NICAP Reporter - Vol 1 No 11 - 08 1963 - No 11

Magazine Overview

Title: N. I. C. A. P. REPORTER
Issue: Vol. 1 No. 11
Date: August 1963
Publisher: National Investigations Commission on Aerial Phenomena
Country: USA
Language: English

This issue of the N.I.C.A.P. REPORTER, published in August 1963, focuses on a collection of reports concerning unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) and possible related incidents. The cover features a quote from the U.S. Air Force stating that, to date, no UAP has given any indication of threat to national security. The publication aims to document and investigate such occurrences.

Reports of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena and Possible Related Incidents

Strange Ball of Flame Seen in Hollister, California (April 5, 1963) Residents from San Francisco to San Diego reported seeing a strange orange ball of flame over Hollister around 9 p.m. Mr. and Mrs. Sam Martin described it as 'about the size of a football,' which seemed to stop and start before disappearing, only to reappear and circle the hills until 9:15 p.m. The object reportedly let off smoke while stationary and moved slowly. Residents in the Palo Alto area also saw a 'bright ball' that grew larger before disintegrating over the hills.

Special Report to N.I.C.A.P. - Santa Barbara, California (April 4, 1963) Two witnesses at the Santa Barbara drive-in theatre observed several lights in a V-shaped pattern traveling at high speed in a northeasterly direction around 9 p.m. Initially mistaken for bugs, the lights were soon recognized as being directly overhead. The lights were described as very small and moving very fast. The observation lasted approximately ten seconds, with seven or eight lights noted in the formation.

Special Report to N.I.C.A.P. - Arizona Desert (April 5, 1963) A witness traveling towards California from the Arizona desert reported a red glow appearing in the sky. Within minutes, a whitish, transparent object formed, taking a shape similar to a huge dirigible. After driving towards it for about forty-five minutes, the white form disappeared, leaving a lingering red glow. The witness described the sight as 'awesome' and expressed fear that others would not believe their account.

Special Report to N.I.C.A.P. - Barstow, California (April 5, 1963) While traveling west on U.S. 66, about 35 miles east of Barstow, a luminescent streak or streamer was observed in the semi-dark sky. Described as about 1/2 degree thick and 5 degrees long, it was followed by a bright purplish-blue-green light with a tail, resembling a hood formed by a speeding projectile. This bright spot disappeared after one to two minutes, but the luminescent cloud remained for some time before evaporating.

Glowing Fireballs Seen Over Hollister (Third Evening in a Row) Glowing fireballs were reported in the skies over Hollister for the third consecutive evening. Emma Valderrama and her family saw a bright red ball trailing white smoke around 2 a.m. Sunday. Hundreds of people had reported similar phenomena on Thursday and Friday nights, with sightings extending from San Diego to San Francisco.

Special Report to N.I.C.A.P. - San Luis Obispo, California (April 7, 1963) A witness studying late noticed an object approaching from the north. The object passed directly overhead, following a southerly path. It was described as being about twice the size of a low-flying Boeing 707, with an immense wing span, and estimated to be traveling between 900 to 1200 m.p.h. The witness noted the absence of sound, ruling out the possibility of a conventional aircraft.

Residents Spot Streaking Light - Missoula, Montana (April 20, 1963) A yellow and orange light was reported streaking across the sky approximately five miles southwest of Missoula. Sheriff's officers were notified, and Federal Aviation Agency officials at Missoula County Airport stated there were no known aircraft in the area at the time.

Mystery Sphere Seen - Rotorua, New Zealand Alwyn Green, a 19-year-old Forest Service employee in Rotorua, reported seeing a flying object in the hills. While others heard a 'real weird swish, whooshing noise,' Green claimed to have seen a round black sphere that stopped momentarily before taking off with a loud swish. The witnesses described themselves as reasonable individuals not prone to 'silly nonsense.'

Flying Object Chased Car, Says Youth - South Australia (May 20, 1963) A 17-year-old youth reported that a mysterious flying object chased his car. The object, initially appearing as a truck or bulldozer, emitted a bright light that dazzled him. When the youth sped up, the object moved across the road and hovered above his car as he drove underneath. The light was described as being as bright as an arc light used in electric welding.

Bright Flashes in the Sky - Western States (April 24, 1963) A series of bright flashes mystified observers across the western states between 7:45 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. The Air Traffic Control Center received calls from all over, but the cause of the phenomenon remained unknown.

Glowing Object Flashes Over Bay Area - San Francisco, California (April 24, 1963) A large glowing object, described as 'greenish colored with a red-orange tail,' flashed down through Bay area skies at 10:45 p.m., curving toward the Oakland hills. An observer noted a flaming tail 'apparently several thousand feet long,' and the object burned itself out at an altitude of 1,000 feet.

Fireball Flashes Over State - Northern California (April 24, 1963) A bright greenish-white flash, apparently caused by a large fireball, was seen slanting down through the atmosphere over most of Northern California. Residents in several cities reported seeing the object as it passed in an easterly direction around 10:45 p.m.

