1952 04 07 Life Have We Visitors

Magazine Overview

LIFE magazine, Volume 32, Number 14, dated April 7, 1952, is a weekly publication from TIME INC. The cover prominently features Marilyn Monroe, billed as 'THE TALK OF HOLLYWOOD,' alongside a bold headline stating, 'THERE IS A CASE FOR INTERPLANETARY SAUCERS.' The issue is priced at 20 CENTS.

Contents Overview

The issue includes a wide range of articles covering 'THE WEEK'S EVENTS,' including the President's farewell, military developments, fashion, and news from around the world. Other sections feature 'PHOTOGRAPHIC ESSAY' on 'THE MAKING OF A HOME,' articles on 'EDUCATION,' 'SCIENCE,' 'ANIMALS,' 'NATURE,' 'FASHION,' 'MOVIES,' and 'ART.' Specific features include 'SPRING MADNESS,' 'FIRE IN THE ANTARCTIC,' 'WILL THE RAT GET THE CHEESE?', 'MIDGET MUSHERS,' 'HERBS FOR THE HOME,' 'A BIG YEAR FOR TRUFFLES,' 'GERMAN FASHIONS,' 'HOLLYWOOD TOPIC A-PLUS,' and 'MISERIES OF A MASTER SPY.' Regular departments like 'LETTERS TO THE EDITORS,' 'SPEAKING OF PICTURES,' and 'LIFE GOES ON A BUS TOUR WITH A CHOIR' are also present.

Feature Article: 'HAVE WE VISITORS FROM SPACE?'

The central investigative piece, 'HAVE WE VISITORS FROM SPACE?' by H. B. DARRACH JR. and ROBERT GINNA, explores the growing public and official concern over unidentified aerial objects, commonly known as flying saucers. The article reveals that the U.S. Air Force has been conducting constant intelligence investigations and has adopted a policy of positive action to gather factual data, including attempts at interception and recovery of such objects. For the first time, the Air Force invited citizens to report sightings.

The article presents four key propositions derived from an exhaustive inquiry, suggesting that these objects are real, possess a brightness more intense than the full moon, cannot be explained by present science as natural phenomena, and their performance is beyond known terrestrial power plants. It highlights several significant incidents:

• Kenneth Arnold Sighting (June 24, 1947): A private pilot flying near Mount Rainier observed nine 'saucerlike things' moving at an estimated 1,200 mph.
• Captain Thomas F. Mantell Incident (January 7, 1948): An Air Force captain pursued an 'ice-cream cone' shaped object over Fort Knox, Kentucky, and was later found deceased, with his plane wreckage scattered.
• Eastern Air Lines Pilots' Sighting (July 24, 1948): Two pilots near Montgomery, Alabama, reported a 'long rocketlike ship,' described as a wingless aircraft, 100 feet long and cigar-shaped, that zoomed into the clouds at high speed.
• Lieut. George F. Gorman Incident (October 1, 1948): A pilot in Fargo, North Dakota, pursued an intense, bright light for 27 minutes, which moved at speeds exceeding his fighter jet.
• Lubbock Lights (August 25, 1951): Scientists at Texas Technological College observed and later photographed formations of luminous objects, described as beads in a crescent shape, moving at high speeds.

The article notes that early Air Force projects like 'Project Sign' and 'Project Saucer' were initially seen as public pacifiers, dismissing most reports. However, concerns grew, leading to 'Project Grudge,' with higher-ranking officers taking the issue more seriously. The article emphasizes that the objects' silence and performance suggest artificial devices operated by a high intelligence.

Other Articles and Features

• LIFE's Cover: The cover story details Marilyn Monroe's early career, from working in an aircraft plant to her first film role.
• The Making of a Home: A photographic essay by Nina Leen documents the process of building a home.
• Education: 'Spring Madness': Explores a phenomenon related to education.
• Science: 'Fire in the Antarctic' and 'Will the Rat Get the Cheese?': These articles delve into scientific discoveries and experiments.
• Animals: 'Midget Mushers' and 'S-M-M-MACK!': Features on animal subjects.
• Nature: 'Herbs for the Home' and 'A Big Year for Truffles': Focuses on natural elements and their uses.
• Fashion: 'German Fashions': Covers contemporary fashion trends.
• Movies: 'Hollywood Topic A-Plus' and 'Miseries of a Master Spy': Reviews and discussions on films.
• Art: 'Fun in America' and 'Bottoms Up for Beauty': Explores artistic expressions and modern living.
• Sports: 'Another Win for Willie': Reports on sporting events.

