Just Cause - 1985 03 - No 03 - New Series

Magazine Overview

Title: JUST CAUSE
Issue: 3
Volume: NEW SERIES
Date: March 1985
Publisher: Lawrence Fawcett
Editor: Barry Greenwood
Country: USA
Price: $10 ($15 foreign)

This issue of Just Cause magazine, a publication focused on UFO phenomena and related topics, is dated March 1985. The cover prominently features the headline "GOVERNMENT UFO SECRECY/DECEPTION," suggesting a primary theme of the issue. The magazine's editorial stance appears to be critical of government handling of UFO information, advocating for public knowledge and transparency.

Editorial #1

The first editorial announces that the issue is being released early to avoid postage increases. It also informs subscribers that subscriptions will now be on a 'per issue' basis rather than a calendar year, meaning charter subscribers' subscriptions will expire after the next issue. The editors express gratitude for reader support and mention that many news items have been deferred to the next issue due to a large influx of information. Specifically, they note more document releases from the State Department, facilitated by Michael Charest of Nashua, N.H., which will be covered in Just Cause #4. The editorial also highlights support for Larry Bryant's 'Ultimate FOIA Suit' (CAUS Special Report, Nov. 84), echoing his sentiment that the public has a right and need to know whether UFO crash/retrievals represent extraordinary truth or an exotic legend, and that persistence is key to uncovering the 'extraordinary truth.'

Editorial #2: GOVERNMENT UFO SECRECY/DECEPTION

The second editorial, which also serves as the cover headline, explores the rationale behind government secrecy regarding UFOs. It posits that if UFOs are indeed alien technology, then official secrecy might have a legitimate basis, particularly if it allows the government to study alien science and technology before potential adversaries like Russia. The editorial references Dr. Bruce Maccabee's 1983 paper, 'Revised UFO History,' which argues that the US has a recovered saucer from July 1947, kept in a secret lab for national security advantage. Supporting this, a declassified Canadian 'Top Secret' memo from November 21, 1950, is cited. This memo, authored by senior radio engineer Wilbert Smith, states that 'Flying Saucers exist' and are the 'most highly classified subject in the US government, rating higher even than the H-bomb.' The memo also indicates that Dr. Vannevar Bush headed this study group. The editorial questions how Smith could have known about the H-bomb in January 1953, more than two years before its public announcement, suggesting an authoritative source. It further notes that Dr. Vannevar Bush, then President of MIT, reportedly agreed with the Air Force that UFOs were not a product of US research.

The editorial then draws a distinction between legitimate government secrecy and practiced deception. It argues that in the case of UFOs, particularly after the 'subsequently quashed' official press release in 1947 from Roswell AFB, N.M., concerning a crashed saucer retrieval, deception became necessary to prevent the Russians from gaining a technological advantage. This led to an official US policy of debunking and ridicule.

When government deception goes beyond merely maintaining secrecy and actively misinforms or deceives the public, it undermines democracy, which relies on the consent of the governed. Informed consent is crucial; consent based on misinformation is not true consent. The editorial emphasizes that the UFO phenomenon is universal and not solely a product of any government agency. It also references a briefing paper by an NSA officer stating that UFOs may have 'survival implications.' The author questions whether the public has a right to know about such potentially significant matters, and whether those who report sightings should be dismissed as 'village idiots.' The manipulation of public perception is compared to condemnable Nazi/Aryan supremacy propaganda, questioning the harm caused by such tactics. Ultimately, the editorial laments that government actions have discouraged many from exploring the UFO phenomenon, calling it a shame that should not be tolerated.

The Puget Sound Mystery Continues

This section reports on recent developments concerning an unidentified flying object that entered the waters of Puget Sound, Washington, on July 27, 1984. Press stories from January 1985 indicate attempts were made to locate and raise the sunken object. A local fisherman had previously claimed to have snagged the object in his gill net but was unsuccessful in bringing it up. The military reportedly showed a lackadaisical attitude, deeming a recovery effort not worth the expense. However, local seamen, including experienced divers John Walker and Richard Burke, along with Sam Sudore of Northern Pacific Seafoods, organized their own salvage operation. Their sonar detected a large, metallic object, estimated to be between 30 and 35 feet in diameter, stuck in the mud at a depth of about 125 feet. The visible portion was about 10 feet high and described as gold-colored and satellite dish-shaped by Walker, while Burke described it as orange and shaped like an upside-down teacup, about 17 feet in diameter. Walker reported feeling a low-pitch humming vibration from the object. The divers did not stay long due to poor visibility and cold temperatures. Upon returning the next day, the object protruded further from the mud, but it was gone when they returned for a third attempt with advanced equipment. Participants believe the Navy may have recovered the object quietly after hearing about their operation. The article notes that verification of the Navy's possession is pending, and the matter is being pursued through FOIA.

A World War II UFO Encounter

This report, contributed by MUFON Field Investigator Stephen A. Pratt, details a UFO encounter in mid-March 1945. The Battleship U.S.S. New York, while in the South Pacific near the Admiralty Islands, detected a single, distinct blip on its radar. The object became visible in the sky, hovering motionlessly directly over the battleship. Cpl. Donald Pratt, a gunner aboard the ship, observed the object through binoculars. It was described as silver, very shiny, much larger than the brightest star but smaller than the full moon. No noise was detected, and the object did not change color, split up, or perform erratic maneuvers, maintaining speed and course with the ship. After about half an hour, the ship's 3-inch anti-aircraft guns fired at the object for approximately another half hour without effect. The object was at an altitude of 20,000 feet. Finally, the object climbed at a fantastic rate and disappeared. The article notes that CAUS has verified the U.S.S. New York's presence in the area in March 1945 and is attempting to locate the ship's log to verify the story, noting a possible confusion with a similar sighting reported in Time Magazine in August 1952 off the Aleutians in 1943.

Bentwaters Tape Surfaces

CAUS has acquired a copy of a tape apparently recorded at the scene of the Rendlesham Forest incident in England in 1980. The tape features Lt. Col. Charles Halt and others investigating a UFO landing site and witnessing several UFOs. The tape is said to confirm the content of the latter half of the 'Halt memo.' A transcript of the tape is promised for a future issue.

Crash/Retrieval Near Apple Valley, California?

This section details a videotaped interview with a former student witness to the alleged recovery of a capsule-shaped UFO in the early 1960s near Apple Valley, California. In late 1963 or early 1964, a strange object reportedly dropped from the sky and landed in the schoolyard of Lucerne Valley Elementary School with a heavy impact, creating a cloud of dust and a round imprint. The object was described as larger than a classroom, with a circular, flat bottom, no visible rivets, and a metallic gray color. Its upper portion had portholes emitting a star-like light. Teachers herded students inside while the principal contacted George AFB. Within an hour, military personnel arrived, secured the area, and a crane-mounted military truck removed the object under a large, brown canvas. The case is currently being investigated, and CAUS is seeking further developments.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of Just Cause are government secrecy and deception surrounding UFO phenomena, the possibility of recovered alien technology, and the importance of public awareness and investigation. The editorials strongly advocate for transparency and criticize the government's historical practice of debunking and misleading the public regarding UFOs. The magazine positions itself as a platform for disseminating information and supporting efforts like Larry Bryant's FOIA suit to uncover the 'extraordinary truth.' The inclusion of historical cases, witness accounts, and references to official documents underscores a commitment to exploring the UFO phenomenon seriously, despite official obfuscation.