NICAP Reporter - Vol 5 No 05 - 02 1967 - No 53

Magazine Overview

Title: NICAP REPORTER
Issue Date: February 1967
Volume: 5, No. 5
Editor: Robert J. Gribble

This issue of the NICAP Reporter, published by the National Investigation Commission on Aerial Phenomena (NICAP), presents a collection of recent UFO sightings and related phenomena from late 1966 and early 1967. The magazine aims to document and analyze these events, encouraging a scientific approach to understanding the UFO phenomenon.

Featured Articles and Reports

FLYING OBJECT SHOW CAPTIVATES AIRLINER CREW

This lead story details a sighting by the five-member crew of a Canadian Pacific Airlines jet on December 30, 1966, while flying at 35,000 feet off the coast of Peru. Captain Robert Millbank described seeing two white lights that grew apart and moved towards the aircraft. One light began pulsating, and two beams of light shone upwards in a V-shape. The object then descended and leveled off at the aircraft's left wing tip, appearing as a shape with a string of lights between the two main lights. The object shot out a trail of sparks like a rocket at one point. Millbank, initially a skeptic, concluded it was a strange phenomenon. Other crew members who witnessed the event included second officer John Dennis Dahl, navigator Mike Mole, purser Joseph Lugs, and pilot trainee Wolfgang Poepperi.

STRANGE SPIRES SIGHTED ON MOON

On November 22, 1966, the Boeing Lunar Orbiter 2 photographed unusual 'spires' on the moon. A NASA spokesman reported six protuberances in an area of 750 by 550 feet. The largest was estimated to be 40-75 feet high and 50 feet wide. A Caltech Jet Propulsion Laboratory spokesman compared one to the George Washington Monument and smaller ones to upside-down ice cream cones. These structures appeared on a photograph of a potential landing site for American astronauts. Boeing declined to comment, and NASA offered no official statement, though they released a 'minimal description' to Senator Warren G. Magnuson.

A spokesman at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory further described the spires as "small white dots which cast rather lengthy shadows." One photo showed a tall pinnacle and four shorter ones, appearing "almost like an antenna array." The article speculates that if they are antenna towers, they could indicate intelligent activity on the moon. It also touches on the possibility of life existing on the moon in the past or surviving in caverns.

THREE UFO'S SEEN RISING FROM FIELD

On Christmas morning, a couple in Oregon reported seeing three UFOs take off from a field south of Monroe. Clyde Brooks described a "whoomf...a flash and three objects were going up from the field" with deafening motors. The objects circled and lined up in a row before hovering. His children also saw the objects. The objects were described as no bigger than a passenger car when they took off, emitting a reddish-orange flame.

FARMER OBSERVES FLYING OBJECT

John Nelson, a farmer in Minnesota, reported a frightening encounter on November 25. While plowing at 2 a.m., he saw a lighted disc-shaped object about 40 feet in diameter and 8-10 feet thick hovering over his corn stalks. It made an eerie noise like a whirling wind and emitted a faint white light. The object headed east, returned from the west, hovered again, and then ascended in a red glow.

TV SHOW ENDS, REALISM BEGINS

Nine-year-old Billy Waldman and his mother, Mrs. Georgette Waldman, reported seeing a brilliant object hovering outside their window on December 28, coinciding with the end of the TV program 'Lost In Space.' Billy described it as "about 20 feet across, circular, and flashing red, yellow and orange lights on and off." Mrs. Waldman added that small pieces seemed to break off and the object appeared to smoke. During the sighting, their TV picture was distorted by static.

BRAZILIANS 'BELIEVE' IN UFO's

Dr. Olavo Fontes, a leading UFO investigator from Brazil, stated in an interview that "thousands" have witnessed UFOs in Brazil over the past 16 years, with dramatic incidents including brief landings, power failures, and injuries. Dr. Fontes, a physician and professor, has studied over 300 cases and participated in closed discussions in the U.S. concerning UFO investigations. He expressed concern that UFOs have been observed over vital areas like military bases, power plants, and water sources, suggesting they may be "examining" these critical aspects of civilization. He believes reports indicate UFOs may be nearing "ultimate goal...contact" and that answers might be found within three years.

HE'S NOT LAUGHING AT UFO STORIES NOW!

Robert Blaine, superintendent of schools in Villard, Minnesota, recounted an experience on December 9 where his car's engine died and lights went out. He then saw an orange flash and tiny beads of lights cross in front of the windshield. Mrs. James Galvin and others in the car also witnessed the phenomenon. The car engine then restarted.

MORE UFO'S SPOTTED NEAR SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA

A group in Lemon Grove, California, reported sightings between 8:30 and 9 p.m. on December 19. William H. Gilchrist, a pilot, described bright orange, symmetrically-shaped objects. Mariano Salcedo witnessed three glowing spheres. Donald R. Carr, a senior mechanical engineer, spotted 15 UFOs, believing them to be "intelligently controlled vehicles" and "extraterrestrial." Carr described one object as elliptical, surrounded by an orange aura, which seemed to divide into two and then dropped sparks. Another object appeared later, became bright yellow, and accelerated to meteoric velocity.

