Journal of UFO History - Vol 2 No 3

Magazine Overview

Title: Journal of UFO History
Issue: Vol. II, No. 3
Date: July-August 2005
Publisher: A Publication of the Donald E. Keyhoe Archives

This issue of the *Journal of UFO History* focuses on significant historical UFO events, particularly the intense sighting wave of July 1952 and other notable cases from the 1940s and 1950s. It features articles, historical notes, and detailed chronologies of sightings, aiming to provide a comprehensive record of early UFO phenomena.

Editorial

The editorial section reflects on the state of UFO investigations as of July 1952, noting that top Air Force officials initially considered UFOs to be of extraterrestrial origin. It highlights encounters by military and commercial pilots, as well as radar detections. However, the editorial points out that scientists, rather than the Air Force, were instrumental in debunking these sightings, leading to UFOs being relegated to the realm of popular fantasy for decades.

Historical News Notes

This section presents brief historical accounts of UFO sightings:

• Pilots Report Seeing Discs (August 20, 1947): A captain and co-pilot of a United Airlines plane reported seeing two disc-like objects near Mountain Home, flying at approximately 900 miles per hour, estimated to be five feet in diameter. Previous reports from other UAL pilots in the vicinity are also mentioned.
• Gen. Spaatz Says Flying Discs' Investigations Still in Progress (December 18, 1947): General Carl A. Spaatz, chief of the U.S. Air Force, stated that investigations were ongoing but expressed skepticism about the objects being extraterrestrial, suggesting they could be foreign experimentations. He encouraged continued reporting of sightings to the Army.

The 1952 Sighting Wave, Radar-Visual Sightings Establish UFOs as a Serious Mystery: Part 3, What's Going On?

This extensive article details the peak of the 1952 UFO sighting wave, emphasizing the involvement of Air Defense Command radar and jet interceptors. The sightings had significant implications for national defense, and details were largely kept secret.

Summer 1952 Sighting Chronology:

• July 25/26, Washington, D.C.: From 9:15 p.m. to 12:10 a.m., 4 to 8 radar UFOs were observed as "good sharp targets." Two F-94 interceptors were scrambled, and one pilot reported "incredible speed" after making visual contact.
• July 26, California: Air Defense Command radar detected a UFO, and an F-94 interceptor locked onto a yellow-orange light. The UFO engaged in evasive maneuvers, accelerating away and then slowing down.
• July 26/27, Washington, D.C.: From 9:50 p.m. until morning, a series of radar-visual sightings occurred. Numerous radar targets appeared, and Maj. Dewey Fournet and Al Chop observed "seven solid radar returns."
• July 27, Washington, D.C.: At 7:30 p.m., Air Force personnel and airport employees observed a large round object reflecting sunlight over the U.S. Capitol Building, which then shot straight up.
• July 27, Manhattan Beach, Calif.: Eight witnesses, including pilots and engineers, observed a large silvery object that separated into seven discs.
• July 28, McGuire AFB, New Jersey: Ground radar detected unidentified "clearly defined radar targets," and control tower personnel observed an oblong UFO with yellow-orange lights.
• July 28, Washington, D.C.: Newspapers reported that the Air Defense Command had ordered pilots to pursue and "shoot down" UFOs. President Harry Truman asked the CIA to investigate the UFO question.
• July 29, Washington, D.C.: CAA radar tracked 8 to 12 UFOs traveling at 100-120 m.p.h. around the Nation's Capital. When an Eastern Airlines pilot attempted to check, the targets disappeared and reappeared.
• July 29, Washington, D.C.: The Air Force held a large press conference where Maj. Gen. John A. Samford attributed sightings to "weather effects" and "radar mirages."
• July 29, Port Huron, Michigan: An Air Force radar station plotted an unidentified target moving at 550 knots. An F-94 investigated, locking onto a bright flashing light that outdistanced the interceptor.
• August 1, Near Yaak, Montana: Air Defense Command radar tracked an unidentified object, visually described as dark and cigar-shaped.
• August 1, Bellefontaine, Ohio: Air Force radar detected an unidentified target near Wright-Patterson AFB, and two F-86 fighter jets were vectored toward it.
• August 1, Albuquerque, N.M.: A reporter observed a cluster of glowing white objects shifting into various patterns, describing the event as "fantastically violent."

