Saucer News - Whole Number 21 - Vol 04 No 01 - 1956 12-1957 01

Magazine Overview

Title: SAUCER NEWS
Issue: VOLUME 4, NUMBER 1 (Whole Number 21)
Date: DECEMBER-JANUARY 1956-1957
Publisher: Saucer and Unexplained Celestial Events Research Society (S.A.U.C.E.R.S.)
Country: USA
Language: English
Price: $2.00 per year

This issue of SAUCER NEWS, the official publication of the Saucer and Unexplained Celestial Events Research Society, delves into recent UFO sightings, book reviews, and a scientific analysis of the flying saucer phenomenon. The cover features a photograph of three bright lights, taken by Bert Buhler in West New York, N.J., in early 1956.

Editorials and Notes

The "Editorial Notes" section addresses the difficulty in obtaining copies of the Air Force's Project Blue Book Special Report #14, noting that a researcher in White Plains, NY, has obtained permission to distribute a book containing its pages for $1.00. The editors apologize for an earlier error stating Major Donald Keyhoe spoke at the Giant Rock Saucer Convention. The "Letters to the Editor" section is omitted but will return in the next issue. A non-scheduled "Newsletter" containing "too hot to handle" material is available for $1.00. The issue also mentions that a recent Air Force "fact sheet" is available free to subscribers.

Book Reviews

Fred Broman reviews three books:

• UFO AND THE BIBLE by M.K. Jessup: This book offers explanations for biblical miracles through UFO phenomena, analyzing biblical texts and prophecies in light of modern science and the UFO mystery. It is described as a profound and surprising study that will appeal to open-minded readers.
• THERE IS LIFE ON MARS by Earl Nelson: This review highlights the book's explanation of why astronomers now admit Martian canals suggest intelligent construction. It discusses the possibility of intelligent life on Mars and its implications for Earth, citing a titled Englishman as a source.
• STRANGEST OF ALL by Frank Edwards: This collection of true stories by the noted commentator is presented as defying explanation, revealing curious events that often go unreported. The review emphasizes the book's accurate presentation of facts and Edwards' storytelling ability.

Recent News Stories

Several recent sightings and events are reported:

• SAUCER SPOTTED VISUALLY AND ON RADAR: On November 25th, in Hot Springs, S.D., a saucer was seen visually by Sheriff Allen Coates and his son, Robert, while a jet interceptor from Ellsworth Air Force Base reported an unidentified blip on its radar. The object displayed brilliant lights and erratic movement. The Air Force declined to confirm details.
• THE MENGER STORY: The issue details the experiences of Howard Menger, a sign painter from High Bridge, New Jersey, who claims to have had "contact" experiences similar to George Adamski's. Menger describes meeting three beings from a glowing, pulsating craft. He has taken photographs, and 16 people in his area allegedly have seen saucers. Mrs. Tharp, a neighbor, recounts seeing three saucers land and a man emerge. Menger has been giving public lectures and appearances on radio and TV.
• SAUCER SEEN BY THREE MARINE PILOTS: On October 14th, three pilots from the 241st Air Reserve Squadron saw a shiny, circular object at 24,000 feet over West Orange County, California. The object moved in the opposite direction of their flight and was described as silver-colored with no appendages.
• SOUTH DAKOTA MAN DESCRIBES HUGE SAUCER: An account from a Redfield, S.D., truck driver describes seeing a large, slate gray, metal object, about 1,000 feet in the air, that stopped and hovered for 5 hours. It emitted a brilliant light from an opening at its base and had a lighted outline, but made no noise.
• CONGRESS PROBES PENTAGON'S SECRECY ON SAUCERS: House investigators questioned Pentagon officials about security policies and the suppression of public information, particularly concerning the handling of flying saucer reports by the Defense Department and Air Force.

