UFO Newsclipping Service - 1978 03 - no 104

Magazine Overview

This issue of the U.F.O. Newsclipping Service, dated March 1978 (Number 104), compiles a wide array of UFO sightings and related phenomena reported across the United States in late 1977 and early 1978. The publication highlights numerous eyewitness accounts, ranging from simple sightings of strange lights to more detailed descriptions of objects and potential encounters with non-human entities.

Lakeland Couple Claims UFO Sighting (Ledger, Jan. 5, 1978)

A Lakeland, Florida couple reported seeing a "bunch of round lights" that ascended rapidly. The lights appeared white but showed reddish-blue hues on the other side as the object moved overhead at an estimated 1,000 feet. The sighting lasted only 10-15 seconds and was classified as "nocturnal lights" by the Center for UFO Studies, a common report type.

UFO Sighted in Norman? (Transcript, Jan. 1, 1978)

Two Norman, Oklahoma citizens reported a possible UFO sighting at Reaves Park. Benjamin Bernstein described an M and M-shaped object flying slowly, silently, and with three blinking lights. James F. Healey compared the object to a helicopter without a tail, noting it moved silently back and forth before heading north.

Unusual Sightings In Laurel Park Area (Republican, Jan. 5, 1978)

In the Trent Area, two boys reported seeing a saucer-shaped object land in Laurel State Park. Later, they encountered an object described as five stories high with white and flashing red lights. Another witness, Helen Meyer, described a white ball with red lights in the sky. Residents also reported strange noises resembling a truck starting and stopping.

UFO at Perry Monument? (Chronicle-Telegram, Jan. 4, 1978)

A Coast Guardsman reported seeing an object with red and white flashing lights hovering above Perry's Monument on South Bass Island. The object hovered for about five minutes, then moved and hovered again before departing. The Federal Aviation Administration reported no aircraft in the area at that time.

Residents See UFOs Rose From Trees Behind Their Home (Independent Post, Jan. 11, 1978)

At least five people in Wellborn, Florida, witnessed unidentified flying objects on a Monday night. Elaine Beasley reported three bright-colored objects rising from trees, changing from white to red, green, and blue. The objects were described as not appearing to be airplanes. This was noted as the fifth reported sighting in Suwannee County since July 1975.

Super Bowl Wins Out Over Report on UFO (Herald News, Jan. 16, 1978)

A 12-year-old girl in Parsippany-Troy Hills, New Jersey, reported a UFO sighting, but her father, more interested in the Super Bowl game, declined to provide a full report to the police.

Unidentified Object Pursues Two Frightened Girls (News, Jan. 12, 1978)

Two girls in McLoud, Oklahoma, reported being pursued by a flying object described as rectangular with two large white lights in front and smaller red and white lights underneath. The object hovered noiselessly over their car and then sped away rapidly without sound.

Strange Shining Lights (Lincoln Park, NJ, Jan. 11, 1978)

Strange shining lights were reported over the China Channel restaurant. A couple described a large white lighted disc with red lights underneath.

Close Encounter On Campus (Sun News, Jan. 16, 1978)

Bruce Dahlstrand, an art major at Stetson University, photographed a silver "dish" hovering silently over the campus. He described it as displaying no lights and swiftly moving into the clouds. Dahlstrand, initially a skeptic, became a believer after this sighting.

On the Light Side - UFO Sighting (Daily Intelligencer, Jan. 24, 1978)

Mrs. Robert Grusheski of Hilltown Township, Pennsylvania, reported seeing a large, pale yellow, moon-like object that then disappeared, replaced by a star. She was unsure what she had seen but described it as unlike anything she had witnessed before.

Oval-shaped object in sky is visible in Polaroid picture taken by Lehighton R.1 man (The Morning Call, Jan. 19, 1978)

Leo and Grace Goldberg of Mahoning Valley, Pennsylvania, photographed a bright, silver-white, saucer-shaped object. They described it as oval-shaped, translucent with three bright white spots, and moving silently. The object was estimated to be 200-500 feet off the ground. A neighbor's dog reportedly barked during the sighting.

UFO Sightings Told (Daily Pilot, Feb. 7 & 9, 1978)

Four Huntington Beach residents reported seeing a reddish-orange spherical object with a vapor-like trail. The object was described as moving slowly, silently, and visible for about 45 seconds. Dr. Al Lawson, director of the UFO Report Center of Orange County, noted the identical descriptions and the interaction with dogs, a common feature in many sightings.

Couple Reports UFO above Lake Sacajawea (News, Feb. 13, 1978)

A couple in Longview, Washington, reported seeing an "orange triangle with a hole in it" hovering above Lake Sacajawea. The object was described as having tremendous speed and was not like any airplane they had seen. They believe there are too many UFO reports to dismiss the phenomenon.

