Potpourri News No 261

Magazine Overview

This issue of POTPOURRI NEWS, dated June 20, 1983, features a cover story from the ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH detailing a space engineer's findings on the health effects of UFO encounters. The publication also includes reports from Denver, CO, and London, England, covering local UFO activity and related mysteries.

Space Engineer Links Sickness To UFO Sightings

By Dennis Hannon of the Post-Dispatch Staff, this article introduces John F. Schuessler, a space industry engineer with 18 years of study into UFO encounters. Schuessler advises caution around airborne objects, stating that many individuals reporting UFO experiences have exhibited symptoms of acute radiation poisoning. He is writing a book about a specific case near Dayton, Texas, involving Betty Cash, 54, and Vickie Landrum, 59, and Mrs. Landrum's 9-year-old grandson, Colby.

In December 1980, while driving, the trio witnessed an elongated, diamond-shaped object pursued by approximately 20 large, double-rotor helicopters resembling U.S. military craft. Despite the car becoming unbearably hot, they drove home. Subsequently, all three developed severe nausea and sunburns. Within two weeks, Ms. Cash and Mrs. Landrum began losing hair and experiencing skin loss. Both women have since suffered various degenerative ailments, and Ms. Cash eventually developed cancer.

Schuessler presented slides illustrating the women before and after the encounter. He noted the lack of hard proof in the 'Cash-Landrum Case,' though he found three witnesses to helicopter flights and one witness to the diamond-shaped object. While the armed services initially offered informal confirmation, they now deny the presence of numerous helicopters in east Texas that night. Ms. Cash and Mrs. Landrum filed a $10 million damage claim against the U.S. Air Force but lost, as they could not prove their suffering resulted from earth-based craft.

Schuessler considers the possibility of extraterrestrial visits a 'working hypothesis' rather than a fact, but he criticizes the dismissal of such reports as lunacy, stating, "That is answering a mystery with a mystery... I'd rather say I don't know." He hopes for a "responsible solution to the problem" in his lifetime, advocating, "As long as there is a mystery, why not work on it?"

Chicken Little Strikes Again: Unmarked Helicopters Circle the City

This report from Denver, CO, by C. Raschke, details sightings of "mysterious" unmarked helicopters by Denverites interested in UFOs. Bill Swenson, president of the Denver UFO Society, expressed confusion about the unmarked choppers. Federal Aviation Administration officials state that all airborne vehicles must carry identification, but witnesses describe olive drab or black "military-type" helicopters lacking markings.

Officials at Lowry Air Force Base and Buckley Field have received inquiries but deny knowledge of the helicopters' origin. Vance Reed, a Denver UFO expert, noted at least six people have reported anonymous helicopter sightings since the start of the year, with some suggesting a connection to cattle mutilations.

Denver University student Glenn Larkin reported a black, unmarked helicopter flying south above Interstate 25, which appeared to stop, spin in place, and then emit a thundering noise before disappearing. He was unable to verify the incident. Dr. Carl Raschke, a professor of religions at D.U., has heard from at least three individuals who believe these helicopters belong to an international military consortium spraying a virus to make the population listless. Raschke questions this speculation.

Sergeant Chuck Kubin of Lowry A.F.B. suggested that in combat dress, helicopters might be painted dark green with flat black markings, making them hard to detect. Doug Abbots, Buckley public affairs director, explained that helicopters are often routed along I-25 for approaches to military installations, and combat markings could make them appear unmarked. Lois Avery, a service representative, finds the mystery of unmarked black helicopters entertaining.

Great UFO Riddle

This brief report from London, England, dated March 6, 1983, highlights a significant decline in UFO sightings in Italy. Roberto Pinnotti, President of the UFO Society of Italy, expressed worry, noting that there have been no reported sightings for over a year, a stark contrast to 700 in 1978 and 60 in 1981. Pinnotti stated, "All we can say is that something strange is happening."

Brother not satisfied with Army's findings in mysterious death of pilot

This article from The Houston Post, dated May 25, 1983, details the ongoing investigation by Carl Whipkey into the 1958 disappearance and presumed death of his brother, 1st Lt. Paul Byron Whipkey. The Army initially listed Lt. Whipkey as absent without leave and later charged him with desertion. Twenty-four years later, the Army Board for Correction of Military Records concluded in April 1982 that Lt. Whipkey died the day after his disappearance, excusing his absence as unavoidable and stating his death was incurred in the line of duty.

Carl Whipkey, a communications technician, has spent 25 years accumulating documents and suspects his brother was a secret agent killed by fellow agents, his aircraft shot down over the Soviet Union, or that he suffered illness from secret Army nerve gas or atomic tests in the 1950s.

Lt. Whipkey, a decorated pilot, was last heard from on July 10, 1958, when he told fellow officers he was going to get a drink. Hours later, he checked into a motel in Mojave, California. The next day, he bought gasoline and was never heard from again. The Army closed its files after concluding that Lt. Whipkey may have wandered into the desert and succumbed to extreme heat, with shifting sands making recovery of remains near impossible.

Carl Whipkey's efforts to obtain information have been met with resistance; the FBI stated in 1978 that it had destroyed field files on the case. The Army report stated that the passage of time made it "remote, if not impossible," to resolve the disappearance.

Carl Whipkey discovered that his brother flew in five atomic test explosions in Nevada and suspects he was exposed to radiation. He also believes his brother may have witnessed classified experiments involving humans. The Army report acknowledges Lt. Whipkey's temporary duty at Camp Desert Rock, Nevada, from July to October 1957, but makes no mention of atomic tests and states that "extensive investigations" failed to support Carl Whipkey's assertions. The report does note that soon after his Nevada duty, Lt. Whipkey developed black moles and plantar warts, complained of not feeling well, constant colds, weight loss, and a change in personality, becoming more nervous.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around unexplained phenomena, particularly UFO sightings and their potential consequences, and suspected government cover-ups or involvement in mysterious events. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, encouraging investigation into these mysteries rather than dismissing them outright, as exemplified by John F. Schuessler's approach and Carl Whipkey's persistent search for answers regarding his brother's death. The publication highlights cases where official explanations are questioned or found lacking, suggesting a critical perspective on governmental transparency regarding sensitive or unusual incidents.