NICAP REPORTER

Magazine Overview

Title: NICAP REPORTER
Issue Date: March 1967
Volume: 5
Issue Number: 54
Publisher: National Investigation Commission on Aerial Phenomena (NICAP)
Country of Publication: USA
Language: English
Cover Headline: UFO WITNESSES 'SILENCED'

Main Article: UFO WITNESSES 'SILENCED'

The lead article, "UFO WITNESSES 'SILENCED'--Mysterious men dressed in Air Force uniforms or bearing impressive credentials from government agencies have been 'silencing' UFO witnesses," details a disturbing trend. Colonel George P. Freeman, Pentagon spokesman for Project Blue Book, stated that these individuals are not connected with the Air Force. He cited a case in Wanaque, New Jersey, where witnesses were allegedly told by a man in an Air Force uniform that they "hadn't seen anything" and shouldn't discuss the incident. A check with the local Air Force Base confirmed no one connected with the Air Force had visited Wanaque on that date.

Another incident involved a man with NORAD credentials demanding original UFO pictures from Rex Heflin in California, an action NORAD later denied. Maj. General M.M. Magee, NORAD's chief of staff, informed Representative James B. Utt that NORAD does not have responsibility for UFO evaluation and is not in the business of collecting UFO pictures. Heflin's photos were never returned, and the Air Force could not identify the mystery man.

Similar incidents have occurred in Washington, Texas, Connecticut, and Long Island, New York.

Other Sightings and Incidents

• Grand Blanc, Michigan (February 1960): Joe Perry, a restaurant owner, was visited by two men posing as FBI agents who seized a photo of a dome-shaped object with a green tail.
• Norwalk, Connecticut (April 1966): Two 12-year-old boys were questioned for two hours by a man claiming to represent a secret government agency about a disc-shaped object that pursued them.

Colonel Freeman admitted that "the trail is always too cold" to catch these impostors, who he stated are committing a federal offense by posing as Air Force officers and government agents. He also commented on reports of unmarked planes seen over areas where UFOs had been sighted, noting that all Air Force planes are clearly marked and that the nature of these unmarked planes is unknown.

• Northeastern Pennsylvania (Several months prior to March 1967): Numerous unusual aerial phenomena have been reported. Mrs. Robert Non of Pleasant Mount described a "35 feet long" object with alternating green and red lights hovering over a tree, which followed her car at a low level and then disappeared at high speed. A nearby farmer also reported being followed by a similar object. A woman from Starlight reported a UFO setting down on "tripod landing legs." Farm animals and dogs have reportedly become agitated during sightings.
• Oklahoma (January 5): Mrs. Ralph Beard and others saw a large blue and green light object traveling south at high speed near the ground. It was later seen on the ground and then in the air again.
• University of Mississippi: Scores of students reported sighting flying objects. Dr. Joseph Bruening, a sociology professor, described one as "diamond shaped with a red light on the bottom and green light on the top." Ann Murphy and Katherine Milner also reported sightings.
• Allentown, Pennsylvania (January 9): Leonard Sabatine, Jr. reported seeing two large dome-shaped lights hovering over trees, accompanied by a sound varying in pitch.
• Eaton Rapids, Michigan (January 11): A woman reported her children were frightened by a "dome-shaped" object with red and blue flashing lights and a tail, which circled their heads.
• Galesburg, Illinois (January 11 and 12): Samuel S. Westfall reported seeing a red, ball-shaped object that landed. The next night, the object flew overhead. On January 14, Westfall claims he was struck in the arm by a small round object he believes was fired from outer space.
• Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada (January 18): A child named David saw a bright object with flickering lights that moved straight up, hesitated, and then moved across the sky. It made a buzzing sound and was described as large enough to cover two houses.
• New Brunswick, Canada (Following night): Dianne Arsenault and Simone Landry reported seeing a ball-shaped object traveling "very fast."
• Moncton, Canada: Earle Ross sighted a strange lighted object over the Petitcodiac River, described as similar to a shooting star but larger, which changed direction and rose vertically.
• Knoxville, Illinois (January 20): A farmer reported a huge, round object, described as "big as a barn," followed him and landed in a strip mine area. It emitted a "greenish-blue glow" and caused vibrations.
• West Virginia (January 21): Two boys watched a brilliant ball of light play in the mountains. A St. Albans man saw a brilliant light settle on a mountaintop. A Charleston woman and her husband saw an object flared up in the sky, trimmed in pale pink and green with a red tail.
• Houston, Texas (January 21): Houston police received eight reports of UFOs within an hour. Pasadena police received one report, and Ellington Air Force Base reported two calls. Dr. Albert Kuntz, a psychologist, observed a "lighted object moving at tremendous speed" that was erratic in its movement, sometimes looking like a boomerang.
• Pasadena, Texas: Four youngsters reported seeing a "fuzzy white light" that settled over a water tower and then rose.
• Hawaii (January 22): At least seven policemen, commercial pilots, and a ship at sea reported flying objects over Oahu. Objects were described as "bright, yellow-orange light" centered in a circular blue mist, and later as two bright lights. The Air Force denied sending jets to inspect.
• Cromwell, Connecticut (January 24): Nicholas J. Rinaldi sighted a cigar-shaped UFO hovering over electric transmission lines. At least 20 other people also saw a similar object, described as the length of a football field, darting behind a hill. It made a "low whirring noise like a top" and had three red lights.