UFOs - For Real? (Globe-Democrat, Feb. 26, 1978)

This article highlights that the federal government is releasing films and cassette recordings of unidentified flying objects and interviews with people who claim to have had UFO experiences.

UFO is spotted by three youths (Leader, Jan. 5, 1978)

Three youths in Linden, New Jersey, reported seeing a bright orange disc hover over railroad tracks for about 30 seconds before moving along the tracks and disappearing.

Woman Reports 'Close Encounter' (Times Journal, Jan. 30, 1978)

A 19-year-old Vineland, New Jersey woman reported seeing a red and white blinking light that appeared to be a UFO. She described a red ball coming up from behind trees and passing close to rooftops, casting light upon the houses. The first object moved south as the red ball moved north.

Flaming, flying object seen by Jackson group (Citizen Patriot, Feb. 1, 1978)

A Jackson, Michigan woman and her friends reported seeing a bright orange, conical-shaped object with an orangish glow moving across the sky. The dogs in the neighborhood reportedly barked intensely during the sighting.

A close encounter with alien claim jumpers: A dynamite tale (Examiner-Chronicle, Feb. 5, 1978)

An elderly couple in Redding, California, claimed they were zapped unconscious by a UFO that descended on their mining claim. They found a circular depression and a pile of glassy green sand. The couple later saw a similar UFO and were knocked unconscious. The incident is being investigated by Paul Cerny, director for the Mutual UFO Network.

Were lights at Estes Lake seen by Sanford men UFOs? (Journal Tribune, Jan. 24, 1978)

Three Sanford, Maine men reported seeing two large, oval-shaped objects covered with red lights hovering over trees near Estes Lake. The objects were described as spinning, silent, and moving at high speed. They resembled "big tubs with lots of holes" or "frisbees covered with red Christmas lights."

Suit Says CIA Has UFO Data (Arkansas Gazette, March 9, 1978)

A research organization filed a suit against the CIA, alleging they are withholding proof of UFO existence. The organization is seeking reports and photos allegedly involving UFOs.

WC Couple Sight 'Flying Saucer' (Times-Herald, Feb. 23, 1978)

A Walnut Creek, California couple reported seeing an object with incredibly bright lights and tremendous speed, described as yellowish and oblong, like a "platter." The object was seen hovering over Mare Island and performing acrobatics.

UFOS ARE BACK (Evening News, Feb. 20, 1978)

This article introduces a series on UFOs, noting renewed interest due to the movie "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." It details a San Antonio man's close encounter with two occupants of a UFO. He described short creatures with slit-like eyes inside a globular airship. The craft was described as highly polished metal with an amber light source that changed to cherry red, and it emitted a loud whirring sound. The man also reported eye strain and an odor like burning copper.

KU librarian chronicles UFOs (University Daily Kansan, Feb. 9, 1978)

George Eberhart, a librarian at the University of Kansas, is compiling a book titled "Geobibliography of Anomalies," which will guide to scientific oddities in North America, including UFO reports. The book will be organized by geographical regions and will include a subject index. Eberhart discusses different classifications of UFO encounters, including close encounters of the first, second, and third kind.

Fact: or Fiction? (Points West, Feb. 14, 1978)

A student in the Commercial Art department, Kent Peterson, claims to have photographic evidence of UFOs. He photographed two vehicles that appeared from the clouds, described as tipping about 45 degrees, glowing fluorescent white with a bright red base, and then vanishing into the clouds. The paper presents the evidence without confirmation or condemnation.

Leary Citizens Are Still Leery About Carter's UFO Report (Press-Scimitar, Feb. 14, 1978)

This article revisits Jimmy Carter's reported UFO sighting in Leary, Georgia, in 1970. Despite Carter's insistence that others saw it with him, no one in Leary recalls the event. The article suggests Carter may have mistaken the town's silver water tower for a UFO. However, former police chief James Spivey and night watchman Fred Bellamy report seeing a similar object in Leary the previous year.

Mare Island 'UFOs' Spotted (Times-Herald, Feb. 23, 1978)

A motorist reported seeing two silver objects over Mare Island that appeared to be the "size of a tire." One hovered over Mare Island while the other performed acrobatics, leaving a vapor trail.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the widespread nature of UFO sightings across the United States, the variety of descriptions for these phenomena, and the growing public interest, amplified by popular culture like the movie "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." The editorial stance appears to be one of reporting these accounts objectively, presenting eyewitness testimonies and investigations without necessarily confirming or denying the existence of UFOs or extraterrestrial life. The publication serves as a compilation of recent reports, encouraging readers to consider the evidence and form their own conclusions. There's a clear emphasis on documenting these events and the efforts of individuals and organizations dedicated to studying them.