Green Fire Seen Over Lodi, California (April 24, 1963) A falling object, described as a 'space phenomenon man didn't make,' was witnessed by Lodi residents around 10:50 p.m. The 'green ball of flame' fell in a southerly direction and was witnessed from Salt Lake City, Utah, westward.

Mysterious Flash Sighted in East - Nevada (April 24, 1963) Civil Defense offices and the Air Force were investigating reports of a brilliant, white flash that appeared over Nevada at 10:49 p.m. Reports were received from various locations in Nevada and California.

Special Report to N.I.C.A.P. - Carson City, Nevada (April 23, 1963) A witness observed a very bright blue streak in the sky, appearing to streak downward like a meteor but with a wider, more brilliant path. The color was ultra-violet or blue-white, possibly 6,000 degrees K or above. The object's speed was slower than a meteor, and its glow lingered longer. The witness reported it to the police and determined its angles of observation. Initial reports from Civil Defense and the Air Force suggested it was a meteor shower or a magnesium flare.

Aerial Explosions Jolt Orange County, California Orange County residents reported what appeared to be aerial explosions, with the first blast occurring around 7:29 p.m. The jolts were felt strongly in Fullerton, and subsequent blasts were also reported. About 30 to 40 residents called about the noise, with some reporting broken windows and cracks in their homes.

Special Report to N.I.C.A.P. - Salinas, California to Gilroy, California (April 25, 1963) A huge, black ring was observed moving slowly over the ocean vicinity while traveling on Highway 101. The object was watched for 10 minutes before it seemed to disappear into clouds. Local newspapers were contacted, but no accounting of the event had been published.

Mysterious 5-Minute Boom Jars Area - Hollywood, California (April 27, 1963) What appeared to be an aerial explosion shook sections of the Wilshire district, flooding police switchboards with calls. Local residents reported shaking of floors and walls and a prolonged noise lasting three to five minutes. No damage was reported.

Object in Sky - Lisle Eyers, Mt. Zion, Wisconsin (May 9, 1963) Lisle Eyers, a farmer, observed a strange object flashing red and white high in the sky while watching softball. Later, as he drove home, a jet plane came into view, and then the red and white object shot straight up into the air at tremendous speed and disappeared.

Special Report to N.I.C.A.P. - Santa Barbara, California (May 6, 1963) A witness observed a star-like object moving in a northwesterly direction. Closer observation revealed it was much larger than a star and not a plane. The object moved in a straight line at considerable speed and had a distinct white-yellow, completely round light.

Scan Mystery Sky Object - New Orleans, Louisiana (May 7, 1963) A mysterious, undulating streamer floating high above the business section caused onlookers to crane their necks. Forecaster E.L. Hill observed the phenomenon, describing it as a broad strip of flimsy, silk-thin material. Two smaller pieces and fragments fell to the ground. The U.S. Naval Air Station sent up a plane to investigate, but the object had vanished upon arrival.

Composition of Aerial Flotsam High Above City Remains Mystery - New Orleans, Louisiana (May 8, 1963) Further details on the aerial flotsam reported over New Orleans. Theories ranged from lightweight ash to disintegrated space ships. A Beechcraft airplane sent to investigate found that the material had vanished.

Roundup of Miscellaneous News Items

Mystery Object in Space - Parkes, New South Wales, Australia (March 19, 1963) The radio telescope at Parkes discovered a 'mysterious star-like object' (30273) streaking away from Earth at 30,000 miles per second. Astronomers were baffled, proposing theories that it could be a distant galaxy, a star composed of unknown matter, or matter being ejected from a star. Its position was shared with American experts at Mt. Palomar.

Earth Life Hard to See From Space, Says Scientist - Warsaw, Poland (June 9) Carl Z. Sagan of Harvard University stated that an astronomer on Mars would likely be unable to prove the existence of life on Earth, even with advanced equipment. While city lights might be detected, atomic explosions would not be conclusive proof. Of 80,000 satellite photographs of Earth, only one could be interpreted as showing biological life. Sagan noted that changing dark areas on Mars are suggestive of life but not conclusive evidence.

Soviet Scan Mars - Moscow, June 20 Soviet scientists reported that a two-million mile radar probe of Mars showed sizable flat areas on the planet's surface.

Aussies Find Mysterious Spheres - Sydney, Australia (July 12) 'Mystery spheres' were being found in Australia at a rate of about one a month. Sphere No. 1, found in April, was 14 inches in diameter, weighed 12 pounds, and was made of a metal that defied hacksaws. Sphere No. 2 weighed 18 pounds and was 16 inches in diameter. A third sphere, found recently, was six inches in diameter and had a hole in it.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the consistent reporting of unexplained aerial phenomena across various locations and the efforts by organizations like NICAP to document these events. The editorial stance appears to be one of serious investigation and documentation, presenting witness accounts without immediate judgment, while also including scientific perspectives on space and the possibility of extraterrestrial life. The publication emphasizes the need for further investigation into these phenomena.