SPACE - No 03 - 1957 03

Magazine Overview

SPACE magazine, published monthly from Coral Gables, Florida, presents its March 1957 issue with a cover headline questioning the Air Force's stance on physical evidence for UFOs. The editor, Norbert F. Gariety, highlights the ongoing debate and investigation into 'Saucer Phenomena and Celestial Enigma'.

Key Articles and Reports

Bremerton Sighting

The issue features a detailed letter from a Mrs. Leo A. Davis of Bremerton, Washington, dated January 25, 1957. She recounts seeing a stationary, bright object resembling a street light over Bremerton around 1:00 AM while driving with her husband. Initially mistaken for a town light, she realized it was not. Her husband, initially skeptical, was too busy driving to observe it. As they drove into their driveway, the object remained visible. It then slowly drifted over the town and disappeared. Mrs. Davis contacted the local Civil Defense Center and the local radio station and newspaper, but no one else had reported the sighting. She concludes that the object was likely over the town or the Puget Sound Naval shipyard.

Len Stringfield's ORBIT Ceases Publication

A somber note is struck with the announcement that Len Stringfield of Cincinnati is discontinuing his monthly publication, ORBIT, with the March issue. Stringfield cites financial difficulties and the overall pressures of his UFO research project on his private life and business responsibilities. He plans to work on a book compiling his past research and additional information.

Formation of NICAP

The magazine reports on the formation of a new organization in Washington D.C. called the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena (NICAP). This organization aims to collect and investigate flying saucer sighting reports. Retired Rear Admiral Delmer S. Fahrney, former head of the Navy's Guided Missiles program, is named as the Board Chairman. The board of governors includes notable figures such as Dr. Charles A. Maney (Physicist), Col. Robert Emerson (Nuclear Physicist), Frank Edwards (WTTV), and Gen. Albert C. Wedemeyer (Evaluation Officer). The report also mentions that Major Donald E. Keyhoe is now associated with NICAP.

Admiral Fahrney stated at a press conference that reliable reports indicate 'objects coming into our atmosphere at very high speeds' and that no agency in the US or Russia can duplicate the speeds and accelerations observed. He believes an 'intelligence' directs these objects due to their flight patterns, which are not entirely automatic.

High School Student's Sighting

A report from Frank McKisic, a 17-year-old high school student from Miami, describes a sighting from November 1956. While walking with his boyfriend, he saw a funny-looking object moving slowly, then suddenly disappearing at high speed. He also recalls a similar sighting in 1954 involving a broad band of light that vanished, followed by a second object.

Government Censorship Allegations

The issue references an excerpt from Paul Harvey News (November 15, 1956) and the A.P.R.O. Bulletin, alleging that the Pentagon has been censoring flying saucer information. Articles submitted for clearance, even those unrelated to military secrets, were reportedly 'blue penciled' by Pentagon security officials. The reason for this censorship is questioned, and it is noted that a book by a former Intelligence Officer, containing previously published information, was refused publication by the Army.

Clyde Tombaugh on Extraterrestrial Visitors

An AP release on an article by Clyde Tombaugh, the astronomer who discovered Pluto, is featured. Tombaugh suggests that 'strange objects in the skies may be visitors from the stars, who have travelled trillions of miles to reach the Earth.' He posits that other stars in the galaxy may host numerous inhabitable worlds whose inhabitants could have developed the technology to bridge interstellar distances. Tombaugh has observed unexplained celestial phenomena but has not seen any personally since 1951 or 1952, noting that these directed objects are unlike anything he has observed before.

Hawaiian Sighting

A news clipping from the Honolulu Star-Bulletin (February 13, 1957) reports that two Kaimuki housewives witnessed two strange objects in the sky. Mrs. Winifred Anderson described one object as 'glowing' with a shiny, aluminum-like tail, appearing to dive towards the earth. The main body was a 'half-ball' dome. The object streaked off and disappeared. Later, she and her sister-in-law, Mrs. Helen Anderson, saw two objects, the second smaller and below the first, which then zoomed off and vanished into clouds. They concluded the objects were too high for kites and too fast for jet planes.

Soviet Space Claims

An AP report from London (February 16, 1957) states that Soviet scientists have fired rockets carrying dogs into outer space, reaching heights over 100 kilometers without ill effects. The magazine humorously notes this in comparison to American monkey experiments where hair turned gray due to cosmic ray radiation.

Editor's Personal Experience

Norbert F. Gariety recounts being a Guest Speaker at a dinner meeting of the Military Order of the World Wars in Miami, Florida, on February 25, 1957. His topic was 'Saucers.' Colonel Guilford R. Montgomery, Commanding Officer of the Air Force Flying Center, was present and remarked, 'I FEEL JUST AS IF I'D BEEN BRAIN-WASHED' after the discussion.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of SPACE magazine revolve around UFO sightings, the alleged government cover-up of information, and the growing efforts to scientifically investigate these phenomena. The editorial stance is one of encouraging public awareness and investigation, urging readers to 'Keep looking up!' The magazine champions the efforts of researchers and organizations like NICAP, contrasting their open approach with perceived secrecy from official channels. There's a clear skepticism towards official explanations and a belief that 'an intelligence' directs these objects, advocating for a more open dissemination of information. The historical parallel drawn with the scientific community's initial disbelief in meteorites underscores the magazine's argument for open-mindedness in considering UFO evidence.