Saucer Smear - Vol 25 No 10 - 1978

Magazine Overview

Title: SAUCER BONE
Issue: Vol. 25, No. 10
Date: August 25th, 1978
Publisher: SAUCER AND UNEXPLAINED CELESTIAL EVENTS RESEARCH SOCIETY
Editor: James W. Moseley

This issue of SAUCER BONE, dated August 25th, 1978, is dedicated to the search for "Physical Evidence" and serves as the official publication of the Saucer and Unexplained Celestial Events Research Society. It covers a range of ufological news, including obituaries, conference reports, and significant disputes within the UFO community.

Misc. Ravings

The issue opens with sad news of the passing of Jack Robinson of Jersey City, N.J., on August 4th, 1978, due to lung cancer. Robinson, aged 71, was the Recording Secretary of the National UFO Conference (NUFOC), a former Managing Editor of SAUCER NEWS, and a member of its Discussion and Lecture Committee. He was a retired bank employee who had hoped to spend his retirement in Florida with his wife, Mary.

Details are provided for Gene Buck's "Interplanetary Think-In" scheduled for November 12th, with a new mailing address and phone number for inquiries. The editor, James W. Moseley, mentions his recent appearance on the Candy Jones radio show for the second time, alongside science-fiction writers Lester del Rey and Fred Pohl, noting their skepticism towards UFOs despite their intellectual stature.

Big Feud Between Phil Klass and Todd Zechel

A major focus of this issue is a significant dispute between Phil Klass, described as an "arch anti-saucerer," and Todd Zechel. The feud began on July 22nd with a "white paper" by Klass titled "A Critical Examination of a Few of W. Todd Zechel's Claims & Statements." Klass alleged inconsistencies in Zechel's statements regarding his employment with the NSA, incorrectly identifying it as a civilian rather than a military intelligence agency. Klass further argued that since Zechel had not been prosecuted for security violations, unlike others such as Philip Agee, he had never worked for an intelligence agency.

Zechel responded on August 2nd with his own "white paper," which was sent to a similar list of UFO enthusiasts. This paper apparently addressed Klass's charges and included counter-charges. An earlier "white paper" by Zechel, dated July 25th, was not received by the editor. Zechel's August 2nd document was marked "Confidential - not for publication," so its contents are not detailed.

Klass then issued another statement, "Is the National Security Agency (NSA) Really a 'Civilian Intelligence Agency'?", challenging Zechel to publicly prove his employment by the agency. Klass quoted Thomas Jefferson: "He who permits himself to lie once, finds it much easier to do it a second and third time, till at length it becomes habitual."

Zechel, in a personal letter to the editor, stated his intention not to dignify Klass's charges by responding in publications, but demanded an apology and retraction. He threatened legal action if this was not received by August 22nd. Zechel asserted that Klass's charges were irrelevant to UFO issues and were a tactic to divert attention from documents being released under the FOIA. He believes the public will not be misled by these "character assassination" tactics.

Zechel also enclosed a photostat of a March 21st, 1963, newspaper article from his hometown paper, indicating his acceptance by the "Army Security Agency." The editor notes that this article does not prove much, and that if one believed everything in newspapers, one would go insane.

The editor concludes that regardless of the outcome of the feud, the core UFO questions remain: whether UFO crashes and alien bodies existed in the late 1940s and early 1950s, or at any other time. The feud, while fascinating, does not seem to be contributing to finding the truth about UFOs.

The Fifteenth Annual National UFO Conference (NUFOC)

The Fifteenth Annual National UFO Conference (NUFOC), chaired by the "Saucer Bone" editor, was held in a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio, on August 15th. The event was well-attended, with delegates from New York, Connecticut, and Arizona. The editor's previous remark about this possibly being the last NUFOC convention made an impression, as noted in a letter from Dale Rettig.

The convention was described as "upbeat," with the formation of an active local group in Cleveland and an incipient confederation of UFO groups throughout Ohio. Credit for this revival is given to Rick Hilberg and Charles Wilhelm. Charles Wilhelm received the annual "Ufologist of the Year" award, and John J. Robinson was added to the "Honor Roll" of deceased Ufologists.

Despite minimized dissension, Rick Hilberg criticized an aging Cleveland Ufologist, Earl Neff, for accepting a fake saucer photo. Earl Neff is no longer a member of NUFOC.

Five major lectures were presented, including talks by Timothy Greed Beckley and Geneva Steinberg. Perry Collins of New Haven, Conn., gave a notable speech suggesting that the current wave of cattle mutilations is directly connected with secret U.S. Army nerve gas experiments, rather than UFOs.

