Potpourri News No 259

Magazine Overview

Title: POTPOURRI NEWS
Issue Date: May 7, 1983
Issue Number: 259
Publisher: ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Country: USA
Language: English

This issue of Potpourri News delves into the realm of the unexplained, focusing on UFO sightings and related phenomena. It features articles on a local UFO study group, a specific incident involving an object striking a vehicle, and a historical reference to a famous broadcast.

UFO Group Pursues Interest In The Strange

This article, by Charlotte Grimes of the Post-Dispatch Staff, introduces the UFO Study Group of Greater St. Louis Inc. The group, which has been active for 14 years, comprises a diverse membership, including a housewife, a surgical assistant, a map maker, a retired autoworker, and a Lutheran clergyman. John Schroeder, the group's chairman and a Lutheran clergyman, explains that members are united by a personal fascination with the strange and unexplained, often seeking explanations for unusual experiences in their lives.

Schroeder notes that the group has about 80 dues-paying members, but lectures can attract up to 200 people. While the group's name suggests a focus on UFOs, members discuss a wide range of topics, including the Loch Ness Monster and dinosaurs in Africa. The featured attraction on the day of the article was Bigfoot, also known as Sasquatch.

The article highlights the personal nature of these interests, with Schroeder stating, "It's a very deep, personal thing." He also mentions that many members have college degrees and scientific backgrounds.

Jeff Kretsch, a cartographer by day and a UFO investigator for the group by night, balances fact with wishful thinking. He observes that people want to believe and sometimes lose interest when a natural explanation is found, while others find it exciting.

Personal encounters are also detailed. John Schroeder recounts a sighting from his youth in 1941, where he and his brother saw a 30-foot shape hovering above a house, with flashing lights of lavender and orange. Frank M. Brown, a retired General Motors Corp. worker, was nicknamed "The UFO Man" for his lifelong fascination, which began with a sighting at age 12. He actively seeks others who have had similar experiences, advertising his interest with a personalized license plate.

Gayle and Phil O'Brien, a housewife and a surgical assistant respectively, share their experiences. Gayle saw unaccountable lights in the night sky, and Phil had his car chased by a UFO. Gayle describes the experience as "scary and intriguing," expressing a desire to understand such phenomena.

UFO search continues

This article reports on the ongoing search for an unidentified object that fell from the sky on Friday, January 28, 1983, striking a vehicle on U.S. 70 near Center School Road in Clovis, New Mexico. Cannon Air Force Base officials confirmed the search was underway. The object left a scratch and splattered grease on the vehicle of Mr. and Mrs. Russell Reed. It was confirmed that the object did not fall from the jet fighters that were flying overhead at the time.

Captain Martin Compton of Cannon Air Force Base stated that all F-111Ds had been inspected and were intact. He added that base personnel would continue searching, though they did not believe the object was government property.

The Reeds, who were traveling through Clovis, described the object as about six inches wide and several feet long. Russell Reed initially thought it was a large black bird but later concluded it might have fallen from a plane due to seeing jets overhead. After realizing their car was damaged, they searched for the object but could not find it. They then drove to a convenience store and contacted the New Mexico State Police.

State Police Officer Allan Collier and three Cannon Air Force Base personnel—Security Officer Sammy McClendon, Pilot Dave Mitchell, and Legal Officer Charlotte Farkas—were involved in the search. Mitchell commented that it was fortunate no one was hurt and that the object did not hit the windshield. Farkas explained procedures that would be followed if the object was found and determined to be from an aircraft, such as part of landing gear.

Mr. and Mrs. Reed were delayed for about an hour but left Clovis before the object was found. Mrs. Farkas provided them with insurance forms and assured them they would be contacted once the object's origin was determined.

Unidentified object hits tourist's auto

This article, from the CLOVIS (N.M.) NEWS JOURNAL dated January 28, 1983, provides further details on the incident involving Mr. and Mrs. Russell Reed. The couple, from Danville, Illinois, were driving their station wagon on U.S. 70 near Center School Road when the object struck. Mrs. Reed described the sound as an explosion. Her husband, Russell Reed, saw the object falling and initially mistook it for a large black bird. He later suspected it came from a plane due to the presence of jets overhead. He noted the absence of other debris on the road, reinforcing his belief that it was aircraft-related.

The object was described as about six inches wide and several feet long. After the incident, the Reeds searched for the object but could not find it. They contacted the New Mexico State Police. Officer Allan Collier, along with Cannon Air Force Base personnel Sammy McClendon, Dave Mitchell, and Charlotte Farkas, were searching for the object. Mitchell expressed relief that no one was injured. Mrs. Farkas provided the Reeds with insurance forms and stated they would be contacted when the object was found and its origin identified. The Reeds were traveling from Santa Cruz, California, to their home in Illinois.

What was that thing?

This article, by Jay Mcintosh of The Daily NCAS, published in NEWS, Longview, WA, on February 4, 1983, recounts an encounter by Bob and Janet Farmer. On Thursday night, an oblong object was observed flying quietly toward their Holcomb Acres home. Bob Farmer, watching television, noticed the object outside his window. Mrs. Farmer commented that if it were a large airplane, it was flying unusually low.

Suddenly, a bright, floodlight-like illumination shone from the object, directed at their front yard. The Farmers went outside to observe. The flying object seemed to stop, and the light shone directly at their yard. Mrs. Farmer called the Kelso police, and the light subsequently faded, leaving an orange halo.

Jerry Zebor, general manager of Davis Air Service in Kelso, suggested that such sightings often turn out to be airplanes or helicopters using their landing floodlights as beacons along Interstate 5. He explained that these lights might be flicked on and off when aircraft detect other planes in the distance. Zebor believes this might have been the case for the Farmers, given the description.

Despite Zebor's explanation, Bob Farmer remained curious, emphasizing the quiet nature of the object despite its low altitude.

Historical Context: Orson Welles' War of the Worlds

This section briefly mentions Orson Welles' 1938 radio adaptation of H. G. Wells' "The War of the Worlds." It notes that despite a preliminary announcement that the broadcast was fictional, the news-type account of Martians landing in New Jersey caused widespread panic among Americans across several states, leading to people running in the streets in fright. The publicity from this event led to Welles being invited to Hollywood to direct motion pictures.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the unexplained, with a particular emphasis on UFO sightings and related phenomena. The publication appears to provide a platform for individuals to share their personal experiences and for local groups to investigate such occurrences. The inclusion of both contemporary reports of UFO activity and a historical anecdote about "The War of the Worlds" suggests an editorial stance that acknowledges the public's enduring fascination with the unknown and the potential for misinterpretation or genuine mystery in unexplained aerial events. The articles aim to present factual accounts while also exploring the personal and psychological aspects of belief and observation in the realm of the strange.