UFO Newsclipping Service - 1969 10 - no 6

Magazine Overview

This issue of UFORC, dated October 1969, is a compilation of various reports and articles concerning unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and related aerial phenomena. The publication appears to be from the UFO RESEARCH COMMITTEE and focuses on witness accounts and news clippings from various newspapers across the United States and Canada.

Reports and Sightings

Manchester, Iowa A rural Manchester resident reported seeing a strange, brilliant light in the northeastern sky around 4:45 a.m. on Monday, September 18, 1969. The object appeared to grow larger as it moved, varied in brilliance, and sometimes appeared motionless. The witness attempted to photograph it. Members of his family also observed the phenomenon. The resident wished to remain anonymous but was curious if others had seen the same object.

Manitoba and British Columbia From Steinbach Carillon News in Manitoba, dated September 11, 1969, a correspondent, Mrs. Ilo Edbom, reported seeing two bright lights hovering above treetops near Piney Corner on a Friday morning. One light had a revolving searchlight, and the pair eventually moved off in an easterly direction. In Summerland, British Columbia, on September 9, 1969, Mr. and Mrs. Art Halleran witnessed a strange glowing light in the east that appeared to fall like a parachute drop. The Summerland RCMP were notified but found no trace of the object.

Port Alberni Valley, B.C. Mrs. Edith Pake of Port Alberni reported seeing a bright object in the sky over Mount Arrowsmith on Thursday, September 3, 1969, around 5 a.m. She described it as round, "bigger than a star," and "scintillating" with a tail. She was certain it was not a dream and observed it until daylight.

Dallas, Oregon Two residents in Dallas, Oregon, reported seeing a "ball of fire with a tail" at 6 a.m. on Thursday, September 18, 1969. Mrs. Lewis initially thought it was a plane crashing. Others in the area also saw the object, and similar sightings were reported as far away as Seattle on the same day.

Rice Lake, Ontario A report from Cobourg, Ontario, dated September 13, 1969, detailed a sighting by a Mr. McConkey of a light that landed on Rice Lake. The object glowed for two minutes, went out, and then reappeared for five minutes. Ireland Quigly, owner of the cottages, accompanied Mr. McConkey to investigate but found no trace.

Roseburg, Oregon On September 8, 1969, Larry Lay of Dillard reported sighting a bright object in the sky over the Winston-Dillard area around 10:05 p.m. Friday, which disappeared after a minute.

Flippin Airport, Arkansas A photograph taken on July 18, 1969, at Flippin Airport shows an unidentified flying object hovering over Lee's Mountain. Lawrence Willett, the airport manager, possesses a colored photograph taken by his sister-in-law, Miss Vivian Kocher. The object appeared as an inverted dish. The negatives were sent to the Aerial Phenomenon Research Organization for examination.

Auburn, Washington Mrs. W. R. Griggle of Auburn reported seeing a gold-tinted, egg-shaped light moving from northwest to southeast at 6 a.m. on Wednesday, September 17, 1969. She described it as about the size of a basketball, with a sparking back end and a tiny tail. She was so astonished that she alerted her husband, but by then it was out of his sight.

Oklahoma Richard Heaton of Woods County reported seeing a light moving in the southwest sky, followed by a formation of three spaceships and another light from the west, visible between 9:10 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Sunday.

Toledo, Oregon - Siletz Area An article by J. Francyl Howard details a series of strange occurrences experienced by the Douglas Reeves family near Pioneer Mountain between Toledo and Siletz. The family reported seeing pulsating, doughnut-shaped lights, and stump-like creatures. One incident involved a bright red light and sparks. The family was reportedly frightened away by the activity. The article also mentions the discovery of a large chunk of metal, identified as pure sodium, and aluminum shavings near the Reeves' home.

California Sightings Several reports from California describe mysterious lights. A mysterious light with a long tail was seen across the state on Tuesday night, appearing to fall and disintegrate. Airline pilots suggested it was too slow to be a meteor and possibly a rocket or satellite re-entering the atmosphere. A similar light was seen over Sacramento, described as "space garbage." In Antioch, an unidentified flying object was spotted by Louis Oliveri, described as a flaming streak like a comet. Federal Aviation Administration officials suggested it could be a meteor breakup or "space junk."

