SUN 45 (May 1997)

Magazine Overview

Title: Skeptics UFO Newsletter
Issue: SUN #45
Date: May 1997
Publisher: Philip J. Klass
Focus: Skeptical examination of UFO claims, particularly the Roswell incident.

New Witness Debunks Randle/Schmitt/Kaufmann "UFO Impact Site"

This article challenges the credibility of the "crashed-saucer impact site" near Roswell, first publicized by Kevin Randle and Don Schmitt. The primary witness for this site, Frank J. Kaufmann, has been disavowed by Jim McKnight, whose family owned the land in 1947. McKnight, in a sworn statement dated February 3, 1997, states that the alleged impact site was on his aunt's ranch, about a mile west of his grandfather's original ranch house. He expresses disbelief that a UFO or anything else crashed there, citing the lack of any family knowledge of such an event or military retrieval. McKnight also points out that the area lacked roads in 1947, making it difficult for a military convoy to have accessed and left unnoticed. He emphasizes that discussions with neighbors about military bombing ranges and crashed airplanes never included any mention of the Roswell incident, and he believes that no amount of military threats would have silenced the local population.

McKnight's affidavit notes that the route taken by news media in 1994 to the alleged site would have passed close to the McKnight ranch house. He also highlights that there were no roads west from the ranch house to the impact site until the early 1960s, and crossing the Macho creek, which floods after heavy rains, would have been nearly impossible in 1947. McKnight concludes that while he is interested in finding the truth about the Roswell Incident, he has no personal agenda or profit motive.

TIT FOR TAT

This section discusses the Roswell International UFO Museum's response to Randle's accusation that the museum used financial inducements to get Jim Ragsdale to change the location of the alleged impact site. Randle and Schmitt had initially placed high confidence in a site 35 miles north of Roswell, partly due to Ragsdale's corroboration.

An article in the Jan./Feb. 1994 issue of International UFO Reporter had praised Ragsdale as a firsthand witness whose affidavit strengthened the Roswell case. This affidavit, prepared by Schmitt based on a tape-recorded interview, was notarized by Max Littell, who accompanied Schmitt. However, Ragsdale later signed another affidavit on April 15, 1995, making significant changes, including altering the impact site's location to approximately 55 miles west of Roswell.

• Key discrepancies between Ragsdale's 1993 and 1995 affidavits include:
• Investigation Time: In 1993, he claimed they investigated the next morning; in 1995, he said they investigated in darkness and returned the next morning.
• Beings: In 1993, he saw "a number of smaller bodied beings outside the craft"; in 1995, he reported seeing "four bodies of a type we had never seen before" inside the craft.
• Military Convoy: In 1993, he stated a military convoy arrived and secured the scene, causing them to flee; in 1995, he said they heard trucks and heavy equipment approaching and left before whatever it was arrived.

The article also touches upon Ragsdale's financial agreement with the Roswell International UFO Museum, where the museum gained exclusive rights to produce and sell materials related to his story, with Ragsdale receiving 25% of the gross income.

FRIEDMAN ENDORSES NEW RAGSDALE SITE WITHOUT ANY INVESTIGATION

Stanton T. Friedman, known for his scientific approach, is criticized for endorsing Ragsdale's new site without thorough investigation. Friedman, after interviewing Ragsdale once and watching a video, stated he had no reason to doubt the story and that there was no profit motive. The article suggests Friedman's views might stem from animosity towards Randle, who had characterized Friedman-endorsed MJ-12 papers as counterfeit.

BUT JOURNALIST BILL BARRETT INVESTIGATES AND FINDS SERIOUS FLAWS

Albuquerque journalist William P. Barrett researched the Roswell Incident for Forbes magazine and the Crosswinds newspaper. Barrett interviewed individuals who lived near the Ragsdale impact site, including Dorothy Epps, Bill Edgar, and Kenny Schear. All expressed skepticism, calling the incident a hoax or a joke, and stated they would have heard about it if it were true.

Barrett also interviewed Ragsdale's former wife, Vennie Scott, who said he never told her about a crashed saucer, though she once heard him drunkenly mention the tale. Ragsdale's daughter, Judy Lott, supports her father's story and benefits from the sale of related materials.

Effort To Rebut McCoy Letter To Prevent More Roswell Defections

This section discusses the Hynek Center for UFO Studies (CUFOS) attempt to rebut a November 8, 1948, letter signed by Col. H.M. McCoy. This letter had been influential in making two researchers, Karl Pflock and Kent Jeffrey, skeptical of the crashed-saucer hypothesis. The CUFOS article, authored by Michael D. Swords, argues against the letter's implications.

