Just Cause - 1987 09 - No 13 - New Series

Magazine Overview

This issue of Just Cause, Number 13 in its New Series, dated September 1987, is presented as the largest issue in the publication's history. The publisher, Lawrence Fawcett, and editor, Barry Greenwood, explain that due to the length of this particular issue, the regular CAUS Bulletin will not appear this quarter. The focus is on providing a detailed counter-argument to the prevailing narrative surrounding the MJ-12 matter. The editorial note expresses that the controversy has been ongoing for two years and has significantly impacted their finances, with the hope that this issue will bring it to a swift conclusion.

The MJ-12 Fiasco

The lead article, "THE MJ-12 FIASCO," declares that the MJ-12 affair is a "grand deception" and a "giant black eye on the face of UFOlogy." This conclusion was reached after extensive inquiries by CAUS, which found that initial hopes for clarification had been dashed, and the deeper they investigated, the worse the situation appeared. The article emphasizes the critical importance of knowing the origin of government documents to vouch for their authenticity, highlighting that CAUS regards cover letters from agency releases as vital.

In the case of MJ-12, the researchers Moore, Shandera, and Friedman (MSF) are criticized for not providing the source of their material. The core material, except for the 1954 Cutler memo, was allegedly sent to Jaime Shandera anonymously on undeveloped 35mm film. MSF has not disclosed the source or origin of this film, which the authors find suspicious. Furthermore, they question why a "government source" would choose to release highly sensitive, classified documents about crashed discs, Roswell, and alien bodies to MSF, who are already proponents of the Roswell story, rather than to more influential figures or journalists.

• The article raises several points of contention:
• Why would an anonymous source provide proof of Roswell only to chief supporters and not to those who could more effectively uncover the truth?
• Why did Moore state at the MUFON Symposium that the burden of proof is on those suggesting a hoax, while in a Florida newspaper he claimed no undeniable proof of the document's genuineness existed? The article asserts that in scientific investigation, the burden of proof always lies with the proponent.
• Why did MSF alter the appearance of the MJ-12 documents in their initial release without explanation? Sections were deleted, creating the appearance of censorship, which MSF later admitted was done to generate interest, a technique deemed sensationalist.

The Documents

The core of the MSF case rests on documents they have "released." The article focuses on scrutinizing these documents:

• The "Project Aquarius" report: This is described as a three-page extract of a larger document with an unknown source and date. The title page, labeled "EXECUTIVE CORRESPONDENCE" and "Executive Briefing," is presented as an attempt to lend presidential weight. However, the authors point out that Exhibit 2, a plastic file cover from a 1979 FOIA release, shows "EXECUTIVE CORRESPONDENCE" at the top and "DO NOT WRITE ON THIS COVER AS IT IS INTENDED FOR RE-USE. RETURN IT WITH THE FILE COPIES TO ORIGINATING OFFICE" at the bottom. The Aquarius paper, in contrast, shows "EXECUTIVE CORRESPONDENCE" dropped down, causing the bottom phrase to vanish. This is interpreted as a deliberate deception to make the paper appear presidential. The emblem on the Aquarius cover is also noted as appearing drawn rather than printed. The report mentions a project called "Pounce," said to be a proposal for investigating UFOs by Kirtland AFB, and "Project Sigma," described as an Air Force effort to communicate with aliens. The latter is cross-referenced with a "Top Secret Air Force program involving Rockwell International" listed in a 1986 directory, raising questions about security and potential duplication of code names.

• The CIA "MJ-5" memo: This one-page document on CIA letterhead was not released through FOIA, and its source and year are unknown. MSF made deletions, and it first appeared in Moore's newsletter. The article finds the memo problematic due to its atypical type style, placement of security markings, use of CIA letter stationery instead of internal forms, and an executive order number that is non-existent. The deletion of the year is seen as an attempt to cover a deception. The CIA reportedly labeled the memo a "poorly made fabrication." The article notes that MSF has quietly removed this memo from later presentations, despite claiming it came from the same source as other documents, raising suspicions about its validity and that of the Aquarius paper.