Other Sightings Reports from Yerington, Nevada, describe a bright orange object observed over the city, which dropped three smaller glowing orange objects. Fred Schutz of Alberta reported seeing two bright silvery lights from West of the Blindman, described as typical flying saucer shapes. A report from Beausejour, Manitoba, mentions a large, brilliant, saucer-shaped object seen hovering in the North West Angle. Two Steinbach men reported seeing a rectangularly-shaped UFO in the western sky. A Cobourg, Ontario, teacher reported seeing a "glowing like a fire" object splash into Rice Lake. A 10-year-old boy in Greenville, Pennsylvania, reported seeing a disk-shaped object with red, green, and white lights.

Expert Opinions and Analysis Arthur Bray, an Ottawa expert on UFOs, states that the public, especially youth, is taking UFOs more seriously. He notes that many scientists are also beginning to acknowledge the possibility of extraterrestrial explanations for some UFOs, disagreeing with the Condon report's conclusion that UFOs are not worth studying. Bray has published a book on the subject and finds audiences receptive. A University of Wyoming psychologist noted that UFO spotters are of above-average intelligence and that government agencies might be downplaying sightings. Poul Anderson, a science fiction author, discusses the eventual end of the world but also the possibility of life on other planets and the potential for human expansion into space.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the widespread nature of UFO sightings across North America, the variety of descriptions for the objects observed, and the persistent curiosity and seriousness with which the public is approaching the phenomenon. The editorial stance appears to be one of documenting these reports and encouraging further investigation, while also acknowledging skepticism and potential explanations such as natural phenomena or hoaxes. The publication aims to present these accounts as credible witness testimonies, often highlighting the reliability of the observers.

Title: UFO News (implied by content and recurring themes)
Issue: 12
Date: July 9, 1969
Publisher: UFORC (implied)
Country: Canada
Language: English

This issue of UFO News compiles recent UFO sightings and related investigations from July 1969, alongside official reports and historical accounts.

UFO Sightings and Official Explanations

Kincardine, Ontario Sighting

On Friday night, July 4, 1969, a large shiny object was observed in the northeastern sky near Kincardine, Ontario. Initially reported by Constable Ken Fry, the object was viewed through binoculars and a homemade reflector telescope. Adolf Eberl, a local amateur astronomer, described it as a tubular, three-dimensional frame of brilliant orange fluorescent light bulbs. Reports of the sighting came from across Western Ontario. A staff member at the Mount Forest weather office tracked the object, noting it remained stationary for two hours. While one officer suggested it could be a weather balloon, the stationary nature was deemed improbable for a balloon. Air traffic control at Malton had no reports, and the object would not show up on radar. The local television station CKNX in Wingham reported 187 calls about the object. In Kincardine, the municipal council temporarily adjourned their meeting to view the object.

Walkerton, Ontario Sighting

Many residents in the Walkerton, Ontario area reported witnessing a strange phenomenon on Friday evening, July 4, 1969. The object appeared as a bright oval in the northern sky, about four times the visible size of Venus, and seemed motionless at an estimated height of several thousand feet. When viewed through binoculars, it had a brighter center area described as pink, red, and purplish. The object was visible from approximately 7:30 PM to 9:15 PM. Numerous cars pulled over to view it. The official explanation, confirmed by CKNX news, was that the 'UFO' was a weather balloon. Wiarton Airport was informed by Air Traffic Control in Toronto that it was a weather balloon. However, a pilot flying in the Port Elgin area believed it was a satellite. Canadian and American agencies identified it as a high-altitude weather balloon, possibly at a height of five miles, described as square, made of white plastic, with a cone for data transmission.

Other Sightings and Reports

Two in a Row: Kincardine experienced a second consecutive night of unusual sightings. On Thursday night, July 3, Robert Thompson of R.R. 3, Ripley, and Judy Storgaid of Kincardine saw something startling on the boundary south of town.

Now Glasgow News, N.S. (July 23, 1969): More sightings of an unidentified object were reported in Stellarton. Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Hill and their son John first reported a bright orange object, about the size of a bucket, visible for less than a minute before descending. Mrs. Ida Goode reported seeing the same object moving east to west, with a smoke trail. Mrs. Harry Works described seeing something like a plane exploding and falling. Morris MacDonald heard a strange crackling noise and saw the bright orange object for about 30 seconds.

La Sarre, Quebec: Unidentified flying objects have become a topic of discussion in northeastern Ontario and western Quebec. Three weeks prior, sightings around North Bay were reported to the NATO base. The previous weekend, six members of the Duquette family in St. Vital, near La Sarre, reported seeing two brightly colored objects land in a neighbor's yard. The objects took off at fantastic speed, stopped in mid-air, and returned to the rock. The largest was described as bright red and about 18 inches in diameter. Claude Castonguay also reported a sighting. The matter was reported to the parish priest and is being investigated by the NORAD base in North Bay.