Col. McCoy was Chief of the Intelligence Dept. at the USAF's Air Materiel Command (AMC) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. If debris from an unusual craft had been recovered, it would have been sent to WPAFB for analysis. Swords questions whether McCoy and Maj. Gen. C.P. Cabell, USAF's Director of Intelligence, had the "need-to-know" regarding potential ET threats, especially given the hundreds of UFO sightings in 1947. Swords suggests that if ETs were reconnoitering for an attack, Twining and the Pentagon would have been alerted, and defenses developed. He implies McCoy would have been derelict in his duties if he hadn't monitored the situation closely.

The Swords IUR article cites the "Estimate of the Situation" report...

Swords' article in International UFO Reporter (IUR) suggests that the McCoy letter does not negate Roswell. He claims that Project Sign analysts were not told about the Roswell recovery and were instructed to investigate "as traditionally as possible," ignoring potential ET evidence. Swords argues that if UFOs were classified "Top Secret," Cabell and McCoy would have had the necessary clearances and need-to-know. He suggests Cabell's focus was on developing techniques to discriminate between prosaic and ET craft, rather than on confirming ET craft. Swords posits that McCoy might not have been involved in the Roswell incident, suggesting debris would have gone to Wright Field labs, while McCoy and ATIC were at Patterson Field, despite ATIC being only a short drive away.

The article criticizes Swords for omitting General Twining's September 23, 1947, letter, which cited a "lack of physical evidence in the shape of crash recovered exhibits" and would have corroborated McCoy's statements.

Maj. Gen. Cabell Seeks "Conclusive Evidence" To Identify UFOs

On November 3, 1948, Maj. Gen. Cabell, USAF's Director of Intelligence, wrote to the Commanding General of AMC, Lt. Gen. Twining, requesting information on UFO investigations. Cabell noted that "some type of flying object has been observed" but its origin was not discernible. He stressed the imperative need for evidence to determine if objects were of domestic or foreign origin for national defense and countermeasures. He also highlighted the need to inform the public, as "silence on our part will not long be acceptable."

Col. McCoy's Nov. 8, 1947, Response

Col. McCoy responded to Gen. Cabell's letter, stating that his command had studied approximately 180 UFO incidents. He noted that many incidents could be explained as weather or scientific balloons, or astrophysical phenomena like the planet Venus. However, he acknowledged that a "certain number of reports for which no reasonable everyday explanation is available." McCoy stated that "no physical evidence of the existence of the unidentified sightings has been obtained" and that "all information that has been made available to this Headquarters indicates that the discs, the cigar shaped objects, and the 'balls of light' are not of domestic origin." He added that "the possibility that the reported objects are vehicles from another planet has not been ignored," but "tangible evidence to support conclusions about such a possibility are completely lacking." McCoy concluded that "There is as yet no conclusive proof that unidentified flying objects, other than those which are known to be balloons, are real aircraft. Although it is obvious that some types of flying objects have been sighted, the exact nature of those objects cannot be established until physical evidence, such as that which would result from a crash, has been obtained."

Swords Claims That McCoy's Letter Does Not "Negate Roswell"

Michael D. Swords, in his IUR article, argues that McCoy's letter is irrelevant to the Roswell incident, despite its context. Swords claims Project Sign was set up for "T-2 intelligence gathering and analysis of reported incidents of U.S. (and other) airspace violations" and implies that analysts were instructed to ignore physical crashed-saucer evidence. The article questions this claim, noting that if UFOs were "Top Secret," Cabell and McCoy would have had the "need-to-know." Swords suggests that Cabell's focus was on differentiating prosaic explanations from potential ET craft to assess threats, rather than confirming ET craft. Swords also speculates that McCoy may not have been involved in the Roswell recovery, suggesting debris would have been sent to Wright Field labs, not Patterson Field where McCoy's ATIC was located, despite the proximity.

Maj. Gen. Cabell Seeks "Conclusive Evidence" To Identify UFOs

This section reiterates Maj. Gen. Cabell's November 3, 1948, letter to Lt. Gen. Twining. Cabell emphasized the need for "conclusive evidence" to determine the origin of observed flying objects, stressing that national defense required such information for countermeasures. He also pointed out the public's growing expectation for information on the UFO problem.

Col. McCoy's Nov. 8, 1947, Response

This section summarizes Col. McCoy's response to Gen. Cabell. McCoy detailed the study of approximately 180 UFO incidents, noting that many were identified as balloons or celestial bodies. However, he acknowledged a subset of reports lacked "reasonable everyday explanation." Crucially, McCoy stated that "no physical evidence of the existence of the unidentified sightings has been obtained" and that while objects were not considered "domestic origin," tangible evidence for extraterrestrial vehicles was "completely lacking."

Swords Concludes His IUR article as follows...

Swords concludes his IUR article by stating that the Roswell incident may rise or fall, but not based on McCoy's letter. He expresses astonishment at how readily people grasp onto flimsy items to debunk cases, including both Air Force and "Philip Klass-type skeptics," as well as "allegedly sympathetic ufologists."

