Ovni Marne - No 04 - 1998

Magazine Overview

Title: OVNI MARNE
Issue: N°4
Date: August 1967 (cover date), but content spans from 1955 to 1995.
Publisher: OVNI MARNE (Association loi de 1901, non-profit).
Country: France.
Price: 10F.

This issue of OVNI MARNE, a French publication dedicated to UFO phenomena, presents a collection of intriguing cases and a special dossier. The cover prominently features a triangular UFO hovering above a historical archway, with headlines hinting at sightings over Châlons and other mysterious events.

Articles and Features

Les Phares de la Mort (The Headlights of Death) This article recounts an incident in Melbourne, Australia, on April 4, 1966. Ronald F. Sullivan, an automobilist, reported his headlights veering off the road towards a mysterious luminous cloud. An object rose from the ground and disappeared. A circular depression of 1.50m diameter and 10cm depth was found at the site. The incident occurred the day after a fatal accident involving a young driver, Gary Taylor, at the same location, raising questions about a potential connection.

Un Étrange Triangle sur Châlons (A Strange Triangle over Châlons) This report details a sighting on June 30, 1995, in Châlons, France. A witness observed a slow-moving, triangular object with three lights (red, yellow, white) appearing from above a building. The object, estimated to be the size of a football field, moved slowly and disappeared. Investigators from OVNI MARNE learned from other witnesses that the triangle had passed over their car, and curiously, an audio cassette they were listening to was demagnetized. The case remains unexplained.

Chasse au Mirage: Dossier OVNI Exclusif (Mirage Hunt: Exclusive UFO Dossier) This is the first part of an exclusive UFO dossier presented by TELE POCHE and Jean-Claude Bourret in OVNI MARNE. It focuses on a mysterious incident involving a Mirage IV military aircraft. The article details a night training flight where the aircraft's movements were tracked by ground control. Key figures mentioned include pilot Commandant G.R., navigator Capitaine A.J.-P., and ground controller Sergent-Chef P.M. The dossier primarily uses radio communication logs between Menthol radar and the pilot, designated 'Calcaire 341'. The incident occurred on March 7, 1977, at the Luxeuil air base in Haute-Saône.

Nuit Folle à Hopkinsville! (Crazy Night at Hopkinsville!) This article describes the famous Hopkinsville encounter in Kentucky, USA, on August 21, 1955. A young farmer and his neighbors reported seeing small, luminous beings, described as 'green little men' with long arms and short legs, approaching their farmhouse. They fired upon the creatures, which reportedly made strange noises but seemed unharmed. The encounter lasted for hours, and the beings eventually retreated. The investigation found only the spent bullets, but the event is considered a significant case in ufology.

Une Vague Odeur de Soufre (A Wave of Sulfur Smell) This piece recounts an event in August 1967 in Cantal, France. Two children, Philippe (13) and Valérie (8), were guarding cows when they saw four small beings, about 1.20 meters tall, with slender legs, long arms, and beards, standing before a large luminous sphere (2.50 meters in diameter). The beings appeared agitated, and one used a mirror-like object to reflect light. The sphere then became incandescent and ascended into the sky, with the beings entering it. The cows became agitated, and the children ran to the farm. Gendarmes investigated the field but found no evidence except for a faint smell of sulfur.

Les Géants des Airs Attaquent (The Giants of the Air Attack) This article reports on incidents involving giant birds. In July 1977, near Delava, Illinois, USA, a giant bird attempted to abduct a 25-kilo pig. This bird had a companion and resembled California condors (2.70m wingspan). However, an ecologist noted that condors would not be able to lift such weight and do not attack live animals. The article also mentions a similar incident in 1977 where a young boy, Marlon Lowe, was attacked by a giant bird in Illinois. Another incident from Porto Rico in 1975 describes an attack by a 'horrible gray creature'. The article links these to the legend of the 'Piasa' bird.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently explores unexplained aerial phenomena, mysterious encounters with non-human entities, and unexplained events. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, presenting witness accounts and investigative findings without necessarily endorsing them as fact, as stated in the publication's disclaimer: "The texts published in this review engage only the responsibility of their authors. The fact of publishing such or such document does not necessarily prove that we approve all its terms." The inclusion of a military aviation dossier suggests an interest in the intersection of conventional and unconventional phenomena.

