New England UFO Newsletter - No 20 - 1980 10

Magazine Overview

This issue of the New England UFO Newsletter, dated October 1980 and identified as Whole Number 20, focuses on several UFO sightings and investigations primarily within Massachusetts and Maine. The cover story details a daylight disc sighting investigated by Ray Fowler.

Daylight Disc Appears to Descend Toward Radio Telescope (Ipswich, Massachusetts)

Investigated by Ray Fowler, this report describes a sighting on October 6, 1980, at 5:50 PM EDT, by a couple referred to as H (husband) and W (wife). While on their sun deck, the husband noticed the sun flashing off an object in the air. Initially mistaking it for an airplane, he realized it was not as it tumbled end-over-end and descended slowly. The object was described as round and "cylindrical." Alerted, the wife joined him, and they observed the object traveling directly overhead. It appeared to descend toward the Sagamore Hill Radio Telescope Installation and was lost to view behind trees. Ray Fowler was informed of the sighting at 6:15 PM and found no additional witnesses. His report indicates the object was traveling against the wind, suggesting it was not windborn.

Lights in the Rain at Mars Hill, Maine

This report, dated May 14, 1980, at 9:15 PM EDT, describes a sighting by Mr. John P. Day, a resident of Hamilton, Massachusetts, while traveling near Mars Hill, Maine, in heavy rain. He observed lights that went by his car and hovered ahead. Initially thought to be a low-flying aircraft, the objects hovered in close formation, then "took off" at "incredible speed" and disappeared. Three objects were noted, each with lights. Day estimated his observation time at about five minutes. The objects were described as having outlines and being twice the size of a full moon. At one point, they seemed to descend. No sounds were noted. The editor thanks Joe Santangelo, Massachusetts State Director for MUFON, for making reports available.

Worcester, Mass., July 12, 1980 (continued from previous issue)

This article, by Joe Nyman, continues the investigation into a case previously discussed. Additional interviews were conducted on September 20, 1980, with witnesses Timothy Bump (age 10), and sisters Danise Loewe (11), Laurie Loewe (10), and Becky Loewe (9). The investigator interviewed Timothy Bump, who sketched what he saw and related the events. The Loewe sisters were then interviewed. The children and investigator reenacted the events. On July 12, 1980, between 7:10-7:15 PM EDT, the children were playing when their attention was caught by an object in the northeast, emitting a humming sound. They concluded it was a UFO as it hovered at an elevation of 40 degrees. Curious features noted included a red or orange rudder and white or yellow "windows." The object inverted itself, turning on its long axis, and began to rotate clockwise. During the second rotation, the object released a small green or green and white object which fell out of sight. Seven-year-old Scott Evans witnessed the object return to its original orientation and then move southeast. Tim and one Loewe sister pursued it up Barclay Street, losing sight of it behind rooftops, as did Evans. Two sisters remaining near the vacant lot also lost sight of the object.

Witness sketches by Timothy Bump and Danise Loewe are included, showing objects with lights and colored features. William Evans' drawing of a Worcester object from July 22, 1980, is compared to a drawing from Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1966.

Man Made Object Check

An investigation into the possibility of the Worcester object being man-made included checks with weather observation agencies, which found no weather balloons or equipment in the air. The possibility of a radio-controlled model aircraft was considered, but an acquaintance knowledgeable in the field estimated the reported maneuvers were beyond current capabilities. A hobby shop reported no UFO radio-controlled kits. The investigator visited a local hobby shop and checked a radio control model magazine, finding only a radio-controlled helicopter, whose capabilities when inverted were unknown. The assessment concludes that there is insufficient information for a firm conclusion, labeling it a "possible unknown" or "possible known."

Recent Brief Reports from the Investigations of Steve Putnam

Steve Putnam, a professional engineer and UFO investigator, submits several brief reports:

• Randolph, Massachusetts, September 5, 1980, 5:30 PM EDT: Three teenagers observed a circular, red glowing object. Initial size estimates varied, with one later comparing it to about 1/4 of a full moon. The object blinked and moved in a long arc before vanishing at an estimated 10 degrees elevation. A faint rumble and humming sounds were heard. Witness sketches by Adam Kantrovitz and Paul Burroughs show a rounded object with red and bright red features, possibly with a cloud underneath.
• Randolph, Massachusetts, September 6, 1980, 3:00 AM EDT: Jennifer Ross heard a sequence of electronic sounds (bleep, bloop, whirr) coming from behind Adam's house.
• Pembroke, Massachusetts, July 8, 1930, Dusk: Mr. Greg Roach observed a bright purplish-white light, like a strobe, moving from NW to SE. It appeared to be below the clouds, and a football-shaped object was seen as it passed through a patch of clear sky.
• Hull, Massachusetts, April 11, 1980, 6:15-6:20 PM EDT: Mr. Steve Shuman observed an unusual object hovering and rocking near the WBZ radio towers.

Subscription Information

The NEUFO News is published quarterly (January, April, July, October). A four-issue subscription is $5.00 postpaid in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Overseas rates are $7.00 by surface mail or $11.00 by air mail. Checks should be made payable to New England UFO News and sent to J. Nyman, 19 Longmeadow Road, Medfield, Massachusetts 02052.