• The MJ-12 Briefing Paper: This eight-page document includes a title page, introductory page, text, a list of attachments, and Attachment "A," a copy of a signed letter by President Harry Truman. Its source is unknown, and no confirmation has been found in libraries or archives. The Eisenhower Library's response is cited as Exhibit 4. The paper states MJ-12 was formed by a "special classified executive order of President Truman on 24 September, 1947." However, checks at the Truman Library revealed no executive orders issued on that date. Executive order numbers 9891-9896 were issued around that period, but none match the MJ-12 subject. The number quoted in Attachment "A" (#092447) is identified not as an executive order number but as the date of Truman's memo (9/24/47). The article also points out the atypical use of "0" prefixes in numbers. Page 3 of the Briefing Paper mentions the wreckage of a craft being removed to "several different locations," which the authors question, arguing that immediate reconstruction is standard procedure in accident investigations. Exhibit 7, a report on a 1950 UFO crash from the Briefing Paper, is compared to accounts by Jerome Clark and Leonard Stringfield. While Clark places the crash 15-20 miles into Mexico from Laredo, Texas, and Stringfield places it 30 miles NW of Del Rio, Texas, the Briefing Paper pinpoints the "El Indio-Guerrero" area, significantly different. The article questions why this case, supposedly the second crashed UFO in history, receives only minimal attention in the Briefing Paper. MSF's claim that they found nothing wrong with the Briefing Paper is contrasted with the evidence presented.

• The 1950 Texas crash FBI cable: MSF cites a December 8, 1950, FBI cable as evidence for the 1950 Texas crash. The cable states the FBI field office in Richmond, Virginia, was advised that Army Intelligence was on "Immediate High Alert" for information on "flying saucers." The article cautions against linking this directly to the Texas incident, noting the cable is unclassified, doesn't mention Texas or crashed discs, and questions why the FBI, a non-military agency, would be involved in such a matter if it were top security.

• The 1954 Cutler memo: This memo, from Robert Cutler to General Nathan Twining, is considered the key document because it is the only piece of MJ-12 evidence traceable to an official source. Found in the Air Force Intelligence file group at the National Archives, several peculiarities were noted by Edward Reese of the Military Reference Branch. These include the security marking's unusual position, the document being a carbon copy (unsigned and not original), the lack of usual archival stamping and initials, and the initial absence of a Top Secret register number, implying it was not part of the original file group. Reese received requests for the memo, and it was suggested that someone may have planted it before 1987. The memo's release date of 1/12/87, as indicated on Moore's copy, is questioned given that Moore and Shandera claimed to have found it in 1985. The memo's placement in a folder with a withdrawal card for an "Air Intelligence Estimate 1/54" document, unrelated to UFOs, is also deemed peculiar. Upon examining the original memo, it was described as being on delicate carbon copy paper, remarkably clean for its age, with a watermark and manufacturer's marking.

Discussion

The "DISCUSSION" section challenges the notion that massive security at the National Archives prevents hoaxes. The editor recounts visiting the Archives and having ample opportunity to plant or steal documents without significant oversight. The article notes that the Archives do not conduct strip searches. Reese admitted that preventing "seeding" or thefts was difficult due to security limitations. A recent news story about the theft of documents by an art historian is mentioned as corroboration.

MSF's press release of June 11th is analyzed. While acknowledging they are not in a position to endorse the authenticity of the documents, MSF stated that they "appear to be genuine" and that "nothing has surfaced during the course of our research which would seem to suggest otherwise." They also claimed a "detailed and exhaustive study" had been underway since December 1984. The article questions how MSF managed to avoid negative comments from agencies and libraries during this two-year study, suggesting they either received positive replies and withheld them or received negative replies and are misinforming the public. Alternatively, they may not have contacted these sources at all, undermining their claim of an exhaustive study.

A "Majestic" project was found at the Archives, but it was identified as an emergency war plan from 1952 with no connection to MJ-12. MSF's sole support from an Archives expert, archivist Jo Ann Williamson, quoted in the London Observer, was later demolished by Williamson herself in a National Archives MJ-12 disclaimer. The article calls for MSF to publish the evidence from their "exhaustive, two-year study."