Red Deer Advocate, Alta. (July 11, 1969): Two town residents, Elmo Johnson and Russ Morton, reported seeing a large, egg-shaped object speeding north over Penhold about 4:55 PM on Wednesday, July 9. They described it as silent, traveling at 'about 10 times the speed of any jet,' dull-grey in color, with no smoke trail, and disappearing at a high altitude.

Merrit Herald, B.C. (July 9, 1969): Mrs. A. Patenaude reported seeing a bright colored, long and round object with orange vapor and fins, moving rapidly from horizon to horizon in an east to west direction. She estimated its speed and noted it made no sound, possibly due to its altitude. She was convinced it was not a star.

Official Investigations and Reports

University of Colorado UFO Project

A press release from October 7, 1966, announced that the Air Force selected the University of Colorado, Boulder, to conduct independent investigations into UFO reports. This program, known as Project Blue Book, was to be directed by Dr. Edward U. Condon, with a research agreement valued at approximately $300,000. The project aimed to analyze phenomena associated with UFO sightings and make recommendations on the Air Force's investigation methods. Dr. Condon, a physics professor, was to lead the scientific phases, assisted by Robert J. Low (project coordinator), Dr. Franklin E. Roach, and Dr. Stuart W. Cook. The National Academy of Sciences agreed to appoint a panel to review the investigating team's work upon completion of the Colorado report, expected in early 1968. Air Force Secretary Harold Brown expressed satisfaction with the selection, highlighting the university's standing and the proximity of relevant research institutions in Boulder.

Department of the Air Force Review

A letter dated May 9, 1969, from the Department of the Air Force to Senator Jackson, in response to a letter from Mr. Rod Dyke regarding the University of Colorado report, confirms that research efforts are being carried out by various government agencies and universities. The report acknowledges that UFO reports are of interest to social scientists and communications specialists. It suggests that scientists with adequate training should be supported through normal competitive procedures. The Department concurs with these evaluations and recommendations.

Panel Conclusion (Condon Report Review)

The review by a panel of the National Academy of Sciences (last page of a 5-page review of the Condon Report) states that the report's findings are pertinent and useful. They concur that no high priority in UFO investigations is warranted by data from the past two decades. The panel unanimously found the effort to apply scientific techniques to the UFO problem to be credible. While acknowledging that some UFO sightings remain unexplained, they found no reason to attribute them to an extraterrestrial source without more convincing evidence. The report highlights the difficulty of applying scientific methods to transient sightings. It concludes that a general study of UFOs is not a promising way to expand scientific understanding, and the least likely explanation for UFOs is extraterrestrial visitation.

Air Force Project Blue Book

Information from Air Force Project Blue Book files and other UFO data in possession of the Air Force were to be made available to the University of Colorado team. All U.S. Air Force installations were to assist if requested. The investigators were to conduct their research independently. This decision was based on a recommendation from the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board, which reviewed Project Blue Book's resources, methods, and findings. The Board recommended expanding the program to include investigations of selected sightings by independent scientists. The Air Force has been responsible for investigating UFO reports since 1948.

Historical Sighting

Kenneth Arnold Sighting (June 24, 1947)

On Thursday, June 26, 1947, the Lone Flier report details the Kenneth Arnold sighting. Arnold, a flying businessman from Boise, Idaho, reported seeing nine mysterious objects, described as big as air-planes, whizzing over western Washington at an estimated 1,200 miles per hour. He described them as shiny, flat objects, each as big as a DC-4 passenger plane, racing over the Cascade mountains with a peculiar weaving motion like the tail of a kite. An army spokesman in Washington expressed skepticism, stating that nothing known flies that fast except a V-2 rocket, which travels at 3,500 miles per hour. A civil aeronautics administration inspector in Portland also doubted the speed. Arnold was flying his own plane near Mount Rainier when he saw the objects appear directly in front of him, 25 to 30 miles away, at an altitude of 10,000 feet.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

This issue of UFO News primarily focuses on reporting recent UFO sightings and providing official explanations or ongoing investigation details. The editorial stance appears to be one of documenting these events while also presenting the findings of official scientific bodies, such as the Condon Report, which lean towards conventional explanations over extraterrestrial hypotheses. There is an emphasis on the process of investigation, the role of scientific inquiry, and the skepticism of authorities towards extraordinary claims, as seen in the reactions to the Kenneth Arnold sighting. The inclusion of historical cases and ongoing research projects like the University of Colorado's work suggests a commitment to exploring the UFO phenomenon from multiple angles, while maintaining a critical and evidence-based perspective.