SPACE - No 08 - 1957 08

Magazine Overview

Title: S.P.A.C.E.
Issue: Bulletin No. 8
Date: August 1957
Publisher: Norbert F. Gariety, Editor and Publisher
Focus: Saucer Phenomena and Celestial Enigma (S.P.A.C.E.)

This issue of S.P.A.C.E. magazine, published monthly from Coral Gables, Florida, focuses on UFO phenomena and related investigations. It highlights the formation and early activities of NICAP (National Investigations Committee) and its proposed cooperation with the U.S. Air Force.

NICAP's Initiative and Air Force Cooperation

The magazine congratulates NICAP on its formation and its potential to uncover official UFO secrecy. It details NICAP's eight-point plan of cooperation offered to Air Force Secretary James H. Douglas. This plan includes a dedicated section in NICAP's bulletin for the Air Force to explain its official stand, encouraging members to submit UFO reports to both NICAP and the Air Force, and requesting the Air Force to share its 'solved' UFO cases. NICAP also offers to assist in exposing UFO frauds and to cooperate in investigating and evaluating 'contact' claims. Furthermore, NICAP proposes to help educate the public on any official disclosures and to make public a fair evaluation of following Air Force documents after expert review. These documents include an AF letter from September 23, 1947, stating that 'saucers...were REAL,' the 1948 'Top Secret' ESTIMATE OF THE SITUATION suggesting UFOs were Interplanetary Spaceships, the 'Fournet Report' analyzing UFO maneuvers, and the January 1953 panel of civilian experts' findings.

UFO Sightings and Incidents

The issue presents a collection of UFO sightings and related events from various locations:

South American Skyquakes

• Sabana de Mendoza, Venezuela (June 4, 1957): A violent explosion was heard over 1,000 square kilometers, accompanied by earth tremors. Witnesses reported a luminous ball as big as the sun.
• Merida, Venezuela (June 4, 1957): A violent explosion was felt, and a strange red object shaped like a 'Cigarette' was seen flying at fantastic speed.
• Valera, Trujillo State, Venezuela (June 4, 1957): A luminous object reportedly fell, causing earth tremors over many square kilometers.

Venezuelan Indian Encounters UFO, and Little Men

• Uriman, Venezuela (June 5, 1957): Several Indians reported seeing a luminous object land, from which emerged little men. One of these creatures injured an Indian's arm.

Epsom Downs, England (April 26, 1957)

Two explosions occurred, leaving craters 350 miles apart. The first at Epsom Downs created a 5-foot crater. The second, near Glasgow, Scotland, involved an object described as 'football-shaped, circular, and glowing orange,' leaving an 18-inch crater.

Mount Rainier Sighting (July 10, 1957)

A lumberman reported seeing two soup bowl-shaped flying objects whiz over the Mt. Rainier area at approximately 5,000 feet, moving silently and with rapid, non-curved maneuvers.

Amarillo, Texas Incident (July 23, 1957)

A TWA airliner pilot reported attempting to dodge an unidentified object, causing the plane to dip suddenly and resulting in minor injuries to a passenger and hostess.

Toronto Sighting (July 24, 1957)

The Ground Observer Corps has been tracking a mysterious flying object described as a 'little ball of fire' that constantly shifts direction.

Miami Sightings (July 3, 1957 & July 5, 1957)

• July 3rd: Two UFOs were observed moving rapidly southeast, described as elliptical and shiny, with an instantaneous change of course.
• July 5th: An usher and theater manager observed a bright 'star' that moved to the south, stopped, then moved north before ascending straight up.

Other Reports

• Miami, Florida (July 25, 1957): A Pentagon order restricting news about missiles was criticized as an 'unrealistic strait-jacket of secrecy.'
• Miami, Florida (July 23, 1957): A TWA sales manager reported a pilot's maneuver to avoid an object on a collision course.

Space Travel and 'Little Men'

The issue delves into the challenges of space travel, particularly the need for a sustainable oxygen supply. It references an article from the U.S. Air Force School of Medicine suggesting that plant life could convert exhaled carbon dioxide back into oxygen. This leads to a speculative connection with the 1954-55 'little men' reports, proposing that these beings might have been collecting soil and foliage from Earth for their own spacecraft's horticultural needs.

Editorial Stance and Recurring Themes

The magazine consistently advocates for transparency and serious investigation into UFO phenomena. It criticizes government secrecy and supports organizations like NICAP that are actively pushing for more information. The recurring themes include UFO sightings, government cover-ups, the potential for extraterrestrial intelligence, and the scientific inquiry into these subjects. The editorial tone is one of skepticism towards official denials and a strong belief that the public has a right to know.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

This issue of S.P.A.C.E. strongly champions the cause of UFO investigation and transparency, particularly through its support of NICAP. The editorial stance is critical of government secrecy and official dismissals of UFO reports, as exemplified by the criticism of the Pentagon's missile secrecy order and the praise for Representative Dante Fascell's efforts to declassify government records. The magazine consistently calls for serious investigation of authentic reports and the dissemination of factual evidence to the public. The recurring themes include the alleged withholding of information by authorities, the need for public awareness, the analysis of UFO sightings and their potential implications, and the exploration of theories connecting UFO phenomena with space travel and extraterrestrial beings. The publication itself serves as a platform for sharing these accounts and advocating for a more open approach to the subject.