SPACE - No 30 - 1959 06

Magazine Overview

Title: S. P. A. C. E. (Saucer Phenomena and Celestial Enigma)
Issue: Bulletin No. 30
Date: June 1959
Publisher: Norbert F. Gariety

This issue of S. P. A. C. E. magazine, published monthly from Coral Gables, Florida, focuses on UFO reports, historical mysteries, and scientific speculation regarding extraterrestrial life and space exploration.

Key Articles and Reports

Ice Fall Incident in Smithtown, New York

The month of May 1959 saw a decrease in UFO sighting reports. However, a notable incident occurred on May 10th in Smithtown, Long Island, where Adam Demling, a 67-year-old retired hospital attendant, reported hearing a tremendous roar and seeing an egg-shaped chunk of ice, approximately 35 inches long and weighing about 20 lbs, fall into his garden. The ice was described as having white, snow-like sides and icicle-like spikes, with no marks of an exhaust or pipe. Demling noted that the ice did not feel cold and evaporated without leaving water, leaving his hand damp. Dogs that licked it turned away. While weathermen and Air Force officials suggested it fell from a plane, Demling insisted he saw or heard no aircraft. The article includes a note from the editor questioning the immediate assumption of planes as an explanation.

Historical Ice Incidents

Two historical accounts of ice falling from the sky are mentioned: in 1851, pieces of ice as large as pumpkins fell at Bangalore, India, and in 1877, ice large enough to kill sheep fell over Texas.

Queen Juliana and George Adamski Controversy

A report from London details a political row in the Netherlands concerning Queen Juliana's refusal to cancel an invitation to George Adamski, a self-styled American space professor. Top government officials were reportedly trying to have the invitation canceled, fearing a revival of public anxiety similar to that experienced in 1956.

Italian Expert on Martian and Venusian Saucers

Alberto Perego, an Italian flying saucer expert and president of the Italian Study Center for Electromagnetic Aviation, claims that Venus and Mars are spying on Earth. He believes there are 3,000 flying saucers from Mars and Venus hovering around European and Italian skies. Perego also claimed a saucer hovered over Vatican City during the election of Pope John XXIII.

Robot on the Moon

An article discusses the scientific expectation that the first human on the moon will be a robot, a 'space-age version of the tin woodsman.' This robot would explore the moon's surface, transmit images via television, and use delicate instruments to gather data on its atmosphere, temperature, and dust. Robots are seen as ideal explorers, immune to thirst, hunger, and emotions, working continuously until their batteries run down.

Space Survival on Mars

Dr. Hubertus Strughold of the School of Aviation Medicine suggests that man could survive for short periods on Mars, at depths of 3,000 to 5,000 feet below the general surface, using only a pressure-breathing oxygen mask.

Harvard Astronomer on Life on Mars

Dr. G. De Vaucouleurs of the Harvard College Observatory discussed Mars and Venus at a space exploration symposium. He stated that it would be 'at least several decades' before man could verify if Mars is a habitat for living things. His colleague, Dr. William M. Sinton, has found spectrographic support for the belief that organic matter, possibly primitive plants, may grow on Mars, citing 'absorption bands characteristic of heavy organic molecules' in the Martian infra-red spectrum.

Otis T. Carr and Stock Sales

Otis T. Carr and his associates were questioned by County Officials in Oklahoma City regarding state securities laws violations related to the sale of 'options to buy stock.' Carr denied offering stock for sale on the open market and invoked the fifth amendment on several occasions when questioned about collecting funds to finance a space ship.

UFO Activity Over Spain

A radio operator serving with the Air Force in Spain reports significant UFO activity around Madrid. He witnessed a flight of three objects over Paracuellos village and occasionally sees saucers hovering at high altitudes, confirming they are not conventional aircraft.

10,000-Year-Old Mummies Found in Mexico

Thirty perfectly preserved mummies, potentially over 10,000 years old, were discovered in a deep cave in the Sahuaripa region of Sonora, Mexico. This discovery is considered highly significant for understanding the northern culture of the country.

The Killian Case

Regarding the American Airlines sighting of three UFOs on a flight from Newark to Detroit, the report states that Captain Killian was 'silenced' by his employers to maintain good relations with officialdom. The Air Force offered three explanations, none of which satisfied Killian, who is an amateur astronomer and insists the objects were not conventional aircraft or refueling operations.