Feature Article

FLYING SAUCERS: HOW TO SEPARATE FACTS FROM FICTION by Justin Case: The author, a mechanical and licensed professional engineer, addresses questions about his identity and views on flying saucers. He emphasizes the importance of factual judgment in engineering and applies this to his UFO investigation. Case states he has read about 20 books, categorizing five as "fact books" (Ruppelt, Menzel, Keyhoe) and the rest as "fiction books," often "contact" stories or falsely scientific works. He finds most newspaper reports, especially from Southern California, to be worthless. Consulting various sciences, he finds psychology and hypnotism suggest human observers are unreliable. Biology and evolution indicate alien visitors would likely not resemble humans. Physics and chemistry laws suggest UFOs do not violate known physical laws. Meteorology shows UFOs exhibit intelligent motion, unlike natural phenomena. Physical geography suggests life and space travel are rare. Astronomy indicates the vast distances between stars make interstellar travel highly improbable. Case concludes that while most UFO reports indicate intelligent movement and there is a mystery that science cannot yet explain, the possibility of them being man-made cannot be dismissed. He admits the possibility of intelligent visitors from space but acknowledges the weakness of this view.

Other Items

• DEAD ANIMAL THAT FELL FROM SKY CAUSES WILD SPECULATION: A story from San Francisco details a strange furry body found in a backyard, which had struck and splintered a clothesline post. The animal was identified as a Philippine monkey, raising questions about how it fell from the sky.
• GIANT SAUCER CLUB FORMED IN WASHINGTON: A group of about 70 individuals, including scientists and public figures like Frank Edwards, have formed the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena. Headed by physicist Thomas Townsend Brown, the organization aims for a scientific approach but is reportedly facing financial difficulties.
• NEW JERSEY MAN SEES FIREBALL SKIM OVER RIVER: Harry Sturdivant, a Trenton night watchman, reported seeing a large, glowing object swoop over the Delaware River, make a hissing sound, and emit an overpowering odor. He later applied for workmen's compensation for disability due to the experience, claiming loss of taste and smell.
• MYSTERY NOTE IN BOTTLE TELLS OF BATTLE WITH SPACEMEN: A note found in a bottle on Bainbridge Island, Wash., purportedly from Cmdr. J. P. Sinclaire, USN, claimed he was shot down by flying saucers. Naval authorities found no record of such a commander, suggesting it might be a hoax.
• NEW SIGNS OF LIFE ON MARS: Astronomer E.C. Slipher reportedly claimed his observations show intelligent beings built the canals on Mars.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently focuses on UFO sightings, alleged alien encounters, and the scientific investigation of these phenomena. There is a clear effort to distinguish between factual reports and speculative or fictional accounts, as exemplified by Justin Case's article. The editorial stance appears to be open to the possibility of extraterrestrial visitors while maintaining a critical and evidence-based approach, acknowledging the limitations of current scientific understanding and the potential for hoaxes or misinterpretations. The publication also highlights government secrecy and the challenges researchers face in obtaining information.

This issue of "Flying Saucer Review" (Issue 11) delves into recent developments in the study of UFOs and potential extraterrestrial life. It covers astronomical observations of Mars, a specific saucer sighting with photographic evidence from North Dakota, and the highly publicized but ultimately unsuccessful 'Mon-Ka' message event.

Martian Observations and Life

The magazine begins by discussing the possibility of Martian civilization, citing astronomer Slipher's belief that it is extinct. However, it also presents recent reports from reputable scientists and astronomers regarding unusual phenomena on Mars. These include striking changes observed by Soviet astronomers in the Southern Hemisphere, such as bright spots and a red line that appeared on August 30th and subsequently split. R. A. McIntosh, an astronomer in New Zealand, noted that the planet's ice cap melted unusually early this year. Other reports mentioned strange dust clouds and lights, as well as saucer-like objects flying near Mars.

