Orbiter - No 26 - 1990

Magazine Overview

Title: ORBITER
Issue: #26
Date: September/October 1990
Publisher: The New England Aerial Phenomena Report

This issue of Orbiter, dated September/October 1990, heavily features the 25th anniversary of the infamous UFO Incident at Exeter, New Hampshire. It includes a detailed look back at the event, witness testimonies, and related phenomena, alongside discussions on government investigations, UFO organizations, and the ongoing debate surrounding UFO cover-ups.

In This Issue

The cover story, "UFO Cover-Up? Alive And Still Crazy After All These Years. By: Dr. Richard Crowe (Part 2)," suggests the continued relevance and mystery surrounding UFO incidents. The table of contents highlights "Communiques and Bits N' Pieces," "Exeter Revisited!," "Some Questions and Answers posed at Exeter, NH Conference," "Pease AFB Overflight - The Exeter Connection!," a "Blue Book listing 1-5 SPT. 1965," a "Letter to Moore & Shandera from Stan Friedman," and an article titled "MUFON An Organization At Risk! Hardly by: Dan Wright."

Exeter Revisited!

This section, spanning pages 3 and 4, commemorates the 25th anniversary of the Exeter UFO Incident on September 3, 1965. It recounts the initial report by Norman Muscarello, who described a large, silent object with pulsating red lights that moved erratically. Patrolman Reginald 'Scratch' Toland and Patrolman Eugene Bertrand were dispatched and also witnessed the object, describing it as roundish, about 100 feet above them, and illuminated by brilliant red light. The object's movement was described as wobbling and yawing, defying conventional aerodynamic patterns. The article also mentions a report from a woman who claimed a similar object had trailed her car. Patrolman David Hunt also corroborated seeing the object. The Air Force's explanation of the event as a "Big Blast" refueling operation is presented, but the article notes that this operation had ended before the sighting.

The Exeter Public Library held a week-long celebration for the anniversary, including a presentation by Reginald Toland, Eugene Bertrand, and researcher Pete Geremia, which was well-attended. Tragically, John Fuller, author of "Incident At Exeter," suffered a stroke and was hospitalized.

Questions and Answers at The Exeter Conference

Pages 5 and 6 present a Q&A session with Exeter witnesses and investigators, including Pete Geremia (PG), Eugene Bertrand (EB), and Reginald 'Scratch' Toland (RT). Key points from the Q&A include:

• Silence: Witnesses consistently reported the object was completely silent, with no hum.
• Threat Perception: Officers felt a sense of unease, with one mentioning the possibility of going for his gun.
• Norman Muscarello: He was eighteen at the time of the sighting and is now around 43, living in Exeter. He is described as possibly not pleased with the ridicule that sometimes comes with such experiences.
• Harassment: Law enforcement officers involved were reportedly made fun of, but not significantly harassed.
• Reporter Interaction: A reporter for the Manchester Union and Portsmouth Herald was so persistent that Toland humorously hid under his desk.
• Government Secrecy: The analogy that the government withheld information due to potential panic is questioned, citing public belief in UFOs.
• Pease AFB Involvement: Officials from Pease AFB did investigate, sending two officers to interview witnesses.
• Evidence: No physical traces were officially reported, though rumors of traces in the field exist.
• Object Characteristics: The object was described as silent, with bright red lights that seemed to dim in a pattern. Its shape was unclear due to the brightness of the lights.
• Power Fluctuations: No reported power fluctuations or transmission line issues were associated with the sighting.

Pease AFB Overflight - The Exeter Connection!

This article on page 7 details a strange event at Pease AFB, nine miles from Exeter, that occurred about two hours before the Exeter Incident. Robert Mark, then a sergeant with the 509th Security Police Squadron, recounts seeing an object drop from the sky at high speed, with bright headlights. The object's lights would go out as it passed over the base. One airman became hysterical, and the entire area went black for a period when the object passed over the north end of the base. Mark also saw fighters pursuing the object but being outdistanced. Despite FOIA requests, Pease AFB denied any knowledge of base reports related to the Exeter events.

