SPACE - No 45 - 1960 09

Magazine Overview

Title: SPACE
Issue: September 1960 (Bulletin No. 45)
Publisher: S. P. A. C. E. (Saucer Phenomena and Celestial Enigma)
Editor & Publisher: Norbert F. Gariety
Country: USA (Coral Gables, Florida)
Document Type: Magazine Issue

This issue of SPACE magazine, published monthly, details a significant increase in UFO activity and other unexplained phenomena during the summer of 1960, particularly in August. The publication highlights reports from various sources, including newspaper clippings, ship logs, and eyewitness accounts, alongside speculative articles and editorial commentary.

Key Articles and Reports

Senator Johnson Orders UFO Alertness

The issue leads with a report that Democratic Vice Presidential Candidate Lyndon B. Johnson ordered Senate investigators to maintain a "close watch" on major developments involving unidentified flying objects (UFOs). He also requested a report from the Senate Preparedness Subcommittee on significant sightings and Air Force investigations. The article notes that newspapers that have been at the forefront of reporting UFO sightings were the ones to carry this UPI release, while others ignored it.

Patrolmen Sight Mysterious Flying Object in Red Bluff, California

Two California highway patrolmen, Stanley Scott and Charles A. Carson, reported sighting and then pursuing a mysterious "football-shaped thing" that emitted a red glow. Described as the size of an airliner and hovering at about 200 feet, the object suddenly shot upwards noiselessly and engaged in various maneuvers. The patrolmen pursued it for about two hours, during which time their radio experienced significant static. Three deputy sheriffs also joined the hunt and witnessed the object before it disappeared.

Celestial Phenomena Reports from Ships at Sea

Two reports from ships forwarded to SPACE detail unusual aerial sightings:

• S.S. Calamares: On June 25, 1960, officers observed a "shining cloud with a very bright center" and a "shining band" at sea in the Atlantic Ocean.
• M.V. Bianca C: On July 2, 1960, the Chief Officer reported a flying object similar to a first magnitude star, emitting a dull whitish light and having a short faint tail, visible for nearly ten minutes.

Mystery Blast in Halifax, Canada

An unexplained explosion in Halifax's south end on August 3, 1960, shot a column of blue flame into the sky and left a strong odor of sulphur. Police were baffled after extensive investigation, with witnesses describing the blast as loud and sharp, and indicating Camp Hill cemetery as the explosion point.

Flight of Space Saucer Awes Convention Crowd

Visitors at the annual Spacecraft Convention in Vista, California, on July 4, 1960, witnessed a circular flying object with a bell-like dome that glowed with a brilliant white light. The object performed maneuvers before climbing higher and disappearing.

Priest Suggests Men Live in Space

Rev. Daniel C. Raible, a Roman Catholic theologian, posits that super races of rational beings with advanced cultures might exist in outer space in a "state of innocence," free from disease, crime, and death. He discusses theological conditions of existence, including the state of pure nature, integral nature, supernatural state, and the state of innocence.

Mysterious Face on Cemetery Wall

A "face" appearing on a concrete block wall in the Mineral Springs Church Cemetery near Reform, Alabama, became a local curiosity. While skeptics attributed it to a flaw or moisture, others believed it to be more significant. A similar image of a threatened Negro is said to be etched in a courthouse window in Carrollton.

Earth's North Pole Moving Toward Greenland

An article reports that the North Pole has been moving toward Greenland at more than half a foot per year since the start of the century, attributed by a scientist to the melting of the Greenland ice sheet. The issue also notes a continued increase in earthquake reports in August, questioning if there is a connection to UFO phenomena.

Chicago Adler Planetarium Director Spots UFO

On August 27, 1960, Robert Johnson, Director of the Adler Planetarium, along with two other expert astronomical observers, spotted an unidentified flying object (UFO) in the skies over Chicago. Johnson expressed that he had "always been dreading the day when I would spot a UFO" and could offer no explanation for the object, noting it was not a satellite.

Woman and Boys Spy "Saucers" Over Akron, Ohio

Mrs. William Mars and three boys reported seeing two unidentified flying objects over Akron. Described as round, shiny, metal objects that rotated and moved in a straight path, they disappeared within minutes. The sighting was reported to George Popowich, acting director of the UFO Research Committee.

Missing Boy Found Safe in Picton, Ontario

A perplexing case from Picton, Ontario, involved the disappearance of 14-year-old Michael Helferty, who was missing for five days. He was found safe and well but had no recollection of what happened during that period. The article notes a parallel case from a previous SPACE issue involving a soldier who was unconscious for 24 hours.

Enid Brady's Mental Contact and Predictions

The issue details the claims of Enid Brady, an ESP sensitive from Holly Hill, Florida, who reportedly makes mental contact with extra-terrestrials. A prediction made on August 22nd stated that "new type of craft" would appear in increasing numbers, glowing red in the lower atmosphere and white at higher altitudes, originating from Pluto. The magazine's editor has heard tapes of these sessions and used excerpts on his radio show.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of SPACE magazine are the increasing frequency and intensity of UFO sightings, the lack of definitive official explanations, and the growing public interest in these phenomena. The editorial stance, as indicated by the editor's notes and the selection of articles, is one of open inquiry into UFOs and related unexplained events, often questioning official dismissals and highlighting credible eyewitness accounts and expert observations. The magazine seems to lean towards the possibility of extra-terrestrial visitation, as suggested by the "prediction" of new craft types and the theological speculation on space beings. The editor also expresses frustration with the general public and media's apparent lack of attention to these significant events, contrasting it with the coverage of natural disasters.