Editor's Comment

The editor discusses the dilemma of classifying UFO reports, suggesting that the category "Insufficient Information" should be used legitimately. He notes that investigator bias can influence judgments, leading to cases being labeled as UFO or IFO. The existence of this category, however, might help in defining unknowns more sharply through the accumulation of well-defined cases.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are detailed UFO sighting reports, witness testimonies, and the challenges of investigation and classification. The editorial stance, as expressed in the Editor's Comment, emphasizes a cautious and analytical approach to UFO phenomena, acknowledging the role of insufficient information and potential investigator bias in forming conclusions. The publication appears committed to presenting a wide range of reports and encouraging further investigation.

This issue of UFO Magazine, dated October 1980, presents a collection of intriguing reports and investigations into unexplained aerial phenomena. The cover highlights an "Ice ball mystery still up in air" from Holliston, Massachusetts, and also mentions a sighting in Fort Benning, Georgia. The magazine delves into several cases, including a 1930 sighting, a 1980 report from Sturbridge, Massachusetts, a 1938 sighting in Upton, Massachusetts, a 1969 case from Macon, Missouri, and the aforementioned Holliston incident.

Fort Benning, Georgia - January 1930

John Zaniboni, on guard duty in Fort Benning, Georgia, reportedly witnessed a reddish-orange glowing object hovering at low altitude for approximately five minutes. The object then ascended rapidly at a 45-degree angle and sped away. A sketch from the witness's perspective is included.

Sturbridge Revisited - April 6, 1980

This section revisits a report from the July 1980 issue concerning a flyover near the Sturbridge exit of the Massachusetts Turnpike. It details a new report from the IUFOR section of "Frontiers of Science" magazine (Sept-Oct 1980) about a CE I (Close Encounter of the First Kind) UFO sighting within 500 feet, occurring just three days after the previously reported incident. The location is identified as Sturbridge, Connecticut, though the article clarifies that the event likely took place near the Massachusetts tollgate, similar to the Marcil case of April 3rd. On April 6, 1980, at 9 PM EST, William Meara, his wife, and their baby reported seeing a red blur resolve into a 30-foot main disc with two smaller outboard discs. The object passed directly overhead at an estimated height of only thirty feet. Despite sticking his head out the window, Mr. Meara heard no sound. The UFO moved towards the tollbooth and then climbed away at a 45-degree angle. Although "twenty other cars" preceded the Mearas at the tollbooth, no other witnesses came forward. Following the sighting, Mr. Meara's 1977 Oldsmobile "acted completely dead" when he tried to start it 30 minutes later, but it started normally the next morning. CUFOS investigator Larry Fawcett was unable to identify the object as conventional.

An Interesting Report - Upton, MA., May 9, 1938

This article, referencing a clipping service from Barry Greenwood, presents a report from the Milford Daily News of May 10, 1938, about strange lights seen by a group of young men in North Upton, Massachusetts. The young men, returning from the woods with torn clothes and scratched faces, had been trying to find the source of strange lights. While resting on a wall, they observed a white luminous object drift lazily skyward above the trees, then burst into a blinding white light and disappear. They pursued the lights into the woods, estimating they were about half a mile away. The lights were drifting skyward at a rate of about one per minute. Suddenly, the lights increased, and about 25 of them ascended skyward with little time between them before ceasing altogether. The group continued to the estimated source but found no trace, only a smoky area with a strange, undefinable scent. They planned to return to the location and spend a weekend there. A follow-up note on May 13 indicates the youths intended to camp at the site.

Another Case With Magnification Effects

This section references a previous report from San Pietro Avellana, Italy, concerning magnification field effects. Brent Raynes forwarded a 1969 case from The Courier Post (Hannibal, Missouri, March 6, 1969) titled "UFO SIGHTINGS EXCITE CITIZENS AROUND MACON." The report details an experience by William Overstreet of Elmer, Missouri. On a Tuesday morning around 6:40 AM, while driving to work on Macon County Route J, Overstreet saw an unusually bright light to the south. He described it as a reddish ball about 100 feet in diameter, so bright he had to shield his eyes. A yellow border moved clockwise around the object. It made no noise and cruised about 30 feet above the road at 40 miles per hour. As he drove beneath it, a beam of white light focused on the road, magnifying everything seen through it. The object then veered north and circled southeast, remaining close to the ground. Overstreet later found no one who had seen the object.

Ice Ball Mystery Still Up In Air - Holliston, Massachusetts

This article from The Middlesex News (Sept. 10, 1980) reports on an incident in Holliston, Massachusetts, where twelve-year-old John McClennan witnessed three ice balls fall from the sky on August 26th. One was the size of a softball, and the other two were baseball-sized. They hit the ground about 20 feet away. The ice balls had a mysterious yellowish surface and a pink center. The police took the ice balls to the State Police for analysis, which determined they were 99 percent water and 1 percent vegetable matter. Holliston Police Officer Bruce McKinnon stated they could not explain what the objects were or where they came from. The FAA confirmed that Holliston is not in the path of regular air traffic routes, making it unlikely they were dropped from a plane. While planes can accumulate ice, it typically falls in sheets and is not spherical, nor would it contain vegetable matter. Mrs. McClennan dismissed the possibility of hail due to the ice balls' color. The police initially downplayed the incident, but the origin and nature of the ice balls remain unexplained.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently focuses on unexplained aerial phenomena, presenting witness testimonies, investigative reports, and attempts to correlate sightings with potential physical evidence or unusual effects. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, presenting cases without definitive conclusions, and encouraging further investigation. There is an emphasis on documenting sightings and exploring possible explanations, even if they are unconventional. The inclusion of a map of Massachusetts cases highlights a regional focus for some reports.