Journal of UFO History - Vol 2 No 5

Magazine Overview

Title: Journal of UFO History
Issue: Vol. II, No. 5
Date: November-December 2005
Publisher: Brentwood Press
Editor: Richard H. Hall

This issue of the *Journal of UFO History* focuses on the pivotal year of 1953, examining the CIA's Robertson Panel and the profound impact of Major Donald E. Keyhoe's book, "Flying Saucers from Outer Space." The cover features an illustration from Air Force Manual 200-3, depicting a bomber encountering "flying saucers" as an example of "technological surprise."

Editorial

The editorial highlights the significance of the cover illustration, drawn from a 1953 Air Force manual emphasizing the importance of "technological surprise." It notes that while UFOs are not explicitly mentioned in the manual, the illustration's context within the 1953 chronology is relevant. The editorial posits that 1953 was an extraordinary year for UFO history, marked by sightings and crucial military and political maneuvering. Major Keyhoe's book is presented as a watershed moment, influencing public opinion and policy in a way comparable to other landmark books like "Silent Spring" or "Uncle Tom's Cabin." The editorial concludes by posing the question of whether subsequent events were due to a cover-up or a denial of the bizarre nature of the phenomenon.

CIA SCIENTIFIC PANEL ASKED TO ASSESS UFO DATA

This section details the formation and findings of the Robertson Panel, convened by the CIA in January 1953 to study UFO data following a wave of sightings in 1952. The panel, chaired by Dr. H.P. Robertson, included physicists and scientists with backgrounds in classified government service, many of whom were reportedly skeptical or even hostile to UFO reports. The panel spent only 12 hours reviewing six years of UFO data, including films from Montana and Utah, and was briefed by Capt. Edward J. Ruppelt and Maj. Dewey Fournet. The published conclusion was that most sightings could be explained, and further study was deemed unnecessary, primarily to prevent intelligence channels from being clogged by "low-grade" reports. The article notes that CIA documents related to UFOs and their "finished intelligence reports" on the 1952 sightings have never been released.

CIA SCIENTIFIC PANEL ON UFOS

A list of the panel members is provided: Dr. H.P. Robertson (Chairman), Dr. Samuel A. Goudsmit, Dr. Luis Alavrez, Dr. Thornton Page, Dr. Lloyd Berkner, Associate members Frederick C. Durant and Dr. J. Allen Hynek.

Robertson Panel, Continued

The article suggests that the CIA's primary motivation was not just to debunk UFOs but also to manage public perception, potentially by educating the public through mass media to downplay the significance of "flying saucers." It also notes a recommendation to monitor private UFO groups due to their "potentially subversive nature." The conventional wisdom suggests the CIA was concerned about how unfriendly powers might exploit UFO reports, but the author leans towards the panel's politically driven, Cold War viewpoint. The scientists' biases are seen as providing a "cover" for officials struggling with the phenomenon, allowing them to study evidence more quietly. Capt. Edward J. Ruppelt's book is cited, mentioning that the panel's conclusion was that UFOs were interplanetary spaceships, a finding that was not officially released. Dr. J. Allen Hynek, in his 1972 book, noted that the panel focused on defense and security rather than scientific inquiry, making UFOs "scientifically unrespectable" for nearly 20 years. Hynek also questioned whether some puzzling cases were deliberately withheld from the panel.

Historian Dr. David M. Jacobs titles a chapter of his 1975 book "The Robertson Panel and Its Effects on Air Force UFO Policy," stating that "Official policy on UFOs switched dramatically in 1953." Jacobs' work provides a summary of the panel's proceedings, noting they reviewed eight cases in detail, fifteen in general, and saw two movies in 12 hours. Dr. Michael D. Swords contributed a chapter on "The Military and the Early Cold War Era," detailing the panel's background and the CIA's and Air Force's involvement. Swords observes that national security concerns overrode scientific data gathering, and the CIA quickly ruled out the Soviet Union as the source of secret aircraft, focusing instead on what the Soviets knew about UFOs. The article also mentions the interlocking interests of the scientists, noting Robertson's friendship with Donald Menzel.

Dr. J. Allen Hynek, as the junior scientist, felt intimidated and detected an "atmosphere of scientific elitism" among the panelists. Both Hynek and Ruppelt had anticipated a call for better scientific data-gathering methods, but Swords notes that the panel's concern was national security, not science. References are provided for works by Jerome Clark, David M. Jacobs, Edward J. Ruppelt, and Michael D. Swords.

EARLY 1953 UFO SIGHTING CHRONOLOGY: MORE MIRAGES?

This section presents a chronological list of significant UFO sightings and reports from early 1953, many involving military air crews and radar confirmation. The patterns of shapes and maneuvers are highlighted as difficult for intelligence analysts to overlook.

