MUFON Massachusetts - Newsletter - 44 - 1987 07

Magazine Overview

Title: MUFON NEWSLETTER
Issue: #44
Date: July, 1987
Publisher: MUTUAL UFO NETWORK, INC.
Editor/State Director: James Melesciuc

This issue of the MUFON Newsletter provides a comprehensive look at UFO-related activities and discussions in July 1987. It includes updates on MUFON activities, media coverage of UFO topics, detailed case reports, and extensive coverage of a major UFO symposium.

A Visit from Tucson, Arizona

On June 22, several MUFON members gathered for an evening hosted by the editor, featuring Marge and Dave Christensen. The event included food, drink, and lively discussions.

Radio-TV Log

• This section logs recent media mentions of UFOs:
• June 16: Paul Havey announced a 'deep throat' government source and promised a report on June 20.
• June 20: Paul Harvey reported information on MJ-12 and offered his general opinion on ufology, available on audio cassette.
• June 24: The TV program "Nightline" with Ted Koppel featured a UFO segment.
• June 27: Barry Greenwood and Budd Hopkins appeared on the Larry King radio show.
• June 28: Channel 38 broadcast the documentary "UFOs Are Real."

Case Reports

• Lowell, MA: Mass MUFON is investigating a photograph case involving a D/D slide received from a source, with two witnesses. The investigation is ongoing.
• Manchester and Nashua, NH (May 25, 1987): Two women, Sandy K. and Rose B., reported a dome-shaped object with numerous lights flying between Manchester and Nashua. The object hovered and moved quickly, identified as a Cessna 150 plane equipped with a 440 sq. ft. grid and 300 high-intensity lights, flashing a "Happy Anniversary" message. It circled the area for about 30 minutes at approximately a thousand feet.

Classified

Y.U.F.O.N. (Yorkshire UFO Network): Founded in 1984, this organization is described as doing well. Interested individuals can contact them at Yorkshire UFO Network, 69 Pildacre Lane, Ossett, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England, WF5 8QB.

Commentary: They Were All There in D.C.

This article details the International UFO Symposium held in Washington, D.C., from June 26-28, 1987, attended by approximately 500 people from 20 countries. The event brought together significant 'brainpower' in ufology, with field investigators from MUFON and CUFOS, alongside foreign representatives. The government cover-up was a prominent theme, with discussions led by Barry Greenwood and representatives from CAUS. The P.I.P.E. committee and MUFON's board of directors, including Marge Christensen and Walt Andrus, were working to establish MUFON as a professional investigative unit.

Abduction Casework: Two panel discussions focused on abduction cases, moderated by Budd Hopkins and Dave Jacobs. The author noted their thoroughness and professional manner in responding to participants, particularly in addressing potential misinterpretations by the media and Phil Klass, who was present.

Phil Klass Encounters: The author recounts several peculiar encounters with Phil Klass during the symposium, describing him as a small man who repeatedly bumped into the author, once with his briefcase and later physically. The author humorously notes the strangeness of these interactions.

International Representation: The symposium included international experts such as Paul Norman and Bill Chalker from Australia, Kanishk Nathan from India, Capt. Daniel Perisse from Argentina, and Cynthia Hind from Africa. The event was credited to the Fund for UFO Research.

Centerpiece: Up in the sky, there were the UFOs

This article by Herb Strentz reflects on the 40th anniversary of the 'flying saucer' era, which began on June 24, 1947, with Kenneth Arnold's sighting of nine saucer-like objects over Washington state. The article discusses how the public and media reacted to UFO reports, highlighting themes of military deception, fears of communism, and stereotypical reporting. It notes that the US Air Force's involvement primarily consisted of explaining away sightings rather than investigating them, driven by a need to address public concerns and avoid political pressure. The Air Force's Project Blue Book, which concluded in 1969, claimed to have explained 94.5% of UFO reports, often by classifying them as airplanes, astronomical phenomena, or weather balloons, to meet a directive to minimize unexplained reports. The article suggests that the decline in public and media attention to UFOs since the Air Force ended its program is partly due to the loss of this major news source.

Historical Context: The article mentions the 1953 inquiry led by H.P. Robertson, which suggested the Air Force stop dealing with UFOs, and the CIA's concern about potential subversive use of UFO reports. Despite this, the Air Force continued its program and initiated a 'debunking' effort. A later study from the University of Colorado also suggested the Air Force divest itself of UFO investigations.

Current Status: Forty years later, the UFO phenomenon is described as having less 'heat' but no more 'light.' Herb Strentz, the author, is noted as having written his doctoral dissertation on press coverage of UFOs and was a research associate with the University of Colorado UFO Project.

Secrets in the Saucers: Unidentified Facts Fly at AU Symposium

This article by Thi McCourbs focuses on the abduction aspect of the UFO phenomenon discussed at the AU Symposium. It features the testimony of Shirley A. Coyne, who claims to have been abducted multiple times since age 9, describing alien beings and painful examinations. Her husband, George, recounts their initial UFO sighting in 1983 and their subsequent involvement in ufology.

