NICAP Reporter - Vol 2 No 01 - 10 1963 - No 13

Magazine Overview

Title: N. I. C. A. P. REPORTER
Issue Date: October 1963
Publisher: National Investigations Commission on Aerial Phenomena
Document Type: Magazine Issue

This issue of the N. I. C. A. P. REPORTER, Volume 2, Number 1, Issue 13, dated October 1963, presents a collection of reports on unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) and related incidents from various locations around the world. The cover features a quote from the U.S. Air Force stating that UAP have not posed a threat to national security.

Reports of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena and Possible Related Incidents

Air Cadets Report Mystery Aerial Object

Nine members of the Bebington 1123 Air Training Corps Squadron in England reported seeing an unidentifiable flying object on the night of May 21, 1963. Cadet Warrent Officer Jeffrey Green described the object as being in the shape of a sphere sliced in two, brilliant gold in color, and estimated to be at an altitude of about 50,000 feet. It reportedly hovered for about three seconds and then disappeared very quickly, climbing in a westerly direction. Mr. Green, who works in the Nuclear Physics Research Laboratory at Liverpool University, stated the object was unlike anything seen in aircraft recognition classes. Bromborough police received no reports of such sightings.

Flying Objects Reported Over Indonesia

On June 7, 1963, townspeople in Bangkalan, on the isle of Madura, Indonesia, reported seeing mysterious glowing lights. An official Indonesian news agency reported that a brilliant shining object, visible for 25 minutes, curved out of the southwest and disappeared into northwestern skies around 9 p.m. Islanders noted that such phenomena had been common recently.

'Mystery Thump' Rocks Two-County Area

On a Friday evening, a 'thump' was heard and felt across a two-county area in Washington state, USA, including the Twin Cities, Bucoda, and Tenino. Law enforcement offices were inundated with calls, but officers could only confirm they felt it. A spokesman at McChord AFB in Tacoma stated there were no jets in the area at that time, leaving the cause of the 'thump' unexplained.

Mystery Object Over Hong Kong

On the night of June 1, 1963, residents on the Peak in Hong Kong observed a bright object, colored green, red, and yellow, shooting across the sky and illuminating the harbor. It moved from east to west at a considerable height and appeared to break into two pieces before disappearing. The Royal Observatory did not report seeing the phenomenon.

Boys Spot Object in Sky Here

On the evening of June 14, 1963, several Richmond Little Leaguers in California, USA, observed an unidentified flying object glowing brightly and moving slowly from south to north. Neighbors also witnessed the object, which was described as not being a plane. The sighting lasted at least five minutes before the object disappeared into overcast skies. During the sighting, radio and television sets experienced erratic interference. Police reported no other calls regarding the event.

Semi-Paralysis of Witnesses

A woman in Durban, South Africa, reported an incident on June 17, 1963, while traveling with two other adults. They saw a light approaching, stopped their car, and observed a circular, domed object at a distance of 200-300 yards and a height of 300 feet. The object hovered for about ten minutes before moving away. Witnesses reported feeling a peculiar sensation of being charged with electricity and even semi-paralysed, though there was no sound. They chose not to report it due to fear of ridicule.

Baffling Marks in the Barley

In Charlton, Wiltshire, England, mysterious marks appeared in a barley field near Donhead St. Mary. The marks included a hole five inches in diameter, going down vertically between 2 and 3 feet, with 4-foot long radiating marks. Bomb disposal experts visited the scene and were puzzled. The marks were discovered on Mr. Roy Blanchard's Manor Farm about a week prior to the report. A southern Command spokesman noted radiating slots where there was no barley but no sign of burning. The small hole was surrounded by a depression about eight feet in diameter. Villagers described it as if something had landed with a thump and taken off again.

New Theories on That Hole

Reports from July 18, 1963, indicated that the mysterious marks in the Charlton field were getting bigger. Bomb disposal people dug out earth, and village boys were seen prodding the hole. A bomb disposal squad from Horsham inspected the scene, noting that something had definitely hit the ground with a 'hell of a thump,' and the radiating marks suggested it was very hot.

Crater Mystery Deepens

Further findings on Farmer Roy Blanchard's land were described as 'fantastic' by an Army Bomb Disposal expert. These included seven more round holes and two large circles of flattened grain in adjoining fields, along with a burned hedgerow and tracks. Helicopters were used in an expanded probe. Dr. Robert Randall reported the new holes, which were in a direct line from the original crater. There were also two circles of flattened earth and strange tracks through the barley. An Army expert took samples of burned cow parsley and fern for analysis. Three circular 'craters' were noted, about 250 paces apart. Dr. Randall believed they were caused by the tripod feet of a space research ship. He mentioned similar tracks found in France and Australia. Pc Anthony Penny, a local police officer, reported seeing a burning orange object flashing through the sky on July 10, heading towards Farmer Blanchard's field.

British Kill Off Space Fantasy

On July 25, 1963, the British Army reportedly concluded that the hole in Roy Blanchard's potato patch was caused by a meteorite. An eight-foot-wide crater had been found, prompting speculation. The Army found a half-pound lump of matter, believed to be a meteorite, which was sent to the British Museum for investigation.

Village Not Surprised It's Still A Thing

Despite the meteorite explanation, people in Charlton, Wiltshire, were not surprised. They felt a meteorite would have been too simple an answer. A fist-sized chunk brought up by Army sappers was examined at the British Museum and pronounced to be iron pyrites, an iron and sulphur compound. The cause of the hole and its surrounding 'cartwheel' remained unexplained. An Army spokesman stated the matter was closed, but flying disc supporters remained convinced.

