Magonia Supplement - No 42 - 2002 10 30

Magazine Overview

Title: MAGONIA Supplement
Issue: No. 42
Date: 30 October 2002
Publisher: MAGONIA
Country: UK
Language: English

This issue of MAGONIA Supplement, titled "IN THE WAKE OF A UFO WAVE" by M. J. Graeber, delves into a significant period of UFO activity, referred to as a 'flap,' that occurred in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, between late 1973 and early 1974. The article emphasizes that the most valuable insights into such events are often found not in the heat of the moment, but in the quiet analysis of the collected data.

Sifting Through the Ashes: The Investigator's Approach

The author posits that UFO flaps are challenging for investigators due to the high emotional charge and confusion surrounding simultaneous reports. It is only after the initial excitement subsides that a researcher can objectively sift through the data to create a more 'holistic' and 'objective' report. This process is likened to a fire investigator examining a scene after the fires have been extinguished.

The Character of the Reports: Bucks County, Pennsylvania

The core of the issue focuses on specific incidents from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, primarily involving police officers.

Officer Evans's Encounter (17 October 1973)

At 8:20 p.m. on October 17, 1973, Officer Evans of Bristol Township Police Headquarters observed a strange glowing object streak across the night sky. The object halted, its red glow subsided, revealing a silvery disc. Evans retrieved binoculars and observed the craft, describing it as a "big metallic cigar" without wings or stabilizers, featuring a red light on one end and a white light on the other. These lights flashed at a slower rate than conventional aircraft. A band of white lights or windows was visible along its central edge. Abruptly, a red-orange glow emanated from beneath the craft, engulfing its underside and casting an aura. The object then sped away like a tracer bullet, stopped again, and later zipped along Route 13, performing a "curiously misshapen box-like aerial pattern." Evans's wife joined him, and they witnessed a second, identical craft appear. Both UFOs flew in parallel formation, performing intricate maneuvers before vanishing into the distance.

Officer Daniels's Pursuit (18 October 1973)

Later that night, at 1:45 a.m. on October 18, 1973, a call reported a "big bright thing" crashing in the woods near Route 13. Officer Daniels was dispatched and encountered three brilliant blue lights that flew across Fayette Drive. He pursued these lights, which appeared to be affixed to a single body, though their outline was obscured by darkness. The object changed direction and moved over Route 13. Daniels radioed for assistance, and Bristol Borough Police joined the high-speed chase. The pursuit ended abruptly when the object moved beyond a marshy area near the Delaware River and disappeared. A subsequent search for a "downed object" yielded no evidence of a crash.

Hovering Object Near Hospital (18 October 1973)

As Officer Daniels returned to headquarters, a group of women reported a strange glowing object hovering below the tree line off Bath Road, near the Lower Bucks County Hospital. They stated the trees were brightly illuminated by the descending UFO. Upon arrival, Daniels found nothing unusual.

Officer Pratt's Encounter (10 November 1973)

On November 10, 1973, at approximately 4:45 a.m., Patrolman Pratt was driving on Millcreek Parkway when he noticed two slowly pulsating red lights. Initially thinking it was a helicopter, he soon realized he was positioned directly under a "huge airborne oddity" dangling silently in the sky. Pratt described the object as "enormous, Big as a ranch-style house." Using his cruiser's spotlight, he observed its dark upper outline and the flashing red lights. When the spotlight hit the bottom, the craft lit up, revealing a band of white-lighted windows. He estimated it was shaped like a "long fat cigar" and made no sound. Pratt filed an official report and drew a sketch that closely resembled Officer Evans's drawing.

Investigation and Analysis

UFORIC's Report and Witness Contacts

Following the investigations in Bucks County, UFORIC's official report was shared with APRO and NICAP. The investigation involved extensive data gathering, including personal contacts (interviews with 15 witnesses), phone contacts, and letter contacts (questionnaires sent to individuals identified in local newspapers and magazines). Expert opinions were sought on weather, electrical phenomena, and aircraft configurations. The investigation also explored the possibility of electro-plasma discharges due to the proximity of high-power lines and an electrical sub-station.

