Just Cause - 1992 09 - No 33 - New Series

Magazine Overview

Title: JUST CAUSE
Issue: NUMBER 33
Date: September 1992
Publisher: CITIZENS AGAINST UFO SECRECY
Editor: Barry Greenwood
Address: CAUS, P.O. Box 218, Coventry, Ct. 06238
Rates: $10 US, $15 Foreign

This issue of "Just Cause" addresses reader feedback questioning the magazine's stance on UFOs. The editorial clarifies that the publication's purpose is not to advocate for or against extraterrestrial explanations but to present interesting, original research and historical data, aiming to end secrecy surrounding UFO reports. The magazine emphasizes a commitment to presenting factual information rather than sensationalism.

Editorial: A Clarification of Purpose

The editorial, penned by Editor Barry Greenwood, directly responds to comments from readers who felt the publication was not 'pro-ET enough.' Greenwood explains that while he personally finds some UFO reports intriguing, the organization's mandate is to present information without forcing a narrative. He argues that withholding UFO information does not automatically prove an extraterrestrial answer and that such secrecy is nonsensical, especially given the Condon Report's conclusion that UFOs posed no threat to science or national security. The editorial criticizes the temptation to sensationalize UFO reports with stories of alien bases or alien-human interactions, stating that such an approach, while potentially boosting subscriptions, is not the organization's goal. Instead, "Just Cause" aims to provide sensible, balanced, and careful information, prioritizing informing readers over creating a spectacle.

More Foo-Fighter Records Released

This section details a visit by the editor to the National Archives in Suitland, Maryland, on September 3, 1992, to locate additional records concerning "Foo-Fighters." The search focused on the records of the 415th Night Fighter Squadron, a unit previously linked to Foo-Fighter sightings. Three feet of file folders from the 415th NFS and affiliated bomber groups, covering the period from late September 1944 to April 1945, were examined. The documents, often fragile onion-skin or brittle brown paper copies, contained fragments of new information.

The editor notes the poor condition of many government records and the challenges in accessing them due to insufficient staff and resources at the National Archives. The search revealed that mission reports from the 415th were often brief, detailing aircraft destruction, bombings, and flak, but also contained scattered reports of strange lights.

A chronological accounting of these reports is provided:

• December 14/15, 1944: Mission 1 reported a light, estimated at 4-5 times larger than a star and moving at 200 MPH, observed near Erstein with poor visibility.
• December 16/17, 1944: Missions 5 and 6 involved firing at lights in Lichtenau and OCS, with no results observed. In the Lichtenau-Buhl area, lights were seen, but guns malfunctioned, leading to a return to base.
• December 22/23, 1944: Mission 1 reported a 'bogey' and AI contact, with two observed lights, one blinking. Mission 7 saw two lights coming from the south near Strasbourg, possibly jet aircraft. Mission 8 reported lights and an orange glow near Sarrebourg, also possibly jet aircraft.
• January 1/2, 1945: Mission 3 involved a patrol with no contact. Mission 5 reported red flares off the port wing, with AI radar failing. Mission 8 involved a bogey at high altitude, with contact lost.
• February 13/14, 1945: Mission 2 encountered lights at 3000 feet between Rastatt and Bishwiller; one set went out, and the other ascended rapidly before disappearing.
• February 14/15, 1945: Mission 2 reported a string of lights near Freiburg, blinking on and off.
• March 14/15, 1945: Mission 1 reported artillery flashes and a stationary 'floo fire' (3 red lights) near Hagenau.
• March 19/20, 1945: Mission 9 observed two 'Foo' Fighters, an orange and a green ball, near Speyer, which were evaded.
• March 26/27, 1945: Mission 5 reported an orange ball rising from the ground and disappearing near the Beau.
• April 23/24, 1945: Mission 5 observed four lights arranged in a square near the Rhine River, which went out as the plane approached.

The article notes that these reports extend the known period of 415th Squadron sightings beyond what was previously thought. A separate record from the 4th Fighter/Bomber group in France is also mentioned, describing approximately 100 yellow, semi-transparent balloons about 1 foot in diameter seen during a mission.