Advertisements

The issue includes advertisements, notably for Yardley's 'Feather-Pressed' compact powder and Pioneer 'Featherweights' belts and jewelry, emphasizing lightness and comfort.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The dominant theme of this issue is the serious consideration of unidentified aerial phenomena as potentially extraterrestrial in origin, supported by scientific evidence and official Air Force acknowledgment of unexplained sightings. The magazine adopts a tone of investigative journalism, presenting factual accounts and expert opinions to support the idea that flying saucers are not mere hallucinations or misinterpretations. The editorial stance appears to be one of open-minded inquiry into a phenomenon that challenges conventional scientific understanding, moving beyond public skepticism to explore the possibility of advanced, non-terrestrial technology.

This issue of LIFE magazine, dated approximately 1952, features a continuation of its investigation into "Saucers" and unidentified aerial phenomena. The magazine presents a series of detailed eyewitness accounts of alleged UFO sightings, accompanied by evaluations from experts and researchers. The content focuses on the characteristics of these observed objects and attempts to provide plausible explanations, often leaning towards the possibility of extraterrestrial origins.

Incident Reports and Evaluations

The article details multiple incidents, providing dates, locations, and descriptions of the phenomena observed:

Incident 3: Arrey, New Mexico (April 24, 1949)

A group of five technicians, including aeronautical engineer J. Gordon Vaeth and aerologist Charles B. Moore Jr., observed a whitish elliptical object during a Skyhook balloon launch. Moore tracked the object with a theodolite, noting its rapid ascent and a phenomenal rate of change in azimuth. The object was described as an ellipsoid, roughly two and a half times as long as it was wide, and it performed an abrupt upward turn, disappearing in seconds. Estimations placed the object at 56 miles above Earth, 100 feet long, and traveling at seven miles per second. The evaluation concluded that no known optical or atmospheric phenomenon fit the facts, and the "G" load required for such a maneuver would be impossible for a human pilot.

Incident 4: Las Cruces, New Mexico (Summer 1948)

Clyde W. Tombaugh, discoverer of Pluto, along with his wife and mother-in-law, witnessed an object rush silently overhead. They described it as a solid "ship" of an oval shape, trailing off into a luminescence, with a blue-green glow. About half a dozen "windows" were visible, glowing with the same color. The object bore resemblance to craft seen by Pilots Chiles and Whitted but no known aircraft.

Incident 5: Undisclosed Atomic Base (Fall 1949)

An Air Force officer, whose identity and location were kept secret, reported detecting five apparently metallic objects flying south at tremendous speed and great height on radar. The objects crossed a 300-mile scope in less than four minutes, flying in formation. While acknowledging radar's potential for tricks, the officer believed it was a legitimate contact. The evaluation noted that meteors travel at such speeds but not in formation, and if they were machines, their performance exceeded known advanced weapons capabilities.

Incident 6: Downey, California (May 29, 1951)

Three technical writers from North American Aviation—Victor Black, Werner Eichler, and Ed J. Sullivan—observed approximately 30 glowing, meteor-like objects that sprayed out of the east. These objects executed a right-angle turn and swept across the sky in an undulating vertical formation resembling a tuning fork. They estimated the objects' diameter at 30 feet and speed at 1,700 mph, describing them as intense electric blue lights. The evaluation stated that no known natural or optical phenomenon could produce such light or execute such a turn at that speed without crushing a human crew or leaving a trail.

