1988 09 00 OMNI - Jerome Clark - Aztec crash

Magazine Overview

OMNI Magazine, September 1988 issue. The cover features a grid-like display with various natural and man-made objects, including an owl, a snake, feathers, a sun, a bee, a baboon, a butterfly, a rose, apples, and a frog. The main cover headline is 'ANIMAL ODDITIES,' with additional features on 'FUTURE OLYMPIANS,' 'COMPUTERIZED CLOTHING,' and 'ATHLETES IN SPACE.' The price is $3.00.

UFO UPDATE: The Aztec Crash Revisited

This section delves into the controversial UFO crash incident that allegedly occurred in a canyon east of Aztec, New Mexico, in March 1948. For a long time, this event has been considered the most notorious hoax in UFOlogy. However, a recent book, 'UFO Crash at Aztec' by William S. Steinman and Wendelle C. Stevens, asserts that the story is not a fabrication.

The original story was popularized by Variety columnist Frank Scully in his best-selling book, 'Behind the Flying Saucers.' Scully reported that a group of top scientists recovered a crashed spaceship and 16 small, humanlike occupants from Venus. Scully's sources were identified as Silas Newton, a Texas oilman, and a pseudonymous 'Dr. Gee,' described as the top magnetic research specialist in the United States.

Investigative journalist J. P. Cahn, however, offered a different perspective in True magazine. Cahn alleged that Newton was a lifelong con artist and 'Dr. Gee' (identified as Leo A. GeBauer) was his associate. Cahn claimed the crashed-saucer story was a fabrication designed to sell a bogus oil-detection device purportedly based on extraterrestrial technology.

Steinman and Stevens present a contrasting narrative. They state that the government dispatched approximately 1,000 specialists and soldiers to the crash site. Civilian witnesses were allegedly intimidated into silence, a silence they have maintained to this day. According to Steinman, his source for this information was an analyst for the U.S. government's Research and Development Board. Additionally, four other retired government scientists, whom Steinman chose not to identify, reportedly confirmed that the crash occurred at Aztec.

However, UFO researcher William L. Moore, who has investigated the Aztec story, dismisses Steinman and Stevens' claims as 'unsubstantiated conjecture.' A reporter for the Daily Times in nearby Farmington stated that no one in Aztec recalls a UFO crash. The reporter recounted receiving a call years ago from a Californian who inquired about the story. Upon investigation, the reporter found no local knowledge of the event, except for George Bawra, the deceased editor of the Aztec Independent-Review. Bawra reportedly told the reporter he had written a 'tongue-in-cheek' story about a UFO in the area, which was apparently taken seriously by some people outside the region.

When the reporter shared this information with the Californian caller, the caller suggested the CIA might have influenced the reporter. The reporter's response was, 'So the CIA got to you, too' I told him that if that's what he wanted to believe, go ahead.' This exchange highlights the skepticism surrounding the renewed claims about the Aztec UFO crash.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine touches upon themes of scientific inquiry, the nature of truth and deception in reporting, and the persistent interest in UFO phenomena. The 'UFO UPDATE' section, by presenting conflicting accounts and expert opinions, adopts a stance of critical examination rather than outright endorsement of any single narrative. It highlights the challenges in verifying historical accounts, especially those involving alleged government cover-ups and hoaxes.