A Disturbing Revelation

This section explores the potential source of the MJ-12 information, given that MSF is not forthcoming. Several incidents are highlighted:

1. In 1984, Linda Moulton Howe was contacted by a government source to produce a UFO documentary that would essentially provide an answer to UFOs. The deal was never completed, but details of the story matched the MJ-12 narrative, including information about "EBEs" (Extraterrestrial Biological Entities) and "Highs" (Nordic-type aliens) and conflicting alien factions.
2. In March 1986, UFO researcher Robert Hastings interviewed Dr. Paul Bennewitz, who used the phrase "Extraterrestrial Biological Entities" to describe aliens in his UFO activities. This phrase is identical to the one in the MJ-12 Briefing Paper and predates the public release of the MSF papers by a year, raising questions about how Bennewitz knew the phrase.
3. In 1983, CAUS Director Peter Gersten was informed by a military intelligence source at Kirtland AFB about various UFO stories, including a briefing paper on UFOs for President Carter, the Cash/Landrum UFO being government exploitation of UFO technology, and an admission that the original Project Aquarius cable on Bennewitz was "retyped" and not an original.

The article connects these incidents by revealing that Linda Howe's source was Air Force OSI Special Agent Richard Doty, and Peter Gersten's interview was also with OSI Special Agent Richard Doty.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme throughout this issue is the critical examination and debunking of the MJ-12 documents and the narrative surrounding them. The publication, CAUS, takes a skeptical stance, viewing the evidence presented by proponents like MSF as flawed, potentially fabricated, and possibly part of a disinformation campaign. The editorial stance is one of rigorous investigation, demanding verifiable sources and questioning official-looking documents that exhibit anomalies. The issue advocates for transparency and challenges researchers to provide concrete proof rather than relying on questionable documents and anecdotal evidence. The underlying message is that the MJ-12 story, as presented, is a sophisticated hoax designed to mislead the public.

This document compilation, presented as exhibits from various sources including the Central Intelligence Agency and the Dwight D. Eisenhower Library, focuses on the alleged "MJ-12" (Majestic Twelve) project. The materials span several decades, from 1947 to 1987, and consist of internal memos, official correspondence, and research inquiries.

Executive Briefing (Memo)

A memo dated June 24th, originating from the Central Intelligence Agency, discusses a briefing on "Project A" and "MJ-12." It notes that updated information was requested by "R2" and advised by "MJ" that the information was not available to "P2." The White House had requested this info, but it was deemed not available for dissemination per "EO 01156." The memo instructs to "Don't allow AF to evaluate IDENT info" as it "may open up a little too much," and suggests "KEND-3" can assist to some extent.

Correspondence from Dwight D. Eisenhower Library

Letters dated August 7, 1987, and July 13, 1987, from Martin M. Teasley, Assistant Director of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Library, address inquiries from Barry Greenwood and Robert G. Todd regarding the MJ-12 operation and a purported July 14, 1954 memorandum from Robert Cutler to General Nathan Twining. The library staff was unable to locate any record of the briefing document dated November 18, 1952, or of the Majestic or MJ-12 operation. They found no documents with the "MAJIC" code word or evidence of a "Majestic-12 clearance level" during the Eisenhower Administration. The library notes that the document was drawn up by the Truman Administration, not Eisenhower's, and offers assistance for personal research.

Regarding the Cutler-Twining memorandum, the library provides several reasons for questioning its authenticity:
1. President Eisenhower's Appointment Books contain no entry for a special meeting on July 16, 1954, that might have included a briefing on MJ-12.
2. The classification marking "Top Secret Restricted" on the memorandum is not recognized as an Eisenhower Administration document classification level; "Top Secret" and "Restricted" are distinct, and "Restricted" as a classification marking was discontinued in November 1953.
3. The Declassification Office of the National Security Council has no record of any declassification action on this memorandum.
4. No additional documentation on MJ-12 has been located at either the National Archives or the Eisenhower Library.
5. Robert Cutler was reportedly visiting overseas military installations on the day he supposedly issued the memorandum.