The article notes that on July 26, 1952, newsmen were asked to leave the radar room during sightings under the pretext of security, but the real reason was the belief that it might be the night a pilot would get a close look at a UFO.

Washington Invasion, July 26/27, 1952: UFOs Elude Jets

This section provides a detailed account of the events on July 26/27, 1952, in Washington D.C. Air Force investigators were called to the scene as "unexplained 'solid returns'" appeared on radar. Key personnel involved included Maj. Dewey Fournet, Al Chop, and Navy Lieutenant Holcomb. They observed radar targets and listened to communications as jet fighters attempted intercepts.

Reports indicated varying numbers of unidentified targets on radar, described as "generally, solid returns" but slower than aircraft. At one point, four targets moved in formation, while others were scattered. Andrews Approach Control also reported picking up similar targets. A CAA flight inspector visually spotted five objects giving off a glow. Commercial pilots reported visuals ranging from "cigarette glow" to "a light."

Two F-94s were scrambled from Newcastle AFB. While one pilot reported seeing four lights and then a single light that "went out," the jets generally had negative results. Lt. Holcomb noted "7 good, solid targets" on the scopes. Despite a slight temperature inversion, he felt the targets were not weather-related.

A second flight of F-94s was sent, but no strong radar targets remained upon their arrival. Some ARTC radar crew members commented that the returns appeared to be from objects "capable of dropping out of the pattern at will" and had a "creeping appearance."

Maj. Fournet briefed Capt. Edward J. Ruppelt, who later reported that the press was dismissed from the radar room because observers believed it might be a significant night for UFO encounters. The article quotes Lt. William Patterson, an F-94 pilot, describing chasing a single bright light at high speed.

When the F-94s left the Washington area, unidentified targets reappeared on radar. Maj. Fournet reported that radar targets were likely caused by "solid metallic objects," not weather. The events of this night, coupled with other sightings, prompted President Truman to ask the CIA to investigate and led to a major Air Force press conference.

East Germany 1950 Landing Case, Humanoid Pilots Seen

This article details a sighting that occurred on June 17, 1950, in the Soviet zone of Berlin. Herr Oskar Linke, then mayor of Gleimershausen, and his daughter Gabrielle, were traveling by motorcycle when a tire blew out. While investigating, they spotted what they initially thought were two deer, but realized they were two human-like figures dressed in shimmering, metallic garments.

Herr Linke approached and observed a large, oval object, about 40-50 feet in diameter, with two rows of holes and a cylindrical "conning tower." The two figures communicated with gestures, one using a box-like device with a blinking light. When Gabrielle called out, the figures rushed back to the object and disappeared inside. The craft then emitted a humming sound, glowed, and rose vertically, with exhaust flames.

Linke described the object's locomotion as a "glide, similar to that of bears." After the object ascended, a circular depression was found at the landing site. Linke, fearing reprisals, kept the experience secret until he fled to West Berlin. Later, Dr. Leon Davidson contacted Linke, verifying his credentials and gathering more details through correspondence.

French 1950 Landing & Humanoids

This brief report describes a sighting by M. Claude Blondeau, a retired pilot in Guyancourt, France, about a month after the East Berlin sighting. Blondeau observed two objects resembling enormous hollow plates, about 5 meters in diameter, with rectangular portholes. Two men, about 170 cm tall and wearing dark blue flying suits, emerged from the lower surface of the saucers.

The Original "Flying Saucers": Reviewing the Record

This section revisits Kenneth Arnold's seminal UFO sighting on June 24, 1947, which gave rise to the term "flying saucers." Arnold, a veteran pilot, described nine crescent-shaped objects flying at approximately 1,200 m.p.h. near Mount Rainier. He noted they flew like a saucer skipped across water, appeared to be rocking, had no tails, and were half-moon shaped, oval in front and convex in the rear.

Arnold's first-hand account, published by Associated Press, is presented with excerpts. He initially thought they might be jet planes but realized their speed and lack of tails indicated otherwise. He described them as looking like a "big flat disk" and moving back and forth like the tail of a Chinese kite.

April 1966 Ravenna Case Revisited

This article discusses the passing of Philip J. Klass, an aviation editor known for his role as a debunker of UFO claims. The piece notes that news organizations like The Washington Post and The New York Times highlighted Klass's focus on finding mundane explanations for UFO sightings.

