Skeptics UFO Newsletter

Magazine Overview

This issue of the Skeptics UFO Newsletter, dated Fall 2001 (Issue #69), is published by Philip J. Klass and focuses on critically examining claims related to UFO phenomena. The main cover story, "Woods Report Their Latest 'Majestic Authentication' Results," delves into the controversial assertions by Dr. Robert Wood and his son Ryan regarding early UFO crash retrievals and the authenticity of 'Majestic' documents.

Woods Report Their Latest “Majestic Authentication” Results

The central theme of this article is the Woods' claim that the first U.S. recovery of a crashed extraterrestrial craft and ET bodies occurred in Spring 1941 near Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and that two additional ET craft were recovered in California in early 1942. This contradicts the widely known Roswell incident of mid-1947. Their evidence is based on documents provided by Timothy Cooper, a source for many 'Majestic' documents. One key document is a purported 'Top Secret' memo from Gen. George C. Marshall to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, dated March 5, 1942, which discusses the recovery of unidentified aircraft in California and the San Bernardino Mountains, concluding they were of interplanetary origin. The memo also orders the creation of a special intelligence unit to investigate such phenomena.

The article contrasts this with the known authentic letter from Lt. Gen. Nathan Twining, dated September 23, 1947, which noted the lack of physical evidence in crash-recovered exhibits. The author, Philip J. Klass, expresses surprise that Twining and Schulgen apparently never heard of the alleged 1941-42 recoveries.

The Cape Girardeau Crashed-Saucer Claim

This section details the alleged Cape Girardeau (CG) incident, first reported by Charlette Mann in 1991. Timothy Cooper was a close source to UFOlogist Leonard Stringfield, who published Mann's account. Ryan Wood cites a Cooper-supplied document as confirming Mann's story. Mann's grandfather, William Huffman, a minister, was called to a crash site near Cape Girardeau and described seeing three non-human bodies, about four feet tall with large heads and long arms, covered in a material resembling wrinkled aluminum foil. A photo was allegedly taken of two plain-clothes police officers holding one of the little men.

Search For The ET Photo

According to Ms. Mann, the ET photo was given to a photographer named Walter W. Fisk. UFOlogist Stanton Friedman located Fisk, who claimed to have a doctorate in psychology and to be an advisor to presidents. Fisk has reportedly refused to discuss the photo or the incident. Ryan Wood's investigation relies on Mann's recollection of the crash location and time. Fire Department records from 1941 show two incidents on March 30 and April 22, but neither is attributed to a crashed craft and the times do not align with Mann's grandfather's account. Ryan Wood defends Mann's story, citing her demeanor and integrity, and the support from Cooper's documents. He suggests that future resolution may come from physical evidence, new witnesses, or archival research. Joe McMoneagle, a remote viewing expert, and 'psychic detective' Annette Martin are also mentioned as supporting the story.

Woods Fail To Mention Notable Discrepancy

This section highlights a significant discrepancy between the Woods' claims and the Eisenhower Briefing Document (EBD), a purported MJ-12 document. The EBD, dated 1987, describes a crashed ET craft and four ET bodies recovered near Roswell in July 1947, and another object impacting near El Indio-Guerrero, Texas, in December 1950. Crucially, the EBD makes no mention of the alleged 1941 Cape Girardeau crash or the 1942 California recoveries, a fact not addressed by the Woods.

The Woods' Authentication Philosophy

Dr. Robert Wood's MUFON paper is discussed, where he addresses the common assertion that the government would not keep ET landings secret. He argues that secrecy is possible, citing examples like the Manhattan Project and code-breaking. He suggests that if ET craft were only visiting the U.S., secrecy might be possible for a short time. However, he posits that for long-term secrecy, the U.S. government would need cooperation from all countries, including hostile ones, which is difficult.

Wood acknowledges that Cooper's documents include 'emulations' (modified authentic documents). He offers an explanation that Truman, Marshall, and Wedemeyer intentionally created these emulations to deceive and discredit future authenticity investigations. The Woods have used the expertise of James Black and the Speckin Forensic Sciences Laboratory for authentication. Speckin's findings reportedly support the authenticity of Cooper's documents. However, the article points out that a signature on a purported Truman letter creating MJ-12 is identical to one on an authentic letter, suggesting it's a counterfeit using a Xerox copy. Furthermore, a disagreement exists between Peter Tytell and James Black regarding the typewriter used for the 1947 Truman letter, with Tytell suggesting a 1963 typewriter and Black a 1940 Underwood. The author notes that Speckin's expertise in dating typed material was not utilized for this critical assignment.

Woods Ignore "Elevated 8" In Cooper's Letters And Majestic Documents

This section focuses on a potential flaw in Timothy Cooper's documents. British ufologist Timothy Good spotted a mechanical flaw in Cooper's typewriter, where the figure '8' was slightly elevated. A similar flaw was observed in Cooper's letters from October 1991. While the Woods' questioned documents examiner, James Black, suggested that fast typists might not depress the shift key uniformly, the author argues that this doesn't apply to numerals. The Woods have not discussed this issue in their remarks, despite it being raised a year prior.

