Journal of UFO History - Vol 1 No 6

Magazine Overview

Title: Journal of UFO History
Issue: Vol. 1, No. 6
Date: January-February 2005
Publisher: Donald E. Keyhoe Archives

This issue of the Journal of UFO History, published by the Donald E. Keyhoe Archives, focuses on significant events and historical accounts within the UFO phenomenon. It delves into instances of media censorship, early UFO sightings, and the perspectives of key researchers and scientists.

Armstrong Circle Theater: Air Force Censorship of TV Broadcast About UFOs Stirred Controversy in 1958

The lead article details a controversial incident on January 22, 1958, when a CBS Television broadcast titled "UFOs: Enigma of the Skies," sponsored by the Armstrong Cork Company, was abruptly cut off the air. The program featured Major Donald E. Keyhoe, who, frustrated by the Air Force's control over the script, began to ad-lib about NICAP's work with a Senate committee investigating UFO secrecy. This deviation from the script led CBS to cut the audio, citing security reasons and public interest. The article questions the Air Force's insistence on controlling the narrative when they claimed UFOs were not a security concern. It includes excerpts from newspaper articles from the Miami Herald and Washington Star, which criticized the censorship. The article also notes that prominent participants like Kenneth Arnold and Edward J. Ruppelt withdrew from the program due to the script's emasculation and the Air Force's rigid controls.

Major Keyhoe later sent a letter to NICAP members explaining that his ad-libbed statement was about NICAP working with a Senate committee to investigate UFO secrecy, believing it would prove flying saucers were real machines under intelligent control. The article suggests that the fear of public panic or the revelation of sensitive information was the underlying reason for the censorship. The public relations director for Armstrong, Clyde O. Hess, responded to complaints by stating that the producer had no alternative but to cut the audio due to Keyhoe's deviation from the script, adhering to network rules to prevent embarrassing incidents.

In a related anecdote, the program's producer, Robert E. Costello, had written to Keyhoe the day after the broadcast, noting the show's positive reception and the high volume of calls. Keyhoe later issued a statement regretting the "misunderstanding" and clarifying that his intention was not censorship by CBS or Armstrong, but he implied the U.S. Air Force's heavy-handed influence was the true cause, leading to Ruppelt and Arnold withdrawing. The article concludes that the Air Force's policy to control public discussion backfired.

A sidelight to this event is the January 16, 1958, Brazilian Photo Release. A week before the Armstrong broadcast, four clear daylight photographs of a Saturn-shaped UFO were taken near Trindade Isle, Brazil. The U.S. Air Force was aware of this photographic evidence, which may have influenced their concern leading up to the CBS broadcast, especially as participants planned to suggest UFOs were extraterrestrial spaceships.

Chronology of Early UFO History, September-November 1951

This section provides a chronological list of UFO-related events from September to November 1951. Key entries include:

• September 1951: Capt. Edward J. Ruppelt appointed chief of Project Blue Book.
• September 10, 1951: Two Air Force pilots chased a flat, round silvery UFO traveling at an estimated 900 m.p.h. near Sandy Hook, New Jersey.
• September 23, 1951: F-86 jets near March AFB, California, were unable to reach the altitude of a circling UFO.
• October 9, 1951: An aviation official in Terre Haute, Indiana, and a pilot in Paris, Illinois, reported seeing a flattened sphere moving at high speed, hovering, and then accelerating.
• October 10-11, 1951: General Mills balloon personnel in Minneapolis, Minnesota, reported two consecutive sightings of sharply maneuvering UFOs with glowing halos.
• October 19, 1951: The Directorate of Air Force intelligence issued R&D requirements for the scientific examination of UFO files.
• October 30, 1951: An Air Force enlisted man at Nellis AFB, Nevada, observed three silvery circular objects hovering, which were later joined by more discs before departing.
• November 7, 1951: The captain and crew of a steamship on Lake Superior reported an orange oval in high-speed flight with visible portholes.
• November 9, 1951: Dr. Lincoln LaPaz commented on the unusual nature and frequency of green fireballs observed over New Mexico.

A Navy Pilot 1951 Radar Sighting is also detailed, where a radar target larger than a wingman appeared and was tracked by multiple radars on a carrier near Korea before departing at high speed.

New Zealand UFO History: Harold H. Fulton

This section profiles Harold H. Fulton, a prominent UFO researcher in New Zealand from the 1950s to the 1970s, who was a NICAP member and adviser. The article highlights the founding of the Civilian Saucer Investigation (New Zealand) in Auckland on October 13, 1952. This organization aimed to prove or disprove the existence of flying saucers independently of government or military affiliations. Its members were drawn from various backgrounds, united by a thirst for personal knowledge. The committee elected included H.H. Fulton as President.

The article also recounts Fulton's experience with contactee George Adamski during his 1959 world tour. Fulton reported to NICAP that he was certain Adamski's tales were largely fabrications and found them "idiotic and fantastically stupid." Fulton's correspondence with the Donald E. Keyhoe Archives extends into the late 1970s, when he was associated with MUFON-NZ.

Hermann Oberth & British Royal Astronomer Views

This section presents the views of Professor Dr. Hermann Oberth, the famous German spaceflight pioneer, on UFOs, based on a letter written on May 26, 1967. Oberth stated his conviction in the reality of UFOs but admitted he did not know what they were. He found Keyhoe's theory of them being spaceships from other celestial bodies plausible because it had not been disproved, but stressed this was not proof. Oberth was skeptical of "contactee" reports and suggested that if UFOs were spaceships, they likely originated outside the Solar System.

