UFO Newsclipping Service - 1983 07 - no 168

Magazine Overview

This issue of the UFO Newsclipping Service, dated July 1983, presents a collection of articles and reports detailing UFO sightings and related phenomena from various locations. The publication focuses on eyewitness accounts, investigations, and expert opinions within the field of ufology.

Key Articles and Reports

Martins Point: Couple Spots Flying Disc

This article recounts the experience of Herm and Wilma Martin, who reported seeing a UFO over Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, on April 24, 1983. Herm Martin, a former civilian in charge of a crash crew at Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, was awakened by unusual lights. He described them as a "big clump of stars" that didn't move like stars. His wife, Wilma, joined him and described the lights as beautiful, like a "lady's diamond dinner ring." They estimated the object to be about 1,000 feet up and hovering. The lights reportedly flattened, revealing "port holes," and emitted rays of multi-colored lights. After about 20 minutes, the object began to wobble, emitting a humming noise with occasional "clackety-clack." As sunrise approached, the object ascended straight up. Colonel Dwight E. Roach of Myrtle Beach Air Force Base expressed doubts, suggesting that cloud formations could magnify starlight, creating a "natural telescope" effect. He also noted that no other radar or Coast Guard stations reported anything unusual.

UFO Sightings Reported in Maple Valley

This report from the News-Journal in Kent, Washington, details ongoing UFO activity in the Maple Valley area, as reported by Dale Goudie, director of Puget Sound Aerial Phenomena Research (PSAPR). Goudie states that sightings are constant, with only about 5% of incidents being reported. PSAPR has been using radar equipment and aerial observations to study the phenomena. The article highlights two sightings from April 24 and April 27, 1983, involving tube-shaped and triangular objects. PSAPR has also received numerous reports of triangular objects flying in formation over Puget Sound. Goudie notes the reluctance of people to report daytime sightings and the unusual nature of repeated sightings over several days.

Hickson Tells of Encounters

This article reviews the book "UFO Contact at Pascagoula," written by Charlie Hickson and William Mendez. The book details Hickson and Calvin Parker's alleged spacecraft encounter on the Pascagoula River in October 1973. Mendez, initially skeptical, concluded that Hickson and Parker likely told the truth. The book also covers three subsequent UFO encounters reported by Hickson within seven months of the original incident. These include a hunting trip encounter where a voice spoke in his mind, and another where he heard the voice again. A more significant encounter on May 12, 1983, involved Hickson, his wife, child, and son-in-law, who reported a speeding light that stopped ahead of their car, hovering above pine trees. The book also mentions two other UFO sightings in the Pascagoula area involving Charles Delk and Larry Booth. Mendez discounts Hickson's later encounters as attempts to justify the initial experience, but finds the May 12 encounter harder to dismiss. The article notes that Hickson later reported being told by a force that a change would be unleashed on Earth to improve mankind.

Space Engineer Links Sickness To UFO Sightings

John F. Schuessler, a space industry engineer, presented his findings on UFO encounters at a meeting of the UFO Study Group of Greater St. Louis. He stated that many people reporting UFO experiences exhibit symptoms of acute radiation poisoning. Schuessler is writing a book about the "Cash-Landrum Case" from December 1980, where Betty Cash, Vickie Landrum, and her grandson Colby reported seeing a diamond-shaped object pursued by helicopters. The witnesses experienced extreme heat, nausea, sunburns, hair loss, and skin peeling. Ms. Cash later developed cancer. Schuessler found three witnesses to helicopter flights and one witness to a diamond-shaped object. The U.S. armed forces initially gave informal confirmation but later denied extensive helicopter operations. Cash and Landrum lost a $10 million damage claim against the U.S. Air Force due to lack of proof linking their suffering to earth-based craft. Schuessler views extraterrestrial visits as a "working hypothesis" and advocates for continued research.

Space Center May Be Base for UFO Probe

Dr. J. Allen Hynek, scientific director of the Center for UFO Studies, met with Charles E. Gass, director of the Michigan Space Center, to discuss establishing a UFO investigation and research center at Jackson Community College. Hynek noted that reported UFOs tend to avoid large crowds and often appear suddenly and disappear just as quickly. His center has 75,000 reports from 140 countries. The proposed center aims to attract scientists for a "think tank" to exchange ideas and research UFO reports. A recent program titled "UFOs are Real" at the college drew 270 people, indicating community interest.