United Nations Interest in UFOs

This section is not detailed in the provided pages but is listed as a topic in the table of contents.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around historical UFO cases, particularly the 1952 sighting wave and early encounters involving pilots and radar. The journal consistently presents detailed accounts of sightings, often emphasizing the credibility of witnesses and the unexplained nature of the phenomena. There's a clear stance in favor of investigating and documenting these events, contrasting with the skepticism often expressed by official sources or debunkers like Philip J. Klass, who is mentioned in the context of his passing.

The editorial suggests that early scientific skepticism played a role in shaping public perception of UFOs as fantasy. The journal's approach appears to be archival, aiming to preserve and present evidence of these historical events for further study.

This issue features a lead article titled "APRIL 1966 RAVENNA CASE REVISITED: NEW INTERVIEWS REPORTED," published by Cleveland Scene on March 31, 2004. The magazine issue number is 11, and it is part of Volume XXI. The content is primarily in English and originates from the USA.

The Ravenna Case Revisited

The article details the April 17, 1966, incident in Ravenna, Ohio, where Deputy Sheriffs Dale Spaur and Barney Neff encountered a brightly illuminated craft that rose from the woods. They pursued the object across Ohio and into Pennsylvania, joined by other police officers. Reporter James Renner of Cleveland Scene revisited this significant case, including follow-up information from interviews with the family of Police Chief Gerald Buchert of Mantua, Ohio, and others.

Chief Buchert described the object as "like two table saucers put together." He was inundated by media attention after it was reported he had taken a photograph, which the Air Force dismissed as a camera error. Buchert's wife, Joan, is quoted as saying, "My husband lost 20 pounds in three days." Despite the official dismissal and public ridicule, a local Catholic priest and others privately confirmed seeing the UFO, lending credibility to the police officers' testimony.

The Air Force's explanation, attributed to Major Hector Quintanilla, that the officers were chasing Venus distorted by atmospheric conditions, was met with disbelief. Buchert's son, Harry, now police chief in Mantua, stated his father almost resigned due to the ridicule but kept a detailed scrapbook of evidence. Dale Spaur's life was reportedly ruined by the event; he never recovered from the trauma and ridicule, quit his job, left his wife, and as of 2002 was living in isolation in West Virginia.

Renner also interviewed Karl Quintanilla, son of Hector Quintanilla, and Paul Hynek, son of Dr. J. Allen Hynek. Barney Neff's wife described her husband as "real white, almost in a state of shock" after the chase. The article notes that Maj. Hector Quintanilla focused on golf after retirement until a golf-cart accident led to head injuries from which he never fully recovered; he died in 1997. His son became a UFO "believer" and worked on television UFO documentaries.

United Nations Interest in UFOs, 1950s - 1970s

The second article, on page 12, discusses the United Nations' involvement with UFOs between October 1959 and December 1978.

In October 1959, Dr. Vasco Viera Garin, Portuguese delegate to the UN, suggested to the General Assembly Political Committee that the possibility of "a sudden invasion of our earth by aggressive warriors from another celestial body" should be considered, warning that humanity would be ill-equipped to defend itself.

In early 1966, Colman Von Keviczky, an employee of the UN Office of Public Information, proposed to Secretary-General U Thant that the UN establish a network to observe UFOs. This proposal gained attention amidst a rising wave of UFO sightings.

In response to a request from Lucien L. Lemieux, secretary to U Thant, Richard Hall of NICAP provided information on March 7, offering support for scientific study. Lemieux replied on March 9, stating that the Secretary-General was looking into the matter and would announce proposed steps.

In September 1966, the UN Secretariat News newsletter featured a 2-1/2 page article by Donald K. Estrella about NICAP, citing information from its publications.

In 1967, U Thant arranged for Dr. James E. McDonald to address the UN Outer Space Affairs group, urging immediate UN attention to UFOs as a clear-cut international problem.

The most extensive UN discussion occurred in 1978 when scientists and UFO witnesses presented their case before the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. The article indicates this is to be continued in the next issue.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The issue highlights the persistent public and official interest in UFO phenomena, contrasting witness accounts with official dismissals. It explores the personal impact of UFO encounters on individuals and the challenges faced by those who report them. The coverage also touches upon the international dimension of the UFO question, as evidenced by the UN's engagement with the topic over several decades. The editorial stance appears to be one of presenting detailed accounts of UFO events and related investigations, allowing readers to draw their own conclusions, while also acknowledging the skepticism and ridicule faced by witnesses.