• January 3, Craig, Montana: Three witnesses reported seeing an object resembling "two soup bowls put together" with lighted windows, which moved slowly and then climbed rapidly.
• January 8, Larsen AFB, Washington: Over 60 witnesses observed a green, disc-shaped object moving silently and erratically.
• January 9, Northern Japan: An F-94 interceptor crew tracked a rotating UFO on radar.
• January 9, Santa Ana, California: A B-29 bomber crew observed a V-formation of blue-white lights.
• January 22, Santa Fe, New Mexico: A fireball expert suggested Russia might be using UFOs for scouting.
• January 28, Albany, Georgia: An Air Force F-86 pilot saw a circular UFO confirmed by radar.
• January 29, Presque Isle, Maine: An F-94 aircrew and other pilots saw a gray oval UFO.
• February 6, Rosalia, Washington: An Air Force bomber crew reported a circling UFO.
• February 7, Korea: A bright orange light accelerated away from an F-94 jet interceptor, tracked by radar.
• February 9, Washington, N.C.: A Marine Corps fighter pilot chased a silver, maneuvering object with red lights at speeds over 500 m.p.h. for several minutes.
• February 16, Anchorage, Alaska: A reddish UFO approached and paced an Air Force transport plane before speeding away.
• February 17, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska: Control tower operators observed a red light hovering near a runway, which sped away when an interceptor was scrambled.
• March 7, Yuma, Arizona: Air Force officers observed about 12 disc-shaped objects hovering over the base.
• April, Laredo AFB, Texas: A jet pilot instructor observed a "solid brown cigar-shaped object" that sped away at an estimated 1,200 m.p.h.
• May, Washington, D.C.: The U.S. Air Force Manual (AFM) 200-3 was promulgated, featuring an illustration of a bomber encountering "flying saucers."
• May 21, Prescott, Arizona: A private pilot watched eight disc-like objects maneuver in formation and shoot directly up and down.

KEYHOE BOOK A SENSATION, INFLUENCES OFFICIAL POLICY

This section details the publication and impact of Major Donald E. Keyhoe's book, "Flying Saucers from Outer Space," released on October 5, 1953. The book is described as a sensational "idea" book that profoundly impacted public awareness and official policy. Keyhoe, a respected military flying officer and journalist, claimed the Air Force had withheld evidence of UFOs being visitors from another world, backing his claims with official documents. His access to the Air Force Project Blue Book UFO study and cooperation from the Air Force initially lent his views an official air. However, the book's success and influence caught the Air Force unprepared, leading them to disown Keyhoe and attempt to discredit him by early 1954. The article quotes a September 28, 1953, International News Service story about Keyhoe's allegations regarding secret Air Force movies proving the reality of UFOs. A subsequent United Press story on September 29, 1953, presented the Air Force's response, reiterating their stance that "flying saucers" were weather freaks and denying any change in their official view, despite Keyhoe's claims.

The editorial note questions the Air Force's claim of Weather Bureau studies and suggests that scientists within the Air Force had rejected the temperature inversion theory. The article also includes a selection of newspaper coverage and book reviews, with headlines such as "Marine Major Says Air Force Has Proof 'Saucers' From Space."

Keyhoe Book, Continued

This part continues the discussion of Major Keyhoe's book, highlighting its availability for purchase through the D.E. Keyhoe Archives. It addresses the Air Force Office of Public Information's implication that Keyhoe misrepresented their analysis of the July 2, 1952, movie, and Keyhoe's strong challenge to this assertion. Newspaper coverage fanned the controversy, with reviews emphasizing Keyhoe's arguments for the interplanetary origin of saucers and the compelling nature of his evidence. Some reviews noted the book's comprehensive coverage of documentary evidence and military efforts to solve the mystery. Keyhoe is described as a gadfly who kept the armed services from classifying UFO reports as "top secret," believing the saucers are real, interplanetary, and operate through electromagnetic forces, with the Air Force knowing more than it reveals.

AIR FORCE NAVIGATOR ENDORSES KEYHOE BOOK

This section features a letter from an anonymous Air Force Strategic Air Command navigator, dated October 15, 1953. The navigator expresses strong private endorsement for Keyhoe's book, stating that his views align with the writer's and acknowledging the difficulties of dealing with USAF security and policy. The navigator reveals that his group was briefed on "Top Secret" missions to watch for UFOs and that he personally knew of two officers who sighted disks but did not report them due to fear of negative reception and impact on their careers. The letter also recounts a 1952 debriefing experience where five separate sightings in one locality were discussed, with crews being kept under surveillance, and mentions talk of radio jamming and radar interference near that area.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the historical significance of the 1953 UFO phenomenon, the role of government agencies like the CIA and Air Force in studying and managing information about UFOs, and the impact of public figures like Donald Keyhoe. The issue critically examines the findings and motivations of the Robertson Panel, suggesting a bias towards national security and debunking over scientific investigation. It highlights the controversy surrounding Keyhoe's book and his claims of official cover-ups. The editorial stance appears to be one of critical inquiry into official narratives and a belief in the importance of investigating UFO phenomena, even when faced with skepticism and bureaucratic obstacles. The inclusion of a chronology of sightings and an endorsement from an Air Force insider reinforces the idea that UFOs were a serious topic of concern and observation during this period.

