FLYING SAUCER DIGEST

Magazine Overview

Title: FLYING SAUCER DIGEST
Issue: NO. 165
Date: SPRING 2004
Publisher: UNITED AERIAL PHENOMENA AGENCY

This issue of Flying Saucer Digest marks the 37th Anniversary of the publication. The cover features an artist's rendering of the discovered Planetoid Sedna and highlights the lead story, "IKE AND THE ALIENS?"

The Saucer Scene: Ike and the Aliens?

The main article, "THE SAUCER SCENE" by Carol Hilberg, revisits the persistent theory that President Dwight Eisenhower met with extraterrestrials on February 20, 1954. The story, which first appeared in UFO 'zines in the late 1950s, has been updated with modern UFO motifs. The event in question is Eisenhower's unscheduled departure from his golf vacation in Palm Springs, California, on the night of February 20, 1954. While the Associated Press initially reported his death from a heart attack, this was quickly retracted. The official explanation given the next morning was that Eisenhower had visited a dentist due to a chipped tooth.

Michael Salla, a former American University professor, advances the theory that Eisenhower met with two "Nordic" aliens (described as having white hair, pale blue eyes, and colorless lips) at Edwards Air Force Base. These aliens allegedly offered advanced technology and spiritual wisdom in exchange for the elimination of America's nuclear weapons, fearing their impact on time and space. Eisenhower reportedly declined this offer. Salla also posits that Eisenhower later made a deal with "Greys" to allow human and cattle abductions for medical experiments, provided humans were returned safely.

Conversely, the Dwight D. Eisenhower Library in Abilene, Kansas, and a dentist named James M. Mixson, support the dentist visit explanation, viewing the alien encounter theory as a cover story.

Recent Deaths in the UFO Field

The magazine notes the passing of Eileen Duplantier, wife of Canadian UFO pioneer Gene Duplantier, who passed away on March 21st from Alzheimer's disease. She was described as a kind and intelligent woman who supported her husband's UFO publishing and art illustration career. Also mentioned is the death of J. Edward Roush, a Democrat who represented northeast Indiana in Congress for 16 years, who died on March 26th at age 83. Roush had chaired UFO hearings for the House Committee on Science and Astronautics in 1968, with notable speakers including Dr. J. Allen Hynek, Carl Sagan, Dr. James Harder, and Dr. James McDonald.

UFO Sightings and Reports

The issue features several reports of UFO sightings from early 2004:

• Aledo, Texas (February 27, 2004): A witness described a "flat disk" object, large and shiny metallic, floating leisurely for about 10 minutes before ascending. It had no lights or sound.
• Florida (March 26, 2004): Eyewitness Jill E. reported seeing two "saucer-like shapes" racing side-by-side near Bradenton. The objects were described as greyish, illuminated from inside, with no lights or trails, surrounded by a brownish haze, and moving at high speeds.
• Sheffield Lake, Ohio (March 19, 2004): Three friends observed a bright white, saucer-shaped object with a dome and red and blue lights pacing their car at about 30 m.p.h. It later accelerated rapidly and climbed until it became a pinpoint.
• Danville, Kentucky (March 18, 2004): Rob P. witnessed a "boomerang-shaped object" moving at extremely high speed, traversing the sky in about 15 seconds. A second object followed, turning red and making a sharp 90-degree turn east before fading.
• Marietta, Georgia (March 10, 2004): A couple saw a "silver airplane with no wings" in the sky, which appeared to be stationary with a shimmering effect around it.
• Seattle, Washington (March 8, 2004): An observer saw a jet without wings, described as a long, cylindrical shape with windows, which then faded out completely.
• Templers, South Australia (March 27, 2004): Eyewitness T.B.W. reported seeing a "round like a ball" object, glowing white, about 20 meters off the ground and the size of a full moon.

Recommended Publications and Editor's Retrospective

The magazine recommends "The Messenger," a UFO and fortean newsletter published by IRAAP, edited by Ray Cecot. It also announces a special publication offer for "42 YEARS: A UFO EDITOR'S RETROSPECTIVE" by Rick Hilberg, celebrating his 42 years of editing UFO and fortean publications. This retrospective includes articles on significant UFO events and sightings from 1962 to the present.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the enduring fascination with alleged presidential encounters with extraterrestrials, the detailed reporting of contemporary UFO sightings, and the historical context of UFO research. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into UFO phenomena, presenting various theories and eyewitness accounts without definitive judgment, while also acknowledging the historical significance of the field and the contributions of researchers and editors.