This issue of the Post-Gazette, dated March 10, 1978, features a prominent headline about a "Huge Flying Orange Cleaner UFO" and includes a variety of reports on unidentified flying objects (UFOs), Bigfoot sightings, and unexplained phenomena.

UFO Sightings

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The lead story details an experiment by the Pennsylvania Center for UFO Research to gather objective UFO reports. A construction worker, Glenn A. Ricci, and his girlfriend, Claire Gallery, reported seeing a massive disc-shaped object settle over Highland Reservoir around 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday night. They described it as "incredibly fast, much faster than a plane," carrying three triangular lights on the bottom and two red lights at the end, emitting a low humming sound. Paul Oles from Buhl Planetarium also reported seeing a peculiar bright light around 9 p.m. that he couldn't explain. Robert Cowell, director of the UFO group, stated that "something very large, low and bright" appeared in the skies.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Harold and Shirley Peters reported an encounter with a bright orange object shaped like a "canister vacuum cleaner" that moved very fast. They saw it hovering over their car and then over a supermarket. Mrs. Peters described it as "larger than a helicopter" and not a star, meteorite, or balloon.

Blandford, England

Mr. and Mrs. G. Blakemore reported seeing a black, cylindrical object with a turret hovering over Blandford for about 10 minutes. It then ascended rapidly. They also observed a similar object over the New Forest near Fordingbridge, described as having a tank-like turret and flashing red and blue lights.

Woolwich, England

Arthur Skingley reported seeing two "cigar-shaped objects" low in the sky. One was vertical and the other horizontal. The vertical object tilted, picked up speed, and shot upwards, leaving a tapered vapor trail.

Leicester and Hinckley, England

Over 17 people reported seeing a delta-shaped object circle Leicester and Hinckley. Miss Joan Bott described it as passing "very low overhead, but made no noise," lit by steady red, blue, and yellow lights.

Chalford, England

Three boys reported seeing a dome-shaped object with red lights and an orange light flashing at each end, flying slowly over Chalford Hill.

Broad Haven Triangle, Wales

This area in South West Wales has seen over 50 recent sightings of UFOs and mystery figures. Pauline Coombs reported seeing a 7ft-tall figure in a shimmering silver suit outside her farm cottage and later saw two similar figures near a rock formation. Josephine Hewison reported a 50ft-wide silver craft hovering near her greenhouse. Louise Bassett reported flashing blue lights in the sky, which caused her dog to become terrified.

Montreal, Canada

Jacques Lavoie and Richard Huot claim to have photographed a bright, glowing object that hurtled out of the sky and hovered silently over Lake Baskatong. The photos show a blurred, oval-shaped white object.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Manel Alvarez and five friends reported seeing a saucer-shaped object from which a figure in a material that let off a strange light, wearing a space helmet, descended on a ladder. The figure then returned to the saucer, which disappeared at great speed.

Other UFO-related reports

• A letter from Mrs. J. Edwards describes a brilliant crescent-shaped object seen over the Rushwick area.
• A report from Japan details an attempt to attract UFOs using spotlights and movie sound tracks, which failed.

Bigfoot Sightings

Florida

Mike Corradino, curator of the Florida Monkey Sanctuary, claims hundreds of "skunk ape" (Bigfoot) sightings in Florida, ranking it second only to California. He cites evidence such as knocked-down barn doors and decapitated animals.

North America (General)

Several articles discuss Bigfoot, with reports of tracks and sightings. The "Bigfoot creatures" in South Dakota are noted to be inactive during cold weather. Tracks found near Center Ridge, Arkansas, are described as 17 inches long and 7½ inches wide, with a stride of about three feet. Another report from Russellville, Arkansas, details a five-toed print measuring 17 inches long and seven inches across, found near the Little Red River.

Mystery Booms

East Coast, USA

Mysterious atmospheric explosions, described as "window-rattling off-shore booms," have been occurring along the East Coast since December. While initial explanations ranged from aircraft sonic booms to gas escaping from undersea garbage dumps, the military stated they were not responsible. A study by the Naval Research Laboratory concluded that the booms were caused by supersonic military aircraft, even when the aircraft were not in the immediate vicinity. Dr. Alan Berman of the Navy laboratory stated, "We are satisfied that each and every event could be accounted for by aircraft flying supersonically."

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The issue reflects a strong interest in unexplained phenomena, particularly UFOs and Bigfoot, with a focus on eyewitness accounts and investigations. The Post-Gazette appears to be presenting these reports objectively, encouraging readers to share their own experiences. The editorial stance seems to be one of open-mindedness towards these phenomena, while also acknowledging skepticism and the need for evidence. The inclusion of scientific explanations for some phenomena, like the mystery booms, suggests an effort to balance extraordinary claims with rational analysis.