Blue Book Listing 1-5 SPT. 1965

Page 8 presents a list of UFO sightings reported to Project Blue Book between September 1st and 5th, 1965. This includes the Exeter, New Hampshire sighting (September 2-3) which is listed as "UNIDENTIFIED (3 Witnesses)." Other sightings include those in Massachusetts, Texas, Arkansas, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, California, Iowa, Indiana, Missouri, New York, and Conway, New Hampshire. Evaluations range from "Insufficient Data" and "Satellite" to "Aircraft" and "UNIDENTIFIED."

Letter to Moore & Shandera from Stan Friedman

On page 9, Stanton T. Friedman, a nuclear physicist and lecturer, writes a letter dated August 28, 1990, to William L. Moore and Jaime Shandera. Friedman expresses his dismay and chagrin regarding claims and charges made in their correspondence of August 17. He publicly dissociates himself from their views, resigns from the Board of Directors of the Fair Witness Project, and strongly advises them to withdraw their charges and apologize to Schmitt and Randle. Friedman characterizes the charges as false, based on ignorance and delusions of grandeur, and suggests they stem from jealousy, frustration, and arrogance.

MUFON An Organization At Risk? Hardly

This article by Dan Wright, Deputy Director of Investigations for MUFON, on page 10, is a response to an article by Marge Christensen in a previous issue of Orbiter. Wright defends MUFON against Christensen's assertions that the Walters episodes were manufactured, that Walt Andrus dismissed Marge due to her views, and that MUFON does not abide by scientific principles. Wright clarifies that Marge had previously sought to resign and that her departure from the PR position was not solely based on her views on the Walters case. He highlights two major MUFON initiatives: supporting efforts to organize professionals for abduction case characteristics and developing a new, comprehensive computer input form and software for case record analysis. Wright argues that these efforts demonstrate MUFON's commitment to serious UFO research, refuting the claim that it is merely a "pop club."

Other Content

Page 2 includes "Communiques and Bits N' Pieces," discussing Howard Blum's book "Out There" and the TV show "Unsolved Mysteries" segment on the Kecksburg object. It also notes a correction regarding Jennie Zeidman's resignation from MUFON.

Page 4 includes a quote from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however probable, must be the truth."

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the enduring mystery and significance of the Exeter UFO Incident, the potential for government cover-ups of UFO information, and the internal dynamics and scientific rigor of UFO research organizations like MUFON. The editorial stance appears to favor a critical examination of official explanations and a commitment to serious, evidence-based UFO investigation, as evidenced by the detailed reporting on the Exeter case and the defense of MUFON's research efforts.

This document, identified as "UFO Cover-Up? Alive And Still Crazy After All These Years. Part 2" by Dr. Richard Crowe, critically analyzes various UFO-related claims and theories. It questions the validity of UFO sightings as evidence of extraterrestrial visitation and suggests that many such beliefs stem from psychological needs and a misunderstanding of the scientific method.

Gulf Breeze Episodes and Skepticism

The article begins by addressing skepticism towards the "Walters episodes" in Gulf Breeze, Florida. It criticizes a skeptic named Marge for conveniently ignoring approximately 200 other UFO witnesses in the area. The author argues that these witnesses, familiar with aircraft due to proximity to Air Force and Navy bases, were not deluded. The article refutes the "mass delusion" claim by questioning why one should discount localized flaps of activity after an initial report, and whether copycat phenomena explain a host of close encounter events involving multiple witnesses.

It highlights the unfortunate juncture where some proponents conclude that Ed Walters, despite passing polygraph, voice stress, and general psychological tests, is a "con man." The author points out that this judgment would require concluding that his wife, teenage son and daughter, and even his in-laws, who saw the same object, are all lying. Additionally, Duane Cook, publisher of the Gulf Breeze Sentinel, who witnessed the development of a Polaroid photo taken by Ed Walters, would also have to be lying. The article questions the scientific basis of such accusations, especially when made by someone like Marge Christensen, who has not met any witnesses or visited the sites.

