Just Cause - 1988 09 - No 17 - New Series

Magazine Overview

Title: JUST CAUSE
Issue: Number 17, New Series
Date: September 1988
Publisher: Lawrence Fawcett
Editor: Barry Greenwood
Address: P.O. Box 218, Coventry, Conn. 06238
Subscription: 4 issues - $10 ($15 foreign)

This issue of JUST CAUSE, a publication focused on UFO phenomena, presents new details on 1975 UFO overflights at Kincheloe Air Force Base (AFB) in Michigan, alongside several reader-submitted reports of sightings from various locations and time periods. The magazine also features an editorial addressing the controversy surrounding the Gulf Breeze UFO case.

New 1975 UFO Overflights Revealed

The lead article details incidents reported by G.F., a security policeman with the 449th Security Police Squadron (SPS) at Kincheloe AFB in the fall of 1975. G.F. and other personnel witnessed a light moving overhead in the Bomber Alert area, which was confirmed as a stationary target by a border radar installation near Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, although base radar detected nothing.

Following this, G.F.'s superiors reprimanded the personnel for not following proper notification procedures and told them to forget the incident. G.F. later heard that interceptors had chased the object into Canadian airspace.

Another incident at Kincheloe AFB, occurring on a different shift, involved an unknown aircraft that reportedly overflew the weapons storage area (WSA) and sounded like a helicopter. However, personnel in nearby barracks did not hear it, puzzling G.F.

A third incident involved G.F. while he was on duty in the WSA. A dog patrol reported something in the woods northwest of the perimeter. When the dog team entered the woods, the dog began barking, and the handler reported gunfire directed at him. No evidence of an intruder was found, and the dog subsequently cowered.

The article notes that these overflights at Kincheloe AFB parallel reports from Loring AFB, Maine, in October 1975, and that the 'gunfire' reports are similar to those at Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota, in early November 1975. The author suggests a concerted effort was directed against U.S. military bases by an unknown entity and questions why the government has not thoroughly investigated these events.

Reader's Reports

This section features several accounts from subscribers:

• Lake Mead Base (LMB), Nevada; August 9, 1967; 2:30 AM: J.B., a Marine stationed at LMB, reported an object appearing in the north that approached the base, stopped, and hovered over a parked SR-71A 'Blackbird' aircraft. J.B. described the object as disc-shaped, about three times larger than the SR-71A, with colored lights on the bottom. A brilliant blue-white light shaft emanated from the object onto the SR-71A for about a minute. Radio traffic was intense during the sighting.

• Key West, Florida; Early 1964: R.W., assigned to the U.S. Navy's Fleet Sonar School, observed a silent, 100-foot disc with red, green, and white lights on the bottom approaching the Sub pier. Two F-11 jets took off to intercept, but the UFO reversed direction, placing the jets in front of it. One jet fired a missile that did not explode, and after the UFO emitted a bright green light, both jets vanished. A search for the jets was unsuccessful, and witnesses were interrogated.

• Waters between Cuba and Florida; November 1954: Two Cuban Navy frigates, the 'Jose Marti' and the 'Maximo Gomez,' observed three lights in a 'V' formation that flew over the ships and were tracked by radar. A photographer captured movie film of the formation, which was later shown to the Cuban Navy's High Command. The film was reportedly of high quality and showed a form within the lights. The film eventually made its way to U.S. Naval Intelligence.

The magazine thanks Dr. Virgilio Sanchez-Ocejo of the Miami UFO Center for the Cuban account and notes the difficulty in obtaining admissions from the government regarding UFO film evidence.

Editorial

The editorial addresses the 'disturbing situation' of serious controversy surrounding the Gulf Breeze, Florida UFO photo case, which it states threatens the integrity of the UFO subject. The editor notes that while debating the merits of sightings is part of investigation, the current situation has devolved into 'character assassination' between MUFON and Gulf Breeze supporters on one side, and CUFOS and critics on the other.

The magazine's position is that the burden of proof lies with the Gulf Breeze supporters, and that their case has not been adequately proven. The editorial highlights serious and legitimate questions posed by the Center for UFO Studies (CUFOS) that have not been answered by MUFON. It expresses dismay at the removal of Robert Boyd, MUFON's State Director for Alabama and a critic of Gulf Breeze, from his directorship, interpreting it as retaliation.

The editorial argues that if an organization endorses a case as authentic and then attacks criticism, its support becomes 'lightweight' and lacks scientific foundation, making it vulnerable to credibility issues. The magazine calls for total and amiable cooperation between UFO research organizations, acknowledging that this may be difficult after decades of experience.

They support a recent statement by CUFOS, 'The CUFOS Position on the Gulf Breeze Case,' and hope for a quick resolution.

Note

A brief note indicates that due to a recent postage increase, subscription rates may need to be raised.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

This issue of JUST CAUSE focuses on military UFO encounters and reader experiences, highlighting the need for thorough investigation and documentation. The editorial strongly advocates for critical scrutiny of UFO claims and expresses concern over inter-organizational conflict and 'character assassination' within the UFO research community, particularly concerning the Gulf Breeze case. The magazine emphasizes the importance of evidence-based investigation and cooperation among researchers, while maintaining a skeptical but open stance on UFO phenomena.