Commons Statement on The Thing

A War Minister stated in the House of Commons that the Army Bomb Disposal team had found no conclusive evidence regarding the cause of the crater at Charlton, Wiltshire. The small object initially thought to be a meteorite appeared to be a piece of local rock and not the cause of the crater.

Another Mystery Crater Found

On July 19, 1963, Colin Hood discovered a ten-foot-wide shallow hole on his father's farm at Flamborough Head, England. The hole was not there when the land was previously worked. It had jagged edges and was surrounded by cracks, with earth scattered around it.

Craters Fuzzle on Hillside

Two craters, similar to those found in England, were discovered on July 23, 1963, in hilly ground above Cockburnspath, Scotland. Police and Army experts were investigating. The craters were irregular in shape, about 16 feet in diameter and two to three feet deep, and twelve feet apart. Numerous channels radiated from them, and sods of grass and earth were scattered over the area. About 35 feet from the craters, a series of holes were found. Police admitted they appeared similar to the disc-shaped crater found in Dorset.

And Now Holland

A squarish hole, about 12 feet deep and more than 6 feet across, was discovered in a meadow on the northernmost Dutch North Sea island of Schiermonnikoog three weeks prior to the report. Ministry of Defense spokesmen stated that Air Force specialists and a munitions expert were flown to the island and were 'completely mystified.' A special report to N.I.C.A.P. confirmed the discovery, describing the hole as if a huge cylinder had been pressed into the sand. The grass was sharply cut, and no traces of material or scorching were found.

Multi-Colored Ball of Fire Falls From Sky, Witnesses Report

On Thursday, July 11, 1963, reports of bright objects falling from a sunny sky poured in from Alpine to Hobbs, New Mexico, and Lubbock, Texas. Dozens of Alpine residents sighted an object that appeared to have hit the ground. Kirby Killion described it as a large, multi-colored tear-drop shape, like a ball of fire. Mrs. Mary Ellen Kimbell estimated the object hit the ground not less than two miles from her ranch, but no trace was found. Dave Medley witnessed the fireball burning and changing colors as it fell. Carroll Schoenewolf, a graduate student, believed it landed near the college campus.

"It" Was Seen Over Pecos

Three Pecos, Texas residents reported seeing a 'real shiny' object pass over Pecos between 8:00 and 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 11, 1963. Witnesses believed the object hit the ground just north of their observation points. One witness's husband, in Orla, also saw a shiny disc, and another resident, living six miles north of Pecos, thought the object hit ground north of her location.

Streaks Across the Sky--City Men Report Sighting Mysterious "Green Flash"

Two Texas Tech maintenance workers reported seeing bright objects on the morning of July 11, 1963. J.W. Page described the object as having a 'beautiful green color' and saw it flash by on the Texas Tech campus. Leon Moreno also reported seeing the flash, which lasted 'for a brief second' around 8:55 a.m.

Hobbsans Sight Mysterious Light

Two residents in Hobbs, New Mexico, reported seeing a mysterious green light streak across the sky in broad daylight on July 11, 1963. Fred Ellison described it as a 'large, bright ball with a small tail extending behind it,' possibly a meteor but the largest he had ever seen. James Brant described the light as having a greenish tinge.

Roundup of Miscellaneous News Items

New Trackers Kill UFO's

Reports suggest that the new Air Force space surveillance radar system, called Haystack, can detect objects as small as a dime 1,000 miles away. This capability implies that any so-called unidentified flying objects would be spotted unless they are extremely small, leading to the conclusion that UAP sightings might decrease as detection technology improves.

Flying Disc Myth(?) Continues to Persist

Robert J. Serling, UPI Aviation Editor, notes that while the Air Force is dubious about flying objects, they are still investigating them. General interest in UAP has waned with the rise of satellites and manned orbital flights. However, flying object clubs persist, and some believe UFOs come from other planets. An incident in London involving a mysterious thing that blew down a farmer's barley field and made a crater, initially thought to be a meteorite, is mentioned.

Mysterious Holes

This section summarizes several incidents from July 1963 involving mysterious holes and craters. A 15-ft. wide crater was found near Flamborough Head, England, with an unidentified flying object reported in the same area. Schoolboys claimed to have sighted a flying object over Roundhay Park woods in Leeds. Further holes were found in Dorset and East Lothian, England. The Dorset hole, about eight feet wide and a foot deep, had potatoes and barley disappear without being crushed, and a cow nearby appeared to have been scorched. In Westmorland, more holes were reported, connected by a huge channel to a river. One farmer wondered if they were connected to his recent loss of 40 sheep. The Flamborough Head crater was weakly attributed to lightning, while Army experts concluded the Dorset hole was neither a meteorite nor a bomb. Questions were tabled in Parliament. The article notes that flying object enthusiasts believe these holes were made by craft from other planets. Approximately 70,000 people have claimed to have seen flying objects.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The N. I. C. A. P. REPORTER consistently presents reports of UAP sightings and physical evidence, often highlighting the skepticism or inconclusive findings of official investigations. The magazine appears to lean towards the belief that UAP are real phenomena, possibly of extraterrestrial origin, and encourages public reporting and investigation. There is an underlying theme of official downplaying or dismissal of UAP incidents, contrasted with the persistent reports from credible witnesses and the ongoing interest from organizations like NICAP. The publication actively solicits news clippings from its subscribers to aid its research.