Official Investigations and Conclusions

The article delves into official investigations into UFOs, referencing CIA memoranda released in December 1978. It states that the USAF's concern over UFOs was not due to evidence of extraterrestrial or Soviet craft, but rather fear that the USSR might exploit UFO sightings to stage a surprise nuclear attack. By August 1952, the USAF concluded that most UFO sightings, given adequate data, could be explained by misinterpretations of known objects or little-understood phenomena. The Air Force identified 80% of UFO reports as IFOs (Identified Flying Objects), and believed another 10% could be explained with more information.

The CIA noted in 1952 that there was "not a shred of evidence to support this [extraterrestrial] theory." The Robertson panel, convened by the CIA, concluded in 1953 that "there is no evidence that the phenomena indicate a need for the revision of current scientific concepts." Similarly, the Condon report in 1969 stated that "further extensive study of UFOs probably cannot be justified in the expectation that science will be advanced thereby." A panel convened by the National Academy of Sciences endorsed the Condon report, deeming the extraterrestrial hypothesis the "least likely explanation of UFOs."

Following these conclusions, Project Blue Book was closed, and its files were retired to USAF Archives. The article asserts that three independent panels of scientists had reached the same conclusion: no legitimate evidence supported the extraterrestrial hypothesis. It also notes that UFOs left "unidentified" by Dr. Condon's team were subsequently converted to IFOs through the investigations of Philip Klass, Donald Menzel, Ernest Taves, and James Oberg.

Allegations of Government Cover-Up and Hoaxes

The article addresses claims made by "Falcon" and "Condor," supposedly government intelligence contacts. It expresses skepticism, citing the case of Todd Zechel, who claimed to be employed by "two civilian intelligence agencies" but was found to have no record of such employment and had actually served in the U.S. Army.

Condor's claim that a covert operation continued after Project Blue Book was demonstrably false. The CIA's release of almost 900 pages of documents in December 1978 showed that the USAF and CIA had maintained their official viewpoint that there was no evidence for extraterrestrial spacecraft. Furthermore, no group within the CIA was actively investigating UFOs on an official basis as recently as 1976.

The "Crashed Saucer" Story and MJ-12 Documents

The "crashed saucer" story, retold on the program "UFO Cover-Up? Live!" by William Moore and Stanton Friedman, is exposed as a hoax dating back to 1952. The original tale involved Bill Brazel finding airborne debris on his ranch in 1947, which was later identified as instrumentation from a radar calibration balloon. Jesse Marcel Jr. became convinced it was "not from this earth" due to "hieroglyphic symbols." However, Philip Klass has explained that there are many reasons to believe the story is a fabrication:

1. When CIA papers were declassified in 1978, there was no memorandum over the previous 30 years referring to any crashed UFO.
2. If a flying saucer had been found, why hasn't its technology been exploited by the U.S. government in 40 years?
3. It is highly improbable that multiple presidents and top-level intelligence officials could keep such a secret for 40 years, given the frequent leaks of other significant "secrets."

The article concludes that the "crashed saucer" story is a hoax kept alive by those with a vested financial interest and by overly-credulous believers.

The program also presented the "MJ-12 documents," supposedly "Top Secret" documents released by Moore, Friedman, and Shandera in 1987. These documents claim the U.S. government recovered two crashed saucers before 1950 and four extraterrestrial (ET) bodies, and that President Truman authorized a panel (Majestic-12) to analyze the contents and recommend a response to alien actions. The article questions the MJ-12 documents, noting that the Robertson Panel was convened in 1953, years after the alleged crashes, and that eight U.S. presidents would have to agree on keeping this secret while disagreeing on other major issues. Philip Klass has convincingly shown these documents to be fraudulent.

EBEs and Extraterrestrial Biological Entities

The article discusses further claims by "Falcon" about another crashed saucer before 1950, with a survivor. It also mentions the recovery of two more EBES (Extraterrestrial Biological Entities) in recent years, with one residing in Nevada (A-51) since 1982. This EBE allegedly wrote a "yellow book" describing its home planet and society, and made an agreement with government intelligence officials not to interfere in our society in exchange for secrecy.

The author questions why Falcon is disclosing this information and jeopardizing public safety. Falcon identified the EBES as hailing from Zeta Reticuli, a detail consistent with Marjorie Fish's analysis of the Betty Hill star map, though the map's accuracy and Fish's omissions are noted. Dr. Benjamin Simon, who hypnotized Mrs. Hill, characterized her abduction story as a "fantasy."

