Journal of UFO History - Vol 2 No 4

Magazine Overview

Title: Journal of UFO History
Issue: Vol. II, No. 4
Date: September-October 2005
Publisher: Brentwood Press
Editor: Richard H. Hall

This issue of the *Journal of UFO History* is dedicated to providing extensive coverage of the extraordinary 1952 UFO sighting wave, with a significant portion of the content focusing on the events and aftermath of that period. The publication is presented as a product of the Donald E. Keyhoe Archives.

Editorial

The editorial section states the necessity of devoting a large portion of this issue to the 1952 sighting chronology to provide adequate coverage. Future issues are promised to offer more balanced content, including news, historical notes, commentaries, and other materials. The upcoming issue is slated to report on the scientific, political, and other ramifications of the 1952 wave, beginning with the Central Intelligence Agency's involvement and the January 1953 Robertson Panel study, which is described as leading to the repression of serious attention to UFO evidence.

Cover Story & 1952 Note

The cover story references a LIFE magazine cover from April 7, 1952, which, despite Marilyn Monroe's prominent image, featured the headline "There Is a Case for Interplanetary Saucers." Inside, a story titled "Have We Visitors From Space?" reported 10 unexplained UFO incidents based on Air Force case histories, strongly suggesting a positive answer. Captain E.J. Ruppelt's 1956 book is cited, stating that the article was inspired by high-ranking Air Force generals. A July 29, 1952, story is quoted, detailing how the Air Force, unable to catch "flying saucers" with 600-mile-an-hour jet planes, turned to a new type of camera and ordered pilots to "shoot them down" if they ignored orders to land. The editorial notes the confusion arising from contradictory Air Force statements and actions, questioning why they would chase and attempt to shoot down perceived mirages or objects that showed no aggressive intent. It suggests the mirage explanation was a stalling tactic and that senior Air Force officers were convinced UFOs were interplanetary.

Pentagon 1952 Press Conference on UFOs

This section details the press conference held on July 29, 1952, led by Maj. Gen. John A. Samford, Director of Air Force Intelligence. The conference was a response to the spectacular radar-visual UFO sightings throughout July 1952, which had caused significant public clamor. Samford expressed the Air Force's concern about identifying potential threats in the air and stated that they had analyzed between one and two thousand reports, with approximately 20 percent coming from credible observers and remaining unexplained. He emphasized that the difficulty in analyzing these reports stemmed from a lack of standard measurement or devices to quantify the phenomena. The primary interest, he stated, was not intellectual curiosity but assessing potential menace to the United States, concluding that no pattern of purpose or consistency indicating menace had been found.

When questioned about simultaneous radar sightings, Samford acknowledged their common occurrence. He explained that radar can pick up various objects, including birds, flocks of ducks, and ice formations, which could account for some sightings. The discussion then delved into the theory of temperature inversion and light refraction, which Samford tentatively advanced as an explanation, building on Dr. Donald H. Menzel's earlier theories. This led to the "hot weather, temperature inversion, radar-mirage" explanation for the Washington, D.C., sightings and others. A newsman pressed for clarification on whether radar experts interpreted the sightings as solid objects like aircraft. Samford and Captain James explained that good returns could come from birds or reflected ground targets, but when asked if operators could distinguish between real objects and pseudo-blips, they confirmed experienced operators could. The transcript of the press conference is noted as being 39 pages long, with Maj. Donald E. Keyhoe present and later describing the event in his book, noting one reporter's sentiment of "Never heard so much and learned so little."

August-December 1952 Sighting Chronology

This extensive section meticulously documents numerous UFO sightings that occurred after the July 29 news conference and before the January 1953 Robertson Panel. Each entry provides a date, location, and a description of the sighting, often including witness details, radar data, and pilot encounters.

• August 1, Bellefontaine, Ohio: An object tracked by radar and a jet's gunsight was later explained as a jet aircraft and a radiosonde balloon, though initial reports suggested high speed and acceleration.
• August 1, Sharonville, Ohio: A family and fire personnel reported a luminous oval/disc-shaped object that hovered and then sped away.
• August 5, Baltimore, Maryland: An astronomer observed two sets of copper-like discs.
• August 5, Haneda AFB, Japan: Radar and visual sightings of a bright white light from a circular object, which split into three units after being pursued by an F-94 jet.
• August 7, Kerkrade, Holland: A marine engineer observed two disc-shaped craft with dome-like superstructures exhibiting unusual maneuvers.
• August 7, Aoulef, Sahara: A light gray elliptical object was seen flying in a straight line.
• August 9, Moscow, Idaho: Ground Observer Corps spotters reported a huge glowing disc.
• August 12, Rapid City, S. Dakota: A glowing object was tracked by radar and pursued by an F-84 jet, which was later followed by the UFO.
• August 19, West Palm Beach, Florida: A scoutmaster reported a landed disc with a dome and physical trace evidence.
• August 20, Congaree AFB, South Carolina: Radar tracked a UFO at a calculated speed of 4,000 m.p.h.
• August 24, El Paso, Texas: An Air Force colonel observed two round silvery objects performing maneuvers and speeds exceeding known aircraft.
• August 25, Pittsburg, Kansas: An elliptical object hovered above a field, emitting a throbbing sound and causing vegetation disturbance.
• August 29, North Atlantic: An Air Force Intelligence Report summarized a Navy report of "Three disc-shaped objects seen during tracking of a balloon," observed by a Navy patrol plane crew.
• September 12, Flatwoods, W. Virginia: An alleged "alien monster" sighting, possibly hysteria linked to a fireball meteor.
• September 14, Belle Glade, Florida: A disc-shaped object with lights descended, hovered, and then ascended, emitting an acrid odor.
• September 19-21, North Sea: During NATO fleet exercises, numerous sightings of shiny discs and spherical objects occurred, some pursued by jets.
• October 11, Newport News, Virginia: A hovering disc-shaped object with a dome tilted up and accelerated away when jets approached.
• October 13, Oshima, Japan: A round object in a cloud formation became elliptical and sped away rapidly.
• October 27, Marignane, France: A light was seen descending and stopping near the airport, appearing elliptical with windows and a blue-green light.
• November 16, Florence, South Carolina: A huge glowing disc was observed, tilting up steeply before climbing out of sight. Later, five round glowing objects were sighted.
• December 4, Laredo, Texas: An F-51 pilot encountered a fast-moving blue-white light that performed sharp turns and rapid ascents/descents.
• December 6, near Galveston, Texas: A B-29 bomber crew tracked about 20 objects moving at extremely high speeds, merging into a larger object.
• December 10, Hanford, Washington: An F-94 jet encountered a luminous white object with dim reddish lights that reversed direction when approached.
• December 29, Northern Japan: An Air Force colonel and other pilots saw an object with revolving lights and emitting three white lights.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the unexplained aerial phenomena of 1952, the official government and military responses (or lack thereof), and the persistent efforts of researchers like Donald Keyhoe and Richard Hall to document and analyze these events. The editorial stance clearly favors the view that UFOs represent a genuine phenomenon worthy of serious investigation, and implies that official explanations often served as stalling tactics or attempts to suppress information. The issue highlights the tension between official pronouncements and witness/expert accounts, suggesting a pattern of downplaying or misrepresenting evidence, particularly concerning the possibility of extraterrestrial origins.

