1966 12 17 Saturday Evening Post Hynek

Magazine Overview

Title: The Saturday Evening Post
Issue Date: December 17, 1966
Volume: 239th year, Issue No. 26
Publisher: The Curtis Publishing Company
Country: USA
Language: English

This issue of The Saturday Evening Post features a prominent article questioning the official explanations for Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs), along with other articles on social issues, fiction, and departments.

Articles

Speaking Out: We Need More Slumlords By Joseph Kahn This article is not detailed in the provided scan.

Affairs of State: After Vietnam—abolish poverty? By Stewart Alsop This article is not detailed in the provided scan.

The Human Comedy: A Bold New Trend in Playthings By David L. Goodrich This article is not detailed in the provided scan.

Are Flying Saucers Real? By J. Allen Hynek This article, central to the issue, is detailed below.

Hawaii: Taps at Pearl Harbor By Joan Didion This article is not detailed in the provided scan.

The Thinking Man's Cowboy By Edward Linn This article is not detailed in the provided scan.

Message in Billy Wilder's Fortune Cookie: 'Well, Nobody's Perfect...' By Richard Lemon This article is not detailed in the provided scan.

The Case of the Missing Millionaire By James Phelan This article is not detailed in the provided scan.

Fiction

The Day Mussolini Died in Santa Vittoria By Robert Crichton This article is not detailed in the provided scan.

The Private People By John O'Hara This article is not detailed in the provided scan.

Departments

• Letters: Page 4
• Hazel: Page 64
• America, America: Page 82
• Editorial: Page 74
• Post Scripts: Page 92

About This Issue

This section provides background on the contributors. It notes that Richard Lemon spent 18 months researching his article on Billy Wilder. Robert Crichton is the author of the novel "The Secret of Santa Vittoria" and the nonfiction bestseller "The Great Impostor." Joan Didion, writing about Hawaii, is working on a second novel and is a new mother. Investigative reporter James Phelan is known for his work on the "California Tax Scandal."

Main Feature: Are Flying Saucers Real? by J. Allen Hynek

J. Allen Hynek, chairman of the astronomy department at Northwestern University and the Air Force's scientific consultant on UFOs for 18 years, presents a critical examination of the phenomenon. He argues that while many UFO sightings can be explained as hoaxes, hallucinations, or misidentifications, a significant number remain puzzling and warrant serious scientific study.

Hynek recounts his early skepticism and his initial agreement with the Air Force's stance. However, over two decades, he encountered approximately 15,000 cases, of which several hundred were puzzling, and about one in 25 were bewildering. These baffling cases were often reported by highly respected individuals with technical backgrounds.

He criticizes the Air Force's Project Blue Book for its limited resources and scope, noting that it was often headed by a captain and had a small staff. The Robertson panel of 1953, which reviewed only 15 cases, concluded that UFOs posed no threat and did not require revisions of scientific concepts, a conclusion Hynek found hasty.

Hynek details several puzzling incidents, including:

• August 25, 1966, North Dakota: An Air Force officer and radar crew tracked a UFO at 100,000 feet that exhibited unusual climbing, descending, and landing behaviors, accompanied by radio static.
• August 1966, North Dakota: A police officer witnessed an object, about 30 feet in diameter, hovering and moving erratically before disappearing into clouds.
• August 5-6, 1953, South Dakota: Multiple observers and fighter pilots reported sightings of bright, fast-moving lights that defied conventional explanation.

Hynek expresses frustration with the scientific community's general dismissal of UFO reports and the public's tendency towards sensationalism. He recounts his experience with the "swamp gas" sightings in Michigan in March 1966, where media frenzy overshadowed any serious investigation, leading to premature conclusions.

He outlines four potential explanations for UFOs:

1. Hoaxes or hallucinations: The most common explanation, but not applicable to all cases.
2. Secret military weapons: Dismissed due to the global nature of sightings and security risks.
3. Extraterrestrial visitors: A possibility that cannot be ruled out, though lacking incontrovertible evidence.
4. Unknown natural phenomena: Acknowledging that scientific understanding is constantly evolving and new phenomena may exist.

Hynek is pleased that the Air Force has finally initiated a more thorough scientific investigation, led by Dr. Edward Condon at the University of Colorado. He suggests computerizing UFO data for pattern analysis and equipping police cars with cameras to capture photographic evidence.

He refutes the idea of a deliberate government cover-up, stating that the Air Force's consistent hypothesis has been misidentification or natural phenomena, reflecting a lack of belief in anything truly novel.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine's stance, as presented through J. Allen Hynek's article, is one of cautious scientific inquiry into the UFO phenomenon. It moves away from outright dismissal and acknowledges the existence of unexplained cases reported by credible individuals. The issue advocates for a more rigorous, data-driven approach to understanding UFOs, moving beyond a "battle of faiths" to a scientific analysis. The cover headline and the article's content suggest a shift towards taking the subject more seriously, spurred by the Air Force's own initiative for a comprehensive investigation.