Interplanetary Intelligence Report - vol 1 no 4-5

Magazine Overview

Title: INTERPLANETARY INTELLIGENCE REPORT
Issue: VOL. 1, NO. 4/5
Date: NOVEMBER, 1965
Publisher: IIOUFO

This issue of the Interplanetary Intelligence Report, published by the IIOUFO (Interplanetary Intelligence UFO Organization), delves into the ongoing investigation of unidentified flying objects (UFOs). The magazine's cover prominently features the headline "THE TRUTH ABOUT FLYING SAUCERS" and an abstract image of a UFO, setting the tone for the content within.

IIOUFO Mission and Structure

The IIOUFO Board of Directors outlines the organization's mission: to determine if UFOs pose a threat to Earth's security or are alien interplanetary vehicles. Their investigation program is divided into three phases: detection and reporting by members, analysis and evaluation by a Scientific Panel, and dissemination of information by the Board. Membership is free and open to all interested persons, and the organization aims to collaborate with other groups. The IIOUFO states it investigates with an open mind and, in its eight years of existence, has found no evidence that UFOs represent a threat or are interplanetary spaceships.

The IIOUFO also lists its Board of Directors, Scientific Panel members, and Foreign Correspondents, indicating a broad network of individuals involved in their research. State Directors are sought to report UFO activity within their respective states.

The 'August Wave' of UFO Sightings

A significant portion of the issue is dedicated to the "August Wave" of UFO sightings that occurred in 1965. The report details how an increase in sightings began in Europe and spread to the United States, culminating on Sunday, August 1st, 1965, with thousands of reports. The article describes how radio and television programs were interrupted as people witnessed these phenomena. Specific incidents include:

• Brazil and Tulsa, Oklahoma: Squadrons of eighteen disks were sighted.
• Lake Superior: Ten UFOs were sighted flying in a V-formation at an estimated 9,000 mph.
• Oklahoma City and Cape Kennedy: Four UFOs were sighted flying in a diamond formation at 6,000 mph.

The objects were described as bright lights, observed through telescopes as having a large dome on top and being flat on the bottom, estimated to be 40-60 feet across and flying at altitudes of 10,000 to 22,000 feet. They flashed red, green, blue, and white lights.

Cover Photo Analysis

The cover photo, a spectacular color image, was taken by Alan Smith in Tulsa, Oklahoma, around 1:45 a.m. on August 2, 1965. The IIOUFO obtained the photo about ten days later. Photo analysis by John Gumm, an IIOUFO Scientific Panel member and Oklahoma Journal photographer, indicated the camera settings used. The analysis estimated the object's size and distance, suggesting it was less than a mile from the camera. Gumm also noted the object's brightness was twice that of a full moon. Alan Smith's father, with experience in aviation, estimated the object to be about 50 feet across, flying at 5-8000 ft.

UFO Reports from Oklahoma and Beyond

The magazine compiles numerous UFO reports, many relayed through the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Department of Public Safety. These reports detail sightings from various locations in Oklahoma, including Wynnewood, Purcell, Norman, Chandler, Meeker, Shawnee, Tecumseh, Cushing, and Oklahoma City. Descriptions often mention objects of various colors (red, blue, white, green, silver), shapes (circular, triangular), and behaviors (hovering, moving at high speeds, flashing lights).

Reports from other regions are also included, such as sightings in Wyoming, Colorado, and Nebraska, and specific incidents like a UFO landing in Valensole, France, an undersea UFO photographed in Fort Pierce, Florida, and a mysterious object sighted over the Azores.

Debunked Cases and Hoaxes

The issue addresses instances where UFO reports were identified or explained. For example, the Wynnewood sighting on July 31st was identified as the star Capella, and radar returns were attributed to a balloon launched from Will Rogers World Airport. The magazine also highlights a significant hoax: the "Martian is a Monkey" story from Atlanta, Georgia, in 1953. A barber named Ed Watters confessed to staging a UFO landing with a "little man" which was actually a shaved monkey, to win a bet and gain publicity. This case was investigated by the 35th Air Division Intelligence Office.

Air Force UFO Investigation: Project Blue Book

The article "AIR FORCE UFO INVESTIGATION PROJECT BLUE BOOK" explains the U.S. Air Force's role in investigating UFOs. The program, which evolved from Project Sign and Project Grudge, aims to determine if UFOs pose a threat to national security and to identify any unique scientific information. Project Blue Book operates in three phases: receiving and investigating reports, conducting intensive analysis, and disseminating information. The article notes that the Air Force defines an unidentified object as any aerial object the observer cannot identify and lists common misidentifications such as balloons, birds, and aircraft.

Editorial: The Interplanetary Hypothesis

In an editorial, J. W. Maney, Deputy Director, discusses the "interplanetary hypothesis" for UFO origins. He acknowledges the arguments against it, particularly the unproven existence of sentient life on other planets and the vast distances involved. While Mars presents a more complex possibility due to accumulated evidence, Maney emphasizes the need for careful consideration before definitively accepting the interplanetary theory.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

This issue of the Interplanetary Intelligence Report strongly focuses on UFO sightings and investigations, particularly those occurring in the Oklahoma area during the summer of 1965. The IIOUFO presents itself as a diligent investigator, collecting and analyzing reports with an open mind. While acknowledging the existence of numerous sightings, the organization maintains a cautious stance, stating that their investigations have not yet revealed evidence of a threat or confirmed the extraterrestrial origin of these phenomena. The inclusion of Project Blue Book information and the debunking of a hoax demonstrate an effort to provide a balanced perspective, while the editorial reflects a critical examination of the interplanetary hypothesis. The overall tone suggests a commitment to uncovering the truth about UFOs through systematic research.

