UFO Newsclipping Service - 1970 11 - no 19

Magazine Overview

This issue of U.F.O. ... is dated November 1970 and is published by the UFO Research Committee. The cover headline, "How Dare We Again Mention Ufology?" by Mike Culbert, sets a tone of questioning the current status of UFO research after a period of perceived decline.

The Decline of Ufology

The lead article by Mike Culbert, "How Dare We Again Mention Ufology?", discusses the shift in the perception of ufology from a semi-respectable scientific pursuit in 1968 to a subject relegated to "pulp magazines and byways of charlatanry" following the 1969 release of the Condon Committee's "voluminous 'report.'" This report, a $500,000, 18-month study by the University of Colorado, synthesized a message that there was nothing of substance to concern ourselves about regarding UFOs. Consequently, the Air Force closed Project Blue Book, which had been the controversial repository of UFO cases since after World War II. The article notes that a dissenting member of the Condon team wrote a book titled "UFOs? Yes!" expressing a different view. The piece also references a chapter in Volume II of "Introductory Space Science," a text used at the U.S. Air Force Academy, which details two tantalizing cases: up-close sightings of "humanoids" and the 1964 New Mexican patrolman sighting. The textbook, while not asserting UFOs are extraterrestrial, leaves room for doubt and quotes Lt. Col. Hector Quintanilla, Jr., former head of Blue Book, calling the New Mexico incident the "best documented case" he studied. The textbook also raises questions about why aliens haven't contacted us officially and why there haven't been accidents revealing their presence, suggesting possibilities like sociological study, viewing humans as a "colony of ants," or secret contact on a different plane of awareness.

An article by Herschel P. Fink, "Where are all the flying saucers?", published in The Sunday News (Detroit, Michigan) on September 27, 1970, echoes this sentiment. Fink notes that public interest in flying saucers has fallen to an all-time low, with newspapers no longer carrying sighting reports because people aren't seeing them or aren't talking about it. He attributes this decline to science catching up with science fiction, and governmental actions and scientific studies writing off UFOs. The Air Force's Project Blue Book, which investigated 12,618 reports in 22 years, closed due to a lack of public reports, with sightings dropping from 1,501 in 1952 to 146 in 1969. Michigan, once a mecca for UFO buffs, has also seen a decline, with Selfridge Air Force Base receiving very few queries. Private organizations like NICAP are facing financial troubles, with membership dropping from a peak of 13,000 in 1967 to about 7,000. Stuart Nixon, NICAP's executive director, states that while reports are fewer, they are more puzzling, suggesting that genuine sightings may not be declining but rather that people are less willing to report them.

Dr. J. Allen Hynek, chairman of the astronomy department at Northwestern University, criticizes the Condon Committee report as a "travesty of the scientific method," arguing that the subject was prejudged. He compares the scientific dismissal of UFOs to past dismissals of ball lightning and meteorites. Hynek points out that the Condon report itself, when read in its entirety, details unexplainable UFO reports and provides a good reason for continued scientific study. He recounts the Lakenheath Air Base incident in England in 1956, where radar detected targets moving at extremely high speeds and making sharp turns, and two RAF fighters were scrambled. One fighter had a radar "gunlock" on the target, which circled the fighter's tail and remained there until the plane had to land due to low fuel. Observers on the ground also saw white, rapidly moving objects. The Condon report could not rule out natural explanations but deemed their probability low. Hynek sees a positive side in the decline of "gee-whiz" publicity, which he believes discredited the subject, and notes that the fewer reports received are of higher quality.

Eyewitness Accounts and Specific Cases

Several articles present eyewitness accounts of UFO sightings from various locations:

