Flying Saucer Digest - No 214 - 2016

Magazine Overview

Title: FLYING SAUCER DIGEST
Issue: NO. 214, NUMBER 7
Date: FALL 2016 / FALL 1968 (with a primary focus on 2016 content and historical reprints)
Publisher: R. Hilberg Publications
Editor: Rick Hilberg
Managing Editor: Carol Hilberg
Art: Ronald J. Pelger
Founder: Allan J. Manak (1933–1999)

This issue of Flying Saucer Digest, dated Fall 2016, presents a blend of historical UFO reports and contemporary accounts, alongside a significant section on the 2016 'creepy clown' phenomenon. The magazine, published quarterly, is available for $10.00 in the U.S.A.

"BIRDMAN" INVADE WASHINGTON STATE IN 1948

This article revisits reports of 'flying humanoids' or 'birdmen,' noting that such accounts are not new and can be found in fortean literature dating back to the late 19th century. The piece focuses on two cases from 1948.

The first case, from Chehalis, Washington, on January 6, 1948, details Mrs. Bernice Zaikowski's report of a 'birdman' with large silver wings hovering about 200 feet above her barn. She described him as flying in an upright position, with wings that could retract and extend. Despite skepticism from local police and army officials, Mrs. Zaikowski stated that at least five other Chehalis residents also saw the 'birdman.' One soldier suggested the army might be experimenting with 'birdmen.' An alternative explanation offered was that it was an angel predicting a third world war.

The second case, from Longview, Columbia River, on April 9, 1948, involves Mrs. Viola Johnson and James Pittman reporting three men in dark drab flying suits hovering about 250 feet in the air. Mrs. Johnson described them as moving at the speed of a freight train, with apparatus on their sides that looked like guns but were not. She heard motors sounding like airplanes but not so loud, and noted that the men had feet dangling down and appeared to be looking around, possibly wearing helmets. She could not see propellers or motors.

STRANGE CLOSE ENCOUNTER IN VERMONT

This section details a report from St. Albans, Vermont, on September 15, 2016, submitted to the MUFON witness reporting database. A witness, her husband, and daughter were at home when they heard sounds resembling motorcycles. The daughter pointed out an object hovering next to their second-floor balcony, about 10 feet away. The witness described it as solid black in the front, with no visible propellers, and felt no wind from it. The object then ascended vertically at extreme speed. It was described as egg-shaped at the front with a long, thin part extending toward the back, approximately eight feet long, with a red color on the extension. The object then appeared to turn as if going upside down. A conventional army green helicopter then flew overhead, and the black object vanished. The witness's daughter later reported seeing the object arrive from the east and stop at the west end of the balcony. The next morning, the daughter woke up with a bleeding nose and was very distressed. The witness expressed concern about potential future confrontations.

TIME TO GO AROUND AND ABOUT THE SAUCER WORLD

This section announces the reissuance of a popular booklet, "Around And About The Saucer World," in celebration of the magazine's upcoming 50th anniversary. The booklet, originally published in 1998, covers significant UFO reports from 1953-1960 and other strange happenings associated with the UFO enigma. It includes stories about early reports of strange artifacts, a possible late 1940s governmental project to duplicate UFO flight, a 'saucer' crash, a UFO 'window area,' and alien sightings. The booklet is available for $10.00 postpaid.

LONG ISLAND, NY: UFO HOTSPOT

This report by R. Siva Kumar highlights Long Island, New York, as a UFO hotspot, with the National UFO Reporting Center receiving many reports. This year, two dozen sightings were reported. The article lists several recent sightings:

• Cicero: A bright, white pulse of light observed for 15 minutes on September 21.
• General: A bluish, cross-shaped UFO followed by a conventional aircraft, seen for two to three minutes.
• General: Three reddish lights, two of which bobbed around in front of the third, reported on September 22.
• West Hempstead: Five solid amber/orange lights spotted traveling in an open formation from northwest to southeast.
• St. James: A cone-shaped light surrounded by a cluster of orange lights.

FORTEAN FLASHES

This section presents a collection of brief reports on unusual phenomena:

• Ronkonkoma: A reporter saw flickering lights in a V formation, with one light disappearing.
• NUFORC: The Seattle-based NUFORC has been recording UFO sightings since 1974 and provides a 24-hour hotline.

RELIVE THE SAUCER SAGA

Similar to the "Around And About The Saucer World" announcement, this section promotes the reissuance of "The Saucer Saga," another early booklet covering the UFO phenomenon from ancient times to the modern era. Published in 1992, it focuses on the years 1953-1960 and includes classic cases, unexplained events, and art by Ron Pelger and Bunny Owens. It is available for $12.00.