This issue of "SPACE MAN" (identified by the cover headline) is dated October 7, 1953, and focuses on a notable radio hoax that occurred on that day. The magazine appears to be a periodical focused on UFOs and related phenomena, as indicated by the content and the inclusion of a book review on the subject.

"SPACE MAN" Radio Hoax

The main article details a "SPACE MAN" radio hoax that took place on the morning of October 7, 1953. Maj. Donald E. Keyhoe (USMC, Ret.), author of the book "Flying Saucers from Outer Space," was a guest on the popular NBC breakfast program hosted by Tex McCrary and his wife, Jinx Falkenberg. The broadcast originated from the studios in the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City.

During the live interview, shortly after 9:00 a.m., a call came into the studio switchboard. The producer, Bob Klew, passed the call to the co-hosts. The caller, speaking on the air, identified himself as a voice from outer space and issued a warning to Earthmen: "I warn you earthmen to stop talking about flying saucers, about bombs and preparations for war, for unless you learn to live in peace your planet will be annihilated." The caller claimed to have the ability to see things that others could not and stated that he was reaching them with difficulty, adding that his appearance would be too hideous to bear.

The caller further stated that he was in a spaceship over Los Angeles and later over Salt Lake City. According to newswire service stories from October 7 and 8, 1953, "Telephone calls from startled listeners began jamming the hotel switchboard." NBC officials also reported a "flood of calls, some of them nearly hysterical." The article notes that while headlines mentioned "panic" and "hysteria," there was "little or no evidence of any panic." Many callers expressed anger over "that kind of a hoax," while others simply inquired if the call was real.

A network and police investigation determined that the call had been placed somewhere between Chicago and New York. Efforts to entice the caller to phone again for further tracing were unsuccessful, as he did not call back.

In a more sinister development, it was revealed that the same caller had phoned the McCrary home about 10 minutes before the broadcast, leaving a cryptic message: "The McCrary children will not be harmed." This message was repeated in another call later that night. Despite investigations by police and other authorities, the caller's identity could not be determined.

The sources for this report are cited as the United Press and International News Service, dated October 7, 1953.

Book Review: Unnatural Phenomena

On page 12, there is a book review for "Unnatural Phenomena: A Guide to the Bizarre Wonders of North America" by Jerome Clark. The book was published by ABC-CLIO in Santa Barbara, California, in 2005, and has 350 pages with a price of $85.00.

The review highlights Jerome Clark's reputation as a student of the UFO phenomenon and an accomplished historian. He is also described as a noted philosopher of anomalies. The book covers classic Fortean phenomena, including inexplicable falls of materials from the sky, sightings of strange creatures, out-of-place artifacts, and UFO-like events from the 19th and early 20th centuries. Clark's sources are primarily newspapers and scientific journals, including proto-UFO reports.

The review praises the book's introduction for setting the stage and commenting on the possible meanings of these events. The book is organized alphabetically by state, reporting on a wide array of weird events. The reviewer states that Clark provides a "veritable feast of raw data of the anomalous kind, carefully documented and presented in an attractive format."

Online ordering information is available at www.abc-clio.com.

Letter to the Editor

Following the book review, there is a letter from B.C. Hulsey, identified as 1st Lt. USAFR and a former navigator with 1400 flying hours and further training as a meteorologist. Hulsey expresses belief that the American people are prepared for the fact that they have been under observation for years and commends the recipient (presumably the magazine's editor or author) for bringing this fact to the public's attention. Hulsey states that based on his findings, he is satisfied that the "visitations" are correct and that only time will reveal their final purpose and outcome.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The primary theme of this issue is the intersection of UFO phenomena with media and public perception, exemplified by the "SPACE MAN" radio hoax. The magazine appears to present reports on UFO incidents and related anomalies, as evidenced by the book review of Jerome Clark's work, which covers a broad spectrum of unexplained phenomena. The editorial stance, as suggested by the letter from Lt. Hulsey and the general content, seems to align with the belief in UFO observation and visitation, encouraging public awareness and investigation into these matters. The inclusion of a hoax report alongside serious discussions of UFO phenomena suggests an editorial approach that acknowledges both genuine reports and potential misdirection or manipulation.