MUFON Minnesota Journal - No 109

Magazine Overview

Title: Minnesota MUFON Journal
Issue: #109
Date: September/October 2004

This issue of the Minnesota MUFON Journal delves into several key topics within the field of UFOlogy, including historical aerial phenomena, contemporary crop circle investigations, and well-known abduction cases.

Directors Report: Foo Fighters

The lead article, authored by Dick Moss, MN MUFON State Director, explores the phenomenon of 'Foo Fighters.' Coined by Allied pilots during World War II, these strange aerial objects were often described as glowing balls of light or red balls of light that paced alongside aircraft over Germany and the Pacific. The term may have originated from the comic strip 'Smokey Stover,' where 'foo' was a nonsensical term. Early characterizations like 'spherical fire' or 'kraut fireballs' are compared to modern UFO descriptions, noting similar maneuverability. Increased reports began in June 1944 during the Allied invasion of France and German V-1 buzz bomb attacks on London. These objects were observed to be under intelligent control, never hostile, and were initially suspected to be secret German reconnaissance drones. Both Japanese and German pilots later confirmed seeing them. Some reports placed them following ships at sea and observed during the Korean War in the early 1950s. A New York Times report from January 2, 1945, detailed three kinds of foo fighters based on their position relative to an airplane: red balls of light near wingtips, balls of fire in front, or distant flickering lights. They were confirmed to match aircraft maneuvers. A classified project in England in 1943, directed by Lieutenant General Massey, investigated these phenomena. While some reports suggested foo fighters might have caused aircraft engine cut-outs, leading to crashes, the article posits they merely tailed planes and caused psychological distress, leaving the scene if fired upon. The article notes that searching for 'foo fighters' online brings up many informative websites, though the existence of a musical group with the same name can complicate searches.

Representative Examples of Encounters

The journal presents several historical accounts of encounters with these objects. Two pilots over Germany photographing troop movements observed five silver football-like objects below them that stayed with their planes, initially thought to be German equipment. In late September 1944, a German test pilot flying an ME-262 jet encountered two luminous points that resolved into a cylindrical object approximately 300 feet long, with antennae-like structures, moving at an estimated speed of 1200 mph. During a bombing mission over Europe, B-17 crews reported that German fighters disappeared, replaced by a cluster of silver objects descending among the bombers. While no planes were directly affected, one crew member thought an object hit their B-17, though examination revealed no mark. On August 12, 1942, a Marine Sergeant on Tulagi in the Solomons witnessed over 150 silver objects moving in formation overhead, described as wobbling and shimmering in the sun, an awe-inspiring and frightening spectacle witnessed by others on the island. An experimental rocket launched at the Kummersdorf Test Center in February 1944 was filmed, and the footage clearly showed a spherical object circling and following the rocket. During the Normandy invasion, a dark cigar-shaped object was observed from an anchored ship, moving fast over the water in a circular course about fifteen feet above it. A Los Angeles Herald Examiner dispatch mentioned a red fireball moving over the American-German front lines during the Battle of Normandy, remaining motionless for fifteen minutes. Barry Greenwood of CAUS uncovered fifteen mission reports from the 415th Night Fighter Squadron in the National Archives, including one where a night fighter encountered two sets of lights that blinked out and then shot up 2000-3000 feet.

Crop Circle Formation in Cottage Grove, MN (July 25, 2004)

This section, by Dean DeHarpPorte, MN MUFON Field Investigator, details a crop circle event in Cottage Grove, Minnesota. On July 25, 2004, a farmer discovered five crop circles in his oat field. The farmer, described as prominent and logical, believed hoaxers could not have accessed the field without disturbing the crop, citing a locked chain link fence and the lack of damage to oat stalks. The circles were approximately 75 feet from the road. The investigation was conducted by certified Minnesota MUFON investigators on August 8. By this time, the oat crop had been harvested, making precise measurements difficult. However, soil and magnetic sampling were performed. Preliminary results from magnetic sampling indicated tiny iron particles in and around the circles, with a higher density outside the circles than within, which is consistent with the plasma vortex theory. A control drag sample was taken extending 100 feet from Circle D. Notably, no magnetic anomalies were detected by compass, and local residents and their animals reported nothing unusual. The article also references other sources for crop circle information and provides contact details for the South Washington County Bulletin.