Perry Collins will co-host next year's NUFOC in Connecticut with Tony Ranciato. Their organization is the UFO Encounter Group.

• Side-lights of the NUFOC:
• Donna Manak (second wife of Ufologist Al Manak) requested to be mentioned.
• Rumors of mysterious MIB-type break-ins of cars and motel rooms at the recent MUFON convention in Dayton, Ohio.
• Bob Easley's car mysteriously wouldn't start when he attempted to drive the editor from the airport.
• Earl Jones wore a "weird green monster suit" throughout the proceedings.

"Saucer Bone" Staff Attends "Fartfeast" in Washington, D.C.

The editor and his daughter Betty attended the 6th annual "Fartfeast" (also known as "Fortfest '78") in Washington, D.C., on August 5th and 6th. The event featured about 20 speakers on various "Fartean" topics. The quality of presentations was generally good, though some speakers were criticized for making material dull or unintelligible.

The lecture by Bob Jones of Vestigia was highlighted as the best, both in form and content. Vestigia is a Fortean-type group from New Jersey with researchers focused on UFOs, Bigfoot, haunted houses, and "ghost lights." Jones's team reported significant findings on "ghost lights" during 1977-78.

Other speakers included George Earley (NICRAP), Mr. X (Canadian land and sea monsters), Loren Coleman ("Creatures of the Outer Edge"), Dr. Stuart Greenwood ("The Giza-Stonehenge Connection"), Ray Manners (a new theory placing Atlantis in the eastern U.S.), and Dave FidelRE (Fartean events in Michigan).

W. Todd Zechel was notably absent, despite being scheduled to report on his lawsuit to obtain CIA files related to UFOs. Dr. Bruce Maccabae spoke on "UFO Information from FBI Files," but this talk was missed.

Missives From the Masses

Dr. Thornton Page writes:
Dr. Page sent a book titled "Grave and Urgent Warnings from Heaven" by Cyril Marystone, mentioning that UFOs are discussed on page 191. He suggests the editor use parts of it in an issue titled 'Saucer Hades' or 'Saucers from Hell'. He also inquires about Cyril Marystone.

The editor acknowledges receiving an unsolicited copy of the book and Dr. Page's copy, but states they have no information about the author and do not intend to read it, not even page 191.

Dale Rettig writes:
Rettig, as Chairman of NUFOC, expresses concern over the "Saucer Bone" editor's pessimistic view of the conference's future. He acknowledges the frustration of being Chairman of a non-organized group but argues that the NUFOC is akin to a business trying to attract minority employees, requiring outreach programs. He states that the current situation offers no benefit for new members, and that attracting "new blood" is doomed to failure without offering something more. Rettig believes Ufology needs an alternative to the MUFON/APRO/CUFOS clique and that a "vacuum exists" for a group to counter "one-dimensional thinking." He suggests the NUFOC could fill this need if individuals decide to make it more than it is, with specific goals and programs, but that the "old guard" must initiate this.

Jennings H. Frederick writes:
Frederick expresses strong dissatisfaction with a previous "Saucer Newsletter" (likely "Saucer Moan"), accusing the editor of incompletely quoting him. He claims he stated, "I have had a saucer sighting which was telepathic in origin," and that the occupants gave him a message. He feels the editor implied something else entirely, comparing it to an "onion in a rose patch" creating a "fart." He lists various entities like Mothman, MIB, and Big Feet, and questions the editor's judgment.

On a more serious note, Frederick asks the editor why he thought his statement was too strong to print. The editor responds that nothing is too strong for "Saucer Bone" to print.

Jim Harris writes:
Harris thanks the editor for "Moan" and a card, mentioning a marvelous time in Clarksburg and that adventures will be detailed in the next issue of UFOCUS. He notes that Jennings H. Frederick is bothering the editor and recalls receiving daily letters from him about new contact experiences. Harris also comments on the "May the farce be with you" subtitle, referencing an article in the MUFART Journal that debunked "quasi-religions." He suggests that all UFO groups with pre-defined beliefs are essentially quasi-religious groups.

George Earley writes:
Earley asks about Ronald Spinbottle and if people might make fun of his name. He also inquires if the editor has read the "hilarious account" of editor Jeffrey Goodman and others versus the Brutes of Bellevue in "Official UFO?", stating that the magazine is rapidly becoming the "National Lampoon of Ufology."