Additionally, the article references a January 3, 1956, London Daily Telegraph headline quoting the newly appointed British Astronomer Royal, Prof. Richard van der Riet Woolley, dismissing the idea of space travel as too costly. Woolley was also noted for debunking UFOs, mistaking the planet Mars for a reported aerial object.

Dialogue With Loren Gross

This section features an interview with Loren Gross, a retired General Motors employee and one of the founding members of the Sign Historical Group, known for his year-by-year publications on UFO history. Gross, who served as an Air Force radar operator from 1956 to 1960, expresses skepticism about radar cases, finding them prone to anomalies like anomalous propagation and equipment malfunctions. He believes that good visual sightings of UFOs in daylight are more reliable than radar returns.

Gross recounts two UFO-related incidents from his time in the Air Force. One involved a jet chase of two UFOs by interceptors, where the UFOs appeared to disappear and reappear behind the interceptors, suggesting either four UFOs or a scope malfunction. He also mentions that his crew chief related an incident involving a jet chase of UFOs by interceptors scrambled from Selfridge Air Force Base.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the historical suppression of UFO information, particularly by governmental and military bodies, and the media's role in either disseminating or censoring such information. The issue highlights the efforts of organizations like NICAP and individuals like Donald Keyhoe and Harold Fulton in pursuing and publicizing UFO evidence. The editorial stance appears to be one of critical inquiry, seeking to uncover the truth behind UFO phenomena and challenging official narratives. The publication also emphasizes the importance of documented historical accounts and eyewitness testimony over speculative theories or unverified claims.

Notable Items

• Cover Photo: A May 1967 photo of Richard Hall with his new bride, Marty, flanked by Idabel Epperson and Dr. Leslie Kaeburn, with Marilyn Epperson and Ann Druffel in the foreground, taken during a visit with Los Angeles NICAP Subcommittee members.
• Subscription Information: Details for renewing subscriptions to the Journal of UFO History are provided, including payment methods via check, money order, or PayPal.
• Historical Recordings: An advertisement for an audio CD titled "Battle of Los Angeles" February 23, 1942, is included, featuring a CBS News Report and other historical UFO-related audio clips.

This issue of the 'Journal of UFO History' (Issue 11) continues an interview with Loren Gross, focusing on his experiences and research related to UFO phenomena. The content is primarily text-based, with a single historical photograph on the cover.

Interview with Loren Gross

The interview, conducted by Hall, delves into Gross's personal encounters and his extensive work in compiling UFO historical data. Gross recounts an experience where UFOs were reported to have "jumped" over jets between radar sweeps, noting the difficulty pilots have in spotting lights at night and the role of Radar Officers (ROs).

Second Incident: Korea, 1957

Gross describes a second incident that occurred in Korea in 1957. While walking to radar operations, he observed two civilian Bendix radar technicians and a sergeant examining a portable scope. They were puzzled by multiple targets detected at an altitude of 100,000 feet, located over the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in the middle of the Korean Peninsula. Gross briefly viewed the scope and confirmed at least three "good solid returns" that were either moving slowly or motionless. He sent a note about this incident, including wind aloft figures, to NICAP.

Career and Research

Following his time in the Air Force, Gross pursued a career in teaching but found it unfulfilling. He then worked for General Motors for many years. He was involved in the founding meeting of the Sign Historical Group (SHG) and helped achieve some of its initial goals, including obtaining UFO files from researchers like Dr. Willy Smith, Robert Gribble, and Murray Bott. He mentions failing to acquire Frank Edwards' files.

Gross is recognized for his "Fifth Horseman of the Apocalypse" series, which he describes as valuable for its raw data, intended for serious researchers. He credits Jan Aldrich and Barry Greenwood as the primary data gatherers, stating he merely "passed it along."

Publishing and Accessibility

When asked why he doesn't publish his work on a broader scale for wider accessibility, Gross cites copyright problems for commercial ventures. He also states he doesn't need the money or the ego boost, being comfortably retired. He notes that complete sets of his histories are available to the public at several institutions, including the Roswell UFO Museum, the Mutual UFO Network, the Center for UFO Studies, and the Donald E. Keyhoe Archives.

Opinion on UFO Nature

Addressing the nature of "hardcore UFO reports" after nearly half a century of pursuing the subject, Gross expresses a bias towards the existence of "very high tech machines of unknown origin." He acknowledges that some reports may seem magical but suggests this is expected when dealing with an advanced civilization. However, he remains cautious and is not ready to endorse extreme UFO origin theories, being aware of the ideas presented by researchers like Vallee and Keel.

Attracting Scientific Attention

Gross believes that the UFO phenomenon itself will ultimately be what alerts the world to its significance, rather than the efforts of UFOlogists. He concludes that in the meantime, the focus should be on carefully studying the reports to understand what is happening.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around historical UFO sightings, particularly radar-based detections, and the meticulous compilation and analysis of UFO data by dedicated researchers. The editorial stance, as reflected in Gross's views, leans towards the possibility of advanced, unknown technology being responsible for many UFO reports, while maintaining a grounded and cautious approach to interpretation. The importance of raw data and archival work for serious UFO research is emphasized.