NICAP Reporter - Vol 2 No 03 - 12 1963 - No 15

Magazine Overview

Title: N. I. C. A. P. REPORTER
Issue: No. 15
Volume: 2
Date: December 1963
Publisher: National Investigations Commission on Aerial Phenomena
Country: USA
Document Type: Magazine Issue

Reports of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena and Possible Related Incidents

This issue of the NICAP Reporter presents a collection of eyewitness accounts of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) from various locations, primarily from late 1963.

Rubidoux Area, California Sighting

A significant report details a UAP observed for two hours in the Rubidoux area of California. Residents, including A.W. Creech, Betty Ables, and her children Danny and Sue, described a red glow hovering in the sky. The object was seen by children playing in their yards around 9 p.m. on a Tuesday. It was described as having a silver dome and antennae where the glow and dome met. Children on Vista de Oro saw it fly over the hills from the direction of Corona. Witnesses agreed on its location and duration. The object allegedly hovered for an hour, then moved slowly towards Mt. Rubidoux, remaining there for another hour before rising suddenly and disappearing. Children who saw it earlier noted the silvery dome over the glow and the antennae. A.W. Creech stated it was not a plane and acted "real funny," hovering, stopping, and then going straight up. He described it as a "big red deal." His son Pat initially thought it was a missile from March Air Force Base but noted it looked different up close. Sue Ables observed that the glow was not round but developed points like a star as it left. This was confirmed by Steven Wyly, who viewed it through binoculars. Chris Wyly thought it was a weather balloon. Mrs. Ables expressed fear that something was about to explode. There was no audible noise, though some thought they heard a slight humming. No heat was detected. Residents of Corona reported a "jet plane" flying low the same night, but those near Rubidoux High were certain the object was not a plane. March Air Force officials declined to comment.

Australian Sightings

Three Men Report Flying Object: Three young men reported seeing a bright orange crescent in the sky on the Stuart Highway in Australia on July 25, 1963. They observed it for 7 to 10 minutes, describing it as "shaped like a football cut in two" and "like a banana," and noted that it made no noise. The report is credited to Fred P. Stone.

Was It a Flying Disc?: Arnold Maslin, a dairy farmer from Hindmarsh Tiers, believed he saw a flying disc on July 25, 1963, around 9:45 p.m. The object was described as about 30 feet long, resembling a new moon on its back with an orange glow at the center and pointed at one end. Mr. Maslin and his 11-year-old son watched it for about ten minutes before it disappeared. The following night, Mr. Maslin, his wife, eldest daughter, and two younger children saw an orange light low in the western sky while traveling home from a drive-in theatre. It was visible for about a minute before disappearing towards Green Hills. Mr. Maslin stated, "It was a terrific size and too big to be a moving light. I have never seen anything like it before." The report is from the Victor Harbour News.

Pacific Northwest Sighting

Unusual Flying Disc Type Whatzit Gives Trucker Scare: Jim Wheeler, a truck driver from St. Helens, Washington, reported an unusual phenomenon early one Friday morning near the Maryhill museum. He saw a flash in his truck's mirror, then a second flash caused him to look left. He observed a huge, disc-shaped object giving off an eerie light, about 1,000 feet in the air and at a 45-degree angle from the ground. The object displayed lights of "all the colors of the rainbow, and then some." Wheeler described the object's construction as resembling "loops of fluorescent tubing." He estimated its size to be between 35 and 50 feet across and about 20 feet thick. The object followed his truck for about twenty minutes as he climbed a long hill. Wheeler reported that the object tipped over on its side, revealing a glowing white top, made a sharp turn to the right, and disappeared over the hill. Another truck driver, traveling about a mile behind Wheeler, corroborated the sighting. Wheeler reported the incident to the Air Force in Portland. The report includes a special note from James E. Wheeler, detailing how the object's light turned the inside of his cab a blue glow, affecting his ampmeter and lights.