Dr. Greer's “Disclosure Project” Advisor Is Ill-Informed About Space-Based Weapons And Proposed Missile Defense

This article critiques Dr. Steven Greer's campaign for UFO hearings and his focus on banning space weapons. It discusses his advisor, Carol Rosin, who claims to have tracked space-based weapons for years. Rosin stated that the Soviet Union did not have 'killer satellites,' which she claims was a lie. However, the article points out that MIT scientists' reports and British satellite logs list numerous Soviet killer-satellite tests. The author suggests Greer find a more knowledgeable advisor.

Joe Firmage Creates New Research Group To Achieve Similar Goals

Joe Firmage, a Silicon Valley businessman, shares Greer's views on UFOs and opposition to space weapons but has not publicly endorsed Project Disclosure. Firmage has created Motion Sciences Organization (MSO) with a mission to discover new technologies for clean energy and transportation, believing these can reduce resource bottlenecks and prevent war. MSO aims to explore advanced techniques like Zero Point Energy (ZPE), which Firmage believes UFOs use. MSO combines two of Firmage's previous operations: International Space Sciences Organization (ISSO) and California Institute for Physics and Astrophysics (CIPA). The article notes that ISSO had previously assessed the Majestic Documents as potentially fabricated for psychological warfare, a conclusion sharply challenged by the Woods.

Important Differences In Firmage's And Greer's Philosophies

While both Greer and Firmage oppose space-based weapons, their reasons differ. Greer fears they would be used against UFOs, while Firmage believes technology should not be used to create more effective weapons, advocating for pacifism and non-aggression. Firmage's philosophy is that science and technology should not be used to create weapons that increase the threat of offensive use. The article concludes that deploying weapons in space offers little advantage and presents many challenges, with ground or aircraft-launched missiles being more cost-effective for destroying satellites.

Hopkins Seeks To “Resurrect” Linda Cortile UFO-Abduction Case

This section discusses Budd Hopkins's efforts to revive the Linda Cortile UFO abduction case, which he considers history's most important abduction event. Hopkins's book, "WITNESSED: The True Story of the Brooklyn Bridge Abductions," generated skepticism due to its extraordinary claims, including the abduction of Perez de Cuellar and his bodyguards. Hopkins announced new information from silent witnesses and claimed that Cortile and 'Richard' (an alleged government agent) separately gave full accounts of the abduction to Cardinal O'Connor, suggesting a connection to the Vatican. The article notes that there is no hard evidence that O'Connor found the accounts credible enough to report to the Vatican. Linda Cortile reportedly described her UFO experiences to the Cardinal during confidential 'confessional' conversations, refusing to share specific details even with Hopkins.

SUN predicts that Hopkins's new evidence will cause debate but only briefly lift the case from obscurity. It sarcastically suggests Hopkins turn his attention to the Chandra Levy case.

Official British Files Released On Famous Rendlesham Forest UFO Incident

This article reports on the release of the British Ministry of Defense's (MOD) file on the Rendlesham Forest UFO incident. The release, in response to a request by two British ufologists, Dr. David Clarke and Andy Roberts, provides new insights. The 155-page file, with five documents exempted, debunks claims of a British or U.S. government cover-up. Clarke and Roberts's summary suggests that the MOD's assessment of the events as having 'no defence significance' was flawed due to incorrect dates used in their analysis. They conclude that the best explanation for what witnesses reported is an 'unexplained light.' The article also mentions that British researcher Ian Ridpath identified the 'mysterious light' as potentially being the Oxfordness lighthouse, based on a tape recording made by Lt. Col. Charles Halt, though Halt denied this.

Short Shrift:

This section contains several brief updates:

• Greer's Campaign Has Generated No Congressional Action: Despite Project Disclosure's press conference and letter-writing campaign, no Senators or Congressmen have committed to pressing for UFO hearings. Most responses were generic, with a few expressing interest or challenging Project Disclosure's views.
• New Letters Plus Video Planned: Greer plans to send a special one-hour video and documentation to Congress, focusing on the reality of UFOs, extraterrestrial civilizations, and alleged illegal government operations, including the suppression of advanced technologies.
• NIDS Scientist Suggests That UFOs May Travel Through “Wormholes”: Astrophysicist Dr. Eric W. Davis of NIDS presented a paper suggesting that the UFO phenomenon is complex and requires a synthesis of mainstream science and UFO communities using forensic investigative methods.
• Woods Finally “Discover” Twining's 1947 Memo: The Woods announced the discovery of new Majestic Documents, including Lt. Gen. Nathan Twining's memo. They state that the memo, found at the National Archives, supports crash retrievals. However, the article notes the memo was published in the Condon Report in 1969 and points out that Twining's statement about the phenomenon being real is not in conflict with his mention of a lack of physical evidence.
• The Woods' Explanation: The Woods suggest the Twining memo was a 'Secret' document intended as a cover story for Soviet intelligence and that authorities wanted to provide guidance to air commanders. SUN questions how an intentional falsehood could provide serious guidance.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The Skeptics UFO Newsletter, under the editorship of Philip J. Klass, consistently adopts a critical and skeptical stance towards UFO claims, particularly those involving alleged government documents and extraordinary events. The newsletter prioritizes factual evidence, scrutinizes the authenticity of sources, and highlights discrepancies and logical inconsistencies in UFO research. It often contrasts sensational claims with established scientific understanding and official records. The editorial stance is to debunk unsubstantiated claims and promote a rational framework for investigating the UFO phenomenon, while acknowledging that some unexplained phenomena may exist. The newsletter is published quarterly and solicits subscriptions.