner reports of unidentified flying objects. Cpl. Sandy Pfeiffer of the Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Department confirmed that deputies saw the object first. Reports included objects bouncing, disappearing, and displaying multiple lights that changed colors. One deputy described an object with flashing red, white, and blue lights flying over his head with no noise. Richard Antley described an object with "twinkling lights" and "two tails." Air traffic controllers at Monroe Regional Airport did not detect the objects, which were reportedly flying low.

High Strangeness in Northeast Alabama

Darrell Norman of NYT Regional Newspapers reports on a "mini-flap" of strange lights over DeKalb County, Alabama. Sue Johnson reported seeing an airborne object covered in red, green, and white lights moving slowly below the treetops. Karen Twilley received a call from her mother-in-law about strange lights, and upon going outside, saw three triangle-shaped objects with blinking red and white lights, and a single large globe-shaped white light. Susanne Austin and Ernest G. "Gene" Mooney also reported seeing a strange light. Sgt Ron Ogletree of the Gadson trooper post stated that they were investigating seriously, treating the reports from credible people with respect. The town of Fyffe experienced a carnival atmosphere in 1988 due to numerous UFO sightings. Johnson described an object larger than an automobile and thicker in the middle, with lights that glimmered rather than blinked. She felt frightened but wanted to keep seeing it. The object disappeared after about five minutes. The objects seen at Lickskillet lingered longer, visible for about 45 minutes. Twilley noted the triangular objects were larger than airplanes and moved in constant motion without sound. She also mentioned recent reports of cattle mutilations in the area. Austin reported seeing a light for about 45 minutes, stating it was definitely not a falling star.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue include UFO sightings across various geographical locations (Czech Republic, Alabama, Louisiana, Israel, Bermuda Triangle), animal mutilations, and the potential for government involvement or cover-ups. The editorial stance, as expressed by Allan J. Manak, is one of open inquiry into these phenomena, with a personal belief in government complicity in some cases and a willingness to publish reader accounts and investigate further. The magazine also actively promotes UFO conventions and the sale of related materials, positioning itself as a significant source of information in the field.

This issue of UFO JOURNAL, dated Summer 1984 (Issue No. 55), is published by the UNITED MERIAL PHENOMENA AGENCY. The cover features advertisements for classic UFO JOURNAL magazines, specifically issues No. 53, 54, and 55, offered on special sale.

Alabama Sightings: "Mini-Flap"

The issue details a series of UFO sightings in Alabama, referred to as a "mini-flap," particularly in Fort Payne. Laurie Cornelison of the Fort Payne Times Journal reported on February 20th that baffling bright lights had appeared on Lookout and Sand Mountains for the past month. Susan Eads of South Grand Avenue captured what State Troopers deemed the best UFO video to date, described by Sgt. Ron Ogletree of the Attalla Trooper Post as a "fat Batman emblem," disc-shaped with wing-like sides. The video was scheduled to air on TV. Ogletree noted that at least four TV stations and three newspapers had viewed the tape. He described the object's appearance, and speculators suggested it could be an alien ship, weather balloon, star, or Stealth bomber.

Further sightings occurred in Skirum, where police and deputies spotted strange lights. Times Journal photographer Gary Coker captured the object on still film using a tri-pod. His zoom lens revealed a "red glow coming from it, and four round lights inside the large glow." Coker stated, "I have no idea what it is."

Earlier sightings are also recounted. Mrs. Austin, looking back toward Crossville and Kilpatrick, watched a high light in the sky "shaped like a spinning top" with a "misty blur." She took pictures but was not optimistic about the film quality. Mooney, from Geraldine, reported seeing a bright light that "took tail over the top of the trees and stopped again," remaining there and shining bright. He described it as about the size of a dinner plate with a reddish glow, initially at a 45-degree angle but moving down to about 10 feet above the tree line. Mooney did not discount a connection between these sightings and recent cattle mutilations. Ogletree commented that the aerial sightings and cattle mutilation reports were "both interesting and important stories" being pursued independently, but he saw no reason to connect them.

Louisville, Kentucky Police Aircraft Case

This section details a fascinating case from Louisville, Kentucky. A local man later claimed the object sighted by officers was a small hot air balloon made from candles and a plastic bag, though local residents and media expressed doubts about his sincerity. Gardiner Harris of the Louisville Courier Journal reported on March 4th about two Jefferson County air unit police officers who described a "two-minute dogfight with a UFO" during a routine patrol near Appliance Park around 11:50 p.m. They described the object as pear-shaped and about the size of a basketball, which flew circles around their helicopter, even as they approached 100 mph. In a blinding moment, the UFO shot three baseball-size fireballs from its middle, which fizzled into nothing. Officers Kenny Graham and Kenny Downs expressed conviction they were not hallucinating. Officer Mike Smith, in his squad car, also saw the object for about a minute and confirmed the fireballs. Officer Joe Smilenski, who had been looking for unexplained phenomena for 14 years, felt this was the closest he had come to something he couldn't explain.

Graham recounted that while flying a routine patrol, they received a call about a break-in near Sanford Ave. and Bank Road. While circling the area, Graham saw what looked like a small fire, but it turned out to be an object that Downs illuminated with a 1.5 million-candlepower spotlight. The object drifted back and forth like a balloon, then floated up to the helicopter's elevation of about 500 feet and hovered. Graham stated, "Then it took off at a speed I've never seen before," making two counter-clockwise loops before approaching the helicopter's rear. Fearing for his tail rotor, Graham accelerated above 100 mph. The UFO shot past, climbed hundreds of feet, descended, and flew close to the helicopter again. Graham attempted to close the gap, but the UFO flew away. As it approached again, three fireballs burst from its core, causing Graham to bank away. When they returned, the object was gone. A check with the control tower at Stanford Field revealed no radar contact, and county radio dispatchers had no reports.

Weirdology: "Wild Men" in Pakistan

Roger Highfield, Science Editor of the London Times, reported on research by two French scientists, Dr. Anne Malassé and M. Jordi Magraner, who claim there may be primitive humans living in Northern Pakistan. Evidence was to be presented at the 8th meeting of the Language Origins Society in Cambridge. However, Dr. Chris Stringer of the Natural History Museum, London, expressed skepticism, stating the need for "hard evidence such as bones or tissue." Dr. Malassé mentioned that eyewitnesses consistently selected the image of a primitive man preserved in ice, described as having a low forehead, lacking lips or chin, covered with hair, but not an ape. M. Magraner reported hearing unusual guttural cries on an expedition. He plans a December expedition to Pakistan using infra-red cameras to search for these "wild men."

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently focuses on unexplained aerial phenomena, presenting witness testimonies, photographic and video evidence, and official reports from law enforcement. There is a clear interest in documenting and investigating UFO sightings, with a particular emphasis on cases involving police or credible witnesses. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, presenting the evidence and accounts without definitive conclusions, allowing readers to draw their own inferences. The inclusion of the "Weirdology" section suggests a broader interest in fringe or unexplained phenomena beyond just UFOs, as seen with the report on potential primitive humans in Pakistan. The magazine aims to provide detailed accounts of these events, often including quotes from witnesses and officials, and encourages readers to consider the implications of such phenomena.