Ground Saucer Watch Bulletin - 1979 12 - December

Magazine Overview

This is the December 1979 issue of the GSW News Bulletin, published by GSW, Inc. The bulletin is dedicated to the research and investigation of civilian aerial phenomena. The cover prominently features the GSW logo and the headline "Ground Saucer Watch," along with the issue date "DEC '79."

Table of Contents

• The issue includes several articles:
• "Directly Speaking" by William H. Spaulding, Director, GSW/WD
• "A Third Alternative?" by Val Parks, GSW Consultant
• "What Really Happened in New Zealand? - Part II" by Dr. Bruce Maccabee, GSW Consultant
• "Map of Sightings"
• "UFO Lawsuit Documents: Data Retrievals from the Government - Part III" by J. A. Spaulding, GSW/ED
• "Suggested Reading"

The editorial staff notes that the contents do not necessarily represent the official judgment of GSW, and opinions of contributors are their own. Media may quote up to 300 words with credit, and written permission is required for longer quotes.

Directly Speaking

William H. Spaulding discusses the ongoing GSW lawsuit against the CIA, now in its second year. Despite legal efforts and FOIA requests, the CIA and other intelligence agencies are reportedly withholding information, creating a legal impasse. Spaulding mentions a press release from Peter Gersten, a lawyer representing CAUS (Citizens Against UFO Secrecy), detailing plans to file two new lawsuits against the National Security Agency and the Air Force to compel the release of UFO files and reports. He also requests contributions from GSW members to support these legal costs.

Spaulding then recounts a significant incident from March 1967 involving the 6947th Security Squadron at Boca Chica Naval Air Station. Cuban radar detected a bogey approaching from the northeast, and two MIG-21 interceptors were scrambled. The interceptors were guided to within 5 kilometers of the object, described as a bright metallic sphere with no visible markings. After attempts to identify the object failed, the wing leader was ordered to arm his weapons. The wing leader reported his missiles armed and radar locked on, but then his aircraft disintegrated. Cuban radar reported the object accelerating rapidly and climbing beyond 30,000 meters. A spot report was sent to the National Security Agency, which required the incident to be filed as an aircraft loss due to equipment malfunction, despite the lack of enemy action.

Holiday Greetings

A brief message wishing members a happy holiday season and a prosperous new year, acknowledging their efforts in advancing the UFO mystery.

A Third Alternative?

Val Parks explores alternative explanations for UFO phenomena, moving beyond the traditional hypotheses of mistaken identity, delusions, natural phenomena, hoaxes, or extraterrestrial spacecraft. He discusses Jacques Vallee's book "Messengers of Deception," which questions the spacecraft hypothesis. Vallee's statistical analysis suggests an implausibly high number of landings if UFOs were simply random spacecraft encounters, leading him to propose that UFOs either select their witnesses or are something entirely different, with staged appearances.

Vallee offers two hypotheses: the "Martian Conspiracy" and the "Esoteric Intervention." The latter suggests a group controlling physical processes through means considered magical or occult. The "Martian Conspiracy" hypothesis posits that governments might be engaged in a coordinated, long-term deception, potentially involving intelligence agencies infiltrating UFO groups and using ridicule to divert scientific attention. This aligns with the themes in Leslie Watkins' book "Alternative 003."

"Alternative 003" is described as a documentary that claims Earth's atmosphere is being heated and polluted, leading to unbreathable conditions. It suggests governments are aware of this and are suppressing information, having developed a "bold venture into space" as a third alternative. The documentary reportedly includes claims that Apollo 11 astronauts saw and photographed two spacecraft on the lunar surface. It also features an interview with "Apollo moonwalker" Dick Grodin, who allegedly stated that Apollo missions were PR and that humanity was already colonizing Mars. Parks notes that Dick Grodin was not an Apollo moonwalker, suggesting a possible name change or error.

The article also references a National Enquirer report about "Alien UFOs" watching the moon landing and corroborates "Alternative 003's" story. It concludes by quoting Harrison Schmitt, a former moonwalker, on future farming on Mars under inflated domes, suggesting a move beyond lunar exploration.

What Really Happened in New Zealand? - Part II

Dr. Bruce Maccabee analyzes film footage taken by Crockett near Christchurch, New Zealand. The film, shot with a 100 mm lens and later a 240 mm lens, captures anomalous lights. The analysis divides the footage into segments, describing various images including elliptical and triangular shapes, and a protruding green dot. Some images are noted for their brightness and fuzzy red edges, possibly due to scattering from clouds or atmospheric extinction.