• Michigan: Roger G. Jayo reported seeing two brightly lighted round discs traveling overhead at high speed on M 15. The objects emitted light from the center to the edges with a greenish-blue haze, and his car radio buzzed with static.
• Kentucky: The textbook mentions up-close sightings of "humanoids" by a farm family in 1955.
• New Mexico: The textbook mentions the 1964 sighting by a New Mexican patrolman, described by Lt. Col. Hector Quintanilla, Jr. as the "best documented case" he studied.
• England: The Lakenheath Air Base incident in 1956 involved radar detecting high-speed targets and two RAF fighters being scrambled.
• Australia:
• Alison Taylor and John Chapman reported seeing two unexplained lighted objects in the western sky near Murrumburrah. The objects were described as bright, one larger than the other, moving parallel and pulsating.
• Nola Kelleher and David Whybrow reported seeing a similar object in the sky near Cootamundra, which was changing colors and moving.
• A report from the Courier, Ballarat, Victoria, on October 9, 1970, details a UFO's "third visit" over Ballarat, described as a large red light joined by a bright white beam.
• The Riverina Daily News reported on a Hanwood family who saw the same unidentified flying object on two consecutive nights, described as a light that appeared at the same time and place.
• The Mercury, Hobart, Tasmania, reported several Moonah residents observing a strange light over Mt Direction, described as white with specks of red light, traveling at high speed, and later breaking into two pieces.
• United States:
• A report from the Arkansas Gazette on October 22, 1970, mentions a moon-quake specialist's findings that seismic activity on the moon occurred during periods of tidal strain, with no correlation to UFO sightings.
• The Journal-Gazette (Mattoon, Illinois) reported a UFO sighting at Bushnell on September 5, 1970, by Allen Robinson and Steve St. Clair, who described a hovering object about the size of an automobile giving off a blinding white light.
• The Times (Los Vegas, Nevada) on October 10, 1970, featured a letter to the editor discussing UFOs and their potential connection to atmospheric phenomena.
• The Saginaw News (Michigan) on October 11, 1970, detailed Roger G. Jayo's sighting of two bright discs on M 15.
• The Southfield News reported that Shorty Powers, former flight logs, claimed media avoids coverage of UFO phenomena.
• The Times (Los Angeles, California) on October 24, 1970, featured an article by Jill Landefeld discussing Stanton T. Friedman's views on UFOs and the government's alleged "laughter curtain."
• The Central City, Kentucky, Times-Argus reported a sighting of an unidentified flying object by five members of the Illinois Central Railroad switching crew.
• The Oakland, California, Times on October 24, 1970, discussed the potential hazard of unidentified objects from space to aircraft.
• The Daily News (Perth, W.A.) on October 22, 1970, reported four people seeing a UFO at Warnbro Beach, described as a large, bright, reddish-orange object with a green tint.
• The Luton News reported an experience from Mrs. A. Bollin of Bristol, UK, who saw a "huge bright orange-coloured object" on July 26.
• The Bournemouth Evening Echo reported a "Thing with a flashing red nose" seen over Boscombe by a woman on September 14.
• The Nottingham Evening Post & News reported "Boys claim UFO sighting" over Weston on September 18, describing mysterious red lights.
• The Canberra News reported on October 16 that since their story on a UFO sighting, they had received numerous calls about other sightings.
• The Gladstone Observer reported on October 3 that six Gladstone people saw an unidentified flying object described as a "round ball" with a "dull red glow" that exploded.
• The Northern Daily Leader reported on October 23 that America was asking for UFO information.
• The Northern Daily Leader reported on October 23 about three reports of a strange sighting in the sky over Junee.
• The Northern Daily Leader reported on October 27 about a possible UFO sighting near Broula.

Scientific and Governmental Perspectives

The issue highlights the tension between official skepticism and the persistence of UFO phenomena. The Condon Committee's findings and the closure of Project Blue Book represent the governmental and scientific establishment's move away from serious investigation. However, figures like Dr. J. Allen Hynek and physicist Stanton T. Friedman continue to advocate for the scientific study of UFOs, citing evidence and arguing against premature dismissal. The U.S. Air Force Academy's Physics 370 course is mentioned as an example of an academic institution attempting to present various viewpoints on extraterrestrial life to students.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the decline of public and scientific interest in UFOs following the Condon Committee report, the persistence of unexplained aerial sightings despite official skepticism, and the ongoing debate about the nature and significance of these phenomena. The editorial stance appears to be one that acknowledges the continued occurrence of unexplained sightings and questions the official dismissal of the subject, encouraging further investigation and open-mindedness.

This issue of 'Flying Saucer' magazine, dated 7 October 1970, focuses on recent reports of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) from various locations, primarily in the UK, but also including international accounts.

Flying Saucer Over Batley?

The lead story details an incident in Batley, UK, where three mill workers—Jack Parsons, Graham Stead, and Tony Woodhead—reported seeing a mysterious light in the sky shortly before dawn on a Friday. They described the light as moving and passing directly overhead for approximately four minutes before disappearing. Their colleagues initially ribbed them about the sighting, but the witnesses remained firm in their account. Tony Woodhead mentioned this was his second sighting, having previously seen a silver, metallic object with a dome on top, shaped like a helmet, which moved silently.

Things from Outer Space

This section reports on a letter from U.S. Ambassador Charles Yost to the United Nations Secretary-General U Thant, detailing the recovery of three unidentified objects that had re-entered the atmosphere and fallen in the United States (Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas). These objects ranged in weight from 50 to 200 lb. Efforts were underway to determine their origin, and at least one object was put on public display.