GEORGIA DISK HOVERS

A witness in Woodbine, Georgia, reported a silver disk UFO hovering under 30 feet off the ground along the Satilla River near I-95 on August 20, 2016. The witness described the object as a huge, highly polished disk, appearing as big as a minivan, tucked behind a treeline. The witness did not turn around to get a closer look due to the distance to the next exit.

The Gate to Strange Phenomena

This is an advertisement for "The Gate to Strange Phenomena," a publication featuring paranormal and occult news, available for a sample copy fee of $2.00.

A TIME LINE OF CURRENT PHANTOM CLOWN REPORTS

This extensive timeline, compiled by Martin Piechota, documents numerous reports of individuals dressed as 'clowns' across the United States from late August to early October 2016. The reports include:

• August 29: A person in a clown costume lurking around an apartment complex in Greenville, South Carolina.
• September 14: People dressed as clowns near a white van in LaGrange, Georgia (reported as a hoax).
• September 15: Threats to students by clowns at Escambia County and Flomaton High Schools in Alabama, leading to lockdowns.
• September 15: Arrests of Makayla Smith and two underage accomplices in Flomaton, Alabama, for threats to students.
• September 19: Clown sightings in Annapolis, Maryland, confirmed as a hoax.
• September 21: A middle school girl in Athens, Georgia, arrested for carrying a knife for protection against clown attacks.
• September 21: A 12-year-old chased by a clown in a park in Pottsville, Pennsylvania.
• September 22: A clown with an axe seen in Portsmouth, Ohio.
• September 23: A man arrested in a clown suit in Middlesboro, Kentucky.
• September 23: Reports of clown sightings in several Pennsylvania counties.
• September 24: Two 'killer clowns' spotted in Palm Bay, Florida.
• September 25: Three people dressed as clowns sighted in Salisbury, Maryland.
• September 25: A child chased by three people dressed as clowns in Phillipsburg, New Jersey.
• September 25: A 'Creepy Clown' captured on video in Henrico County, Virginia, with other sightings in Augusta County and Waynesboro.
• September 25: Christian Torres stabbed to death by Avery Valentin-Bair while wearing a clown's mask in Reading, Pennsylvania.
• September 26: Clowns seen riding in a truck, one with a sword chasing a child in Phillipsburg, New Jersey.
• September 27: A 'Killer Clown' spotted in Herkimer, New York, with reports from the Capitol Region and Buffalo areas.
• September 27: Tennessee officials issue warnings about vigilance as Halloween approaches; one teenager reports being attacked.
• September 27: Five fast food restaurants in Phoenix, Arizona, robbed by suspects wearing clown masks.
• September 27: Clowns spotted on and off campus at York College in Pennsylvania.
• September 28: Sightings reported throughout Erie, Pennsylvania.
• September 28: A man in a black and silver clown suit approached a car in Portland, Oregon; parents reported calls about clowns targeting schools.
• September 29: Multiple sightings in Donegal, Pennsylvania, leading to schools being put on high alert.
• September 30: Two people arrested, and Ohio schools closed due to threats involving clowns against students in Cincinnati.
• September 30: The New York Times reports 12 arrests in 10 states for false arrests or threats related to 'creepy clowns.'
• September 30: Five schools in three states placed on high alert due to threatening Facebook posts from an account named 'Aint Clownin Around.'
• October 1: Alexsandra Conley of Reading, Ohio, attacked by a clown with a knife.
• October 3: Police in Nampa, Idaho, receive reports of clown sightings.
• October 3: Authorities in New Haven, Connecticut, urge bans on clown costumes.
• October 3: Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts, placed on lockdown due to an armed clown Twitter hoax.

CANADIAN MANGO MYSTERY

On June 7, 2016, a mango weighing one pound fell into a backyard in McKenzie Towne, Alberta, narrowly missing Lisa Egan. The incident occurred under a flight path for Calgary International Airport, leading to speculation that the fruit fell from an aircraft, though the mechanism is unknown.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

This issue of Flying Saucer Digest maintains its focus on unexplained phenomena, particularly UFO sightings and related humanoid encounters, as evidenced by the historical 'birdman' reports and contemporary UFO accounts. The inclusion of the 'creepy clown' phenomenon suggests an editorial stance that embraces a wide range of unusual and potentially paranormal events, even those that may have mundane explanations or are part of hoaxes. The magazine appears to be dedicated to documenting and exploring these mysteries, drawing from both historical archives and current events, as indicated by the reissuance of past booklets and the coverage of recent incidents. The publication also seems to encourage reader participation through reporting mechanisms like NUFORC.