Maccabee details observations of the object's brightness, color (yellow-red), and angular size. He notes that the object appeared to be at or just above cloud level. The copilot described it as a "squashed orange." The film shows images that are generally thin ellipses of bright yellow-white surrounded by red fuzz, which becomes less pronounced over time. The object's brightness is compared to the full moon, and at one point, it was described as "lighting up the clouds around it."

The analysis discusses the object's apparent movement and potential reflections, ruling out simple ocean reflections due to its position relative to the plane. The film images fade in and out, and a dimmer light below the bright one is mentioned but not clearly registered on the film, possibly due to its low intensity or being outside the camera's field of view.

A significant portion of the analysis focuses on frame N-1766, which shows a streak of motion. The rapid image motion is attributed primarily to camera wobble, but the extent of the motion in this frame is questioned, suggesting it might be due to the object's movement at high speed (estimated at 57,000 ft/sec). However, the author leans towards camera motion as the more likely explanation due to the forces involved.

The brightness of the object is calculated to be comparable to the full moon, requiring a focused beam of light. The article also discusses the possibility of the camera shutter momentarily stopping rotation as an explanation for the streak.

UFO Lawsuit Documents: Data Retrievals from the Government - Part III

This section, by J. A. Spaulding, likely continues the discussion on UFO-related documents being sought through legal means, building upon the lawsuit information mentioned in "Directly Speaking."

Suggested Reading

This section would typically list other relevant books or publications for further research.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue include government secrecy regarding UFO phenomena, the legal battles to obtain information (specifically the GSW lawsuit against the CIA), and the detailed analysis of specific UFO sightings, such as the Cuban incident and the New Zealand film. There's also an exploration of alternative theories about the nature and origin of UFOs, including potential conspiracies and the role of intelligence agencies. The issue also touches upon broader concerns like atmospheric pollution and future space exploration. The editorial stance, as indicated by the disclaimer, is to present information and contributor opinions, encouraging critical thinking and further research rather than asserting official conclusions.

This document, identified as issue 13 of "UFO New Zealand" from December 31, 1978, is a technical analysis of film footage capturing an unidentified aerial phenomenon. The publication focuses on detailed examination of the photographic evidence, including image characteristics, motion, and the technical aspects of the filming and analysis process.

Film Analysis of the New Zealand Sighting

The core of this issue is the meticulous analysis of film frames, particularly focusing on frames from N-1766 onwards. The text describes how the "red" frames result from the shutter stopping rotation and the film becoming exposed. It notes that the unexposed film surrounding the bright image in frame N-1766 does not appear to be more exposed than the surrounding film, and the path of the images suggests continuous motion.

A key observation is made about frame N-1768, which contains an elliptical image that does not appear smeared. This image is overexposed in its central region, and its shape is compared to an image obtained when the plane was flying south, with the main difference being a "bluer" color in the latter. The analysis also highlights a sequence of frames (beginning with N-2364 for 909 frames) that exhibits alternate periods of "steadiness" and rapid motion. During this sequence, the image is described as basically round with a small green protrusion that comes and goes. The motion is consistent with the hypothesis that the camera was held steady for periods, allowing the object to drift through the field of view, followed by rapid movement to the left.

Following this "steady drift" sequence, there are 412 frames showing weak, thin streak images. The text discusses the uncertainty about whether this section was filmed before or after a lens change to a 240 mm lens. By frame N-3684, the 240 mm lens was in use, though out of focus. Crockett, the witness, reportedly began filming after a turn to the right, capturing what he considered his "best footage" during a turn to the left. There are noted conflicts in witness recollections.

It is stated that Crockett shot at least 835 frames (1.4 minutes) with his 240 mm lens. Most of these frames show large images (approximately 1.5 mm in diameter), but about a hundred frames contain small, bright images that are streaks of light. The text further elaborates on the progression of images through this section of film, suggesting the lens was initially out of focus and then came into focus. Images start large and round with bright streaks, then shrink to tenths of a millimeter in size, and later increase in size again, becoming dim with primarily horizontal streaks.

A symmetry inversion (image flipping over and undergoing a left-right shift) is observed, though not as obvious as the changes in image size and brightness. This inversion is consistent with the lens going through focus. The analysis confirms that Crockett's 240 mm lens was out of adjustment, with focus issues attributed to slippage in the mount. The witness apparently adjusted the focus ring to infinity, possibly mistaking the bright streaks for being in focus.