The Estimate of the Situation

This section delves into the historical "Estimate of the Situation," a classified Air Force document from mid-1948 concerning flying saucers. According to former Project Blue Book head Captain Edward Ruppelt, such an 'Estimate' was prepared when there was something vital to report. The document, described as a thick, black-covered, legal-sized paper stamped "Top Secret," was reportedly the result of a study by Project Sign, the Air Force's first official UFO study. The authors concluded that UFOs were interplanetary.

However, the report was rejected by Air Force Chief of Staff General Hoyt Vandenberg, who cited a lack of proof and ordered it declassified and destroyed. Despite this, a copy reportedly survived until at least 1952, seen by Ruppelt and Major Dewey Fournet, the Project Monitor for Blue Book. Fournet, recently interviewed by CAUS associate Jim Melesciuc, discovered the report in his inherited files at the Pentagon.

Fournet described the report as about 20-30 pages, still marked 'Top Secret,' and reviewing unexplained reports received by the Air Force. While logical explanations were explored, the extraterrestrial conclusion was reached through "extreme extrapolation" due to limited sighting data. Fournet explicitly stated the Estimate contained no confirmation of recovered alien artifacts.

The article suggests that the Estimate's purpose was to generate interest within Air Force Intelligence for a more organized investigation. Fournet, however, downplayed its significance due to its early occurrence in the UFO investigation timeline.

Another document, "Air Intelligence Division Study #203" (dated December 10, 1948), is presented as a potential spinoff or watered-down version of the Estimate. This 40-page 'Top Secret' document concluded that sightings were 'substantiated' but allowed for 'misidentifications' of conventional aircraft, natural phenomena, or foreign devices.

Fournet found AIDS 203 did not resemble the Estimate's contents, though he felt the reports were of a similar magnitude. He recalled that by late 1951, conclusions leaning towards foreign origin (like the Soviets) were generally dismissed.

The article references Jerome Clark's "UFO Encyclopedia: Volume 2" and Kevin Randle's account of an Air Force colonel who claimed General Vandenberg ordered paragraphs about 'physical evidence in New Mexico' removed from the Estimate before its final submission. Vandenberg reportedly rejected the revised Estimate again on August 5, 1948, due to a lack of physical evidence, despite having ordered its deletion.

The author questions the common sense of this narrative, noting that if Project Sign personnel believed in extraterrestrial evidence (like a Roswell crash), Vandenberg's actions seem contradictory. The article posits that Vandenberg might have had reasons for deleting these sections, perhaps to control the narrative or prevent premature conclusions from being widely known.

Review: UFO Encyclopedia: Volume 2

This section reviews Jerome Clark's "UFO Encyclopedia: Volume 2," praising it as a comprehensive overview of the early UFO era. The reviewer notes the book's value in providing historical perspective to a field often characterized by faddishness and a lack of grounding in its evolution. The encyclopedia is described as a vital resource for understanding UFO history and making informed determinations. The price is noted as steep ($85), with a recommendation for libraries to acquire it. The review also mentions that Volume 2 includes photos, correcting a perceived lack in Volume 1.

Final Words

This section includes a reminder for exchange magazines to send copies to a specific P.O. Box for tracking. It also announces that the next issue will feature a story about FOIA "dirty tricks," suggesting agencies have manipulated the law to create obstacles, and questions whether the end of the Cold War has been recognized by all.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently promotes a stance of rigorous, evidence-based research into UFO phenomena, prioritizing historical accuracy and transparency over sensationalism. The editorial explicitly rejects the notion of being a mere advocate for extraterrestrial theories, instead positioning "Just Cause" as a platform for presenting factual data and uncovering suppressed information. The focus on historical documents, such as the "Foo-Fighter" records and the "Estimate of the Situation," underscores a commitment to archival research and a critical examination of official narratives and historical UFO investigations. The recurring theme of government secrecy and the potential manipulation of information (as hinted at in the "Final Words" section) reinforces the publication's mission to expose and challenge such practices.