GICOFF-Information - 1978 No 4

Magazine Overview

This issue of GICOFF INFORMATION, Volume 9, Number 4 from 1978, is titled "GICOFF INFORMATION" and features a cover headline about an encounter with a strange being and the potential for radiation damage. The magazine is published by GICOFF, a Swedish organization.

Crisis Situation for GICOFF-INFORMATION

The editorial section on page 2 announces a critical situation for GICOFF-INFORMATION. The association GICOFF was founded in 1969 by four people, and GICOFF-Information began a year later. Over the years, 44 issues have been published. However, the editorial board notes that a small group has been carrying the main burden, and in the last two years, several active members have left. At least three individuals involved in producing the magazine intend to significantly reduce their UFO involvement, citing 10 years of active service and other interests. Without radical changes, GICOFF-INFORMATION is set to cease publication after the final issue of 1978. A meeting is called for February 24, 1979, at Björngårdsvillan in Slottsskogen to discuss the future of GICOFF's activities.

Contents

• The table of contents lists the following articles:
• "Här mötte vi varelsen..." (Here we met the being...) - Page 5
• "Rymd - Teknik - Forskning" (Space - Technology - Research) - Page 14
• "Närkontaktfall..." (Close Encounter Cases...) - Page 17
• "UFO över Sverige" (UFO over Sweden) - Page 20

Additionally, there is a section on back issues for sale, with prices listed for purchasing one to five years of back issues, or all available years plus older individual magazines.

Encounter with a Strange Being from Space!

Pages 3-7 detail a significant case from Finland in 1970. The article, compiled by GICOFF, presents the account of two skiers, Aarno Heinonen (36) and Esko Viljo (38), who were on a training ski trip near Imjärvi on January 7, 1970. As dusk fell, they heard a humming sound and saw a bright, rotating cloud-like object descend. The object, described as a round, metallic craft about three meters in diameter, hovered and then descended further. A strong light beam emerged from its underside, creating a glowing circle on the snow. A humanoid figure, about 90 cm tall, described as thin with a waxy, pale face, a strange nose, small ears, and wearing a light green overall with dark green boots and white gloves, emerged from the light. The being held a black box from which a yellow light pulsed.

Heinonen described the being as very pale, with a peculiar nose and wearing a tight-fitting, light green overall. Viljo described the being as standing in the light, glowing like phosphorus, with a pale face, thin shoulders, and a tall, pointed helmet-like head. The being was about a meter tall and very slender.

After the initial encounter, a thick, red-grey mist descended, obscuring vision. Sparks or embers, described as red, green, and violet, were emitted from the craft and struck the men but did not burn them. The mist eventually dissipated, and the craft ascended.

Following the encounter, Heinonen experienced numbness and pain in his right side, and his right leg became insensitive. He developed severe headaches, nausea, and vomiting, which lasted for about 1.5 months. His urine turned black, and he suffered from breathing difficulties. He visited a doctor, Pauli Kajanoja, who noted his low blood pressure, suggesting shock. Heinonen continued to suffer from joint pain, nausea, and balance issues, and felt cold despite not having a fever.

Viljo also experienced symptoms, including swelling and redness of his face, and an unsteady gait, starting about an hour after the event. He also felt lightheaded, particularly in his legs, and his hands and upper body became red. He visited the same doctor, who prescribed medication for circulation and later suggested the symptoms might be due to an electrical explosion.

Doctor Kajanoja stated that the symptoms resembled those of radiation exposure but lacked the equipment to confirm it. He also noted the unusual colored urine, suggesting it might be blood.

Observations and Statements

A reportage team visiting the site in June 1970 with Heinonen and Viljo observed their hands becoming red, and Heinonen experienced severe headaches, forcing him to leave the area. Two other individuals, Elna Siitari and a son in Paaso, reported seeing a strange light in the sky at the same time the main incident occurred.

Matti Kontulainen reported a similar bright light in the sky in February 1969 near the same area. Matti Haapaniemi, a neighbor and local politician, vouched for the credibility of Heinonen and Viljo, describing them as calm, sober, and trustworthy.

Professor Matti Tuuri suggested that the symptoms could be caused by electrical radiation, noting that the blinding white light was unlikely to be ultraviolet and that if it penetrated clothing, it would have to be short-wave radiation like X-rays, which can cause such symptoms.