The presence of horizontal streaks in defocused images is noted as an unexplained phenomenon, with the expectation that a defocused image of a bright source would be uniformly bright. The possibility of window scratches affecting brightness distribution is raised, but the question of why the streaks are predominantly horizontal remains.

Focused images, including streaked ones, are discussed as proof that the bright source had a brightness structure comparable to what Crockett described with a 100 mm lens. Fig. N illustrates the shape and densitometric traces of a stationary image, showing a "pure" white bottom with a density of 0.17, and a bright, pale yellow top portion with a density of about 0.21. A "double brightness level" structure is evident in many streaked images, with adjacent bright lines. The text notes that by frame N-3896, a symmetry inversion had occurred, whereas it had not by frame N-3810.

Comparisons are made with preceding and following images (Fig. Q), showing similarity between frames N-3805, N-3806, and N-3810. From frame N-3788 onwards, images shrink, consistent with the lens approaching focus. Frame N-3813 shows an image that appears to have slid sideways. Images from N-3797 through 3813 are described as less bright in their upper areas.

The images are large up through frame 3813, then become small and nearly round, disappearing for two frames before reappearing. This disappearance could be due to a bar between airplane windows if the camera was panning. However, shrinkage of image size is not typically associated with partial blockage. The text suggests that shrinkage, disappearance, and reappearance might be due to changes in the bright source's brightness and angular size.

Further analysis of images attained near Christchurch is promised for a future publication.

Figures and Technical Data

The document includes numerous figures (A through N) illustrating various aspects of the film analysis. These figures include:

• Figures A, B, G, I, J, L, N: Tracings of images and their densitometric scans obtained using a projection transmissometer. These figures provide quantitative data on image brightness, density, and transmission levels, with specific frame numbers (e.g., N-432, N-746, N-1766, N-1768, S-85, N-3042, N-3810) and lens magnifications (67x).
• Figure C: A tracing of a frame showing the bright object and a meter below the far right cockpit window.
• Figure D: A diagram of the cockpit of an Argosy Freighter Aircraft, showing instruments and controls, with a note indicating the meter seen in Crockett's film is below the far right hand window.
• Figure E, F: Further transmissometer measurements for frame N-1766.
• Figure H: Tracings of images in several successive frames (N-1763 to N-1768) using a 100 mm focal length lens, illustrating image motion.
• Figure K: Tracings of successive images (frames 2231-2254) to illustrate typical relative motion of the camera and the object, with frame rate and focal length specified (65x magnification, 0.1 sec between frames, 0.044 sec per frame, 100 mm focal length).
• Figure M: Graphs showing the horizontal locations of the centers of images in the "Steady" sequence, plotting deviation from the center against frame number, with calculated slopes indicating speed in milliradians per second.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme is the rigorous, scientific analysis of photographic evidence related to a UFO sighting. The editorial stance is objective and data-driven, focusing on technical measurements, image characteristics, and physical explanations for observed phenomena. While acknowledging witness testimony, the primary emphasis is on interpreting the film frame by frame, using instruments like densitometers and transmissometers to quantify image properties. The publication appears to be dedicated to investigating UFO phenomena through empirical methods, presenting complex technical data in a detailed manner.

Title: GSW Bulletin
Issue: Part III of UFO Lawsuit Documents
Date: December 1979 (implied by subscription information and content focus)
Publisher: Ground Saucer Watch, Inc. (GSW)
Focus: This installment of the GSW Bulletin focuses on the detailed investigation of the 1964 Socorro, New Mexico UFO sighting, presenting data retrieved from government documents.

The Socorro, New Mexico Sighting (April 24, 1964)

This section, authored by James A. Spaulding (GSW/ED), provides a resume of the unidentified flying object (UFO) sighted by Mr. Lonnie Zamora in Socorro, New Mexico, on April 24, 1964. The sighting occurred around 1745 hours when Zamora, a Socorro Police Department officer, was chasing a speeding auto and heard a roar and saw flames. He abandoned the chase to investigate, finding an object on girder-like legs, described as egg-shaped or oval, emitting noise and blue flame that turned to orange/yellow. The object rose about 15-20 feet, then flew off in a SW direction, disappearing over the horizon.