This issue of "Le Monde Mystérieux" (The Mysterious World) focuses on historical accounts of giant birds and their alleged interactions with humans, particularly children. The magazine presents several cases spanning from the late 19th century to the late 1970s, suggesting a recurring phenomenon of large, bird-like creatures exhibiting unusual and often dangerous behavior.

Lawndale, Illinois Incident (July 25, 1977)

The lead story details an event on July 25, 1977, in Lawndale, Illinois. Young Marlon Lowe was playing in his yard with friends when, around 8 PM, his mother, Madame Lowe, heard cries for help. She found Marlon struggling with two giant birds. One of the birds flew off with the boy, but dropped him a few meters from the ground. Madame Lowe described the birds as entirely black, with white rings around their long, thin necks and hooked beaks. She estimated their wingspan to be about three meters. Six other witnesses corroborated this description, having seen the birds flying towards Kickapoo Creek. The article suggests that without his mother's intervention, Marlon might have suffered the fate of victims in other cases.

Historical Cases of Bird-Related Incidents

The magazine then delves into historical accounts, presenting a series of similar incidents:

Missouri, 1878

An account from an institute in a small Missouri town in 1878 describes the alleged abduction of a student by a very large eagle. For some time, eagles had been unusually agitated, and there were reports of pigs and lambs being taken. During a recess, a large eagle swooped down and seized an eight-year-old boy, Jemmie Kenney. Despite the children's cries, the eagle carried Jemmie high into the sky before dropping him. Tragically, Jemmie did not survive his injuries.

Switzerland, 1938

A similar tragedy occurred in Switzerland in 1938. A five-year-old girl, Marie Delex, was reportedly abducted by an eagle. A rescue team searched for her and found the eagle's nest, which contained two eaglets and the bones of a goat and sheep, but no trace of the girl. Two months later, a shepherd found her mutilated body on a rock.

Pennsylvania, 1895

In February 1895, in Pennsylvania, the disappearance of ten-year-old Landy Junkins was attributed to a giant bird. She had been sent on an errand and never arrived. Her tracks were found in the snow, indicating she had left the path and was circling, seemingly trying to escape an unknown attacker. She was never found.

Pennsylvania, 1940

An incident that occurred shortly after Landy Junkins' disappearance may explain her fate. Peter Swadley, a bear hunter, was attacked by a very large bird that inflicted deep gashes on his back with its monstrous claws. He likely would have died if his dog had not intervened.

Mysterious Sheep Disappearance, 1940

Also in 1940, a sheep was taken from a mysteriously closed sheepfold. The only clue was a hole in the roof, attributed to a large bird.

Coundersport, Pennsylvania, 1940

Robert Lyman, driving on a road through the Coundersport forest, observed a brown bird about a meter high, with short legs and neck. When the bird took flight, Lyman was astonished by its wingspan, estimated at nearly seven meters, and wondered how it managed to fly between the trees.

Illustrations and Advertisements

The issue includes illustrations depicting the alleged abductions, including a reconstitution of Marie Delex's abduction and a drawing of a child being carried by a bird. There are also advertisements for "Denis Patrice Dépannage Audio Vidéo" and "CHALONS AUTOMOBILES", as well as "Petite Fleur" floral arrangements.

Games and Puzzles

A section titled "LES JEUX" (The Games) features a word puzzle called "LE MOT MYSTERIEUX" (The Mysterious Word), which requires solvers to find a word pronounced by E.T. The puzzle includes a grid and clues related to constellations, mythology, and space.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme throughout this issue is the existence of unusually large and dangerous birds, capable of abducting children and livestock. The magazine presents these accounts as unexplained phenomena, drawing from historical records and witness testimonies. The editorial stance appears to be one of presenting these mysterious events for the reader's consideration, highlighting the unexplained aspects and the potential danger posed by these creatures. The inclusion of a puzzle related to E.T. and space suggests an interest in extraterrestrial or unusual phenomena beyond just biological anomalies.