The UFO Enigma

Magazine Overview

Title: The UFO Enigma
Issue: Volume 8, Number 4
Date: December 1987
Publisher: UFO Study Group of Greater St. Louis, Inc.
Type: Newsletter/Magazine

This issue of The UFO Enigma, published in December 1987, focuses on various aspects of UFO research, parapsychology, and related phenomena. It includes announcements, reviews, personal accounts, and a quiz.

Annual Christmas Party

The issue opens with an announcement for the Annual Christmas Party of the UFO Study Group of Greater St. Louis, scheduled for Sunday, December 13, at 2:00 p.m. at the Farm and Home Savings and Loan community room in Webster Groves, MO. Members are encouraged to bring food and a small gift for an exchange. The event is described as a fun opportunity for informal discussions about UFOs.

Book Review: 'Intruders: The Incredible Visitations at Copley Woods'

John Schroeder reviews Budd Hopkins' book, 'Intruders: The Incredible Visitations at Copley Woods.' Schroeder notes that while many may find the events described in Copley Woods, Indiana, unbelievable, Hopkins, despite his initial skepticism, presents a compelling case. The review highlights Hopkins' comparison of initial reactions to the overwhelming nature of the facts, akin to Judge Felix Frankfurter's reaction to news of the Nazi regime's atrocities. The book delves into the concept of 'UFOnauts' prioritizing genetic interbreeding with humans. It details abduction cases, including enforced amnesia, missing time, and experiments such as electronic tagging and laparoscopy examinations. The review also touches upon the artificial insemination of women, removal of fetuses for raising by alien fathers, and studies of human mothers' reactions to seeing kidnapped half-alien offspring. The aliens are described as small, grey, with high foreheads, slit noses, and large black eyes without apparent pupils. The half-human, half-alien offspring are described as slightly larger, with varied skin tones and features. John Schroeder recommends the book for its comprehensive data supporting the 'good guys and bad guys theory of outer space visitation,' even if one disagrees with Hopkins' conclusions on hybridization, the purpose of inserted objects, the fate of hybrid infants, and the serial and familial nature of abductions.

1987-88 Officers

The issue lists the officers for the 1987-88 term: John Roppolo (President), Frank Brown (Vice President), Spencer Wolling (Treasurer), Joe Palermo (Librarian & Historian), Marjorie Sherrill (Recording Secretary), Melva Hageman (Corresponding Secretary), Joe Dowler (Marshall), Walter Palmer (Chief Field Investigator), Ken Hanke (Enigma Editor), and Helen Hanke (Editorial Staff).

Parapsychology Committee Considers Crime

Seven members attended a Parapsychology Subcommittee Meeting. Marjorie Sherrill shared a psychic experience involving a table moving on its own. John Schroeder reported on psychic dreams that accurately depicted the activities of a serial murderer and a conspiracy related to the assassination of President Kennedy. He also recalled a case where psychic members predicted a 'Quick food shop' murder, leading to the apprehension of the criminals. The next meeting was scheduled for December 2 at the Schroeder home, with a potential speaker from the St. Louis Psychical Society.

UFOs and Parapsychology

Marjorie Sherrill discusses the connection between UFO phenomena and parapsychology, citing Dr. Peter Phillips' assertion that understanding one requires understanding the other. The article mentions Tom Richards' SORRAT experiments, which involved films of objects moving in sealed boxes and leather rings linking. An audience member also demonstrated a suspended pen. The experiments aimed to explore psychokinesis and telekinesis.

SORRAT Experiments

The article details experiments conducted by the Society for Research on Rapport and Telekinesis (SORRAT), founded by Dr. John G. Neihardt. Participants placed their hands on a TV tray, which then moved, tapped out messages, and even responded to questions. One experiment involved a sealed box with coffee and cubes, where a 'Y' symbol was etched. Another involved the TV tray moving across rooms and outdoors, responding to commands and questions. The experiments also noted vibrations felt by participants and observed a plant vibrating.

How Much Do You Know About UFOs?

Joe Gurney submitted a quiz of 50 questions about UFO phenomena. The first part of the quiz is presented in this issue, with the answers to be found on the last page. The editor encourages readers to submit their own questions.

Letters to the Editor

Joan Laurino submits an article based on a letter she wrote to the editor, detailing an unusual incident involving Mrs. Martha Throne of Sonora, California. This incident, termed 'Unidentified Friendly People' (UFP), occurred on October 30, 1977, when Martha and her husband Ernest were abducted by an egg-shaped craft. Later, on October 11-12, 1986, Martha encountered two individuals claiming to be from Australia who seemed to know intimate details about her, including her planned participation in a MUFON panel discussion. The couple exhibited unusual behavior and language, and Martha felt a strange sense of peace and familiarity with the woman.

The Strangers

This section, written by Joan H. Laurino, elaborates on the UFP incident involving Martha Throne. It describes the abduction experience of Martha and Ernest Thorne, where their car was engulfed in a blue mist and they were examined by alien beings. The article then details Martha's encounter with the mysterious 'Australians' at the Sonora MUFON Symposium. The gentleman was described as handsome with brown hair and blue eyes, while the lady was striking, short, and spoke an unknown language. They displayed an uncanny knowledge of Martha's life and her abduction. The article highlights the profound mystery of the wife's understanding of Martha's English and the husband's translation. The strangers revealed they knew Martha would be a panelist at an upcoming MUFON discussion, urging her to tell her story. Martha later recounted her entire abduction encounter at the symposium, receiving significant attention.

Answers to Quiz and Calendar

The issue concludes with the answers to the UFO quiz and a calendar of upcoming events for December, including meetings for the Parapsychology Committee and the UFO Study Group.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around UFO sightings, alien abductions, hybridization, and the intersection of these phenomena with parapsychology. The editorial stance appears to be one of open investigation and documentation of UFO-related events, encouraging reader participation through submissions and quizzes. There is a clear interest in exploring personal accounts and the scientific or pseudoscientific aspects of these mysteries, as evidenced by the book review, the parapsychology committee's activities, and the detailed account of Martha Throne's experience. The publication aims to inform and engage its readership in the ongoing study of the UFO phenomenon.