Background and Initial Investigation

Sgt. Chavez of the New Mexico State Police was notified and secured the area, finding ground markings and several burned spots. Capt. Holder of the Stallion Site at White Sands conducted an initial investigation, collecting samples of charred areas and dirt. News media and UFO organizations like APRO and NICAP sent investigators. The case gained significant public attention, prompting Captain Hector Quintanilla, Project Officer, to direct TSgt. David Moody to assist the Air Force's investigation. Information gathered suggested the sighting was legitimate and not a hoax.

Specific Findings from Efforts to Date

• Ground Search: A search of the area revealed no automobile tire markings or other extraneous marks, only those at the alleged landing site.
• Radioactivity: Major Conner and Sgt. Moody found no radioactivity in the area.
• Helicopter Activity: Checks with White Sands and Kirtland AFB indicated no helicopter activity at the time of the sighting. Military helicopters were eliminated, but civilian activity was not fully determined.
• Radar Surveillance: Radar sites at White Sands and Almagordo reported no unidentified activity during the sighting period.
• Soil Samples: Laboratory analysis of soil samples by ASD revealed no foreign material or chemicals indicating propellant. Elemental composition was consistent across samples.
• VTOL and Lunar Modules: Personnel working on VTOL aircraft and lunar modules were consulted. VTOLs were not entirely ruled out due to potential blast effects, but no specific operational craft matched. Lunar Module configurations, with their girder-like legs, could produce the observed markings. An experimental Bell Aircraft Corporation model at Edwards AFB was noted.
• Additional Witness: A report from an unidentified tourist traveling north on US 85 claimed to have seen the UFO just before it landed and observed the police car approaching the site. This information was verified by Mr. Opal Grinder of Whiting Brothers Service Station.

General Conclusions to Date

Investigative reports confirmed that a sighting did occur. The object's description and flight characteristics were consistent with a helicopter, VTOL, or Lunar Module configuration. Current efforts focused on identifying the specific vehicle. Captain Hector Quintanilla stated that investigators at Wright-Patterson could not identify the object, that its flight characteristics were within the state-of-the-art, and it could not be attributed to atmospheric or astronomical phenomena. He categorically stated it was not an inter-planetary space vehicle, and the case remained open.

Continuing Investigative Efforts

• The FTD Liason Officer was requested to determine if a classified project at White Sands could have been involved.
• The FAA was contacted for information regarding firms using markings observed by Zamora.
• NASA was queried about the status of Lunar Module programs, with no reply received to date.
• Letters were sent to 15 industrial organizations regarding Lunar Module programs.
• Contact was maintained with personnel involved in VTOL and Lunar Module programs.
• Efforts to locate the unidentified tourist were ongoing.

Data Retrieval and Document Sales

GSW has completed the segregation of UFO lawsuit documents and offers over 500 documents for sale at $100.00 per set (postpaid in the US). Smaller, individual sets averaging 40 pages are available for $10.00, presented as valuable reading for researchers.

Suggested Reading

• The bulletin recommends several UFO publications for researchers:
• MUFON's UFO JOURNAL: Published by MUFON, Inc.
• JUST CAUSE: A publication from Arlington, VA.
• Retrievals of the Third Kind: A case study of alleged UFO occupants in military custody by Len Stringfield.
• MUFON's Symposium Proceedings: Available from 1973-1979.

• Two specific publications from CUFOS (Center for UFO Studies) are highlighted:
• The International UFO Reporter (IUR): A monthly newsletter focusing on responsible reporting of UFO events, investigations, and conclusions, avoiding sensationalism. It is recommended for schools and libraries.
• The Journal of UFO Studies: A referenced scientific journal featuring recent work by scientists on the UFO problem.

GSW Publication Information

The GSW News Bulletin is published three times annually (April, August, December). Regular features include "Directly Speaking" by William H. Spaulding, organizational news, and "Map or Sightings." Subscriptions are available for non-members ($3.00/yr) and GSW members ($2.00/yr). Orders are to be mailed to Ground Saucer Watch, Inc., Phoenix, Arizona.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The GSW Bulletin consistently focuses on UFO investigations, particularly those involving government documents and legal actions (UFO lawsuits). The editorial stance emphasizes responsible reporting, factual analysis, and the pursuit of verifiable data, as evidenced by the endorsement of publications like the IUR. There is a clear effort to provide researchers with access to primary source material and to present findings in a structured, investigative manner, while also promoting related research and publications in the field.