The UFO Enigma - 1983 03 - Volume 3 no 7

Magazine Overview

Title: The UFO Enigma
Issue: Volume 3, Number 7
Date: March 1983
Publisher: UFO Study Group of Greater St. Louis, Inc.
Description: A monthly newsletter, except in summer, dedicated to the investigation and reporting of unidentified flying objects (UFOs). It is a nonprofit organization not affiliated with any national society.

Featured Articles and Reports

Parapsychologist Discusses UFO's

Dr. Mark Shafer, a parapsychologist from Washington University's McDonnell Laboratory for Physical Research, is scheduled to lecture on "The Significance of UFOs" on Sunday, March 13th, at 110 West Lockwood in Webster Groves, MO. Dr. Shafer, known for his parapsychology lectures and workshops in the St. Louis area, will discuss how UFO research is important to scientists and explore the connection between UFOs and psychic phenomena. He plans to present a theory linking PSI powers to physics, drawing on his own parapsychological research and speculating on potential lessons learned. Irene Alexander, President of the UFO Study Group, and Viola Echele, Chairperson of the Parapsychological Committee, both highly recommend the lecture, highlighting Dr. Shafer's scientific objectivity, engaging style, and international reputation as a PSI researcher. Free-will donations will be accepted to cover expenses.

Joe Palermo Wins Study Group Audience

Film writer-producer Joseph Palermo delivered a compelling lecture on February 13th to over 76 members and guests of the UFO Study Group. His talk, "The Monsters Among Us," detailed his experiences with an unidentified "monster" near Creve Coeur Park. The St. Louis Post Dispatch featured an article by reporter Charlotte Grimes about the meeting, titled "UFO Group Pursues Interest In The Strange," published on February 14, 1983. The Executive Board expressed thanks for the accurate and light-toned news coverage.

St. Charles Group at Planetarium

The St. Charles Study Group is inviting all UFO Study Group members to a program at the McDonnell Planetarium in Forest Park on Sunday, March 27th. The program, "Exploring Alien Worlds," will discuss the potential for life on different planets. Bruce Widaman is coordinating discounted tickets (approximately $2 each) and advises members to mention their UFO Study Group affiliation when purchasing tickets.

Investigators' Meet: Discuss Maps

The Field Investigators met on Monday, February 7th, at Chuck Adams' home. Seven attendees reviewed various maps (geological, topographical, geographical) to assess their value in investigations. An article in the Sunday, February 6th Post Dispatch about earthquakes led to a discussion on fault compression as a potential cause of ionization and UFO reports, as well as the ongoing Dittmer case. New publications were received, and suggestions for library acquisitions were made. The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 7th, at Chuck Adams' home.

Study Group Banquet Announced

The UFO Study Group's Annual Awards Banquet is tentatively scheduled for 6 p.m. on June 12th at The Flaming Pit. Clifford Palmberg is arranging for former UFO Study Group President John Schuessler, a project director for McDonnell Aircraft and investigator of the Cash-Landrum Case, to be the featured speaker. The proposed ticket price is $12.

Afghan Fund-Raiser Announced

A correspondent from California is crocheting a pink and magenta afghan for a raffle to benefit the UFO Study Group's Picnic Fund-Raiser. The estimated value of the time invested is significant, and details about ticket donations will be in the next issue.

Maryland Heights Disc Report

This section, summarized by John E. Schroeder, details a multiple-witness UFO sighting that occurred on September 6, 1975, in Maryland Heights, MO. Around 6:45 p.m., several young witnesses playing football saw two silver-white disc-shaped objects moving rapidly from south to north. Initially thought to be balloons, their speed quickly ruled out that theory. Michael Smalley, one of the witnesses, alerted his father, Victor Smalley, who had experience with aircraft. Victor Smalley initially perceived the objects as a flying wing. By the time binoculars were retrieved, the objects were out of sight. Both Michael and his father observed a commercial aircraft approaching the faster-moving discs. The witnesses noted that other aircraft were visible on landing approaches at Lambert Field. They were able to distinguish the unidentified objects from familiar aircraft, considering them unknown vehicles. Due to the seven-year time lapse between the sighting and the report, a direct correlation with ground observations and commercial airliner sightings could not be established. Verification with other scattered witnesses confirmed the existence of the event and that something strange was observed. The objects were described as daylight discs of ordinary strangeness.

Three Sightings in St. Charles

John Roppolo reports on the St. Charles UFO Committee meeting held on Tuesday, February 15th. Plans were made to attend the "Exploring Alien Worlds" program at the Planetarium on March 27th. Several brief sightings were reported at the meeting: two in St. Charles County, one witnessed by individuals in both St. Charles and St. Louis Counties, and a fourth in Northern Missouri. The St. Charles sightings involved lights in the sky, one accompanied by a high-pitched hum. A witness also described a triangular or wedge-shaped object seen moving across St. Charles and St. Louis Counties a few years prior, which was also reportedly seen by a prominent St. Louis radio personality. Another sighting occurred in La Grange, MO, in 1973, where a barge worker saw three nocturnal lights (white and blue) moving rapidly and erratically on the Mississippi River. The meeting also included reports by Bruce Widaman on a Toronto Sun article about William Moore and the Roswell Incident, and by Dorothy Eaton on the book "The 12th Planet." The meeting concluded at 9:43 p.m.

Parapsychology Committee Studies Holistic Health

Chairperson Viola Echele presided over the Parapsychology Committee meeting on Wednesday, February 2nd, at Schroeder's home, with fourteen psychics in attendance. John Schroeder shared a case where a clairvoyant vision located a lost wallet. A guest named Terri described negative influences and a drug party invitation. Don Haskins presented a theory that coordinating auras is a source of psychic strength. The main speaker, Shirley Walters, demonstrated massage techniques for holistic health, emphasizing the body's response to universal laws of order and balance. She explained that allergies made conventional medicines life-threatening for her, leading her to explore holistic approaches. Her demonstrations included aura combing, ear brushing, muscle palpitation, and creative tension-relaxation, stressing personal responsibility for one's body. The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 2nd, at Rev. and Mrs. John Schroeders' home, where John Schroeder will discuss psychic evidence in police cases.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The newsletter consistently focuses on UFO sightings and investigations within the Greater St. Louis area and surrounding regions. It also places a strong emphasis on the intersection of UFO phenomena with parapsychology and psychic research, as evidenced by the prominent coverage of Dr. Mark Shafer's lecture and the Parapsychology Committee's activities. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry and scientific investigation, encouraging members to share their experiences and research. The publication also serves as a community hub, announcing meetings, lectures, and social events like the annual banquet and fund-raisers, fostering a sense of shared interest and purpose among its readers.