Father Francis J. Heyden's Stance

Father Francis J. Heyden, S.J., an astronomer at Georgetown University, is quoted as saying, "UFO's are for the birds." He stated that after nearly 60 years of observation, he has yet to see a flying object and that there is no concrete evidence for the existence of unidentified flying objects, suggesting they are explainable by current scientific knowledge.

UFO's Win Respectability?

The article "UFO's WIN RESPECTABILITY" suggests that NASA may soon cooperate in a major investigation into UFO phenomena. A nucleus of respected scientists, led by Dr. J. Allen Hynek (astrophysicist and consultant to the U.S. Air Force on UFO's), is pushing for this. Hynek has organized a group called the "Invisible College" of highly educated scientists. He believes NASA's spacetrack network could monitor and document mysterious objects entering the Earth's atmosphere, and that this data, currently classified top secret, could yield sensational findings if made available to independent scientists.

Book Reviews

The issue includes reviews of several books related to UFOs:

• "CHALLENGE TO SCIENCE, THE UFO ENIGMA" by Jacques and Janine Vallee: Focuses on well-documented cases, explores the development of UFO "waves," and draws startling conclusions. Published by Henry Regnery Company.
• "FLYING SAUCERS THROUGH THE AGES" by Paul Thomas: Argues that UFO phenomena are compatible with Christianity and suggests biblical references to angels and cherubim may refer to beings from other planets.
• "PIECE FOR A JIG-SAW" by Leonard G. Cramp: Presents technical evidence for UFO sightings, introducing the idea of anti-gravity and predicting a new kind of spaceship.
• "FLYING SAUCERS: HOAX OR REALITY?" by L. Jerome Stanton: Offers a common-sense, technically accurate report on UFOs.

NICAP Information

The publication details the NICAP Board of Associate Directors and provides membership information for the NICAP REPORTER, including subscription rates and how to send in newspaper clippings about UFO reports. It also lists the address for the National Investigation Commission on Aerial Phenomena (NICAP) in Seattle, Washington.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The NICAP REPORTER consistently presents reports of UFO sightings and encounters, often from credible witnesses. The magazine appears to maintain an open mind regarding the nature and origin of UFOs, exploring various theories including interplanetary, interdimensional, and time-travel origins. While acknowledging the possibility of hoaxes and misidentifications, the publication emphasizes the significant number of sightings made by reputable individuals. The tone suggests a belief in the reality of the phenomena and a desire for serious investigation, as evidenced by the reporting on potential NASA involvement and the critique of scientific skepticism. The magazine also highlights efforts to document and analyze UFO evidence, as well as the challenges faced by witnesses and investigators, including alleged attempts to silence them.