SAGA

Magazine Overview

This issue of SAGA magazine, dated January, features an article titled "Strange Messages From Flying Saucers" by John A. Keel. The cover art depicts a military-style figure gesturing towards a hovering flying saucer, setting a tone of mystery and potential alien communication.

Strange Messages From Flying Saucers

The article delves into the phenomenon of UFO 'contactee' stories, which have historically been dismissed as the ramblings of crackpots. However, the author, John A. Keel, presents evidence suggesting that professional UFO investigators have quietly returned to these accounts, uncovering "fantastic discoveries." Keel argues that while the details of these stories can be outlandish, the recurring nature of similar accounts across different countries and time periods indicates a potential underlying truth.

The Argentine Incident

One of the earliest detailed accounts discussed is from August 1957, when an Air Force plane crashed in Argentina. While guarding the wreckage, a soldier reported seeing a huge, luminous metal disc hovering overhead. The object communicated with him in his own language, stating it was an interplanetary spacecraft and that a base for such craft was nearby. The message conveyed was: "We intend to help you, for the misuse of atomic energy threatens to destroy you." The voice also predicted that the world would soon know about flying saucers.

Stuart Whitman's Encounter

Actor Stuart Whitman recounted an experience during the November 1965 New York blackout. He claimed to have heard a 'whippoorwill' sound and saw two luminous disc-shaped objects, one blue and one orange. A voice, sounding like it came from a loudspeaker, warned that Earthlings were disrupting the balance of the universe and that the blackout was a demonstration of their power.

Helio Aguiar's Photographs

In 1959, Brazilian statistician Helio Aguiar claimed to have received a message from a UFO and took photographs to support his story. He described a silvery disc with windows and symbols on its underside. While taking pictures, he experienced a strange pressure in his brain and felt hypnotized, losing track of time. He later found a message in his own handwriting warning to "Put an absolute stop to all atomic tests for warlike purposes," stating that the balance of the Universe is threatened and they would intervene if necessary.

Historical 'Airship' Sightings (1896-1897)

Keel then shifts to historical accounts, citing research into newspaper files from 1896-1897, which reveal thousands of reports of giant 'airship' sightings worldwide. He mentions researchers like Dr. Jacques Vallee and Jerome Clark who have pieced together these historical reports.

• Judge Lawrence A. Byrne (April 1897): Described an 'airship' anchored to the ground, manned by three men with Oriental features, who showed him the interior of the craft.
• J. A. Heron (December 1896): An electrician who claimed to have been taken aboard a craft that traveled to Honolulu and back in one night.
• Adolph Winkle and John Hulle (April 1897): Farmhands who signed affidavits stating they chatted with the occupants of a landed 'airship', who spoke of a full report to the government regarding Cuba.
• Senator Harris (April 1897): Claimed an airship landed on his property, and he saw four occupants drawing water from his well.
• Alexander Hamilton (April 1897): Reported seeing an airship with six strange beings and that it stole one of his cows.
• Law officers McLemore and Sumpter (May 1897): Reported seeing a brilliant light and two persons near their horses, who claimed to be traveling in an airship.

These historical accounts, Keel notes, share similarities with modern UFO sightings, including descriptions of occupants with Oriental features and brief, high-speed journeys.

The Nature of UFO Messages

Keel posits that the UFOs have been deliberately feeding information and misinformation for years, possibly to discredit the 'contactees' and protect their secrets. He suggests that the 'airships' of 1897 were also part of a carefully planned operation to conceal their origin, with various stories told to witnesses.

'Silent Contactees' and Recurring Themes

The article introduces the concept of 'silent contactees' – ordinary people who have had profound experiences but keep them secret due to fear of ridicule. Keel recounts an experience in Ohio where a woman reported seeing two medium-sized men with dark, Oriental-like faces emerge from a landed luminous object. These individuals allegedly warned of impending global disaster, echoing earlier messages about atomic war.

The 'Brothers from Outer Space' and Deception

Keel notes that UFO occupants have sometimes presented themselves as 'Brothers from Outer Space,' spreading messages of peace. However, he raises the possibility of competing groups within the UFO phenomenon, with 'good guys' trying to warn humanity and 'bad guys' attempting to deceive them. He cites the example of a Japanese Peace Mission sitting in Washington while Japanese bombers were en route to Pearl Harbor as a parallel to potential deception.

The 'Electrified Field' Hypothesis

James Cook's story from 1957 is presented, where he claims to have been taken on a ride in outer space. The alleged explanation for why saucers couldn't operate in damp weather was due to an "electrified field." This suggests a potential limitation or characteristic of the technology involved.

Skepticism and the Importance of Contactees

Keel criticizes the common complaint from skeptics that UFOs don't contact 'us.' He argues that they have been contacting people for centuries, but their activities are often overlooked or dismissed. He suggests that ridiculing contactees might have been a grave error, as some may hold the truth about the UFO mystery.

The 'Inventors' and Planted Names

Keel dismisses the idea that the 'airships' of 1897 were secret inventions, likening it to modern UFOs claiming to come from planets like Clarion, Maser, or Blaau. He believes these names are plants, designed to mislead. He concludes that UFOs operate on a large scale and their accidental contacts with humans often involve deliberately false information.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the historical and contemporary accounts of UFO sightings and alleged extraterrestrial contact. The article highlights the consistent messages of warning about atomic war and global disaster, the recurring descriptions of alien beings (Oriental-featured, tall, bug-eyed, etc.), and the patterns of deception and misinformation attributed to UFO occupants. John A. Keel's stance appears to be one of open-minded investigation, urging readers to take 'contactee' stories seriously despite their unusual nature, and to consider the possibility of deliberate manipulation by the UFOs themselves. The editorial stance leans towards acknowledging the complexity and potential reality of the UFO phenomenon, while cautioning against accepting all information at face value and emphasizing the need for critical analysis of the evidence and motivations involved.