Incident 7: Sioux City, Iowa (January 20, 1951)

Captain Lawrence W. Vinther of Mid-Continent Airlines and his copilot, James F. Bachmeier, investigated a bright light above the airport. The light dived at their DC-3, passed silently at great speed, and then reversed direction to fly parallel to the airliner. The object was described as cigar-shaped with a glider-type wing, no exhaust glow, and a white light recessed in its bottom. A civilian employee of Air Intelligence confirmed the description.

Incident 8: Albuquerque, New Mexico (February 18, 1952)

Photographer C. E. Redman and witness W. S. Morris observed two bright, bluish-white objects hovering above Tijeras Canyon. They were described as soundless, not jets or vapor trails, and appeared to be 20 miles away and four miles in the air, with a diameter of about 136 feet. One object tilted, revealing a profile like a bell pepper. Kirkland AFB confirmed no aircraft were in the area. The evaluation highlighted the object's three-dimensional nature and sudden descent, indicating a powerful source of propulsion.

Incident 9: Wonsan, Korea (January 29, 1952)

A B-29 crew observed a bright round orange object, about three feet in diameter, revolving and flying parallel to their plane at an altitude above 20,000 feet. It wore a halo of bluish flame and appeared to pulsate. The object followed the B-29 for about five minutes before pulling ahead and shooting away at a sharp angle. A similar object was seen by another B-29 crew 80 miles away.

Incident 10: Arizona (November 2, 1951)

A ball of kelly-green fire, larger and brighter than the moon, flashed eastward across the sky, parallel to the ground, and exploded without sound. At least 165 people witnessed this event, and similar fireballs have been reported across the Southwest since December 1948. The evaluation noted that green fireballs do not behave like normal meteors, which fall due to gravity, are noisy, and leave meteorites.

Expert Opinions and Analysis

The article presents the views of several experts on the nature of these phenomena:

• Dr. Walther Riedel, a former chief designer at a German rocket laboratory, is convinced that saucers have an "out-of-world basis." His arguments include:
• The extreme skin temperatures required for observed conditions would melt terrestrial structures.
• The high acceleration and maneuvering capabilities would be impossible for human pilots due to centrifugal force.
• Many occurrences involve actions only a pilot could perform, but no human could withstand.
• The absence of visible jets or trails suggests a propulsion system unknown to current science.

• Dr. Maurice A. Biot, a leading aerodynamicist, suggests that while a disk shape is poor for atmospheric travel, it has advantages for space travel. He concludes that the objects are artificial and controlled, likely with an extraterrestrial origin.

What They Are Not

The article systematically debunks several potential explanations:

• Psychological Phenomena: The direct evidence and witness credibility are too strong to dismiss these as mere psychological events.
• U.S. Research: Investigations confirmed that neither President Truman, Secretary Johnson, nor Gordon Dean of the Atomic Energy Commission had knowledge of any U.S. projects that could account for these phenomena. No submerged projects of the necessary scale were found.
• Russian Development: It is deemed unlikely that Russia would risk such a valuable military weapon by flying it over enemy territory, and their scientific capabilities are not believed to have surpassed U.S. research in this area.
• Atmospheric Distortions or Atomic Activity: These are dismissed as "foolish things" and not supported by evidence.
• Northern Lights or "Vertical Mirages": Magnetic disturbances and atmospheric reflections cannot account for the observed phenomena.
• Skyhook Balloons: While some early sightings might have been balloons, the majority of reports describe objects with capabilities far beyond balloons.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of LIFE magazine revolve around the persistent reporting of unidentified aerial phenomena, the detailed documentation of eyewitness accounts, and the rigorous analysis of these events by scientific and military observers. The magazine's stance appears to be one of serious investigation, moving beyond simple dismissals and exploring the possibility of advanced, possibly extraterrestrial, technology. The article emphasizes the consistent characteristics reported across numerous sightings—silent operation, incredible speed and maneuverability, and unusual luminosity—which defy conventional explanations. The editorial tone suggests a growing acceptance within scientific and governmental circles that these phenomena warrant serious consideration, even if definitive answers remain elusive. The concluding section poses profound questions about the nature, origin, and intentions of the beings controlling these craft, leaving the reader with a sense of wonder and the possibility of future revelations.