North Dakota Policeman Photographs Saucer

A significant event detailed is the sighting and photographic documentation of a saucer near Pierre, North Dakota, on November 25th. Two state employees, Patrolman Don Kelm and Jack Peters (a state police radio dispatcher), witnessed the object. They reported it was bright red, hovering about 50 to 100 feet above the ground, and shaped like "half an egg with the bottom round." They observed it for about half an hour, and it appeared to follow their car as they drove away. Peters took several photos, using a fence post for stability. The negatives, developed at the state law enforcement laboratory, reportedly showed a dot of light in the dark, lacking the symmetrical shape the men described seeing with the naked eye. The article notes that radar screens at Rapid City reportedly picked up the object, and interceptors were dispatched to make contact. The photograph on the page is a blow-up of one of Mr. Peters' pictures.

The Mon-Ka Story

This section addresses the "Mon-Ka Story," described as one of the biggest and most disappointing saucer stories of the fall season. It originated from tape recordings distributed by the Solar Cross Foundation, headed by Dick Miller. On one tape, Mon-Ka, a Martian, allegedly stated he would appear over Los Angeles in his saucer at 10:30 p.m. on November 7th to broadcast a message to Earth. These recordings were reportedly brought to London, England, by an enthusiast named Kenneth McKeller. Efforts by McKeller and the British magazine "Flying Saucer Review" led to widespread publicity in England. A wire service misinterpretation suggested that recognized scientists had confirmed the space messages, which was not the case. In the United States, the Space Interplanetary Study Group, led by President Gabriel Green, was involved. They persuaded radio station KATY in San Luis Obispo, California, to go off the air for two minutes at the scheduled time to allow the message. Additionally, Los Angeles television shows, including Paul Coates on KTTV and Tom Dugan on another channel, featured interviews with people waiting for Mon-Ka's appearance.

Unfortunately, Mon-Ka did not appear. One routine saucer sighting was made by a mobile station from the student engineering council of California Polytechnic Institute, which was cooperating with saucer enthusiasts. Another sighting was made by a ham radio station. Numerous other sightings were reported by Los Angeles residents on the nights of November 7th and 8th, but no space messages came through. "Flying Saucer Review" issued a bulletin denying responsibility, and most sensible saucer magazines ignored the event. The story turned out to be a fiasco, with few repercussions except in Southern California. John Otto, a Chicago lecturer, had predicted Mon-Ka would not appear.

Prior to the "big night," Dick Miller had disbanded his Solar Cross Group, reportedly for financial reasons, and has since disappeared.

News Briefs

This section provides several short news items:

• Cedric Allingham, author of the British book "Flying Saucer from Mars," has died in a sanatorium in Switzerland after suffering from tuberculosis.
• John DuBerry has been elected president of New York's Civilian Saucer Intelligence. DuBerry is a former editor of TRUE Magazine and worked with Major Keyhoe.
• Other new officers of Civilian Saucer Intelligence include Ivan Sanderson, Courtland Hastings, Ted Bloecher, and Lex Mebane. The editor of "Flying Saucer Review" is noted as a former president of this organization.
• George Williamson, an associate of George Adamski, has closed his Telonic Research Center in Arizona, and its quarterly magazine, "The Telonic Research Bulletin," will cease publication. Williamson is reportedly heading to Lima, Peru.
• James Rigberg, former publisher of "Flying Saucer News" (New York City's largest saucer magazine) and owner of a store selling books on saucers and occult subjects, has declared bankruptcy. The article notes the irony of this news following a Saturday Evening Post article that highlighted his commercial success.
• British astronomer H. P. Wilkins (not related to saucer author H. T. Wilkins) has resigned from the British Astronomical Association due to its failure to accept his findings on the Moon. He is forming a new astronomical society with a more liberal-minded scientific membership.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently reports on UFO sightings and related phenomena, often with a focus on eyewitness accounts and photographic evidence, as seen in the North Dakota case. There is a clear distinction made between credible reports and sensationalized or unsubstantiated claims, as evidenced by the handling of the Mon-Ka story and the magazine's denial of responsibility. The editorial stance appears to be one of serious investigation into UFOs, while maintaining a critical perspective on hoaxes and exaggerated claims. The inclusion of "News Briefs" suggests an effort to keep readers informed about the broader UFO research community, including key figures, organizations, and their activities. The magazine also seems to engage with international UFO research, as indicated by the mention of British publications and astronomers.