English Sightings

Mystery Object Reported Over Bristol, England: John White and Howard Williams reported a mysterious flying object over Providence Lane, Long Ashton, at 8:35 p.m. on July 28, 1963. They described it as oval in shape and green in color, flying at about 100 feet. John White, 19, reported it had an aerial and a "whistling noise, like tuning a radio." Howard Williams, 18, stated it came from the direction of Weston-super-Mare, flew over the end of the lane, near the Long Ashton golf course, and rapidly climbed out of sight after about two minutes. The report is from the Bristol Evening Post.

"Hooded Men" Startle Motorists: On Sunday, July 28th, eight men wearing thick black cowls were seen at Wapses Lodge, Caterham, causing alarm to passing motorists. One motorist described the "hooded figures" as giving him a "great shock," thinking he had stumbled upon the Ku Klux Klan. The men reportedly departed "running and leaping across the road to the dual carriageway" in a "silent and most odd" manner. Efforts to trace them were unsuccessful. The report is from the Caterham Times.

More Flying Objects Seen Over England: An early Wednesday evening in August 1963, a mystery object over Southend caused many telephone calls. People from Thorpe Bay and Westcliff reported a triangular object traveling slowly to the northwest. Mrs. S. Acres of Park Road, Southend, described it as "definitely isn't an aircraft--it looks like a kite." The report is from the Southend Standard.

UFO's Reported Over London and Home Counties: For the second consecutive night, scores of people telephoned the Air Ministry and the B.B.C. to report a mysterious triangular-shaped object in the sky over London and the Home Counties. The B.B.C. received over 100 calls, and the Air Ministry had "a considerable number," mainly from Hertfordshire. A spokesman stated they could give no explanation. One man described the object as close to the North Star and "brighter than the brightest planet." The report is from The Daily Sketch.

Well--Did a UFO Land There?: The question is posed whether an unidentified flying object, the size of a double-decker bus, landed on or near the Wimbledon Common golf links one night recently. David Briggs, an area investigator for the British Unidentified Flying Object Association, is seeking anyone who saw such an object. A constable reportedly told Mr. Briggs that a woman saw the UFO land and had "never seen anything like it in her life." The constable had also heard that others had seen the object flying over the common that same night. The report is from the Evening News, London.

Arkansas Sighting

Special Report to N.I.C.A.P.: Robert L. Rogers reported sightings of "objects" between July 29 and 30, 1963, near Plumerville, Arkansas, specifically at Titan Missile Complex No. 10. The objects appeared as red and white lights, sometimes singly, sometimes in groups of up to four, visible for approximately five minutes before vanishing. Interspersed were single objects. One single white light remained stationary for a minute before ascending vertically at high speed. There was no noise, and the color did not change, though they flashed slightly. Their shape was impossible to determine, appearing like bright stars. The moon was in the first quarter. The objects originated from the northeast, east, or southeast. Their apparent size was like a pea held at arm's length. The speed was estimated at 10 to 20 times jet speed, and their altitude was almost impossible to estimate. At one point, two objects crossed flight paths, flying in straight lines without turns.

Midwestern Sightings

Keenes Boy Chased Home by UFO; Police Called: An 18-year-old boy, Ronnie Austin, of Keenes, Illinois, was chased home by a UFO on Sunday night. The neighborhood was talking about it. The boy was so frightened he ran home, awakening his parents. His father went outside with a shotgun. The family ran back inside and called the police at Mt. Vernon. Fairfield police were notified. Deputy Sheriff Harry Lee described the object as "different than anything I ever saw," "much bigger than a star," not twinkling, and moving. It was in the sky to the southeast at about a 45-degree angle, appearing as a big round light, moving upward and to the southeast. The boy, Ronnie Austin, along with his girlfriend, Miss Phyliss Bruce, described the object as white and round, about the size of an automobile, soaring over treetops. They stated it wasn't an airplane and that it followed Ronnie's car, speeding up when he sped up and slowing down when he slowed down, even at 120 miles per hour. The object swooped over their car and came within a hundred feet. When Ronnie tried to get away, the object followed. At one point, the object slowed Ronnie's car down at an "unbelieveable rate of speed" and hovered over it, causing the engine to miss and then die. The light then moved to the side, and the car started. Ronnie raced home. His father took a look and ran back inside for his shotgun. The object seemed to move towards them when the gun was displayed. They ran back inside and called the police. The police initially thought they were joking. Deputy Sheriff Lee confirmed seeing the strange object. Two friends, Gary Karacher and Tom Kissner, also witnessed it. The object was still visible at sunrise. Ronnie stated the object turned from white to yellow glow and gave off a cool feeling. A crowd of 25 or more gathered to view the object. Mrs. Dwight Withrow, a neighbor, described the object as "ten times brighter than the moon" and "much bigger than a star." Roxie Austin, Ronnie's sister, described it as "having a white glow with some sort of an object projecting from it." Mrs. Ebbie Austin, Ronnie's grandmother, expressed concern for her grandson's well-being, noting that their dogs were barking all night. Mrs. Austin, an inspector at Airtex Products, stated the object came too close to their home for comfort. She also mentioned that the object at one time turned from white to a yellow glow and seemed to give off a cool feeling.