Letters to the Editor (Continued)

Richard Heiden writes:
Heiden responds to Dr. Davidson's challenge regarding the Tremonton film. Heiden states that lines could be repeated or cut, implying Davidson might have used such tricks. He questions why the CIA would not have put its initials on a craft in a more straightforward manner if they wanted to. Heiden clarifies that his suspicion was directed at Davidson's sincerity in attributing the UFO phenomenon to the CIA, not about Davidson's decipherment of the "CIA" letters from the Socorro symbol. He believes Davidson's claim was a deliberate "put-on" and that Davidson is attempting to divert attention from his point.

Famed satirist Alan Abel writes:
Abel humorously suggests that the appearance of the vanished Judge Crater at the NUFOC convention in Cleveland on August 12th would be a major event. He offers to arrange it, noting the need for expenses for Crater's two guards, a doctor, and a nurse, promising "earth shaking" results.

The editor notes that the NUFOC convention was "pretty wild even without Judge Crater."

James ("Capt. Jim") Oberg writes:
Oberg, known for his anti-ufological stance, seeks a copy of the January 1965 issue of True Magazine featuring an article by Keyhoe on space UFOs, including Gemini-1. He mentions that True Magazine is out of business and libraries do not have it. He also expresses skepticism about Betty Hill's stories, moving from MIBs and Bigfoot to precognition and multiple UFO encounters. Oberg extends an invitation to Moseley-ites and other "schismatics" to visit him at the NASA Space Center in Houston during their summer vacation to see "secret" photo files.

The editor comments on Oberg's frequent travel for awards and accepts the invitation, noting it might happen someday.

Hayden Hewes writes:
Hewes acknowledges receiving the latest "Saucer Moan" and notes a previous mention of his name in an issue.

Heiden mentions Jim Maney's letter in "Saucer Groan" and questions why Maney picks on Billy Spaulding. He recounts an incident where Jim, paranoid about EM cases and stalled cars, bought a new Oldsmobile Diesel, believing its ignition system would prevent stalling.

Hewes expresses distress over the unreliability of UFO journal publishing schedules, contrasting the timely Japanese edition of Brad Steiger's "Gods of Aquarius" with the delayed April issues of "APRO Bulletin," "MUFON UFO Journal," and "Flying Saucer Review." He notes that only "Saucer Whatevers" seems to maintain a regular 28-day schedule.

The editor ironically states that "Saucer Bone" is unscheduled yet maintains a better schedule, attributing it to "clean living."

John Barlow writes:
Barlow sends a letter praising the old (1954-1970) SAUCER NEWS, calling it the "best god-damned UFO magazine, period." He compares its caliber only to Saga's newsstand magazine. Barlow reflects on his past impressionability, where flying saucers were seen as craft from other planets. He notes that both skeptics and believers share a "strong hatred for mysteries," and that UFOs remain unidentified despite advancements. He questions why the editor dropped out of Ufology, mentioning a rumor about being busy with real estate. Barlow praises SAUCER NEWS for its high level of reportage and entertainment, noting it never aimed for a mass audience but served as a journal for insiders. He expresses that at least one fan sorely misses the editor's presence in UFO publishing.

Claudia Montelione writes:
Montelione, wife of Brandon Blackman IV, describes filing away past issues of "Saucer Shoes, Gnus, Blues, Groan, Moan, etc." She was prompted to clean out a filing cabinet and found a folder marked "Saucer etc." She admits she couldn't explain why she saved them, perhaps due to her subconscious. She resides in New York City, where a "Poop Scoop law" has passed, causing her grief as a dog owner who refuses to buy a proper scooper due to tax deductibility. She also finds newsprint messy and cumbersome on the subway. Montelione states that "Saucer etc." has solved her "scoop problems" and suggests the editor might find catchy titles like "Saucer Scoop" and "Saucer Poop." She also suggests printing the zine on larger paper, perhaps a folded booklet type, to cover a larger area.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

This issue of SAUCER BONE reflects a strong focus on internal UFO community disputes, particularly the feud between Phil Klass and Todd Zechel, highlighting the often contentious nature of ufological research. The editor maintains a critical yet engaged stance, questioning the validity of claims while also seeking the truth behind UFO phenomena. There is a recurring theme of the challenges faced by UFO organizations like NUFOC in maintaining relevance and attracting new members. The publication also showcases a variety of perspectives through letters to the editor, ranging from serious research to satirical commentary, underscoring the diverse and sometimes eccentric landscape of ufology. The editorial stance appears to favor open discussion and a pursuit of evidence, even when it involves controversial figures or topics.