Flying Saucer Digest - No 145 - 1999

Magazine Overview

Title: FLYING SAUCER DIGEST
Issue: NO. 145
Date: SPRING 1999
Publisher: UNITED AERIAL PHENOMENA AGENCY (UAPA)

This issue of Flying Saucer Digest, published quarterly by the UAPA, delves into various UFO and unexplained phenomena reports, with a prominent focus on the "Delphos, Kansas Revisited" case from November 2, 1971.

On the Cover: Delphos, Kansas Revisited

The cover story details the experience of Ronald Johnson, a sixteen-year-old who, on November 2, 1971, witnessed a brightly illuminated, circular object hovering about two feet above the ground at the Johnson farm in Delphos, Kansas. The object, described as about ten feet in diameter with a distinct bulge and glowing with multicolored lights, made a rumbling noise that changed to a high-pitched sound. After the object departed, Ronald and his parents investigated the apparent landing spot and found a glowing, phosphorescent ring-shaped area on the ground. Mrs. Johnson took a photograph of the area, which showed the ring's surface to be highly reflective. Touching the soil, described as cool, moist, and blistered, caused the couple's fingers to become numb, a condition that persisted for some time.

UFO Bits and Pieces by Allan J. Manak

This section compiles several brief, intriguing reports:

• Canadian Government Releases UFO Reports: Snowmobilers reported a round yellowish light that changed shape, and a large triangle-shaped object was seen over a Yukon lake, emitting a loud noise but no vapor trail. A prairie family discovered cattle mutilations and later a two-meter crop circle.
• The Defence Department has released CIRVIS (Communications Instructions for Reporting Vital Intelligence Sightings) reports.

Key Personnel and Publication Details

• Senior Editor: Allan J. Manak
• Editor: Rick R. Hilberg
• Managing Editor: Carol J. Hilberg
• Art Director: Benita C. Owens
• UAPA: A non-profit organization dedicated to UFO study.
• Subscription Rates: 6 issues for $15.95 (add $12.00/year for outside U.S.A.).
• UAPA Address: Box 347032, Cleveland, Ohio 44134.

Further Reports and Investigations

• Army Sergeant Clay Rankin's Account: Rankin recalls a 1997 incident in Tuktoyaktuk, N.W.T., where a woman reported being followed by two cone-shaped UFOs emitting bright blue light. Rankin, while doubting extraterrestrial spacecraft, found the woman sincere.
• Marmora, Ontario Incident: Three people saw white and orange lights above Crowe Lake.
• Ottawa Sighting: Witnesses reported a display of four or five glowing objects moving chaotically for nearly an hour.
• Coral Harbour, N.W.T. Sighting: A woman saw a large blue ball and two smaller red balls, with the blue ball changing color from blue to red, then orange, then yellow as it moved overhead.
• Yukon Sighting: A "UFO/submarine sighting" involved a black, triangle-shaped object over Lake Laberge.

Truth and Imagination

• July 2, 1968 Fireball: A fireball was sighted across the northeastern U.S. and into Canada, reported by three airline pilots who believed it was a meteor.
• St. Alphonse, Quebec Incident: An object "as big as a house" fell from the sky, causing townspeople to fear an alien invasion. An egg-shaped rock found in a burned patch of grass was guarded by a farmer.
• Joliette, Quebec "Little Men" Incident: Reports of "nude little men" were investigated and found to be two boys who had run away from home. The rock found near St. Paul, Quebec, was analyzed as ordinary sedimentary rock with fossils. A ham radio operator was suspected of misinterpreting police radio messages, leading to the Martian rumor.
• Woodstock, Ontario Sighting: A flaming object in the sky was believed to be a meteor. A private plane searched for a burning aircraft.
• Wooler, Ontario Incident: Fred Coulthard's sons reported seeing invisible beings that smelled like roses. Fred Coulthard believes they are from another galaxy. The incident involved poltergeist-like activity, including smashed windows and objects flying through the air.

Collector's Corner

This section advertises softcover books for sale, including "Aids To Identification Of Flying Objects," "Environments Out There," "The Unexplained," and "The Book Of The Damned," all priced at $2.75, available from UAPA Magazines.

Around and About the Saucer World by Rick Hilberg

• Newest Publication Offer: Rick Hilberg offers his book "Book Of Weirdology" for $5.95, which covers flying saucers, light beam communication, mystery cats, Bigfoot, and more. A free copy of his 1998 booklet "Around And About The Saucer World" is included.
• New Movie: "The Mothman Prophecies," based on John A. Keel's investigation of UFO reports from the late 1960s, is in production with Richard Gere.

Alleged "UFO Debris" for Sale

Ron Ruiz of Stone People Products claims to be selling the remains of a liquid-hulled alien spaceship that crashed in St. Joseph, Missouri, in 1947, for $69,000. Tucson astronomer James McGaha dismisses the debris as slag from smelting and questions why anyone would sell a priceless UFO artifact.

Nocturnal UFO Sighted in Saskatchewan, Canada

Willard Sikora, a farmer near Esterhazy, reported seeing a large object with rows of red lights moving across the sky at 10:15 p.m. He described it as much longer than a semi-trailer and higher than the road, with lights at either end getting closer, suggesting a round shape. He stated it was not a falling star.

Ongoing Strangeness in Colorado

Journalist Christopher O'Brien provides an update on anomalous activity in the San Luis Valley:

• November 14, 1998 (Blanca, CO): Junne Walkley witnessed a "great big silver V" hovering over Smith Reservoir, estimated to be about 10 miles away.
• November 17, 1998 (Greenie Mountain): A witness observed three objects hovering over the San Juan Mountains, reflecting the setting sun.
• November 17, 1998 (Greenie Mountain): A report describes a bright silver object heading south by southwest, moving at a high rate of speed and not leaving a vapor trail.
• November 18, 1998 (Blanca Peak): An ex-Air Force member reported a multi-colored light "yo-yoing up and down like on a string."
• October 8, 1998 (Blanca, CO): R.A.L. West observed an amber-colored "hemispherical-shaped" light hovering over the Blanca Massif, which then jumped upward and flew at high speed in a "triangle-shaped array of white and amber lights."
• October 13, 1998 (Crestone/Baca Development, CO): Four witnesses observed a "weird amber-colored light" moving north-to-south, appearing larger and faster than a satellite.
• October 14, 1998 (Los Cumbres Golf Course, Crestone, CO): A golfer saw a "silver-colored disc hovering" over Mt. Adams.
• October 27, 1998 (Center, CO): Fabian Sauvo reported an anomalous unblinking bright red light moving slowly SW-to-NE.
• October 29, 1998 (Baca Grande Development): A resident reported small objects hitting her roof, and sightings of hooded figures and a "tapered 'hairy-pig'." The witness also reported being "slammed into a door."
• October 30, 1998 (Baca Grande Development): A witness observed a foot-long oval-shaped object with a reflective band moving down her hallway.
• September 14, 1998 (Monte Vista, CO): A resident witnessed a "V-shaped craft hovering over the tops of the mountains," described as two large rectangular pillars put together, the size of three commercial jet airliners.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The issue consistently highlights unexplained aerial phenomena, witness testimonies, and official reports, often from government sources like the Canadian Defence Department. There's a recurring theme of skepticism from some authorities (e.g., James McGaha, Sgt. Rankin) contrasted with the earnest accounts of witnesses. The magazine appears to present these cases for the reader's consideration, with a clear interest in UFOs and related mysteries, as evidenced by the UAPA's mission and the book offers. The editorial stance leans towards documenting and exploring these phenomena, rather than outright debunking, while also acknowledging potential misinterpretations or hoaxes.