Potpourri News No 204

Magazine Overview

Title: POTPOURRI NEWS
Issue Date: November 9, 1979
Issue Number: 204

This issue of Potpourri News focuses on multiple reports of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and related radar anomalies across the United States.

Dover AFB Admits Blips at Scene of UFOs

This article, by Jeffrey R. Welsh, details how Dover Air Force Base (AFB) confirmed that its approach radar detected two unidentified contacts approximately six miles south-southeast of Laurel, Delaware. This occurred on a Monday morning when Delaware State Police were observing two objects hovering in the sky at the same location. Initially, the base spokesman had stated there were no radar contacts. However, Maj. Robert Groom, the base information officer, clarified that while the Air Force confirmed the radar blips, it was not reporting a UFO sighting. He suggested that the radar might have been picking up 'ground clutter,' which can frequently appear on radar screens. Groom emphasized that the radar operator reported these images at least three times Monday morning, communicating with state police and the U.S. Coast Guard in Cape May, N.J. The report notes that earlier the same night, state troopers in Laurel, Smyrna policemen, and residents had reported similar sightings. The Air Force officially confirmed the radar contacts only after The Evening Journal learned about them from state police and the Coast Guard. The base duty officer had relayed a request from state police to the Coast Guard for a helicopter, but it was unavailable. The official Air Force version reportedly did not fully align with state police and Coast Guard reports. The radar operator at Dover reportedly told both agencies he had contacts on the approach radar screen and estimated the altitude of the objects at 1,000 to 1,500 feet. State police indicated the objects initially seemed to be 'going around and around,' and there were no other aircraft in the area besides the two stationary objects.

UFO seen?

This section reports on a sighting near the Wisconsin-Illinois stateline. An unidentified flying object that 'lit up the sky' was observed by several people around 6 a.m. An unnamed female motorist contacted the Green County Sheriff's Department with the information. La Verne Wichelt, working the dispatch desk, monitored several 'point-to-point' conversations between law enforcement departments regarding similar reports. The motorist stated that several other cars had pulled over to watch the object. The object was described as 'whitish in color' and 'went across the sky.'

Sheriff reports 2 UFO incidents

This report from Austin, Minnesota, details two incidents involving UFOs that were reported to the Mower County Sheriff's Department. Both cases were referred to the Center of the Study of UFO's in Evanston, Illinois.

The first incident involved Thomas Braaten of Coon Rapids, who reported seeing two oblong-shaped objects in the sky to the east of his residence near County Road 3. The objects, one large and one small, emitted a steady white glow and hovered for about 10 to 15 minutes before moving off to the northeast. This occurred around 1 a.m. on a Sunday.

The second incident involved Thomas Gebhart of rural Waltham. He reported that between two to four weeks prior to his report (dated October 15, 1979), something had broken or pushed down a 12 by 12 foot area of his bean field. There were two 4-inch deep depressions in the area where the beans had been burned.

The Sheriff's Department also mentioned receiving three other reports of UFOs in the past month.

Information, Data, Commentary and Speculation

This section is attributed to John F. Schuessler, with a P.O. Box in Houston, Texas.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme throughout this issue is the reporting of unexplained aerial phenomena and associated radar contacts. The magazine appears to present these reports factually, citing law enforcement agencies, military confirmations (with caveats), and civilian witnesses. The editorial stance seems to be one of documenting these events and providing a platform for information, data, commentary, and speculation on the subject of UFOs, as indicated by the byline of the final section.