Flying Saucer Review - No 10 - 1954 07 08

Magazine Overview

This issue of FLYING SAUCER REVIEW, identified as #11 and dated July-Aug 1954 (printed Feb 23, 1955), is published by ROCKMORE and welcomes the latest saucer reports. All typewritten copy is copyrighted 1954 by Elliott Rockmore, with reprint permission obtainable only through E. Rockmore. The magazine's stated mission is to be the first civilian research magazine, established in July 1951.

Cover Story: "Saucer" Reports Doubled

The cover prominently features the headline "Saucer" Reports Doubled, with a sub-headline "Another Sighted Over City." A central illustration depicts a "moon-like glow" above a "dark object," accompanied by a diagram attributed to Daytonian Roy T. Ellis, illustrating the mysterious object he saw in the night sky.

The lead story details a significant increase in flying saucer reports, particularly in Dayton, Ohio. On July 17, 1952, Dayton's civil defense director, Col. Richard H. Magee, admitted that "there's something flying around our skies" and expressed a wish to know what it is. This statement followed a report from a local manufacturer who sighted a fast-moving, unexplained light. This was the second such report in Dayton within five days.

Captain E. J. Ruppelt, project officer for the Air Force's investigation into unidentified aerial objects, confirmed that 60 reports had been channeled to Wright Patterson Air Force Base in the past two weeks, stating, "Almost double over this time last year."

Roy T. Ellis, president of the Rubber Seal Products company, provided a detailed description of an object he saw in his backyard at 12:35 a.m. on Sunday. He described it as "like an ice cream cone" with a "moon-like glow" and a "dark object" in the center. He noted its size was "wide as a full moon" and it moved "very deliberately, traveling about the same speed as a jet plane, maybe faster."

Colonel Magee speculated a connection between recent saucer sightings and "Operation Skywatch," but Captain Ruppelt stated there was "no connection."

Ruppelt confirmed his office was investigating a report by two Pan American Airlines pilots who sighted flying saucers near Norfolk, Virginia. The pilots, W. B. Nash and W. H. Fortenberry, reported seeing eight "flying saucers" flying at a 1,000-mile-an-hour clip the night before.

Ruppelt also stated that his office was investigating the Norfolk objects and that similar reports had been received before. He indicated that no evaluation had been made yet and that the Air Force was not releasing any theories or explanations until they had "something it can prove."

The magazine also includes a "Contents" section listing various report analyses, including chronological listings, behavior patterns, acknowledgments, and special features on photos and sketches.

Catalog of Reports (May 1953 - June 1953)

The bulk of the magazine consists of a detailed catalog of reported flying saucer sightings from May and June 1953, with some earlier entries from May 1952. Each entry includes the date, location (with coordinates), a brief description of the object and its behavior, the source of the report, and a "Comment" section offering analysis or context.

Key Incidents Cataloged:

• May 2, 1953, Calcutta, India: Jet airliner collided with an unknown solid object, causing 43 deaths. Source: NY Time. Comment: Conflicting reports suggest a defective structure.
• May 4, 1953, Southern Oakland County, Michigan, USA: A brilliant plume of fire descended, illuminating the sky for six seconds. Source: Detroit News. Comment: Appears to be a fireball meteor, but its slow movement was noted.
• May 6, 1953, Waltham, Mass., USA: Pear-shaped, six-inch by two-inch metal missiles with white powder ripped through a house. Source: Boston Daily Record. Comment: Similar to a previous flaming red object.
• May 11, 1953, Birmingham, England: A silvery object moved slowly above clouds. Source: Birmingham Mail. Comment: Possibly a saucer, though shape is not mentioned.
• May 13, 1953, Westboro, Wisconsin, USA: Four long, round silvery objects, 12 feet long and two feet wide, travelled at terrific speed with a roaring sound. Source: Fate Magazine. Comment: Possibly rocket-like objects or vapor trails.
• May 13, 1953, Overum, Sweden: An object shaped like a tremendous lamp shade, glittering in all colors, left a luminous trail and moved soundlessly. Source: Braunschweiger Tageszeitung. Comment: Shape resembles domelike saucers, but could be a large meteor or optical illusion.
• May 14, 1953, Helsinki, Finland: The same object as a previous sighting was reported.
• May 14, 1953, Sendai, Japan: A light-sized shape, the color of the full moon, moved without a trail for 35 minutes at the height of phone poles. Source: Letter. Comment: Exceptional duration suggests a balloon, but size is too large.
• May 15, 1953, Charleroi, Belgium: A moon-like disc with a ring of white made a noise like a vibrating sheet and caused explosions. Source: English newspaper. Comment: Rare, with peculiar explosion noises.
• May 15, 1953, Avontuur, South America: A round metal ball with a torpedo-shaped dome shot sparks from behind. Source: English newspaper. Comment: Possibly rocket-like objects.
• May 17, 1953, Mackay, Australia: An object shaped like a fish bowl with a lighted glass dome maneuvered fast around a plane. Source: Melbourne Age. Comment: A rare type of saucer.
• May 18, 1953, Essendon, Australia: An object the size of the moon travelled at terrific speed and lit up the ground. Source: Melbourne Herald. Comment: Likely a meteor.
• May 18, 1953, Rockhampton, Australia: A silvery, crescent-shaped object changed course. Source: Melbourne Herald. Comment: Possibly a meteor.
• May 19, 1953, Basrah, Iraq: A cylindrical object with a brilliant head and flaming sides travelled at airplane speed. Source: Iraq Times. Comment: Likely a rocket-like object.
• May 20, 1953, Fort Bragg, N.C., USA: A white light, the size of a 25-cent piece, moved rapidly across the sky. Source: Letter. Comment: May have been a large fireball or meteor.
• May 21, 1953, Del Rio Springs Creek, Arizona, USA: Eight discs hovered and moved horizontally and vertically for one hour. Source: Fate Magazine. Comment: Reports of such duration are rare but appear authentic.
• May 21, 1953, Antwerp, Belgium: A white object in front and red behind travelled fast, shooting out flames. Source: Egyptian Gazette. Comment: Possibly a rocket-like object.
• May 21, 1953, Compton Gardens, Calif., USA: Window-shattering explosions rocked the area. Source: LA News. Comment: No wreckage found, possibly a meteor or saucer.
• May 22, 1953, San Diego, Calif., USA: Terrific aerial explosion shattered windows and knocked down people. Source: San Diego Union. Comment: Similar to a previous report.
• May 23, 1953, Seville Isla, Australia: A saucer trailing flame moved level and disappeared northward. Source: Newspaper. Comment: Similar to previous reports.
• May 23, 1953, Near Crompt, South Africa: Six objects travelling at a phenomenal speed were picked up on radar. Source: Outspan News. Comment: Exceptional repeat, precisely timed.
• May 25, 1953, Hokkaido, Japan: An unidentified plane was sighted on Air Force radar screens. Source: NY Times. Comment: Appears similar to late 1952 mystery lights.
• May 25, 1953, Nowalk, Conn., USA: An unidentified object moving in spurts emitted an intense blue light, seemed to stall, then disappeared. Source: Space Review. Comment: Abrupt movements suggest remote control.
• May 25, 1953, Bakewell, England: A moving red ball was seen in the sky during a thunderstorm. Source: Flying Saucer Magazine. Comment: Resembles aircraft or ball lightning.
• May 26, 1953, Urington, South Africa: Brilliantly shining greenish-yellow light radiated streaks of light. Source: Outspan News. Comment: Reports of streak-like lights are rare.
• May 29, 1953, Fort Bragg, N.C., USA: Three white objects, the size of a 25-cent piece, moved in a V formation, leaving long trails of fire. Source: Letter. Comment: Possibly a saucer formation.
• May 31, 1953, Grand Canyon, USA: A parachute-like object dropped from nowhere without a plane overhead. Source: Space Review. Comment: Possibly a failing balloon or flare.
• May 31, 1953, Paington, USA: A grey-shaped object, the size of the moon, with an internal white light, travelled across the sky, stopped, and changed course. Source: Pittsburgh Press. Comment: Possibly a saucer.
• May 1953, Pittsburgh, Penn., USA: Two saucers observed by two policemen; one stationary, the other rose and descended. Source: Pittsburgh Telegraph. Comment: Balloon theory doubtful.
• May 1953, Phoenix, Arizona, USA: The roof of a house was torn off and deposited half a mile away during a quiet day. Source: Saucers Magazine. Comment: Unusual occurrence.
• May 1953, Upington, South Africa: A green fiery ball hovered then shot out of sight. Source: Outspan Magazine.
• June 3, 1953, Los Angeles, Calif., USA: A mysterious explosion rocked the area, flooding police headquarters with calls. Source: SM Outlook. Comment: Possibly saucer-caused.
• June 4, 1953, Long Beach, Calif., USA: A shower of ice, some pieces weighing 150 pounds, fell from the sky, damaging cars. Source: LA Times. Comment: Discussed in previous reviews, possibly saucer-caused.
• June 4, 1953, East Los Angeles, Calif., USA: Strong, strange odors covered a wide area. Source: LA News. Comment: Common occurrence in 1947.
• June 4, 1953, Middel River, Minn., USA: A shiny object coming from the North circled over the town and ascended rapidly. Source: Middle River Record. Comment: Ordinary saucer report.
• June 12, 1953, Kelso, Wash., USA: Dark-skinned substance fell from the sky, covering about 25 acres. Source: LA News. Comment: Possibly meteoric.
• June 13, 1953, Oakland, Calif., USA: A round, wingless object made a terrific noise and moved away at a 45-degree angle. Source: Fate Magazine. Comment: Loud noise contradicts most saucer reports.
• June 13, 1953, Maxwell, N. Mex., USA: Four objects reflecting sunlight travelled with high speed. Source: Fate Magazine. Comment: Lack of wings and elliptical shape suggest ordinary saucers.
• June 14, 1953, North Haven, Conn., USA: Four saucers, one red, one blue, one white, and one with windows, hovered. Source: Fate Magazine. Comment: Variations are unusual, report is doubtful.
• June 15, 1953, Pittsfield, Mass., USA: A bright shiny cylindrical object with a round nose and opened tail moved at 20 mph at an altitude of 200 feet. Source: Fate Magazine. Comment: Size may be wrong, but cylindrical objects with smoking exhaust have been reported.
• June 18, 1953, Manchester, England: Two or orange lights came from the top of a vertical ray, converging and disappearing. Source: Newspaper.
• June 18, 1953, Houston, Texas, USA: A human figure with wings like a bat, framed in a strange glow of light, was seen in a tree. Source: Fate Magazine. Comment: Possibly a hoax or a large bird.
• June 19, 1953, Sanantonio, Texas, USA: A saucer-shaped object radiating a red glow passed over soundlessly. Source: San Antonio Light. Comment: Object's color is unusual.
• June 20, 1953, North Sweden, Norway Finland: Strange lights spotted, appearing to come from Russian Arctic bases. Source: Newsweek magazine. Comment: Possibly a series of saucer activity.
• June 21, 1953, Dunoon, Scotland: A flying saucer was seen flying slowly over the area. Source: Scotsman Newspaper.
• June 23, 1953, San Antonio, Texas, USA: A group of little fast-travelling lights observed. Source: San Antonio Light. Comment: Objects appeared brilliant and unblinking.
• June 25, 1953, Windermere, England: A gray metallic disc left a vapor trail and travelled at less than 60 mph. Source: Flying Saucer Magazine. Comment: Exception of vapor trail, likely due to weather.
• June 29, 1953, Klamath Falls, Oregon, USA: 13 saucers in formation whirled over the town. Source: Chloquin Newspaper. Comment: Number of objects unusual.
• June 30, 1953, Oroville, Calif., USA: A soundless, shiny arrow-shaped object was seen at an altitude of 1000 feet. Source: Fate Magazine. Comment: Rare triangular-shaped object.
• June 30, 1953, Near Paris, France: A gray-black turret-shaped object travelled at tremendous speed. Source: San Francisco Chronicle. Comment: Appears to be a dome-shaped object.