The library also notes that the Administration Series in Eisenhower's Papers contains Cutler's memorandum and report to the President dated July 20, 1954, referring to his visits to installations in Europe and North Africa between July 3 and July 15. Furthermore, Cutler's name does not appear on the roster for the regular NSC meeting of July 15, 1954. A memorandum from Cutler to his subordinates, James S. Lay and J. Patrick Coyne, dated July 3, 1954, explains how they should handle NSC administrative matters during his absence, suggesting that if the memorandum to Twining were genuine, Lay or Coyne would have signed it.

National Archives Reference Report

A report dated July 22, 1987, from the National Archives addresses numerous requests for documentation and information about "Project MJ-12." It specifically discusses the memorandum from Robert Cutler to General Nathan Twining, dated July 14, 1954, and outlines several problems with its validity:
1. The document was located in Record Group 341, entry 267, filed by a Top Secret register number, but this document does not bear such a number.
2. It is filed in folder T4-1846 with no other documents regarding "NSC/MJ-12."
3. Searches in the records of the Secretary of Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Headquarters US Air Force yielded no further information.
4. Inquiries to the US Air Force, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the National Security Council were unproductive.
5. The National Security Council's Freedom of Information Office stated that "Top Secret Restricted Information" was a marking not used until the Nixon Administration, and the Eisenhower Presidential Library confirmed it was not used during the Eisenhower Administration.
6. The document lacks an official government letterhead or watermark.

Further examination revealed the document was a ribbon copy prepared on "dictation onionskin." Documents created by Cutler while on the NSC staff typically had an eagle watermark, and most NSC documents were prepared on White House letterhead. For a brief period when Cutler left the NSC, his carbon copies were on "prestige onionskin."

The Judicial, Fiscal, and Social Branch searched the Official Meeting Minute Files of the National Security Council and found no record of an NSC meeting on July 16, 1954, nor any mention of MJ-12 or Majestic in the July 1954 minutes. Indices of NSC records also yielded no listing for MJ-12, Majestic, UFOs, or flying saucers. A memo in a folder titled "Special Meeting July 16, 1954" indicated that NSC members were to be called to a civil defense exercise on that date.

A Disturbing Revelation

This section explores the potential sources of the MJ-12 story, suggesting it is "severely flawed." It points to three incidents:
1. In 1984, Linda Moulton Howe was contacted by a government source to aid in producing a UFO documentary. The deal was not completed, but the story details matched the MJ-12 tale, including contacts with "EBEs" (Extraterrestrial Biological Entities) and "Highs."
2. In March 1986, researcher Robert Hastings interviewed Dr. Paul Bennewitz, who used the phrase "Extraterrestrial Biological Entities" to describe aliens, a year before the public release of the MSF papers. This phrase is identical to that in the MJ-12 Briefing Paper.
3. In 1983, CAUS Director Peter Gersten was informed by a military intelligence source at Kirtland AFB about a briefing paper on UFOs for President Carter, the Cash/Landrum UFO incident being government exploitation of UFO technology, and that the original Project Aquarius cable on Bennewitz was "retyped" and not original. This cable was the first mention of MJ-12 and Project Aquarius.

The section concludes by linking these incidents, stating that Linda Howe's source was Air Force OSI Special Agent Richard Doty, and Peter Gersten's interview was also with OSI Special Agent Richard Doty.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes revolve around the alleged MJ-12 (Majestic Twelve) project, its purported documentation, and the extensive efforts to verify or debunk its existence. The documents highlight a pattern of secrecy, alleged disinformation, and the difficulty in obtaining concrete evidence from official government sources. The editorial stance, as inferred from the compilation and the critical analysis of the documents, appears to be one of skepticism towards the authenticity of the MJ-12 narrative, emphasizing the lack of corroborating evidence from official archives and libraries, while also acknowledging the persistent public interest and the claims made by various researchers and alleged insiders.

