Orbiter - No 03 - 1987

Magazine Overview

Title: ORBITER
Issue: #3
Date: December, 1987
Publisher: The New England Aerial Phenomena Report

This issue of ORBITER delves into several prominent UFO-related topics, including the controversial MJ12 papers, a new wave of alleged government-fed information, and extensive reports of mystery helicopter overflights in New England. It also features a psychological study on the connection between affiliation motivation and belief in extraterrestrial life.

LET THE EVIDENCE LEAD

The lead article, "LET THE EVIDENCE LEAD," discusses the ongoing controversy surrounding the MJ12 papers and a "second wave" of material allegedly being fed to an investigator named Moore by government agents. The author expresses skepticism about the information, describing it as "quite bizarre." The article highlights the division within the UFO community, likening it to a "Hatfield and McCoy syndrome," where belief systems interfere with objective investigation. It stresses the importance of letting the evidence guide research rather than imposing preconceived notions.

The article also touches upon the financial struggles of organizations like the Fund for UFO Research, which is attempting to raise funds to analyze the Cutler-Twining memo from 1954, a crucial step in determining the authenticity of the MJ12 documents.

RADIO-TV LOG

A brief log entry notes an appearance by Bruce Maccabee, Phil Klass, and Whitley Streiber on the Larry King Shaw show (CNN), hosted by Rona Barrett, on December 28th at 9:00 p.m.

MESSAGE TO ORBITER READERS

A message to readers announces a new policy: individuals who do not exchange newsletters or information will be charged an annual fee of $15.00 to continue receiving the newsletter, due to the rising costs of publication and information gathering.

MYSTERIOUS LIGHTS

This section compiles several reports of mysterious lights and UFO sightings in New England, primarily from 1980 and earlier.

• Henniker, NH (October 5, 1980): An article from the Manchester Union Leader describes a glowing circular object with a black spot photographed by freelance photographer Robert Giglio. This was one of over 100 reported sightings in the Bear Hill area. An analysis by a former executive of Itek Corp. could not identify the object.
• Historical Context: The article references similar "glowing balls" seen in Hopkinton, NH, as far back as 1750, citing a letter to the editor from 1976 and information from Jacques Bergier's book "Extraterrestrial Intervention."
• Steuben, Maine (Summer 1976): A witness reported a hovering white fireball with a red border that glowed for about an hour above the town wharf. The same witness also recalled an incident in the fall of 1967 where "bouncing and glowing red balls" surrounded their car in a town gravel pit, stalling it.
• Stonington, Maine: This area is noted for similar "globs of light," particularly above the property of Ted Graveline. A magnetic fault line running up the coast through Blue Hill and Ellsworth to Steuben is mentioned, with one resident claiming two such lines converge under her property, producing strange vibrations.

Requests Further Reports of Eerie 'Ghost Lights'

This is a reprint of a letter to the editor of the Manchester Union Leader from November 6, 1976, soliciting further reports of "glowing red balls of fire."

• Hopkinton and Derry, NH: Two historic cases are mentioned. In Hopkinton, between 1750 and 1800, glowing balls were sighted over Putney Hill. Around 1820, a young man reported being followed for two miles by several glowing balls.
• Derry, NH: A legend of Saddleback Mountain describes round red balls of fire the size of a brick oven.
• Londonderry, NH: An incident where a glowing red ball of fire hovered six to twelve inches above the ground and glided to the side when someone tried to step on it.
• Manchester, NH: Two sisters reported a red dot of light inside their house that penetrated the walls to escape.

The letter requests more historic and recent cases for the Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained (S.I.T.U.).

AFFILIATION MOTIVATION AND BELIEF IN EXTRATERRESTRIAL UFOS

This is a research paper by Lawrence W. Littig from the Journal of Social Psychology (1971). It explores the hypothesis that a strong affiliation motivation is associated with a belief in the alien origins of UFOs. The study, involving 77 undergraduate students, found a statistically significant difference between subjects with high and low affiliation motivation regarding their agreement with the statement that UFOs come from outer space.

The paper suggests that belief in UFOs, as an index of life on other worlds, is related to psychological processes and may represent a projection of the human disposition to be accepted and loved by others. It concludes that this belief tends to be a function of a very human characteristic: the need to be responded to positively by other human beings.

NEW ENGLAND MYSTERY HELICOPTER OVERFLIGHT

This article investigates a series of mystery helicopter overflights reported in New England, particularly on September 10, 1987.

