Journal of UFO History - Vol 2 No 1

Magazine Overview

Title: Journal of UFO History
Issue: Vol. II, No. 1
Date: March-April 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 developments in UFO research, particularly concerning the 1952 sighting wave and the history of disc aircraft patents. The cover prominently features diagrams of flying saucer-like aircraft under the headline "Flying Saucers Land in U.S. Patent Office."

Editorial

The editorial section notes the cancellation of an interview for the "Dialogue" feature due to the interviewee's disillusionment with the UFO subject. The editor expresses disappointment with a recent ABC-TV "Peter Jennings Reports" documentary on UFOs and ET life, stating it did not meet expectations. A review of this documentary is promised for a future issue.

The 1952 UFO Sighting Wave, Part 1: The Build-Up

This article details the extensive UFO activity during the summer of 1952, described as one of the largest and most significant sighting waves. It highlights recurring radar detections, visual sightings by jet interceptor pilots, and "cat-and-mouse" chases. Specific incidents include:

• A Navy chief in Utah filmed unidentified flat circular objects.
• Air Force investigators noted sightings concentrated around strategic military bases, posing a national security threat.
• Senior generals reportedly concluded UFOs were interplanetary.
• In 1953, the CIA convened a scientific panel, and Major Donald E. Keyhoe published his book "Flying Saucers From Outer Space."
• A Top Secret "Estimate of the Situation" report from the Air Force concluded "flying saucers" were interplanetary, raising the question of why this evidence was later rejected.

The article includes a chronology of early 1952 sightings, such as:

• Jan. 20: A spherical object with a blue tail reported near Fairchild AFB, Wash.
• Jan. 21: A pilot chased a dome-shaped white object near Mitchel AFB, N.Y.
• Jan. 22: Radar at North Alaska tracked an unexplainable target.
• Jan. 29: B-29 bomber crews reported orange circular objects near Wonsan, Korea.
• Jan. 29: Brig. Gen. W.M. Garland was briefed on Project Grudge.
• Feb. 21: Sen. Richard B. Russell requested an Air Force report on UFO sightings.
• Mar. 3: Dr. Walther Riedel stated saucers have an "out-of-world basis."
• Mar. 10: An inspector in Oakland, Calif., saw two dark wing-shaped objects.
• March: Project Grudge was upgraded to the Aerial Phenomena Group, renamed Project Blue Book, due to increasing reports.
• Apr. 7: Life magazine published "Have We Visitors From Space?", with Air Force input, implying an interplanetary origin for UFOs.
• May 1: Two shiny discs were observed near Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
• May 1: Five white disc-shaped objects were seen at George AFB, Calif.
• May: A CIA official in Alexandria, Va., witnessed a luminous object perform complex maneuvers.
• May 8: Secretary of the Air Force Thomas K. Finletter was briefed on Project Blue Book.
• May 10: Employees at DuPont Corporation in Ellenton, S.C., saw multiple disc-shaped objects.

Captain Edward J. Ruppelt noted that in May 1952, Project Blue Book received 79 UFO reports, and the backlog was significant, with plans to clear it in June before a major "flap" hit.

U.S. Patents for Disc Aircraft: A Historical Survey

This section explores patents filed in the U.S. Patent Office for disc-shaped, wingless aircraft designs, some dating back to before World War II. It highlights:

• Alfred C. Loedding's patent, inspired by 1940s "flying saucer" reports.
• The notorious "AVRO saucer" patent, claimed by the Air Force to be a supersonic aircraft but was an unsuccessful prototype.
• Charles H. Zimmerman's early patent (Nov. 18, 1947) for a double convex disc with a fin, filed shortly after the 1947 UFO wave.
• The V-173 "Flying Flapjack," a propeller-driven near-Vertical Takeoff and Landing plane designed in the 1930s.
• Patent drawings from 1960 by Grayson and Mellen that mimic typical UFO sightings.
• Jacob B. Green's 1968 patent, resembling classic "flying saucer" reports with a dome and rows of square windows.
• A 1970 illustration from Norway depicting an artist's conception of a UFO sighting that emitted brilliant light and maneuvered rapidly.

The article questions whether these designs were inspired by UFO reports or if UFO reports were influenced by existing concepts.

Mike Wallace Interview of Maj. Donald E. Keyhoe: A Sequel

This is a transcript of a March 8, 1958, ABC-TV interview where Mike Wallace questions Major Donald E. Keyhoe, Director of NICAP, about flying saucers.

Key aspects of the interview include:

• Wallace introduces Keyhoe as someone campaigning to prove flying saucers exist and charging the U.S. Air Force with deliberately misleading the public.
• Keyhoe refutes the claim that UFOs are merely "pranksters, half-wits, cranks, publicity hounds, fanatics in general and screw-balls," citing hundreds of credible witnesses, including high-ranking military personnel and airline pilots still on duty.
• Keyhoe explains the government's reasons for withholding information: fear of public hysteria (citing the Orson Welles broadcast), potential upset to organized religion, and fear that accidents involving UFOs might be seen as proof of hostility.
• Regarding the Air Force's claim that only 1.9% of cases remain unexplained, Keyhoe points out that "current" is omitted and refers to Project Blue Book Special Report 14, which he states shows 19.5% of 3,201 examined cases were unsolved, making it over 12% overall.
• Keyhoe advocates for open hearings by the Senate Subcommittee on Government Operations.
• He dismisses claims of "contactees" like George Adamski and Howard Menger who claimed to have met extraterrestrials.
• Keyhoe discusses the possibility of interplanetary travel and potential future bases on the moon, referencing Gen. Douglas MacArthur's prediction of an interplanetary war.