This issue of the Interplanetary Intelligence Report (IIR), dated July 1965, is Volume 1, Number 2, and is published by IIOUFO. The magazine focuses on UFO research, investigations, and recent sightings, aiming to help solve the 'flying saucer' mystery.

Yours In Research

This section honors individuals contributing to UFO research. This month, James W. Moseley, editor of SAUCER NEWS and a correspondent for IIOUFO, is recognized. Moseley visited Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in March 1962 to review Air Force files on UFOs. Hayden Hewes, IIOUFO Director, also visited Wright-Patterson in September 1964, with an account of his visit published in SAUCER NEWS.

IIOUFO Needs Your Help

This section appeals to readers to report UFO sightings. Information requested includes the date, place, duration, and general description of the object. The publication also solicits reader feedback on preferred content for the Interplanetary Intelligence Report, asking if readers prefer recent observations, historical accounts, scientific developments, more photographs, or newspaper clippings.

Coming in the IIR

The January 1966 issue of the IIR will feature the Air Force's evaluation of the Tulsa, Oklahoma photograph and a review of major UFO sightings from 1965.

IIOUFO Membership and Subscription

Membership in the IIOUFO is free and open to those with an open mind. The IIR is published bi-monthly at a subscription rate of $3.00 per year (six issues). The goal is to publish the IIR monthly if enough subscriptions are received.

IIOUFO Featured In French Movie

On September 4, 1965, the IIOUFO received a call from Michel K. Anfrol, Washington Bureau Chief for the French Broadcasting System (FRS). An interview was conducted on September 11, 1965, focusing on a wave of UFOs over the central United States. The interview was filmed for a French UFO documentary that would not be shown in the U.S. Anfrol also planned to interview Jacques Vallee, author of 'Anatomy of a Phenomenon,' and hoped to speak with Dr. J. Allen Hynek before heading to Paris.

UFO Activity and Witness Accounts

California Sighting: Rex Heflin, an Orange County highway department investigator, photographed a saucer-shaped flying object near the Santa Ana Marine Corps Air Facility. He described a beam of white light rotating underneath the saucer, which was visible in three pictures taken within 15 seconds. Heflin reported that his radio went dead twice while trying to contact his base station during the sighting. Officials at El Toro Base were copying the pictures for a report to the 11th Naval District.

Oklahoma City Meteorite Fragment: Rick Barns witnessed a 'shooting star' that exploded, leading to the discovery of an object in a creek. The main object weighed approximately 21 pounds, with hundreds of smaller fragments found nearby. Preliminary analysis by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Smithsonian Institution suggested the object was not a meteorite but an artificial product. A spectrographic analysis by the U.S. Air Force identified 16 elements. The Smithsonian suggested the wrong object might have been recovered, and a fragment was sent to N. N. Kohanowski at the University of North Dakota for further study. Kohanowski's analysis indicated the fragment was likely from the interior of a meteorite that cracked due to sudden expansion of its heated crust, and he noted it was the second occurrence of 'amygdaloidal melaphyre' among meteorites.

Gemini Launch UFOs: James R. Peek photographed three unidentified flying objects near the Cape during the Gemini 5 launch. He described one object as a 'silver of brilliant green phosphorescent light' that made an S-turn and changed shape before vanishing. The objects' brilliance was not from reflected sunlight.

South African Reports: D. V. Baker reported two UFO sightings from South Africa: a woman in Pietermanitzburg saw a huge red ball hover, and two police officers near Silverton reported an object landing on a tar highway. Subsequent tests on the tar showed no radioactivity but indicated the use of gasoline.

Terra Space Exploration: Mariner IV Photography

This section discusses the initial scientific interpretation of the Mariner IV photographs of Mars. Key findings include the presence of large craters, comparable in density to those on the Moon, suggesting Mars is more Moon-like than Earth-like in its evolutionary history. The craters appear ancient, possibly two to five billion years old, indicating that Mars has not had a significantly denser atmosphere or free water in quantities sufficient to form streams or oceans since that surface was formed. The topographic features were not produced by internal planetary stress, unlike Earth. The photos neither demonstrate nor preclude the existence of life, but the search for a fossil record may be less promising if Martian oceans never existed. The Mariner photos are expected to profoundly affect scientific views on the origin and evolution of planetary bodies.

Civilian UFO Research

This section highlights various civilian UFO research organizations. The Interplanetary Intelligence of Unidentified Flying Objects (IIOUFO) is described as one of over 100 civilian UFO investigation organizations. The American UFO Committee (AMUFO) is also mentioned, founded to revitalize the UFO field and cosponsoring the annual Congress of Scientific Ufologists.

UFO Lecture Series

Hayden Hewes, Director of IIOUFO, is scheduled to give lectures on UFOs at the Oklahoma City New Age Center on November 13, 1965, and December 11, 1965. The New Age Center also offers assistance with personal problems and explores mystical experiences, including UFO sightings.

IIOUFO International Headquarters

Plans are announced for a new IIOUFO International Headquarters to be built in Oklahoma City at a cost of approximately $150,000. The facility will include a public dome open 24 hours a day for UFO information and reports, a main office, a small observatory, and an underground lecture auditorium.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently promotes the idea that UFOs are a genuine mystery worthy of scientific investigation. It encourages open-mindedness and the reporting of sightings. The editorial stance is one of active research and information sharing, aiming to educate the public and contribute to solving the UFO enigma. There's a clear emphasis on civilian research efforts and the importance of organizations like IIOUFO in this pursuit. The publication also touches upon related scientific topics, such as space exploration and the analysis of unusual geological fragments, framing them within the broader context of unexplained phenomena.