The physical description of EBES is detailed: 3'4"-3'8", large eyes, small mouth, no teeth, one organ for heart and lungs, hard elastic skin, complex brain, enhanced hearing, hands without thumbs, web-like feet, sexual organs present, with a typical age of 350-400 years and an IQ over 200. They enjoy music, Tibetan culture, and are fond of vegetables and strawberry ice cream, believing in the Universe as the Supreme Being.

The article argues that these descriptions are predictable and likely derived from popular science fiction, not actual alien beings. Experts suggest that such descriptions are probably unlike real extraterrestrial life, questioning why EBES would communicate in English and suggesting mathematical language would be employed. The reference to Zeta Reticuli further undermines the story, leading to the conclusion that these EBE guests of the U.S. government belong in the realm of fiction.

Summary and Scientific Perspective

The program "UFO Cover-Up? Live!" stated that only 33% of the American public deny the existence of UFOs, suggesting the public has been largely brainwashed into believing the extraterrestrial hypothesis. A survey of professional astronomers revealed that while many had experienced UFO sightings, only a small percentage believed these might involve extraterrestrial craft. Astronomers, knowledgeable about celestial phenomena, consider the extraterrestrial hypothesis the least likely explanation.

The article criticizes UFOlogists for often stopping at step two of the scientific method (hypothesis formulation) without testing it. It suggests that some UFOlogists speculate that aliens can transcend the laws of physics, which is a return to belief in supernatural magic.

While acknowledging that many UFO-related stories are hoaxes (e.g., George Adamski, Billy Meier), the article argues that thousands of sightings are not easily explained, implying they must be extraterrestrial. This is likened to saying "if it is not Saturday, it must be Sunday." The author reiterates that plenty of alternative explanations exist for UFO sightings, and rigorous analysis is required. According to the Center for UFO Studies, over 90% of UFO reports have prosaic explanations, and Philip Klass estimates that about 98% of incidents can be accounted for by natural or man-made objects, with the remaining 2% being hoaxes.

The article contends that the belief in UFOs as extraterrestrial spaceships persists due to the efforts of pro-UFO enthusiasts who stand to lose financially if the myth is not maintained. Media also contributes by giving prominence to initial reports without subsequent coverage of prosaic explanations.

The article posits that the strongest reason for the persistence of the UFO myth is the deeply human wish to look to a higher entity for salvation, especially when global political stability deteriorates. It suggests that UFO aliens are envisioned as saviors, similar to how God was expected to save humanity from peril. The UFO era, beginning in 1947, shortly after World War II, is seen as a replacement for religious salvation.

The belief system surrounding UFOs is described as a space-age religion fulfilling a need for those who no longer find conventional religions spiritually meaningful.

Interstellar Travel and SETI

While acknowledging the possibility of life on other planets, the article discusses the immense challenges of interstellar travel. Even at 13% the speed of light, a trip to Barnard's star (6 light years away) would take about 50 times the current power generated by all nations. Zeta Reticuli, being 35 light years away, would be even more costly. Interstellar space travel is deemed impractical and prohibitively expensive. The article suggests that communication via electromagnetic radiation (radio waves) is a cheaper and more effective method for advanced civilizations. Therefore, most SETI scientists do not take UFO reports seriously, expecting signals before direct contact.

Conclusion and Recommendation

The author concludes that while we may not be alone, there is no evidence that we have yet been visited by alien creatures. The evidence from UFO sightings and abduction tales does not warrant this conclusion. The article argues that the extraterrestrial hypothesis should be rejected, and UFOs should be referred to as UAAs (unexplained aerial appearances) to avoid biasing towards extraterrestrial spaceships.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this document are skepticism towards UFO claims, the critique of the extraterrestrial hypothesis, the examination of alleged government cover-ups, and the assertion that belief in UFOs often stems from psychological and societal needs rather than empirical evidence. The editorial stance is strongly critical of unsubstantiated UFO claims and advocates for a rigorous scientific approach, emphasizing that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. The author clearly believes that most UFO phenomena can be explained by prosaic means or are the result of hoaxes and psychological factors.