JUST CAUSE

Magazine Overview

Title: JUST CAUSE
Issue: 36
Date: June 1993
Publisher: Lawrence Fawcett
Editor: Barry Greenwood

This issue of JUST CAUSE, published by Citizens Against UFO Secrecy (CAUS), delves into the significant UFO phenomena of the summer of 1952, exploring its potential connection to the U.S. Air Force's Ground Observer Corps (GOC) program. The magazine suggests a theory of passive manipulation, where the government may have leveraged public fascination with flying saucers to boost recruitment for the GOC.

The 1952 Saucer Wave: A Story Behind the Story?

The article begins by detailing the extraordinary "saucer wave" of 1952, a period marked by thousands of flying saucer reports that inundated the Air Force, police, and media. The wave was particularly intense over Washington, D.C., with multiple radar trackings and sightings of strange lights. The Air Force's Project Blue Book recorded 1501 UFO incidents in 1952, the highest of its twenty-one-year investigation, with 303 deemed "unidentified."

A key catalyst for the increased interest was an article in the April 7, 1952, issue of Life magazine, titled "Have We Visitors from Outer Space." This article, unusually, was produced with Air Force cooperation and came close to endorsing an extraterrestrial explanation for UFOs. This marked a shift from the Air Force's previous policy of discouraging such notions.

Captain Edward Ruppelt, who later headed Project Blue Book, was noted for his open-minded approach. The article questions the sudden policy shift in April 1952, suggesting that Ruppelt's influence may have led the Air Force to be more open about UFO investigations. It also raises the possibility that the Air Force might have had an "answer" to the saucer mystery, or a more mundane reason for the heightened interest.

July 1952 saw a massive increase in reports to Blue Book, totaling 401 for the month, with a significant surge in the latter half of the month. CAUS conducted extensive research, compiling a thousand pages of newspaper clippings from July-August, which revealed that the national media was also concerned about the country's preparedness for national defense, specifically a lack of air spotters for the Air Force.

The Ground Observer Corps

The article then details the Ground Observer Corps (GOC), a basic unit of the U.S. air defense system. Comprising volunteer citizens, the GOC's purpose was to visually spot potential enemy aircraft. Initiated as "Operation Lookout" in September 1949, the program aimed for 24-hour sky coverage by one million volunteers. The GOC worked under joint government and civil authority control, with the Air Force handling tactical aspects and civil authorities managing personnel.

Within the GOC structure, Filter Centers received and plotted ground spotter reports. However, until 1952, GOC posts rarely had full 24-hour coverage due to a lack of volunteers, especially for overnight shifts.

Operation Skywatch and the Wave

"Operation Skywatch" was an Air Force initiative to implement 24-hour GOC scheduling, earmarked for July 14, 1952. The program faced significant challenges due to insufficient volunteers. The Air Force attempted to rally public support through media involvement and a personal call for volunteers from President Truman. Despite these efforts, the results of "Operation Skywatch" were largely described as "spotty," "a flop," and indicative of "apathetic" public interest.

The article suggests that the Air Force's major problem was motivating the public to volunteer for unpaid, long shifts. The theory proposed is that the government may have used the flying saucer phenomenon as a tool to enhance the GOC program. The "lure and fascination" of potential alien visitors could motivate people to skywatch, fulfilling both patriotic duty and personal curiosity.

On July 16, 1952, just days after "Operation Skywatch" began, the "great summer 1952 wave" of saucer sightings escalated. Reports from airline pilots like W.B. Nash and W.H. Fortenberry described multiple discs maneuvering in formation. A United Press story on July 17 noted a significant increase in saucer reports, doubling the rate from 1951. Lt. Colonel Richard McGee expressed alarm, stating, "There is something flying around in our skies and I wish I knew what it is."

A New Spin on an Old Story

The article proposes that the Air Force Intelligence might have intentionally allowed the press to sensationalize flying saucer stories to boost GOC recruitment. Once the program had sufficient volunteers, the Air Force could then step in, hold a press conference, and debunk the sightings with official explanations, thus ending the wave. This "passive manipulation" would be difficult to trace but highly effective.

The Air Force's response to the wave was characterized by a lack of timely debunking, which continued until a press conference on July 29, led by Major General John Samford, Air Force Chief of Intelligence. Samford assured the press that the saucers were not a threat to national security, offering "temperature inversion" as a primary explanation for the Washington radar trackings, along with mirages and exaggerations.

The Blue Book report total for August dropped significantly to 278, indicating a decline in both the alarmist nature of coverage and the overall level of reporting following the press conference.

GOC Volunteers/Air Force Recruitments

Reports at the end of July showed an increase in GOC volunteers and Air Force enlistments. In Massachusetts, GOC volunteers grew from 3500 on July 14 to 7600 by August 25. Brigadier General George Smith admitted that low-flying aircraft could easily avoid radar detection, suggesting the need for ground observers. An admission was also made about the inability of Air Force radar at Andrews Air Force Base to detect unknowns reported by civilian scopes at Washington National Airport. These admissions are presented as potentially serving the higher purpose of encouraging support for the GOC.

Discussion

The article concludes by reiterating the theory that the problems with the GOC program were serious enough that using publicity about flying saucers as a tool to enhance it seemed a plausible, albeit unproven, strategy. The "true anomalies" cited are the lack of timely Air Force response, the military's admissions of security gaps, and the behind-the-scenes government information flow that excited the public.

The 1952 wave also had a profound impact on popular culture, leading to a surge in demand for space-themed toys and influencing television shows and films. The article argues that this cultural shift, fueled by the saucer wave, may have enticed young minds towards space exploration.

It suggests that the Air Force's debunking policy, which began in 1953 and lasted until 1969, reburied the flying saucer phenomenon after it had served its purpose. The concept of "passive manipulation" is further illustrated by the example of the JFK assassination, where intelligence services were allegedly told to "stand down."

The authors conclude that the intense publicity surrounding the 1952 saucer wave may have been a form of passive manipulation, and it has taken forty-one years to recognize this possibility.

Editorial

The editorial section announces plans for a follow-up on the "Pentacle document" in the next issue and mentions a new cache of government information that will be discussed, hinting at potential drastic changes in the publication's operation within the next year.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the 1952 UFO wave, the role of the Ground Observer Corps, and the concept of government manipulation of public perception and media. The editorial stance appears to be one of critical inquiry, suggesting that official narratives may conceal underlying strategic motives, particularly concerning national security and recruitment during the Cold War era. The magazine advocates for a deeper examination of historical events to uncover potential hidden agendas.