SWORDS SEEMINGLY PREFERS TO BASE HIS VIEWS OF THE ROSWELL INCIDENT ON WHAT HE CONSIDERS TO BE "LESS FLIMSY" EVIDENCE--THE TALES TOLD BY JIM RAGSDALE AND FRANK KAUFMANN, AND THE NURSE/ET-AUTOPSY TALE OF MORTICIAN GLENN DENNIS.

Words Of Great Wisdom From A "Cosmic Messiah"

This section presents a quote from Dr. Steven M. Greer, International Director of the Center for the Study of Extraterrestrial Intelligence (CSETI). Greer speaks about a "new order" and the potential for human civilization to integrate into an "interplanetary civilization." He emphasizes the need for preparation for potential extraterrestrial contact, suggesting that an ET landing and encounter is "very high" in possibility. He also discusses the establishment of working groups for "Close Encounters of the 5th Kind" and the evolution of cohesive teams for interplanetary unity. Greer states, "The time has come for the world to know that we are not alone in this vast universe. The era of excessive secrecy, which is so corrosive to a free and democratic society, must end."

CSETI BARS SUN's Editor FROM ITS WASHINGTON PRESS BRIEFING

The article details how the editor of Skeptics UFO Newsletter (SUN) was denied access to a CSETI press briefing in Washington D.C. on April 10. CSETI officials cited an "invitation only" policy, despite SUN having made a financial contribution to CSETI. The editor was not allowed to even stand in the hall and was escorted out by hotel security.

Roswell Plans Big Bash To Celebrate 50th Anniversary Of "UFO Crash"

This section previews the "Roswell UFO Encounter '97" celebration, expecting tens of thousands of visitors. The event, scheduled for July 1-6, includes an all-night rock concert and features speakers covering a wide range of UFO-related topics, from "Ancient Astronauts" (Erich von Daniken) to cattle mutilation theories (Linda Moulton Howe) and UFO abductions (Budd Hopkins, Dr. John E. Mack, Whitley Strieber). Ironically, Independence Day lectures focus on abductions.

Only two speakers are identified as Roswell crashed-saucer specialists: Donald Schmitt and Stanton Friedman. Notably, Roswell researcher Karl Pflock and Kevin Randle, who has challenged the Ragsdale impact site, were not invited to be conference speakers but were scheduled to debate elsewhere. The article quotes mortician Glenn Dennis, who heads the Roswell International UFO Museum, as saying the event "makes the whole UFO phenomenon look real cheap."

WHAT REALLY CRASHED NEAR ROSWELL - - FREQUENTLY

This section suggests that visitors to Roswell's planetarium, which shows "The Great UFO Mystery," might also see debris from "space vehicles" that crashed near Roswell. It clarifies that these are likely experimental rockets from Robert H. Goddard, the rocket pioneer who moved his lab to a ranch near Roswell in 1930. The article implies that Goddard's early rockets often crashed, and SUN suspects visitors will overlook these rather than focus on the UFO movie.

Short Shrift

This section contains several brief news items:

• Joel Achenbach Commentary: A Washington Post article by Joel Achenbach is mentioned, which described UFO cultists' belief in "aliens as angels or demons with a scientific veneer." The article notes cultists paying for telescopes to look for UFOs and returning them when unsuccessful.
• Heavens Gate Cult Library: Two UFO-abduction books, by Dr. John Mack and David Jacobs, were found in the library of the Heavens Gate cult. The editor of SUN notes his own debunking book on UFO abductions was not included.
• Budd Hopkins Plays Hooky In London: Budd Hopkins declined to participate in a panel discussion at a London conference because Philip Klass was also scheduled to speak. Hopkins cited Klass's behavior with UFO abduction experiencers as his reason. Some audience members booed Hopkins' absence.
• SUN's Editor's Responded: The editor of SUN responded to Hopkins' absence, stating he found it ironic as he had considered focusing his lecture on debunking the Budd Hopkins/Linda Cortile "beam-me-up-Scotty" case. He believes the case is a hoax but not that Hopkins himself is the hoaxer, calling Hopkins a "victim."

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of Skeptics UFO Newsletter are skepticism towards sensational UFO claims, particularly those surrounding the Roswell Incident, and a critical examination of UFO researchers and organizations. The editorial stance is clearly that of a skeptic, as indicated by the magazine's title and the editor's (Philip J. Klass) consistent focus on debunking or questioning UFO phenomena and the methodologies of those who promote them. The newsletter highlights inconsistencies in witness testimonies, questions the evidence presented by ufologists, and points out potential biases and financial motivations. There is a strong emphasis on the lack of physical evidence and the need for rigorous investigation, contrasting with what the publication views as flimsy or cult-like beliefs within the UFO community.