Special Reports

Excited Citizen Spotted Saucer---or Something

This section details an account from Gabriel Durocher of Wellington, who claimed to have seen a large, round, phosphorescent, moving object within 30 feet of him on August 28, 1952. Durocher, initially a skeptic, described the object as "a big round thing," about 30 feet in diameter with a dome about 20 feet high. He reported seeing sparks of blue, yellow, and red, a "blue mist," and the object spinning before ascending rapidly. He stated it made a "loud noise, like air whistling." The report notes that Durocher was found visibly shaken and insisted he saw the object. A search of the field revealed some crushed bushes where Durocher indicated the object had landed.

West Lumberton Event Added To Growing "Saucer" Reports

This report from August 7, 1952, details an incident involving James J. Allen of West Lumberton. Allen reported that a "small man (30 inches high)" alighted from a flying saucer that had hit his chimney. The object was described as "perfectly round," six feet high and eight feet long, and "lighted on the inside." Allen stated the lights went out when he approached. The "small man" reportedly vanished "in a whiff" when Allen asked if it was hurt. The report also mentions other calls received by The Star about similar "something" hovering over the area.

It also references a similar event in Red Springs, where Sam Coley reported seeing a "flying saucer" with a "cabin-like bulge" and a man inside. State Defense Director E. Z. Jones interviewed Coley and his family, and their stories did not vary, reportedly convincing the police chief.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine's editorial stance is evident in its classification of reports. The "Contents" section states that reports will be studied "on the factual basis that they are caused by the craft of one or more extra-terrestrial races (not from Earth)." It explicitly dismisses "impractical ideas" like meteors or comets unless they are the factual basis for a report. The commentary on individual sightings often attempts to rationalize them as known phenomena (meteors, balloons, aircraft, optical illusions) but also acknowledges when reports appear authentic and unusual, particularly those with multiple witnesses or corroborating details. The magazine seems to favor reports that suggest intelligent, non-terrestrial craft, while critically examining others for potential misidentification or hoaxes. The recurring themes include the increasing number of sightings, the variety of object shapes and behaviors, and the attempts by official bodies (like the Air Force) to investigate these phenomena.