• General Characteristics: These helicopters are described as flying at extremely low altitudes, often without distinguishable markings or lighting, and sometimes without engine sound. Witnesses report drab black or army green colors, tinted windows, and unusual behavior, such as showing extreme interest in military bases and missile sites.
• Haverhill, MA (September 10, 1987): Reports from the Haverhill area mentioned lights accompanied by a loud roar. Initial speculation pointed to a C5 aircraft, but interviews with witnesses like Frank Sowick, who heard a low rumbling noise and saw five helicopters at about 100-150 feet altitude, eliminated this possibility.
• Widespread Reports: Similar reports of loud noise and vibrations were received from police, airports, and newspapers in Lichfield County, CT, Springfield, MA, the Quabbin reservoir area, Fitchburg, and Leaminster.
• Low Altitude and Fright: Witnesses described the choppers as loud, frightening, and seeming to hover over their houses.
• Misidentification Concerns: The author notes that some reports of strange nocturnal lights might be misidentifications of conventional aircraft or UFO hysteria.
• Official Responses: Attempts to get information from Ft. Devens Airfield, Pease AFB, and the FAA yielded little concrete information. Major Rodrigues Harrison of Ft. Devens stated that no log entry would exist if flights didn't originate from there. Public affairs spokesmen at Ft. Devens and Pease AFB indicated they were overwhelmed with calls and ran into dead ends.
• Military Unit Confusion: Staff Sgt. Steve Mahohn at Pease AFB initially stated the choppers were Army choppers with the 82nd Airborne from Lexington, KY. However, the 82nd is stationed at Fort Bragg, NC. Further calls to Ft. Bragg and the 101st Airborne suggested the flights might have originated from Ft. Campbell, where the 101st is stationed. However, Ft. Campbell reported no military maneuvers scheduled in New England.
• Sgt. Murphy's Confirmation: Sgt. Murphy from Camp Drum, NY, confirmed that the 82nd Airborne was TDY (temporary duty) at Camp Drum on the dates in question, but they did not arrive by helicopter.
• Conclusion: The article concludes that unmarked military choppers are not rare, but their extremely low altitude in these incidents is unusual. The author questions whether this is new MIB (Men in Black) phenomena or a covert military operation to intimidate UFO witnesses.

UFO from A1

This section features Richard Hall, a researcher who devotes his spare time to investigating UFOs. He was formerly the director of the National Investigation Committee on Aerial Phenomena (NICAP) from 1958 to 1967.

• Career Impact: Hall states that his involvement in UFO research "hurt my career drastically" and that "some people literally laughed in my face."
• Current Work: He is now the volunteer secretary/treasurer for the Fund for UFO Research Inc., which raises approximately $25,000 annually to fund UFO research. The corporation's board focuses on "physical trace evidence."
• Government Stance: Hall notes that the U.S. Department of Defense has officially pooh-poohed the existence of UFOs since Project Blue Book concluded in 1960 that there was no evidence of extraterrestrial beings. However, Hall points to unclassified documents showing military investigations of UFOs over Air Force bases.
• Belief and Abduction: Hall is convinced that UFOs and alien beings exist. He expresses a reluctance to meet them, citing accounts of abduction and experimentation, and believes that if such beings were captured, they should be released to avoid antagonism.

Boston Globe - HOW & WHY (December 14, 1987)

This section addresses reader questions, including one about identifying moving lights in the night sky.

• Satellite Identification: The answer explains that if lights move in a straight line at a steady speed, especially soon after sunset or before dawn, they are likely satellites. The Soviet space station Mir is highlighted as a particularly visible satellite.
• Martian Landscape: A brief mention of discoveries made by Viking I and II orbiters describes the Martian sky as pink, the soil as red, and the atmosphere as containing gases needed for life but not in the right proportions.

UFO Appears in Local News Reports

This section compiles several newspaper clippings detailing UFO sightings and related events.

• 'UFO' seen again in city (Haverhill, MA - September 10, 1987): Residents reported a loud, low-lying unidentified aircraft. Alba Williams described a "star-shaped" craft with four or more lights, moving extremely fast at 10-20 feet above the trees. The FAA received two calls about low-flying aircraft, one in Haverhill and another in Barre.
• Noisy flying object sighted in Amesbury (Amesbury, MA - September 11, 1987): Aeronautical and military sources could not identify a "star-shaped" flying object that made a "terrible" noise. Residents reported being frightened by the loud noise between 1 and 2 a.m. Similar reports came from Merrimac and Haverhill. The FAA radar center also received calls. Witnesses described the object as "right on top of us," loud, and frightening. Some thought it was a helicopter.
• UFO: What was that noise in the night sky? (Amesbury, MA - September 11, 1987): This article reiterates the reports from Amesbury, Merrimac, and Haverhill. Witnesses described a "star-shaped" craft with multiple lights, moving extremely fast. The noise was described as "deafening" and "scary." The FAA received numerous calls, including some from as far away as Providence. Pease Air Force Base stated they had no aircraft taking off at that time.

E.T., call Mr. R. Hall (Brentwood)

This article profiles Richard Hall, a researcher dedicated to studying UFOs. It reiterates his past role at NICAP and his current work with the Fund for UFO Research. It mentions his belief in alien beings and the government's dismissive stance on UFOs.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of ORBITER include the ongoing debate and division within the UFO community, the persistent mystery surrounding unidentified aerial phenomena (both craft and lights), and the challenges of obtaining official information from military and governmental sources. The editorial stance, as suggested by the cover headline "LET THE EVIDENCE LEAD," emphasizes the importance of objective investigation and scientific analysis, urging readers to avoid falling into the "Hatfield-McCoy syndrome" of polarized beliefs. The magazine also highlights the financial and logistical difficulties faced by UFO researchers and organizations.