Investigative Findings

The sightings reportedly spanned from September 1973 to February 1974, with significant gaps between observations. Two on-site investigations of suspected UFO landing sites yielded no results. Reports of photographic evidence in local press and a Philadelphia-based magazine were found to be erroneous. Several police reports were noted for their similarity in describing the object's configuration and maneuvers. However, Officer Pratt was initially uncooperative with the investigative process, though he did file an official report.

Hoaxes and Media Hype

The article discusses how a local magazine published a lengthy article about the Bristol sightings, including police sketches and a fabricated UFO photo, which was admitted to be a hoax. The authors express regret that some publications fabricated accounts. They also note that the country was experiencing a heavy flap of national saucer activity, highlighted by alleged alien encounters, leading to significant media hype. The possibility of a "bandwagon effect" generating more reports and hoaxes was considered. To gauge this, a UFO article was published in the Bucks County Courier-Times, inviting public response, but only four new reports were received, most of which were not investigative value.

Object Descriptions and Flight Characteristics

The objects were described as metallic, silver in color, like polished steel or aluminum. They turned red or red-orange on the underside before moving and were silvery when hovering. No vapor or sound was emitted. They displayed extremely high-speed angular turns and oscillatory maneuvers. Blinking multi-colored lights (red, white, blue, blue-green) were common. Some had a row of windows or white lights along their central or leading edges, which appeared to rotate. It was not definitively established whether they were disc-shaped or cigar-shaped. Reports described rapid flying, hovering, gliding, and zigzagging at tremendous speeds. Some operated at altitudes of 1,600 to 2,400 feet. Their speeds, instantaneous stops, and non-banking turns defied conventional physics, yet they appeared to be rigid, physical constructs.

Comparison with Other Cases

UFORIC's research identified over twenty similar published UFO reports. Several examples are cited:

• Glenside, Pennsylvania (15 January 1974): Four objects changed color from white to orange, with reddish-orange undersides.
• Virginia (14 July 1952): UFOs gave off a bright red glow.
• Equatorial Africa (22 November 1952): Discs turned pale silver, blazed bright, then turned crimson before fading to silvery.
• Albany, New York (8 April 1956): A UFO's glow returned with an orange tinge and faded out.
• Redmond, Oregon (24 September 1959): A fiery exhaust blasted from the bottom of a disc.
• Nederland, Texas (19 June 1965): An object with a red glow from beneath was observed.
• Niagara Falls, New York (19 August 1965): A football-shaped object emitted red vapor and a yellow trail.
• Sharon, Massachusetts (19 April 1966): An oval-shaped object with a glowing rim and steady red lights.
• Ashland, Nebraska (3 December 1967): A reddish-orange light emanated from the underside of a vehicle.
• Canada (1974): An object changed colors from red-orange to white.

The Hickson/Parker Contact Case (11 October 1973)

This case involved two men in Pascagoula, Mississippi, who reported being taken aboard a hazy blue flying saucer by three strange creatures and subjected to medical examinations.

Potential Explanations and Remaining Mysteries

The article notes that while the sheer weight of numbers might suggest accuracy, it doesn't prove UFOs are extraterrestrial. The possibility of projected holographic imagery or other physics-defying phenomena is considered. Students at Swarthmore College were reportedly performing "projection experiments," but these were too distant to explain the Bristol sightings. Ultimately, the objects observed in Bucks County in 1973/74 remain unidentified, challenging current concepts of physics and reality.

Editorial: Polygraphs and UFO Investigations

The editorial section critiques the use of polygraph tests in UFO investigations, particularly referencing the Walton case. The author expresses surprise at the reverence given to polygraphs by both believers and skeptics. Citing a 2002 study by the American Academy of Sciences, the editorial highlights the inaccuracy and unreliability of polygraphs, which can lead to innocent individuals being wrongly suspected. The example of Wen Ho Lee, wrongly accused based on polygraph tests, is mentioned. The editorial concludes that polygraphs are a "useless, pseudoscientific gadget" and hopes their use in UFO investigations will decrease.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the rigorous investigation of UFO sightings, the challenges of distinguishing credible reports from misidentifications and hoaxes, and the analysis of object characteristics and flight behaviors. The editorial stance is critical of pseudoscientific methods like polygraph testing in UFO research, advocating for a more grounded and evidence-based approach. The magazine appears to support the extraterrestrial hypothesis as a plausible explanation for some UFO phenomena, while acknowledging the need for further investigation and the limitations of current scientific understanding.