Abductee Credibility: The article highlights that most abductees have undergone psychological testing showing they are sane but exhibit symptoms of trauma. Stanton T. Friedman is quoted stating that some people are being abducted for alien purposes, and William L. Moore discusses a purported top-secret government document mentioning four alien corpses found near Roswell, N.M., in 1947.

Budd Hopkins' Research: Budd Hopkins, author of "Intruders," discusses his interviews with credible individuals claiming abduction experiences. He suggests aliens are conducting a 'breeding experiment' to produce a hybrid species by taking sperm and ova samples.

David M. Jacobes' Perspective: David M. Jacobes, a history professor, views abduction research as providing insight into the motivations of extraterrestrial intelligence.

Charles Hickson's Testimony: The article mentions Charles Hickson and his book "UFO: Contact at Pascagoula," detailing his abduction experience and the psychological toll it took.

Government Cover-up Theories: The article touches upon the 'cosmic Watergate' theory, with many experts believing the government is hiding information about UFOs. Project Blue Book's conclusion in 1969 that no UFO posed a national security threat or was of extraterrestrial origin is mentioned.

The Majestic-12 Document: William L. Moore presents a sensational story about a document he received, allegedly from a top-secret briefing dated November 18, 1952, for President-elect Eisenhower. This document, called 'Majestic-12,' supposedly details a secret operation to study UFOs, including the recovery of a crashed saucer and four dead alien bodies near Roswell in 1947. Moore and his collaborator, Jaime Shandera, spent years studying the document and believe it to be either authentic or a sophisticated fabrication.

Phil Klass's Role: Philip J. Klass, a debunker, is described as the 'skunk at the garden party,' dismissing the Majestic-12 document as a hoax and stating that all UFO cases can be explained prosaically.

Mystery Object Baffles Astronomers

This article by David L. Chandler discusses an enormous object sighted near a recently discovered supernova. Astronomers are puzzled by its nature, with explanations ranging from a separate star triggered by the supernova to material ejected from it, or a reflected beam of energy. The object's nature is expected to become clearer in about six months when debris from the supernova impacts it. Stanford Woosley notes that the object was not present before the supernova and is not a star or a second supernova. The mystery was discussed at a meeting of the American Astronomical Society and the Canadian Astronomical Society. Astronomer Kenneth Brecher suggested the object could be a pulsar, a dense, rotating star emitting energy, with the companion object being a reflection of its light. However, he admits this theory, like others, is highly improbable.

Research Points to a 10th Planet

This article by David L. Chandler reports on physicist John Anderson's analysis of planetary motion data. Anderson suggests that either our solar system contains a 10th planet or our current theories of gravitation need revision. His analysis of data from 1830 to the present, along with five years of data from unmanned probes like Pioneer 10 and 11, indicates inconsistencies in the orbits of outer planets that cannot be explained by known planets. Previous explanations, such as brown dwarfs or small black holes, have been ruled out. Anderson states that the list of candidates for a disturbing object is being narrowed down. He proposes two main possibilities: a 10th planet, possibly five times Earth's mass, with a long, oval orbit beyond Neptune, or a flaw in Newtonian and Einsteinian gravity theories. US Naval Observatory astronomer Robert Harrington agrees that something is unaccounted for in the solar system's motions, estimating a 50-50 chance of another planet. The article also mentions that similar orbital anomalies in Mercury's motion were later explained by Einstein's theory of relativity. Harrington suggests other explanations, such as the influence of gas clouds discovered by the IRAS satellite. If a 10th planet exists, its orbit would likely be steep and oval, as a circular orbit in the same plane would have significantly affected the Pioneer probes.

Meteorite Crater Found Under North Atlantic

This Associated Press report details the identification of the first known meteorite crater beneath an ocean, located about 124 miles southeast of Nova Scotia. Researchers Lubomir Jansa and Georgia Pe-Piper suggest the crater, formed about 50 million years ago by the impact of a meteorite or comet nucleus, could support theories about mass extinctions following large impacts. The falling object is estimated to have been 1.25 to 2 miles in diameter. The crater lies under 370 feet of water and stretches 28 miles across. Rocks within the crater show evidence of tremendous shock, indicating a meteoritic impact. Blyth Robertson of the Geological Survey of Canada noted this as the first documented finding of such a crater.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the ongoing investigation and reporting of UFO sightings and related phenomena by MUFON, the exploration of potential government cover-ups and secrecy surrounding UFOs, and the scientific inquiry into astronomical anomalies that might suggest unknown celestial bodies or phenomena. The editorial stance appears to be one of open investigation and reporting, presenting both eyewitness accounts and scientific perspectives, while also acknowledging the skepticism and debunking efforts within the UFO community.