Searchlight - Vol 3 No 01

Magazine Overview

Title: INTERPLANETARY NEWS SERVICE SEARCHLIGHT
Issue: VOL. 3, NO. I
Date: January 1967
Publisher: Timothy Green Beckley
Price: 12 Issues $2.00

This issue of Searchlight focuses on the phenomenon of "imposters" who are allegedly silencing UFO witnesses across the United States. It also delves into various UFO sighting reports, alien contactee accounts, and promotes an upcoming UFO convention in New York City.

Mysterious Imposters Plague Air Force UFO Investigations

This lead article by John Keel, distributed by the NANA news agency, reports on individuals posing as Air Force officers or government agents who are intimidating UFO witnesses. Col. George P. Freeman, Pentagon spokesman for PROJECT BLUEBOOK, confirmed that these men are not connected to the Air Force and are committing federal offenses. He cited a case in Wanaque, N.J., where witnesses were told they "hadn't seen anything" by a man in an Air Force uniform. Another incident involved a man with NORAD credentials demanding original UFO pictures from Rex Herlin in California, which NORAD later denied any knowledge of. Similar encounters have been reported in Washington, Texas, Connecticut, and Long Island, N.Y.

Col. Freeman also commented on reports of low-flying unmarked planes over areas where UFOs were sighted, stating that all Air Force planes are clearly marked and that the Air Force does not know anything about these unmarked planes, calling it a federal offense as well.

Witnesses in Wanaque also reported seeing Air Force helicopters maneuvering after a UFO sighting, but Col. Freeman stated that a check revealed no such formation was present in the area.

The article mentions that the trail for these imposters often goes cold by the time authorities hear about the cases, but efforts are still being made to track them down.

Special Book Offerings

A section promotes books by Rev. Frank E. Stranges, including "FLYING SAUCERAMA" and "MY FRIEND FROM BEYOND EARTH," and "DANGER FROM THE STARS." A special offer for all three books is available.

The Space People

By Gray Barker, author of "BOOK OF SAUCERS" and "THEY KNEW TOO MUCH ABOUT FLYING SAUCERS."

Gray Barker discusses his approach to UFO research, emphasizing that while he is liberal, he does not accept every story without scrutiny. He recounts an unusual letter from a Washington D.C. correspondent offering to appoint him and Ray Palmer as "Angels" and describing a "special staff" used for communication with higher angels and even devils.

Barker notes that while some contactee stories, like those of Adamski and Menger, seem truthful, the general acceptance of UFO phenomena has increased, citing the Barney and Betty Hill case and South American incidents.

The article then details the story of the Mitchell sisters, Helen and Betty, who in 1958-1959 in St. Louis, Mo., encountered two young men who claimed to be from Mars and Venus. These beings, identified as Velas from Mars and Elen from Venus, provided the sisters with a diagram of a simple electronic communication device based on magnetic lines. The sisters were invited to go with the men, and Helen was taken on a 15-minute ride in a bell-shaped flying saucer over Chicago, Boston, and the North Pole. During the ride, she saw the Earth flattened at the poles and spent hours on a "mother craft" discussing philosophy. The article suggests that the solar system moving into a higher vibrational plane might explain many strange phenomena witnessed since 1947.

Barker also touches upon the idea that some UFOs may not be material crafts but exist on other dimensional planes, referencing Meade Layne and Trevor James's belief in "other dimensional planes."

Trevor James's story is presented, detailing his experiences with "etheric" beings who communicate telepathically. These contacts revealed different types of saucers and crafts, some piloted by "evil beings from 'downstairs'" (referencing Shaver's Dero), others from the Moon, and some described as "etheric space animals."

Barker concludes that while he hasn't solved the entire UFO mystery, a composite of various published works might lead to the truth.

New York's 1st UFO Convention

This section announces the 4th annual Congress of Scientific UFOlogists, held at the Hotel Commodore in New York City from June 22nd to 25th. The convention commemorates the twentieth anniversary of Kenneth Arnold's 1947 Flying Saucer sighting. It is expected to draw an estimated 8,000 people and feature speakers such as Gray Barker, Rev. Frank E. Stranges (who will show his film "Phenomena 7.7"), Howard Menger, Ray Palmer, Ivan T. Sanderson, and James Randi.

Other notable speakers include Art Ford, who will present a film about the disappearance of six Navy planes off the coast of Florida in 1945, as well as Long John Nebel, Gordon Evans, Allen Greenfield, Rick Hilberg, John Keel, Kenneth Larson, and Ronald Calais.

Closed sessions for saucer group leaders begin on June 22nd, with public sessions starting the following evening. The Hotel Commodore is highlighted as a convenient location for out-of-town visitors.

The article emphasizes the importance of the event, noting that major news mediums will be covering it and that special displays, including angel hair, plaster casts of Abominable Snowman tracks, and a device claiming to send signals to saucer pilots, will be available.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the alleged suppression of UFO information by authorities or imposters, the nature of alien contact and communication, and the growing interest and organization within the UFO research community, as evidenced by the convention. The editorial stance appears to be one of investigative journalism, presenting various accounts and theories while maintaining a degree of skepticism and a desire for concrete evidence, particularly regarding the "imposters."