Saucer Smear - Vol 42 No 05 - 1995

Magazine Overview

This issue of "Saucer Smear" (Volume 42, No. 5, dated June 5th, 1995) is the non-scheduled newsletter from the Saucer & Unexplained Celestial Events Research Society. The cover headline focuses on "The Shocking Inside Story of the Creatures Who Allegedly Landed Near Roswell, New Mexico, in July of 1947" and "Other Highlights of Your 'Smear' Editor's Recent Ufological Tour Through New Mexico."

Editor's Ufological Tour of New Mexico

Editor James W. Moseley recounts his recent two-week tour of the Southwest. The tour began with Tim Beckley's Pike's Peak UFO & New Age Expo in Colorado Springs, where Moseley was one of nearly fifty speakers, including Budd Hopkins. He notes the attendance of "New Agers" but few from the general public, and that Hopkins' workshop was not well attended. A peculiar incident at the convention was meeting another UFO fan legitimately using the name "James W. Moseley."

Following the expo, Moseley rented a car and traveled to New Mexico. In Albuquerque, he lectured on May 4th to a MUFON group, introduced by Karl Pflock. He also had dinner with Pflock and with John Alexander, who heads the U.S. Government's non-lethal weapons research program at Los Alamos Laboratories.

Socorro and the Lonnie Zamora Case

Moseley's tour continued south to Socorro, New Mexico, site of a "classic" UFO landing in 1964 involving local policeman Lonnie Zamora. There, he met Professor Charles Moore, who researched the Zamora case. Moore was also the project engineer on experimental balloon flights in New Mexico in June 1947 for New York University. One of these flights (#4) is considered by many, including Karl Pflock and the Air Force, to be the source of the debris found at the Roswell crash site. Moore stated he had never heard the term "Project Mogul" until 1992. Moore interviewed Zamora in 1966 and found that while a test of the Surveyor spacecraft occurred nearby on the same day as Zamora's sighting, it couldn't explain the vertical take-off or the two small beings seen outside the craft. Moore concluded the case was likely a hoax or an unknown object.

Roswell and its UFO Museums

On Sunday, May 7th, Moseley arrived in Roswell, New Mexico. He visited the International UFO Museum & Research Center, the most impressive of three UFO museums in the area. The museum's President is Walter Haut, former public relations officer at Roswell Army Air Field during the "Roswell Incident." The Vice President is Glenn Dennis, a mortician also involved in the incident. Dennis shared details from a nurse at the base who provided drawings and descriptions of alleged alien humanoids under medical observation. The nurse disappeared mysteriously. The museum displays these aliens as lacking external genitalia, similar to "modern-day greys."

Karl Pflock suggests the aliens might have been mutilated by predators before discovery. The UFO Enigma Museum, run by John Price, is also mentioned, featuring displays and research by Clifford Stone, author of "UFOs: Let the Evidence Speak for Itself," who believes in a high-level government cover-up.

The newest museum is the Midway Sightings UFO Museum, run by siblings Manuel and Becky Escamilla on a farm south of Roswell. Their brother Jose described the visitors as "interdimensional insects." The Escamillas claim to have extensive UFO video footage, including one scene showing a fleet of flying saucers with another object passing swiftly in front of it, appearing like a "flat hat with a circular brim." Their activities are considered an embarrassment by the more serious International UFO Museum.

Reader Contributions and Commentary

Alien Tattoo

A short, poetic piece titled "Alien Tattoo" by Gail Aggen describes a sexual encounter with a "Reticulan" named Red, hinting at interspecies relationships and envy among alien fleets.

Roswell Investigator Kevin Randle

Kevin Randle writes a letter clarifying his previous support for Don Schmitt. Randle states that he now knows Don Schmitt lied repeatedly about his employment and educational background, apologizing to those he misled.

Clarification by Donald R. Schmitt

Donald R. Schmitt provides a clarification regarding questions about his educational background and employment. He confirms he has been employed by the U.S. Postal Service since 1974 and is a freelance commercial artist. He admits to making false or misleading statements and apologizes, stating he has resigned as Director of Special Investigations for the Center for UFO Studies but remains a board member.

Christopher Allan on Ufology's Myths

British researcher Christopher Allan expresses sympathy for Don Schmitt, suggesting his exaggeration of his background was an attempt to gain acceptance in the UFO community. Allan criticizes the myth that one needs high qualifications or academic/governmental affiliations to be taken seriously in ufology, arguing that a good education is helpful but not the sole determinant of expertise.

Robert Todd on Fiction Writers in UFO Research

Robert Todd criticizes "fiction writers" in the UFO field, stating they make sensational claims easily but are difficult to disprove. He believes many ufologists are more interested in validating their own beliefs than finding truth, and that "pulp fiction" writers like Kevin Randle are more suited to comic books.

Erik Beckjord's Demand Letter

Erik Beckjord writes about a demand letter he sent for $1,000, which he claims was meant to "jerk your chain" and was sent "somewhat tongue in cheek." He acknowledges the unlikelihood of receiving the money.

George Hansen on the State of Ufology

Parapsychologist George Hansen comments that researchers like Graeber, Vallee, and Todd are only now lamenting the "sorry state of ufology," which he believes is the inherent nature of the UFO phenomenon itself. He credits "Smear" with grasping this central point.

Chuck Jines on Abduction Phenomena

Chuck Jines calls for a serious reexamination of the abduction phenomena belief system, noting that the practice of hypnotic regression is under scrutiny by memory researchers. He questions whether the UFO community should also reappraise its paradigms, as the scientific community is doing.

Tom Benson on Subatomic Particles and UFOs

Tom Benson describes his former journal, "The Sixth Quark Journal," which hypothesized a relationship between subatomic particles and UFOs. He has now changed the journal's name to "Cosmic Soup Mix." Benson recounts an experience in the late 1940s or early 1950s aboard a UFO where he witnessed a being "mixing the cosmic soup," which he believes allows entities to alter the time/space continuum for interaction with humans. He predicts future scientific theories will align with these concepts.

Other Items

• A brief mention of a news item about a man charged with killing a video store employee over a quarter.
• A poem titled "Star Crossed Lover" by Gail Aggen.
• A note about the 32nd Annual National UFO Conference in Atlanta, Georgia.
• A mention of the book "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Religion, Science and Superstition But Were Afraid to Ask" by John Bryant.
• Information about "The Anomalist" magazine, co-edited by Patrick Huyghe and Dennis Stacy.
• A technical treatise by Prof. Charles Moore titled "The New York University Balloon Flights During Early June, 1947."
• A "borrowed" item from Phil Klass' newsletter "SUN" about rumors that the GAO has unearthed evidence confirming the MJ-12 documents.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently features a critical yet engaged stance on ufology. It reports on UFO sightings, research, and conferences while also highlighting skepticism and debunking efforts. There's a strong emphasis on the Roswell incident and its associated lore, with multiple articles and museum reviews dedicated to it. The editorial stance appears to favor rigorous investigation and a questioning approach, as evidenced by the "Clarification" from Donald R. Schmitt and the critical commentary on the reliability of certain UFO researchers and their claims. The magazine also provides a platform for various reader opinions, showcasing a range of perspectives from believers to skeptics within the ufology community. The recurring theme of questioning established narratives and seeking factual evidence is evident throughout the issue.