SUN 32 (Mar 1995)

Magazine Overview

Title: Skeptics UFO Newsletter
Issue: SUN #32
Date: March 1995
Publisher: Philip J. Klass
Focus: Critical examination of UFO claims and research, with a strong emphasis on debunking and questioning the credibility of prominent figures and events in the UFO community.

Article 1: ROSWELL RESEARCHER SCHMITT CAUGHT TELLING TALL TALES

This article, authored by Gillian Sender for Milwaukee magazine and discussed in the newsletter, exposes alleged falsehoods by Don Schmitt, co-author of two Roswell crashed-saucer books and Director of Special Investigations for CUFOS. Schmitt is accused of knowingly providing spurious information for a feature article. An investigation by Lisa Soik of the Franklin Information Group found discrepancies in Schmitt's claims about his educational background. He claimed to have attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) and Marquette University, and to be pursuing a doctorate in criminology from Concordia College. He also claimed a master's from UWM and a bachelor's from Concordia. However, Soik's investigation revealed that Schmitt never attended UWM or Marquette, Concordia does not offer doctorate programs, and Schmitt had only been enrolled at Concordia for two and a half years without earning a bachelor's degree. Schmitt did not return calls for comment.

Furthermore, Schmitt is accused of embellishing reality by constantly referring to his books as bestsellers, which the article states is untrue. While "UFO Crash At Roswell" sold 160,000 paperback copies (characterized as "a very good showing" by Avon Books), the second book, "The Truth About the UFO Crash at Roswell," sold over 10,000 copies in hardcover, with Avon printing 50,000 paperback copies later.

Schmitt also characterized MUFON people as "kooks," stating that he and Kevin Randle are the only "professionals" in the field, while others are "amateurs." The author of the feature article, Sender, concludes that while Schmitt's books appear convincing, a closer look raises questions about the authors' credibility, especially since key witnesses are often unidentified and documentation relies on personal interviews.

Article 2: RANDLE/SCHMITT'S "MISSING" FIRST-HAND WITNESS

This section scrutinizes the claims of Randle and Schmitt regarding "first-hand witnesses" to the Roswell crash. It highlights the case of Bessie Brazel Schrieber, daughter of rancher "Mac" Brazel, who first discovered the debris in 1947. While Bessie was a key witness interviewed by Randle/Schmitt, the newsletter notes that neither of their books quotes her directly from the two telephone interviews conducted in 1989.

Karl Pflock, a Roswell researcher, interviewed Bessie Schrieber for his report "Roswell In Perspective." Her affidavit described the debris as looking like pieces of a large balloon that had burst, with pieces measuring up to the size of a basketball. The material was described as foil-like on one side and rubber-like on the other, with sticks attached by tape featuring flower-like designs. This description aligns with the official explanation that the debris was from a Project Mogul balloon used for detecting Soviet nuclear tests. Mrs. Schrieber also stated the foil-rubber material could not be torn like ordinary aluminum foil and recalled her father saying it was "just a bunch of garbage."

Crucially, when shown photos of debris from Brig. Gen. Roger Ramey's office, published by Randle/Schmitt as "bogus" debris, Mrs. Schrieber responded that the debris shown "does look like the debris we picked up." This contradicts Randle/Schmitt's claim that the photos showed substituted debris.

Furthermore, Mrs. Schrieber's affidavit noted she did not remember seeing "gouges on the ground or any other signs that anything may have hit the ground hard." This contradicts retired Brig. Gen. Arthur Exon, a Randle/Schmitt witness, who claimed to have seen "obvious gouges in the terrain" at UFO crash sites. The newsletter questions why Randle/Schmitt did not quote Schrieber's or Maj. Jesse Marcel's recollections, which also did not mention impact depressions.

Article 3: If The Debris In Ramey's Office Was Bogus, Where Did It Come From?

This section details the newsletter's persistent questioning of Randle and Schmitt regarding the origin of the debris photographed in General Ramey's office. The newsletter posed a question to Randle and Schmitt in April 1994, asking where Ramey obtained the debris if it wasn't from the Brazel ranch. After two months without a response, the question was rephrased in a multiple-choice format. Nearly a year later, Randle has still not provided a reply.

