SAGA

Magazine Overview

Title: SAGA
Issue: JUNE 1968
Publisher: SAGA
Country: USA
Price: 50¢

This issue of SAGA magazine, dated June 1968, features a prominent cover story questioning Russia's influence on the US presidential election, alongside other diverse articles including an expose on the auto insurance racket, a piece on Brigitte Bardot, a feature on a sun and fun spa, and a story about Vietnam war dogs. The main visual on the cover is a dramatic photograph of a snarling leopard, hinting at an 'Adventure Safari: Leopard Hunt' feature.

Unidentified Underwater Saucers

The lead article, "Unidentified Underwater Saucers," delves into the phenomenon of UFOs interacting with bodies of water. It posits that UFOs may be using oceans, lakes, and rivers as their unexplored frontier. The article recounts several incidents, including the experience of Captain Alfred Stanford aboard the sloop Vision 4 off Milford, Connecticut, on October 24, 1965. During this cruise, the sloop's compass began to circle erratically, which Captain Stanford attributed to a powerful electromagnetic field beneath the surface, speculating it could be a 'sea monster' or a 'submerged nuclear submarine.'

Further evidence is presented through the work of marine scientist Dr. Dmitri Rebikoff, who in July 1965, detected and attempted to photograph a fast-moving pear-shaped UFO in the Gulf Stream. The American ship Eltanin, operated by the Military Sea Transportation Service for the National Science Foundation, captured a photograph on August 29, 1964, of a peculiar, machine-like object at a depth of 13,500 feet, 1000 miles west of Cape Horn. Dr. Thomas Hopkins, a senior marine biologist aboard the Eltanin, ruled out biological or geological explanations, noting its complexity and out-of-place appearance, and expressed reluctance to label it as man-made due to the logistical challenges.

The article highlights the increasing reports of strange undersea objects and UFOs interacting with water. It discusses the "ghost ship" phenomenon, using the Mary Celeste as a prototype, and the eerie mystery of disappearing crews. A particularly chilling account is the "SOS" from the Dutch vessel S. S. Ourang Medan in February 1948, reporting all officers dead, with the discovered crew found in a state of extreme horror, their faces frozen in silent screams.

Another incident involves the disappearance of the tugboat Gulf Master and its five crewmen off Sechelt, British Columbia, on January 11, 1967, which occurred amidst reports of extensive UFO activity in the area. The U.S. Coast Guard's search for four missing men in the Gulf of Mexico in May 1967 is also mentioned, alongside UFO reports in those waters. The disappearance of the luxury boat Witchcraft off Miami, Florida, on December 24, 1967, is also noted.

New Zealand fishermen R. D. Hanning and W. J. Johnson reported an encounter with a mysterious mechanical "sea monster." Additionally, a report from New Zealand's Spaceview detailed Captain K.'s sighting of an unidentified, metallic, streamlined submarine vessel, approximately 100 feet long, in Kaipara Harbor on January 12, 1965.

The article explores the potential impact of electromagnetic fields, suggesting they could cause hallucinations and disorientation, possibly explaining some disappearances. It also notes UFO activity over Lake Huron in September 1967, where witnesses reported objects dropping something into the water, and subsequent sightings by employees of the Point Douglas nuclear generating station.

Further reports include a UFO activity near the Ohio River, with Mrs. Roy Snyder recounting multiple sightings and an incident where a "fiery red" object caused her car and two others to stall. Lynn Workley also reported a UFO stopping his car's engine and lights. The article touches upon speculation that UFOs might be drawing electricity from high-power lines near strip mines.

In Ontario, Canada, a teen-aged Gerard Brosso reported a saucer-shaped UFO with antennas and lights. The Mississippi River area has also seen numerous UFO observations. Brian Skinner, editor of "Saucers, Space & Science," interviewed miners who witnessed UFOs and small, four-foot-tall "aliens" near a mine pond in Caledonia, Ontario.

On October 3, 1967, officers of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police responded to reports of a 60-foot-long UFO gliding onto the surface of the Atlantic Ocean near Shag Harbor, Nova Scotia, before submerging. Despite searches by Navy and civilian divers, no trace was found.

Reports from Gulfport, Florida, describe a flying saucer emerging from the water and ascending rapidly. A shrimp fisherman also reported a disc-shaped craft shooting up from under his boat.

Weather and Seismic Anomalies

The magazine connects these underwater phenomena to unusual geological and meteorological events. It questions the University of California's seismic instruments recording earthquakes near Vancouver Island that authorities denied, and notes sudden underwater volcanic eruptions in the Tonga Trench. The article also references a hurricane that smashed Scotland and a sudden thaw in Austria causing flash floods, as well as unusual weather in Jerusalem and Scandinavia.

It is speculated that these events might be linked to manipulation of seismic faultlines and trenches, or phenomena "boiled" up from the sea beds, potentially by unknown entities.

Research and Cover-ups

The issue touches upon the destruction of research papers at the University of Miami Marine Science Institute due to a fire, questioning if it was related to underwater research findings. The article concludes by suggesting that official denials of underwater unidentified objects will persist, similar to denials of atmospheric UFO activity, unless direct collisions occur.

Other Articles

Beyond the UFO and sea mystery theme, the magazine includes:

• SAGA EXPOSE: The Great Auto Insurance Racket
• BRIGITTE BARDOT: Westerns Will Never Be The Same
• PARADISE ISLAND: Sun 'n Fun Spa For Swingers
• VIETNAM WAR DOGS: Medal Winning Combat K-9's
• ADVENTURE SAFARI: Leopard Hunt (featured on the cover)

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of SAGA are the unexplained mysteries of the sea, particularly concerning unidentified underwater objects and their potential connection to unexplained disappearances and unusual phenomena. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into these subjects, presenting various witness accounts and scientific observations, while also acknowledging the possibility of cover-ups or a lack of understanding by mainstream science. The magazine encourages readers to consider unconventional explanations for these events, linking aerial UFO phenomena with underwater occurrences and even natural disasters.