Wayne County Press Report: This report from Fairfield, Illinois, corroborates Ronnie Austin's account. Village Marshal George Sexton saw what appeared to be the Morning Star. State Trooper Richard Gidcumb saw a strong light flash across the sky. Police Radio Operator Kenneth Talbert watched it in the southeastern sky until 4 a.m., describing it as a "cross in the heavens." Mike Hill noticed an unusually brilliant light in the southeastern sky. The report includes a detailed account from Ronnie Austin, who, with his girlfriend Phyliss Bruce, experienced the object following their car, affecting its speed and causing the engine to stall. The object crossed in front of their car and came within a hundred feet. The radio went crazy when the object crossed over the car. When they reached Phyliss's house, the object followed. Ronnie described the object slowing his car down and hovering over it. The police were called, and at first, they thought the Austins were joking. Dr. Konarski was called to advise on medical attention for Ronnie. The police arrived and saw the object. Gary Karacher and Tom Kissner also stayed and watched it until sunrise. Ronnie described the object's speed as "ungodly."

Government Report

Roundup of Miscellaneous News Items: A report issued by the Air Force in Washington detailed an investigation into reported sightings of unknown flying objects. Regarding the Ronnie Austin sighting on August 4th, the report suggests the bright light seen was the planet Jupiter, which was low on the horizon and appeared five times brighter than any other star. The report states that Jupiter's proximity to the horizon and its brightness could give the appearance of following someone. The planet's colors can change, appearing orange, red, green, or blue. The report concludes there were no flying objects or space ships from Mars. The investigation team included Lt. Col. Robert J. Friend, Capt. Hector Quintanilla, and T/Sgt. Charles R. Sharp from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

Claim Air Force Keeps Lid on UFO's

A three-man team from the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena (NICAP) claimed that the U.S. Air Force was suppressing evidence about UAP. Francis Ridge, chairman of a subcommittee, stated they had "documentary evidence that the Air Force is not releasing all its information." Philip Stuttler and Jim Catt were also part of the team. The report notes that the NICAP group almost got into trouble with the police for representing themselves as military intelligence. The organization is described as private and was started by ex-Marine major Donald Edward Keyhoe.

Publication Information

The N.I.C.A.P. REPORTER is the official monthly bulletin of the National Investigations Commission on Aerial Phenomena, located in Seattle, Washington. The yearly subscription is $1.00 in the US, Canada, and Mexico, and $1.75 elsewhere. Subscribers receive a one-month extension for non-duplicated news clippings sent to NICAP about current UAP reports. NICAP is a non-profit organization founded in 1955.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are eyewitness accounts of unidentified aerial phenomena, the descriptions of these objects, and the reactions of witnesses and authorities. The editorial stance appears to be one of documenting and disseminating these reports, providing a platform for individuals to share their experiences with UAP. The inclusion of the Air Force's explanation for some sightings and the claim of government suppression suggests an interest in exploring multiple facets of the UFO phenomenon, from official investigations to public perception and potential cover-ups. The publication itself, the NICAP Reporter, positions itself as an educational resource for the public regarding UAP.