Space - Technology - Research

This section, edited by B. Nilsson, discusses the bleak future of GICOFF-Information, stating that there is insufficient basis to continue publishing a magazine that requires reader payment, with no press support or significant advertising revenue. The author thanks readers for their interest and hopes to meet them in "other dimensions."

Black Holes

A subsection discusses black holes, referencing a previous article in GICOFF-Information nr 3, 1975. It explains that black holes are imploding entities with immense mass and gravity, from which even light cannot escape. The image shown is of Cygnus X-1, one of the first discovered black holes, located about 6000 light-years away. The image represents X-ray radiation intensity, showing a spiral motion that intensifies towards the center. As matter is absorbed, its speed increases, and it loses its identity, emitting intense X-ray radiation.

Manned Space Women?

Boris Petrov, head of the Soviet space program, stated that there would be no more women in space for the Soviet program. He expressed personal opinions that women are better suited to living and working on Earth, focusing on activities like gardening.

Venus Enveloped - New Venus Measurements to Be Taken

Several probes are investigating Venus, with six American and two Soviet missions underway. This is described as the most comprehensive mapping of the planet to date. If successful, similar expeditions to Mars and other planets are anticipated. NASA's Noel Hinners commented on the potential for such missions. The Pioneer project is mentioned as costing only a billion kronor, and studying Venus could improve understanding of Earth's atmosphere and assess risks of Earth becoming as desolate as Venus appears.

Close Encounter Cases of the Third Kind Back in the Spotlight!

Pages 9-10 detail the Kelly-Hopkins case from Kentucky, USA, which occurred on August 21-22, 1955. The article notes that third-degree encounters (involving humanoid observations) are not exclusive to recent decades, tracing similar observations back to 1897. The Kelly case is highlighted as one of the most famous and well-documented CE III cases, with Dr. J. Allen Hynek dedicating six pages to it in "UFO Experience." A comprehensive 196-page publication by Isabel Davis and Ted Bloecher is mentioned.

The Incident

The incident took place at a small farm outside Kelly, Kentucky. On the night of August 21, 1955, Billy Ray Taylor reported seeing a bright, rainbow-colored flying saucer land in a ravine. Later, the family's dog began barking, and the Suttons observed a bright light approaching. This light resolved into a luminous being, about 115 cm tall, with a large, round head, glowing yellow eyes, and long, clawed hands. The being appeared to be made of silver and held its hands over its head as it approached. The witnesses, Billy Ray Taylor and Lucky Sutton, armed themselves. As the being approached, they shot at it, causing it to fall from the roof and run away. They then saw another being, which they also shot. The beings moved strangely, with stiff legs and a hip-swaying gait when running. They seemed to float and glowed in the dark.

Despite being shot at, the beings did not exhibit aggressive tendencies. The family, frightened, eventually drove to the police station. Police, state troopers, and photographers investigated the scene but found no physical evidence. The media coverage led to public curiosity and ridicule of the family.

Engineer Andrew Ledwith interviewed the family and created drawings based on their testimonies. The article notes that a key criticism of the case is the lack of physical evidence. The beings reportedly reappeared throughout the night, peering into windows, but did not cause harm. The last sighting was at 5:15 AM.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently focuses on UFO sightings, close encounters, and the potential physical and psychological effects on witnesses. It presents detailed case studies, often with witness testimonies and expert opinions, suggesting a belief in the reality of these phenomena and the need for serious investigation. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into unexplained aerial phenomena, with a particular interest in direct encounters with non-human intelligences. The magazine also touches upon space exploration and scientific research related to astronomy. The issue highlights the precarious financial state of GICOFF-Information, indicating a struggle to maintain publication, which underscores the dedication of its core team to the subject matter.

This issue of "UFO OBSERVATIONER ÖVER SVERIGE" (UFO Observations Over Sweden) from 1978 compiles a series of UFO sightings and encounters reported from various locations across Sweden during that year. The magazine is edited by Leif Nilsson and features a collection of news clippings and reports detailing these unexplained aerial phenomena.

