JUST CAUSE

Magazine Overview

Title: JUST CAUSE
Issue: Number 46
Date: December 1995
Publisher: Citizens Against UFO Secrecy (CAUS)
Country: USA
Price: $15 US, $20 Foreign

Editorial

The editorial addresses reader responses to the "Angel of Mons" story, noting its evolution and the consensus that it likely did not happen, but suggests the 1915-1917 period might yield other unusual tales. It then discusses the upcoming book by Stanton Friedman promoting the MJ-12 documents as authentic. CAUS reiterates its long-held conclusion that these documents are forgeries, citing flaws in their format, language, classification, and attribution, and the dubious circumstances of their discovery. The organization emphasizes that no government agency has certified them as authentic, with Friedman being the sole certifier despite lacking credentials.

Retrospective: The 1949 General Mills Incident

This section details an unusual aerial event witnessed on April 24, 1949, near Arrey, New Mexico, by Professor Charles Moore and four Navy enlisted men. While tracking a pibal wind balloon, they observed a rapidly moving, whitish spherical object with a light yellow shading. The object was described as ellipsoidal, with a 2:1 slenderness ratio and a subtended angle of about 0.02 degrees. It was observed for approximately 60 seconds, drifting east at an estimated speed of 50 feet per second. The estimated altitude was around 300,000 feet, with a potential size larger than 100 feet in diameter if escape velocity was involved.

The article explores the possibility of this object being a tangential meteor, which enters the atmosphere at a low angle and high velocity, skipping off the air and returning to space. It compares the observed characteristics—shape, color, speed, and altitude—to known meteor phenomena, citing examples from "Sky and Telescope" magazine and the work of Harold Povenmire. The author notes that the object's appearance, including the light yellow shading possibly representing an attenuated ionization glow, and its movement are consistent with this explanation. The report also mentions that the Air Force's Project Blue Book could not identify the object, and Dr. Donald Menzel's explanation of a mirage is deemed inadequate.

The analysis concludes that a tangential meteor remains a plausible explanation for the Arrey, New Mexico, UFO sighting, given the available information and the lack of definitive evidence for other causes.

Air Force Histories Reveal UFO Information

This extensive section details the results of persistent efforts by Project 1947 and Jan Aldrich to search U.S. Air Force histories and intelligence summaries at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. The search yielded early references to UFO case studies and administration, though no "smoking guns" or special inside knowledge were found. The process involved monitoring media and gathering clippings, with both witnesses and investigators sometimes making interpretation mistakes.

The article emphasizes the necessity of on-site searches for uncovering early UFO history, noting a trend of government agencies reducing such research due to costs and staff cuts. The Air University at Maxwell is highlighted as not conducting the detailed page-by-page searches required.

List of 44 Distinct Files:

The bulk of this section is a numbered list of 44 distinct files created from these records, spanning from 1944 to 1961. Each entry includes the unit, date range, number of pages, and a brief description of the content, often referencing specific UFO reports, unknown tracks, or related intelligence activities. These files cover a wide range of units and time periods, including:

• 12th Tactical Air Command (Foo-fighter reports)
• 6th Air Force (Unidentified object at San Jose, Costa Rica)
• Air Defense Command (Guided missile experiments, Ghost Rocket reports, unknown radar tracks, early jet aircraft experiments)
• Alaskan Air Command (UFO reports from Elmendorf AFB)
• 57th Fighter Interceptor Wing (Strange cloud, UFO reports)
• 7054th Air Intelligence Squadron (Jet/rocket intelligence)
• 850th Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron (False radar targets)
• 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing (JANAP 146 B, UFOs)
• 6004th Air Intelligence Service Squadron (Activities including UFO interest, intelligence reports, flying object reporting, tabulation of UFO reports)
• 129th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron (Intelligence gathering procedures)
• 850th Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron (Unknown track reports, "Alerts and Unidentified Tracks", "More Flying Saucers", "Flashed Tracks")
• 72nd Strategic Reconnaissance Wing (Detailed UFO report from Ramey AFB, Puerto Rico)
• Northeast Air Command (Unknown aircraft and UFO reports)
• 5th Air Force Intelligence Summary (Unknown aircraft reports over Korea)
• 5004th Air Intelligence Squadron (Procedures, brief UFO references)
• 5001st Composite Wing (UFO reports, Project Pinball)
• 6th Air Division (Article: "Flying Saucers")
• 4th Fighter Interceptor Squadron (Brief UFO remarks)
• Far East Air Force (FEAF) Intelligence Summary (Unknown aircraft and UFOs over Korea, unknown track reports)
• 527th Aircraft Control & Warning Group (UFO sightings in Japan)
• Air Rescue Service Intelligence Digest (Article: "Flying Saucers")
• 4602nd Air Intelligence Service Squadron (UFOB program, Project Moby Dick, Commanders Conference)
• 39th Air Division (Series of UFO-type reports)

In Memoriam: Merlyn Sheehan

The issue concludes with a tribute to Merlyn Sheehan, described as an old-time UFO investigator from the New England area. Her interest began in the 1950s, and she became an investigator for the New England UFO Study Group and MUFON. Her writings on UFOs included a letter to the Quincy Patriot-Ledger, coincidentally printed on the day of the Kennedy assassination. She was known for monitoring UFO activity, particularly at cranberry bogs in Massachusetts, and her enthusiasm is credited with keeping the editor focused. She will be missed.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the critical examination of UFO evidence and historical records. The editorial stance is one of skepticism towards unverified claims, particularly the MJ-12 documents, which are firmly labeled as a hoax. The magazine prioritizes rigorous investigation and the pursuit of plausible explanations, as exemplified by the detailed analysis of the 1949 General Mills incident through the lens of atmospheric phenomena like tangential meteors. Furthermore, the extensive documentation of Air Force records underscores a commitment to historical research and the belief that understanding past investigations is crucial for the field. The overall tone is one of diligent archival work and a cautious, evidence-based approach to the UFO phenomenon.