This document is a United Nations Press Release, dated November 27, 1978, concerning the 33rd General Assembly's Special Political Committee meeting. The primary focus is a proposal by Grenada to establish guidelines for a United Nations study on the nature and origin of Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs).

Grenada's Proposal for UN UFO Study

The press release details how Grenada proposed that the UN Secretary-General appoint a group of experts. This group, operating under the aegis of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, would be tasked with defining guidelines for a comprehensive UN study into UFOs. The proposal was introduced by the Prime Minister of Grenada, Sir Eric Cairy, during a discussion on an item submitted by his delegation.

Several key figures were involved in presenting the proposal. Alongside Sir Eric Cairy, Wellington Friday, Grenada's Minister of Education, and three experts—J. Allen Hynek, Jacques F. Vallee, and Lieutenant Colonel Larry Coyne—were part of the Grenadian delegation. A documentary film showcasing reported UFO sightings was presented, with Mr. Hynek providing narration.

The Special Political Committee was scheduled to reconvene later that day to continue its consideration of an agenda item titled "Establishment of an agency or a department of the United Nations for undertaking, co-ordinating and disseminating the results of research into unidentified flying objects and related phenomena."

The draft resolution, to be circulated, would recommend that the UN, in consultation with specialized agencies, initiate, conduct, and coordinate research into UFOs. Member States, specialized agencies, and non-governmental organizations were invited to submit relevant information and proposals to the Secretary-General by May 31, 1979, to aid in this proposed study.

Furthermore, the Secretary-General was to be asked to appoint a three-member group of experts, under the Outer Space Committee, to define the study's guidelines. This expert group would convene during the Outer Space Committee's sessions and report its findings through that body to the following year's General Assembly session.

Key Statements and Evidence

Dr. J. Allen Hynek, appearing as a guest member of the Grenadian delegation, remarked on the scope and extent of the UFO phenomenon. He stated that it was not generally recognized and was so strange and foreign to human thought that it was often ridiculed by those unfamiliar with the facts. According to his records, UFO reports had been gathered from 133 countries, submitted by highly responsible individuals such as astronauts, radar experts, pilots, government officials, and scientists. Dr. Hynek expressed his considered opinion, based on years of study, that the UFO phenomenon, regardless of its origin, was eminently worthy of study.

Dr. Jacques Vallee and UFO witness Lt. Col. Larry Coyne also addressed the meeting. Lt. Col. Coyne recounted an encounter on October 18, 1973, involving his Army helicopter and a structured UFO. The object reportedly rushed at them, hovered, and illuminated the helicopter's cabin. The object was also detected on radar, and when an intercept was attempted, it sped away, according to an Air Force Intelligence report.

Bibliography and Further Reading

The document includes a bibliography listing several relevant publications and reports concerning UFOs. These include:

• Department of Defense Minutes of Press Conference Held By Major General John A. Samford, Director of Intelligence, U.S. Air Force, July 29, 1952.
• Durant, F.C. Report of Meetings of Scientific Advisory Panel on Unidentified Flying Objects, January 14-18, 1953.
• Hynek, J. Allen. The UFO Experience: A Scientific Inquiry (1972).
• Jacobs, David M. The UFO Controversy in America (1975).
• Keyhoe, Donald E. Flying Saucers From Outer Space (1953).
• Michel, Aime. The Truth About Flying Saucers (1956).
• Ruppelt, Edward J. Report on the Unidentified Flying Objects (1956).

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The primary theme of this press release is the international recognition and potential formal study of UFO phenomena by the United Nations. It highlights the growing concern and the need for systematic research, moving beyond ridicule to scientific inquiry. The stance is one of advocating for a structured, coordinated global effort to understand UFOs, supported by expert analysis and data collection from various sources. The involvement of prominent figures in the UFO research community, such as J. Allen Hynek and Jacques Vallee, underscores the seriousness with which the topic is being approached at this international forum.