Reported Sightings and Incidents

The magazine details numerous specific incidents:

• Ormaryd, July 17, 1978: Arne Rytting and his family observed sharp, strange flashes of light and heard an unexplainable humming sound. The light illuminated the garden, and the family's cat became extremely agitated. They saw two more flashes, one very close to the house and another about 500 meters away. The humming sound moved away from the house.
• Hjo, July 20, 1978: Several people in Hjo reported seeing an unusual flying object around 7:10 PM. It was flying high and fast, described as long and cigar-shaped. Witnesses used binoculars and observed it was metallic, lacked wings, and disappeared at high speed towards the northeast.
• Hjo, July 21, 1978: A similar metallic, cigar-shaped object was seen by vacationers in Grebbestad, Bohus län, matching the description of the object seen in Hjo the previous day.
• Oxelösund, July 23, 1978: A woman, along with two other adults, observed a white, cylindrical object, described as looking like a toilet paper roll with blunt ends. It moved silently northward. The object was estimated to be about the size of an airplane, but Arlanda airport reported no aircraft in the area at that time, and F11 (an air force base) had no exercises that could explain the sighting.
• Fyruna, Skaraborg: A woman reported a peculiar experience from a few years prior. One autumn evening, she saw a large, bright sphere hovering over an outbuilding. A strong spotlight then illuminated the ground beneath the sphere, making details visible. The sphere moved in a hopping motion, with the light turning off and on with each hop. It moved over a neighbor's garden, illuminating the ground brightly before disappearing after about five minutes.
• Eklången, August 11, 1978: Brothers Lennart and Uno Jonsson, along with Åke Nilsson, were fishing on the lake Träskaten when they saw a strange light source in the southwest around 1:00 AM. The light rapidly increased in intensity, then stopped and moved erratically, sometimes approaching them and sometimes receding. It then moved in a wide arc around their boat before slowly moving away towards the northeast. The phenomenon was completely silent, leading the witnesses to believe it was not a helicopter or airplane.
• Tidaholm, August 11, 1978: Around 10:30 PM, four adults observed an unidentified flying object over Daretorp, Tidaholm. It was described as large, similar in size to a Boeing plane, and flying at a normal passenger plane altitude. The object was bright yellow to orange and appeared to be burning. It moved in a straight line from southwest to northeast for about four minutes before disappearing over the horizon.
• Harmånger, August 13, 1978: 13-year-old Erika Westman saw a strange object hovering over a barn in Edsäter. She described it as oblong and flat, about the size of the barn roof, with multi-colored lights blinking. The object was silent and appeared to be of considerable size.
• Västervik, August 20, 1978: Two girls, Marie and Kristina, observed a strange collection of lights in the sky. A bright spot moved slowly, then rapidly descended in a zick-zag pattern, circled, became very bright, and disappeared behind a forest. The brightness caused them eye pain.
• Kalmar, August 20, 1978: Multiple witnesses saw a mysterious object moving in a zick-zag course from south to north. The object hovered in place for some seconds before disappearing into space.
• Tofta Skjutfält, Gotland, August 23, 1978: Military personnel in a radar tower observed a large, bright white sphere hovering over the horizon after sunset. It then descended slowly into the sea. The object was seen visually and registered as a large echo on radar, described as the largest echo they had ever seen. The radar echo persisted for about 35 minutes after the object disappeared underwater, maintaining the same position. The personnel alerted the coast guard and their superiors, but the defense staff decided not to investigate further.

Related Cases and Scientific Inquiries

The issue also touches upon other related topics:

• Kelly-Hopkinsville Case (1955): The article references this case as one of the most provocative CE III cases, noting the lack of physical footprints and the skepticism surrounding the event. It suggests readers can find more information from the Center for UFO Studies.
• Finnish UFO Incident (Heinola): The magazine discusses a phenomenon observed in Heinola, Finland, involving bright lights. Scientific inquiries were made to Uppsala University's Institute for High-Voltage Research, which stated the phenomenon did not appear to be related to lightning or atmospheric electricity. Analysis of soil samples from the site by Chalmers University of Technology's nuclear chemistry department found no significant beta or alpha radiation, nor methane. A separate report mentions two youths in Heinola who experienced physical distress after observing a bright light, leading to medical attention.

UFO Material Auction

An advertisement details an auction of UFO material, including extensive collections of UFO clippings from Sweden, Denmark, and English-speaking countries, as well as UFO magazines. Interested parties are instructed to send bids by mail to Borgny Tingstedt.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the widespread nature of UFO sightings across Sweden in 1978, the variety of shapes and behaviors reported, and the consistent observation of unusual lights and sounds. The editorial stance appears to be one of documenting these events objectively, presenting witness accounts and news reports from various local publications, and exploring potential explanations through scientific inquiry and reference to prominent UFO cases. The inclusion of the Tofta Skjutfält military radar sighting and the scientific investigation into the Finnish incident suggest an interest in credible, potentially official, observations and analysis.