UFO Frightens Allan

Allan Sugden, a printer in Manchester, reported seeing a 'flying saucer' with red lights hovering near a bus stop. He initially thought it was a plane but was alarmed by its movement and proximity. He stated he was not convinced it was an aircraft, despite assurances from Manchester Airport officials that such calls were common and often explained by aircraft.

Irish Plane Hit by UFO?

This article discusses the crash of an Irish Viscount aircraft off the Wexford coast over two years prior. Martin Feeney, an Irish representative of the International Aerial Phenomena Research Organisation, concluded that an unidentified flying object had caused the disaster. He cited witness reports of a revolving cloud near the aircraft and stated that his investigation indicated the plane came into contact with another force. He also suggested similar phenomena might have caused other air crashes, such as the Comet crashes in the early Fifties.

Mystery Over Weston

Reports from Weston, UK, describe two separate sightings. The first involved a bright pear-shaped light seen by motorists, which appeared to be moving slowly and vanished before they could reach its location. The second sighting involved four orange lights forming a huge diamond shape, travelling at high speed in a north-south direction. A witness, L. Bates, initially thought of an aerobatic team but concluded it was a UFO, stating he was no longer skeptical.

...And It Was Not a Flying Saucer

This piece from the Ballymena Times recounts a sighting by three travellers, including reporter Mrs. Sheena Latimer, on the Coleraine-Limavady road. They saw a bright, catamaran-shaped object moving at high speed for a few seconds. While the initial thought was a helicopter, the speed factor seemed to disprove this theory. The Armagh Observatory suggested that other sightings that night had no clear explanation.

Has Fred Caught a Flying Saucer?

This article features Fred Sheriff, who captured what he describes as a 'phenomenon' on his cine camera near Denbigh, UK. The film shows a symmetrical, cigar-shaped object with clean lines, resembling two saucers joined rim to rim. Fred Sheriff initially thought it might be a mushroom cloud but later saw it in the sky. His wife also witnessed the event. Local UFO experts were asked to examine the evidence.

Director Films UFO

William Huntington, a company director from Doncaster, filmed an unidentified flying object on his cine camera while driving home on the A1. He described the object as glowing gold in the night sky, about 30 miles south of Doncaster, and filmed it for about 30 seconds as it appeared to climb higher. He plans to contact UFO research groups in London to show them the film.

"Thing" in Night Sky

This report details a sighting by police constable E. Maarup of Haderslev, Denmark. His patrol car and radiotelephone stopped while he observed a mysterious column of light. Speculation arose that the light-column might have come from a flying saucer. Major B. Helden of the Tactical Air Command suggested military training planes as a possible explanation, noting that six training planes flew over the area at intervals that coincided with the constable's experience. However, the stopping of the motor was not attributed to the planes. The operations officer at Skrydstrup noted the precise nature of Maarup's report and the coincidental stopping of equipment.

Did My Eyes Deceive Me or...? The Investigation of Aerial Phenomena

This article discusses the challenges in investigating aerial phenomena. It mentions that for over 11 years, there have been numerous reports of unidentified flying objects, many of which remain unexplained. The article references the British UFO Research Association (BUFRO) and its work, noting that their findings often point to phenomena that cannot be easily explained. It also touches on the investigation into the crash of an Irish Viscount, where a UFO was suspected.

Letters to the Editor and Other Reports

Several shorter reports and letters are included:

• A letter to the editor criticizes the TV news' 'explanation' of police constable Evald Maarup's sighting as 'landing-lights,' arguing that the simultaneous failure of the car's engine, radio, and lights was too coincidental to dismiss.
• A report from Aalborg, Denmark, suggests that 'aircraft spotlights' might be to blame for some saucer talk. It mentions observations of luminous objects in Rodovre, Copenhagen, where a garden was suddenly lit up, and a woman saw a luminous object that changed color before vanishing.
• A sighting in Chicoutimi, Quebec, Canada, by Mrs. William Desneige described a UFO with luminous arms and a telescopic light that approached and departed silently.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around unexplained aerial phenomena, witness testimonies, and the ongoing debate between conventional explanations (like military aircraft) and the possibility of extraterrestrial visitation. The magazine appears to present a wide range of sightings and investigations, giving credence to witness accounts while also acknowledging official investigations and potential alternative explanations. The editorial stance seems to be one of open inquiry into UFO phenomena, presenting evidence and witness statements for the reader to consider.