This document, a sample of press coverage from the NZ Herald dated Monday, June 1, 1987, focuses on the alleged recovery of alien bodies from a crashed UFO in 1947 and the subsequent government cover-up.

Article: 'Bodies in Crashed UFO' This section, originating from NZPA and reporting on coverage in The Observer newspaper, details claims that the bodies of four aliens from a crashed unidentified flying object were recovered 40 years prior by a special US Government team. According to secret documents obtained by a British researcher, a committee code-named Majestic-12 (MJ-12) was involved in the recovery and subsequent cover-up. A report, purportedly a briefing paper for President Eisenhower, stated that while the creatures were human-like in appearance, their evolutionary processes were significantly different from those of humans.

The document, described as a briefing paper for President Eisenhower on Operation Majestic-12, or MJ-12, was presented by British UFO researcher Timothy Good in his book, 'Above Top Secret: The Worldwide UFO Cover-up'. Good claims MJ-12 was a committee of senior US officials tasked with investigating and covering up flying saucer crashes. Some UFO experts suggest the story might be a hoax, possibly involving the planting of a separate White House memo in Air Force Intelligence files to support the briefing paper.

The Observer's inquiries were unable to authenticate the document, but evidence was found supporting the existence of the MJ-12 committee. The briefing paper detailed the discovery of alien bodies, noting that on June 24, 1947, disc-shaped aircraft were sighted in the US. A local rancher reported that one had crashed in New Mexico. On July 7, 1947, a secret operation began to recover the wreckage for scientific study. During this operation, aerial reconnaissance discovered that four small, human-like beings had apparently ejected from the craft before it exploded.

Extensive searches of the archives of Presidents Truman and Eisenhower, as well as the National Archives, failed to yield a copy of the briefing paper. However, a White House memorandum referring to a meeting of MJ-12 was found in the files of the Air Force director of intelligence. An American UFO writer, Barry Greenwood, suggested in The Observer that the memo and briefing paper could be part of a sophisticated fraud, noting that the memo was unsigned and could have been manufactured to prove MJ-12's existence and then inserted into Air Force Intelligence records. It appears no evidence of the alien bodies remains.

Article: 'UFO records faked, investigator reports' This section, from the WASHINGTON Post, reports on a statement by Phillip Klass, Washington editor of Aviation Week and a known debunker of UFO reports. Klass prepared a report for the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal, asserting that "Top Secret" documents claiming the Pentagon recovered a crashed flying saucer and four alien bodies in 1947 are bogus. The article is dated August 25, 1987, as indicated by the "Baston Globe" stamp.

Article: 'U.S. BURIED UFO BODIES & DATA: BOOK' This article, from the NEW YORK POST, Monday, June 1, 1987, also discusses the alleged US government investigation into UFOs after World War II. It quotes Timothy Good, Britain's leading UFO expert, who stated that a US government committee code-named "Majestic-12" examined and covered up news of UFO crashes in the late 1940s. Good's book, 'Above Top Secret: The Worldwide UFO Cover-Up', details how the MJ-12 committee was established by President Harry Truman to investigate sightings of unidentified aircraft. Following a report from a local farmer, the committee reportedly launched a search for a crashed UFO in a remote area of New Mexico in 1947, where they found the bodies of four humanoid creatures.

Good also quotes from a briefing paper allegedly prepared by then CIA head Roscoe Hillenkoetter for President Dwight Eisenhower, stating that "Four small human-like beings had apparently ejected from the craft at some point before it exploded." The Observer reportedly saw this briefing paper, but inquiries to several US archives failed to authenticate it.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance The recurring theme is the alleged government cover-up of UFO incidents, specifically the recovery of alien bodies and wreckage from a crashed UFO in 1947. The articles present conflicting viewpoints: one side highlights the claims of a secret committee (MJ-12) and secret documents, while the other, represented by UFO debunker Phillip Klass and UFO writer Barry Greenwood, casts doubt on the authenticity of these documents, suggesting they could be fabricated. The overall stance leans towards reporting the claims while also acknowledging skepticism and the lack of verifiable evidence.