Notable Quotes & Opinions

• Lester B. Pearson: Suggested that the discovery of extraterrestrial spaceships could unite humanity against a common external factor.
• Wayne C. Lovell: Proposed that secret government weapons could explain some UFO reports and EM effects, and that Russia was being kept in the dark about U.S. technology.
• Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker: Predicted commonplace interplanetary travel within 50 years, with advanced atomic-powered transports and spaceships.

Bibliography

The issue provides a bibliography for further research on UFO sightings, including works by Richard Hall, Donald E. Keyhoe, NICAP reports, and Edward J. Ruppelt, along with links to relevant websites.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The journal consistently promotes the serious investigation of UFO phenomena, challenging official explanations and government secrecy. It emphasizes the importance of credible witness testimony and scientific data. The editorial stance is critical of media portrayals that dismiss or trivialize UFOs, advocating for transparency and open inquiry. The recurring theme is the persistent mystery of UFOs and the need for continued research by historians and scientists.

This issue of UFO Magazine, identified as issue number 11 and dated June 20, 1962, focuses on official and military perspectives on unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and the possibility of interplanetary conflict. The cover prominently features the headline "AIR FORCE OFFICERS SUPPORT NICAP" and includes excerpts from an interview with Mike Wallace and Major Donald Keyhoe, as well as a statement by Gen. Douglas MacArthur.

Interview with Mike Wallace and Major Donald Keyhoe

The transcript of an interview with Major Donald Keyhoe, conducted by Mike Wallace, is presented. Keyhoe, a reporter, states that while he has seen UFOs tracked on radar, he personally has not seen a flying saucer. He relies on the testimony of approximately 800 witnesses. Wallace concludes the segment by noting the controversy is deadlocked and that Keyhoe, like most people, has not seen a flying saucer, attributing his stance to faith.

Air Force Officers Support NICAP

This section details support for NICAP (National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena) from Air Force personnel. A 1961 letter from Maj. Edwin A. Jerome, USAF (Ret.), a former command pilot, suggests that humanity is centuries behind the intellects of other planets and that public education about the possibility of UFO existence is necessary. In 1968, Maj. John R. King, writing from the Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell AFB, Alabama, reported giving a talk on UFOs to Air Force officers. He was pleasantly surprised by the positive audience response, which included public disclosures of sightings by two officers. Another officer privately shared a sighting, requesting confidentiality. King encouraged NICAP not to be discouraged, assuring them of support from within the Air Force, albeit working quietly.

Gen. Douglas MacArthur Statement

This section features statements made by Gen. Douglas MacArthur in 1955 and 1962 regarding the possibility of interplanetary war. His farewell address to West Point cadets on May 12, 1962, is quoted extensively. MacArthur described the era as one of immense change, marked by the thrust into outer space, representing a new epoch in human history. He emphasized that humanity was now dealing with 'illimitable distances and as yet unfathomed mysteries of the universe,' reaching for a new frontier. He spoke of strange new energy sources and the potential for 'ultimate conflict between a united human race and the sinister forces of some other planetary galaxy,' describing these possibilities as making life 'the most exciting of all times.' The source is cited as the National Observer, reprinted in the Washington Post on June 20, 1962.

GEN. GARLAND SECRET MEMO: Atomic Energy Connection Noted

This article details a SECRET memorandum sent on January 3, 1952, by Brig. Gen. W.M. Garland of the Air Force Directorate of Intelligence to General John A. Samford, Director of Intelligence. Titled 'Contemplated Action to Determine the Nature and Origin of the Phenomena Connected with the Reports of Unusual Flying Objects,' the memo outlined a four-point plan. Point 1 stressed the need for positive action to determine the nature and origin of unusual flying objects. Point 2 speculated that sightings might be related to aeronautical developments in Germany and the U.S.S.R. Point 3 expressed concern that the Soviets might have accelerated the development of late World War II German aircraft designs to create carriers for weapons of mass destruction, posing a threat to the U.S. It proposed that positive action must be taken to determine the nature and origin of these objects. Point 4 concluded that it was mandatory for the Air Force to take immediate action. A three-part plan was proposed: (1) requiring the Air Technical Intelligence Center to form teams to work with Air Defense Command for radar and visual photography of phenomena; (2) selecting sites for these teams based on reported sighting concentrations (Seattle, Albuquerque, New York-Philadelphia areas); and (3) initiating the program immediately in January 1952. The credit for this information is given to Loren E. Gross's 'The Fifth Horseman of the Apocalypse, UFOs: A History.'

An editorial comment notes that the 'nuclear connection' with UFOs has been a subject of recent study, referencing the NICAP Nuclear Connection Project and mentioning a secret Air Force project from the 1950s to photograph UFOs with specially equipped interceptors, as well as a NASA scientist's discovery of a classified project to analyze UFO radarscope photographs.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the serious consideration of UFOs by military and high-ranking officials, the potential for extraterrestrial threats or conflicts, and the role of government intelligence in investigating these phenomena. There is a clear emphasis on the need for scientific and systematic investigation, as evidenced by the Garland memo. The magazine appears to advocate for greater transparency and public awareness regarding UFOs, as supported by the Air Force officers' statements and NICAP's mission. The inclusion of Gen. MacArthur's statement frames the UFO issue within a broader context of humanity's place in the universe and potential cosmic challenges. The editorial stance seems to be one of serious inquiry, presenting documented evidence and official statements to support the significance of the UFO topic.