Professor Charles B. Moore, who headed the Project Mogul team, believes the debris came from neoprene balloons carrying radar targets launched on June 4, 1947. This launch was tracked to within 17 miles of where the debris was found. Moore suggests that by the time the debris was recovered in early July, it would have been exposed to sunlight for nearly a month, causing deterioration consistent with the appearance of the balloon remains in Ramey's office photos. The newsletter poses the question: If the debris was bogus, where could Ramey have obtained "sunlight aged" balloon material on such short notice?

Article 4: Canadian UFOlogists Expose UFO Case Endorsed By U.S. "Expert"

This article reports on the exposure of a "UFO landing" case from Carp, Ontario, as a hoax by the Canadian UFO Research Network (CUFORN). The case, which involved a video tape made by an anonymous cameraman called "Guardian," was featured on NBC-TV and Fox-TV and had been investigated and endorsed by U.S. "experts" Bob Oechsler and Dr. Bruce Maccabee. The newsletter notes that the video was accompanied by "obviously hoax" Canadian government documents and photos of "ETs."

The CUFORN article, authored by Tom Theofanous, Errol Bruce-Knapp, and Graham Lightfoot, points out that the "UFO" in the video looks like a "pick-up truck," and the last frames show a windshield with wipers in the upright position. The "anonymous cameraman" was later identified as Bobby Charlebois, a UFO buff and family friend of the dentist's wife, who was the principal witness.

The article criticizes Oechsler and Maccabee, suggesting they are either "very bad investigators and analysts" or have "highly questionable" motives. It argues that if such respected researchers cannot be trusted, it undermines the goal of solving the UFO enigma. The newsletter sarcastically wonders if NBC or Fox-TV will produce a sequel revealing the hoax.

Oechsler is also mentioned as having strongly endorsed UFO photos taken by Ed Walters of Gulf Breeze, Florida, and maintained a friendship with Walters. Oechsler announced his retirement from the UFO field in September 1994, becoming a real estate salesman.

Article 5: SUN SCOOP: Pentagon Is Launching UFOs Into Earth Orbit

This brief report states that the Pentagon has launched four "UFOs" into geosynchronous orbit. These are identified as UHF Follow On satellites, used for communications by the U.S. Navy, USAF, and Army. Built by Hughes Aircraft, they carry solar cell panels and orbit at an altitude of 22,300 miles, moving at the same velocity as the Earth's rotation, making them appear to "hover" in a fixed location. The article notes that these are unlikely to generate UFO reports due to their fixed orbital position.

Article 6: Mack's Harvard Tenure Reportedly Threatened By Faculty Investigation

This section reports that Dr. John Mack, a Harvard psychiatry professor and proponent of the UFO-abduction phenomenon, is under investigation by his colleagues. A letter from Daniel Sheehan, legal counsel for Mack, states that Harvard University has convened a "Special Faculty Committee" to investigate Mack's work in the UFO-abduction field. The committee, chaired by Dr. Arnold S. Relman, reportedly found Mack's conduct "professionally irresponsible" for giving credence to reports of close encounters with extraterrestrials without extensive psychological testing. The committee's findings may be used to file a formal complaint of malpractice. Sheehan urged recipients to write letters in support of Mack by a March 15 deadline.

Article 7: Disney World Exhibit To "Educate" Kids On UFOs, Abductions

Disney World is planning a "Tomorrowland" exhibit called "Alien Encounters and ExtraTERRORestrial Experience." The exhibit was delayed for revisions after Disney Chairman Michael Eisner found it "disappointing." Disney World also planned a "UFO Summit" to bring together UFOlogists, news media, and "UFO-abductees." Featured UFOlogists included Budd Hopkins, Kevin Randle, and George Knapp. Hypnotherapist Yvonne Smith and several "UFO-abductees" were also invited. Bruce Cornet, who claims to have discovered a creature-made structure on the moon, was also a panelist. For "balance," movie producer Russ Estes, who has become skeptical of UFO claims, was also invited. The article notes that Disney is producing a UFO documentary called "ALIEN ENCOUNTERS" and predicts sequels like "SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN ETs."