UFO'S MAY BE REALITY, IOWA PROFESSOR ASSERTS

Dr. D. H. Bragg, an associate professor at Drake University, urged educators to acknowledge the possibility of flying objects being real and to prepare to discuss them in classrooms. He noted the Air Force's $300,000 contract with the University of Colorado for a UFO study. Bragg stated that some experts have presented "convincing evidence" of UFOs being real and representing "intelligent beings from outer space," suggesting that future space travel and contact with superior civilizations could become reality.

UFO ACTIVITY NEAR NAVAL AIR STATION

Flying objects were sighted in Horsham Township and Doylestown, Pennsylvania, on November 20. In Horsham, a disc was seen slightly above trees near the Willow Grove Naval Air Station, described as white or silver and about six inches high. In Doylestown, a white object, seen from a car, turned "orange in color" as it moved ahead at about 40 mph, appearing like a "full moon with the top of it covered by a cloud."

KANSAS COUPLE RELATES SEEING UFO NEAR GROUND

Mr. and Mrs. Ed Riffel of Rooks County, Kansas, reported seeing lights on November 15 that appeared to be two rows of windows on an object about 20 feet off the ground. The object later appeared to have six sides and a flashing light. It took off with two other lights, crossed the road, and outdistanced Mr. Riffel's car traveling at 75 mph. Mr. Riffel suspects the object may have caused damage to a wire fence on his property.

'FIREBALLS' REPORTED IN ALASKA SKIES

Around midnight on December 11, four people in Alaska reported seeing a huge fireball fall in the Scenic Park area. The next night, Mrs. Hubert Bruton described a large "fireball" chasing her along the Palmer highway, calling it "a big old orange ball." She felt immediate fright, thinking it might catch up with her.

Mrs. Bruton later reviewed the incident, describing the UFO as a "big ball of fire" about three or four feet in diameter, hovering at an estimated 100 feet. It left a vivid impression on her.

MORE FLYING OBJECTS REPORTED OVER OKLAHOMA CITY

On October 26, Oklahoma experienced a surge of UFO activity, primarily in the Oklahoma City area. Don Hinshaw and Ken Cole reported seeing multiple objects, estimated at 1000 feet altitude, moving south. Mrs. Linda Gerstner saw six objects, described as the size of a dime, which changed formation. Mary Hassell described six white disc-shaped objects with lights changing from red to blue-green, observed for 25 minutes near Tinker Air Force Base and Will Rogers Airport.

AERIAL PHENOMENA OVER EAST AND NORTHEAST STATES

On April 22, 1966, residents across New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire reported mysterious flying objects. Westover Air Force Base tracked an object on radar. Curtis L. Hemenway of Dudley Observatory initially thought they were meteors but admitted the situation was unusual. Ray Beauchemin heard a sizzling sound and saw an object "right over the trees." Reports also came from Essex County, New York, and Malone and Watertown, New York. A Skerry, New York woman saw a flying object with orange and red blinker lights over her house, accompanied by a whirring sound.

BROTHERS SNAP PHOTOS OF MICHIGAN UFO

Two teen-age brothers from Mount Clemens, Michigan, photographed a disc-shaped flying object that hovered for 10 minutes near Selfridge Air Force Base on January 9. The photos, described as a slightly domed disc with a slim mast, were deemed "strikingly similar" to other reports by Dr. J. Allen Hynek, who stated they showed "no indication of an obvious hoax."

FLYING OBJECTS REPORTED OVER SOUTHERN TEXAS

Four men in La Porte, Texas, reported seeing a "big old cigar"-shaped object on October 30, estimated at 10 feet in diameter and 150 feet long, drifting at about 15,000 feet and 100 MPH. Bryan Ritz of El Campo saw a bright red object that glowed amber and hovered above the ground. Mark De Friend reported frequent sightings in the Gulf-coast area, describing craft with rotating lights and a bright glow, operating silently. Al Wittig of Wharton described an object that appeared to be a meteor but stopped and hovered, emitting a strong blue-white glow and a bright red rotating light.

UFO REPORT BEING CHECKED BY CONDON

Dr. Edward Condon, head of the government-financed scientific study of UFOs, received a letter predicting a flying object landing and stated he would investigate the basis for the prediction.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The NICAP Reporter consistently documents sightings of unidentified flying objects, emphasizing detailed eyewitness accounts and encouraging a serious, scientific approach to the phenomenon. Recurring themes include the variety of shapes and behaviors observed, the potential for extraterrestrial intelligence, and the need for official recognition and study of UFOs. The publication appears to advocate for the reality of UFOs and the importance of investigating them thoroughly, as evidenced by its recommendation of various books and its affiliation with NICAP, a non-profit organization dedicated to aerial phenomena research.