Dome-Shaped Craft in Australia

Scientists are investigating reports from Purnong, Australia, where Percy Briggs and Carl Towill witnessed a huge dome-shaped craft, similar to a spaceship, take off from a farmer's field on March 13, 1959. They described it as a brightly-lit circus tent sitting on the ground, and it shot upwards into the sky.

Saucer Landing in Scotland

During a Territorial Army exercise in November 1958, two soldiers guarding a hilltop near Tarland, Scotland, reported hearing a 'gurgling' sound and encountering two large, stumbling figures, seven to eight feet tall, speaking in a gutteral tongue. The beings were oddly dressed. Shortly after, a huge, brilliant, disc-shaped object rose from behind trees, pulsating and leaving sparks, before disappearing. The soldiers fled and reported the incident to engineers.

Indoctrination on Flying Saucers in Schools

The article notes that elementary school children are being taught about UFOs through publications like 'MY WEEKLY READER.' An article titled 'WE'LL SOON BE SEEING FLYING SAUCERS' discussed Air Force investigations and included a photograph from the 1952 Salem, Massachusetts, Coast Guard incident, which the magazine's editor believes is a subtle form of indoctrination.

Johann Purchalski's Claims

Johann Purchalski, a 38-year-old man living in Port Colborne, Canada, claims to be a descendant of ancestors from other planets and to have met spacemen. He is preparing a flying machine made of nickel, estimated to cost $100,000, to take him into space. He states he has evidence of spacemen landing on Earth for the last 100 years and that they arrive from planets like Mars. He describes spacemen as medium build, about 5 feet 2 inches, with large, kind eyes, dressed in felt-like material, and breathing heavily. He claims to have followed a saucer down in 1936 and met its occupants, receiving a badge from the 'Planet Mars Police Force.' He has traveled extensively and claims to have destroyed evidence of his encounters in Austria. He believes governments are trying to send rockets to space but do not know how to do it properly, and he would offer his services only if he could build his own rocket ship.

Mystery of the B-24 Bomber in the Sahara Desert

A World War II B-24 bomber, missing for 16 years, was found in the waterless waste of Libya, 380 miles south of Bangazi. The plane, which took off from a Libyan base for a bombing raid on Naples, Italy, was found preserved in the desert air, though its fuselage was broken in two. The radio was still working, but there was no trace of the crew of nine. Water bottles were found filled in the cabin. The Pentagon theory is that the crew bailed out, but the magazine questions how the plane could have landed softly in the desert if the crew had abandoned it.

British Pilots Lost in the Desert (1924)

This case involves Flight Lt. W. T. Day and Pilot Officer B. R. Stewart, who took off from British Headquarters in Mesopotamia for a reconnaissance flight over the desert in 1924. Their plane was found intact, half-full of gas, and was flown back by other pilots. However, there were tracks in the sand leading away from the plane that suddenly stopped, as if the men had vanished. The mystery remains unsolved.

Disappearance of Oliver Larch

Oliver Larch disappeared from his backyard in South Bend, Indiana, on Christmas Eve of 1889, after being sent to fetch water. His family heard him cry out for help before he vanished without a trace. His tracks in the snow led to the well and stopped abruptly.

Sonny Desverges and Extra-Terrestrials

Sonny Desverges, a Boy Scout Leader from West Palm Beach, Florida, claimed to have been targeted for 'kidnapping' by extra-terrestrials on August 19, 1952, while searching for a light with his scouts. He managed to escape by hacking at the craft with his machete. The article notes that he suffered ridicule and disbelief for telling his story.

The Marie Celeste Mystery

The sailing vessel Marie Celeste was found adrift 300 miles off the coast of Portugal on December 14, 1872, with no sign of trouble, mutiny, or damage, and its log left no clue. All 12 people aboard had disappeared.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently explores the unexplained, particularly UFO sightings and historical mysteries that suggest possible extraterrestrial involvement. The editor expresses skepticism towards official explanations, especially when they seem to serve the purpose of satisfying the majority rather than revealing the truth. There is a recurring theme of governmental caution and secrecy regarding UFO information, with the editor believing that not all visiting UFOs have Earth's best interests at heart, and some may view inhabitants as 'Fair Game.' The magazine promotes a critical approach to information and encourages readers to submit their own findings.