Litchfield, Minnesota Crop Circle

Another crop circle event is reported from Litchfield, Minnesota, discovered on July 11, 2004, likely occurring on July 9-10. BLT fieldworkers found an extensive area of randomly-downed barley crop. A meteorologist on the team initially attributed the downed crop to heavy thunderstorms, but noted that the plants were bent at the base rather than broken, and observed atypical node elongation. The crop was laid at various angles with abrupt boundaries. No electromagnetic anomalies were reported by the owner.

Retracing the Interrupted Journey

This article, by Craig R. Lang, MS, CHt, revisits the famous Betty and Barney Hill UFO abduction case of 1961, documented in John C. Fuller's book 'The Interrupted Journey.' Lang recounts how reading the book profoundly impacted him, launching a lifelong quest to understand UFO phenomena. He met Betty Hill at a 2002 MUFON conference and later learned the location of the abduction site. Lang describes his attempts to find the site, first with his wife Gwyn, and later with Kathleen Marden, Betty Hill's niece. Their initial search led them to a beautiful, functional field that seemed ideal for a UFO landing. A subsequent search, aided by Kathleen's more precise directions, located the site more easily, though a new house had recently been built there. Lang also discusses finding the location where Barney Hill was mentally captured by the aliens' eyes. The site is now a business, and Lang was able to speak with the manager, who connected him with the owner, who was familiar with the case.

Other Articles and Features

• Greys Before Betty and Barney Hill: This piece by JohnWW discusses early sightings of 'grey' aliens in Italy and France in the 1940s and 1950s.
• Black Vault Radio Network: An announcement for a new radio show hosted by John Greenewald, Jr., exploring declassified government documents on UFOs and military secrets. The show, 'Real X-Files,' premiered on August 21st and features guests like Dean Haglund.
• Polish Military Have Orders to Shoot Down UFOs: A report citing the Polish newspaper Fakt, stating that Polish military personnel have orders to shoot down UFOs, a move that UFO proponents believe makes a negative assumption about the nature of unknown flying objects.
• Aztec to premiere UFO documentary: This article by Debra Mayeux announces the release of a Canadian film company's documentary on the infamous Aztec UFO crash of 1948. The film aims to elevate the story to a national level of discussion, with researchers Scott Ramsey and Leanne Hathcock working to verify details and identify eyewitnesses.
• Just published...: A listing for Raymond E. Fowler's book 'SynchroFile: Amazing Personal Encounters With Synchronicity And Other Amazing Phenomena.'
• Interesting Websites: Links to the NIDS website on collecting evidence of extraterrestrial activity and a site questioning NASA's editing of images.

Quote of the Day

The issue features a quote attributed to Arthur Schopenhauer: "All truth passes through three stages: First, it is ridiculed; Second, it is violently opposed; and Third, it is accepted as self-evident."

Minnesota MUFON Information

Contact information for Minnesota MUFON State Director Richard Moss, Assistant State Director Bill McNeff, Field Investigator Coordinator Craig Lang, and Journal Editor Joel Henry is provided. Details for the MN MUFON Web Page, MUFONET, and the National MUFON Hotline are also included. The journal welcomes news and editorial contributions.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The Minnesota MUFON Journal consistently focuses on UFO phenomena, historical cases, and contemporary sightings and investigations. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into unexplained aerial phenomena, encouraging research and the sharing of information. The inclusion of articles on 'Foo Fighters,' crop circles, and abduction cases, alongside news about UFO documentaries and radio shows, indicates a broad interest in the subject. The journal also highlights the importance of documentation and research, as seen in the Aztec UFO crash investigation and the work of Barry Greenwood.

The scanned document is not a magazine issue but a blank page with a watermark. The watermark states: "This document was created with Win2PDF available at http://www.daneprairie.com. The unregistered version of Win2PDF is for evaluation or non-commercial use only."

Content Analysis

No articles, features, or any substantive content typically found in a magazine issue are present in this scan. The only discernible text relates to the software used to generate the PDF.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

As there is no magazine content, no themes or editorial stance can be determined from this document.