Article 8: More Flaws In Mortician's Tale of (Alleged) Nurse, ET Bodies

This article continues the investigation into the credibility of claims surrounding alleged ET bodies recovered near Roswell. It focuses on the story of former mortician Glenn Dennis, who claims a nurse at the Roswell Army Air Field participated in an autopsy on ET bodies. The newsletter details numerous flaws and inconsistencies in Dennis's account.

Dennis initially claimed he gave a "sacred oath" of secrecy to the nurse and that he kept a sketch of an ET body she drew in his personal files at the Ballard Funeral Home. However, when Stanton Friedman requested the sketch in 1989, Dennis could not find the 1947 files. He then reconstructed the sketch from memory and gave it to an artist friend, Walter Henn, whose refined version was published in the Randle/Schmitt book "UFO Crash At Roswell." Dennis denied giving the sketch to Randle/Schmitt, stating he gave it to "only ONE person."

The article also highlights Dennis's "blinding-flash recall" of the date of the Roswell Daily Record headline about the "flying saucer." This recall occurred after attending lectures by Randle/Schmitt in Roswell, despite Dennis having previously forgotten the date. Karl Pflock described this as an "important new development" but did not question why Dennis had forgotten it for so long.

The newsletter questions the timeline of events, noting that if pathologists were performing an autopsy in Roswell on July 7, 1947, they would have had to arrive from Washington D.C. earlier that day. This implies the crashed saucer and bodies were discovered before Mac Brazel reported the debris. The article also points out that if the crash site was the one identified by Randle/Schmitt, intelligence officers Marcel and Cavitt would have been busy investigating and unlikely to respond to Sheriff Wilcox's call. Brig. Gen. Roger Ramey would also have prioritized examining the Roswell site over flying debris to Ft. Worth.

Article 9: Friedman Resorts to "Cover-up"

This section details the newsletter's attempts to obtain a transcript of Stanton Friedman's 1989 interview with Glenn Dennis. Despite repeated requests and offers of payment, Friedman has not provided the transcript, leading the newsletter to accuse him of "cover-up."

Article 10: SHORT SHRIFT

This section contains several brief updates:

• Glenn Dennis Interview: Karl Pflock is acting as Glenn Dennis's spokesman, as Dennis is no longer granting interviews directly.
• Sgt. Melvin E. Brown: A Randle/Schmitt "witness" whose daughter claimed he saw ET bodies. However, his military record shows he served as a COOK, casting doubt on his involvement in recovery operations.
• Kevin Randle's Stance: Randle acknowledged Karl Pflock's report "Roswell In Perspective" supported the theory that a Mogul balloon caused the debris field, but he does not endorse the idea that a Project Mogul balloon was responsible.
• "Abductees" and Sharon Filip: The article mentions Sharon Filip, a hypnotherapist and "abductee" who claims to have seen "faces and people coming into my room" as a child.

Article 11: Otherworldly offense

This brief piece discusses UFOlogist Budd Hopkins' claim that human-alien hybrids live among us and possess telepathic abilities. Philip Klass, publisher of the newsletter, humorously speculates on how this could affect professional football, suggesting hybrids could "read" plays or "penetrate walls."

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of Skeptics UFO Newsletter are the critical examination of UFO claims, the questioning of witness and researcher credibility, and the exposure of alleged hoaxes and inconsistencies. The editorial stance is clearly skeptical, aiming to debunk sensational UFO stories and highlight the lack of rigorous evidence and the potential for deception or self-deception within the UFO community. The newsletter consistently contrasts sensational claims with more mundane or official explanations, often referencing scientific investigations or logical inconsistencies. There is a strong emphasis on investigative journalism and fact-checking, particularly concerning the Roswell incident and the work of prominent UFO researchers.