Up in the Sky - A Bird, Plane...

This article from Vacaville, California, reports on a UFO sighting over western Fairfield on Thursday night, prompting calls to the Fairfield Department of Public Safety. Police confirmed a round, silvery object in the sky that they could not identify. Residents described it as a large, glowing green object with blinking lights. A motorist followed it along Interstate 80 until it disappeared. Travis Air Force Base and the California Highway Patrol were unable to provide identification.

UFO in Cornville

Linda Braga and her 12-year-old daughter Piper reported seeing a bright, off-white object following their car on April 27, 1983, near Cornville, Maine. They estimated its size at 35-45 feet in diameter. The object hovered over a nearby field and then moved to the other side of their house. Their neighbor, Evelyn Demmons, also observed a strange object that made no noise. Linda contacted the Skowhegan Police Chief, who had not received similar reports. Linda suggested the full moon might have been significant.

Novel idea - New Mexico science fiction writers discount alien visits

This article from Albuquerque, New Mexico, features interviews with science fiction writers who are skeptical about alien visitation. Writers like George R.R. Martin, Roger Zelazny, Fred Saberhagen, Suzy McKee Charnas, and Jack Williamson, despite their work involving space and aliens, demand hard evidence and have not encountered any fellow writers who believe in alien visits. Williamson and Pohl investigated the 1964 Socorro sighting but concluded it might have been a prank. Zelazny, while keeping an open mind, finds the evidence anecdotal. Saberhagen believes in other civilizations but not necessarily visitation. Charnas believes a percentage of sightings are legitimate and that Earth might not be immune to extraterrestrial surveillance.

UFO flap - RAAF called in Hundreds see 'lights'

This report from Melbourne, Australia, details hundreds of people in central Victoria reporting nine brightly-colored UFOs on Friday and Saturday nights. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) will investigate. Reports came from Castlemaine, Maryborough, Kyneton, and Bendigo. The RAAF and air traffic control could not track the objects on radar. Theories included laser experiments or atmospheric conditions. Mrs. Judith Magee of the Victorian UFO Research Society believed the reports were authentic. Radio announcer Mike Evans of 3BO Bendigo described seeing six objects that were cone-shaped with flashing red, green, and white lights, hovering at about 800 meters. People reported that animals became upset. A Weather Bureau spokesman suggested atmospheric inversion as a possible cause, but could not explain why lights were seen in one area.

UFO, OR...

This article from Sydney, Australia, discusses the possibility that the "mystery lights" seen over Bendigo were radar reflectors from weather balloons. Ken Morley, a Sydney Airport weatherman, suggested this, while Melbourne weathermen were less convinced. David Stokes of Cranbourne found equipment from a weather balloon in his yard, which he believed solved the mystery.

Cop car's battery flattened by UFO

Two policewomen in Bristol, England, reported seeing flashing lights in the sky, which later joined by another light, shot upwards. The next day, their police car's battery was found to be dead. Male colleagues also reported similar lights and a roaring noise. Bristol police admitted they were baffled.

Was It A Comet Or A UFO?

An elderly Summerside man, Edison Williams, reported seeing a bright, unidentified flying object on Tuesday night, described as "shaped like a big fish" with sparks flying from its sides. Several other residents of senior citizens apartments also saw the object. Williams plans to contact Canadian Forces Base Summerside for an explanation and wonders if it was related to a passing comet.

Flying friend baffles police

This article from Bristol, England, details police investigations into UFO sightings over Dundry Hill. A family had reported seeing the object regularly for two years, describing flashing lights of red, yellow, and sapphire blue. Two policewomen followed the object for two miles until it stopped, and another UFO joined it before they both disappeared. Police checked with Bristol Airport and the Ministry of Defence but found no trace of air traffic.

Throwing light on a mystery

This report from Bristol, England, discusses the deepening mystery of UFO sightings over Dundry Hill. Policewomen and a family reported seeing unidentified flying objects. Mr. Peter Coomber and his wife Sandra reported seeing two UFOs 18 months prior, described as blue lights that changed to red and orange. Mrs. Glasspool noted the objects' rapid movement.

MYSTERY LIGHTS SEEN BY LOCALS

Several Foster, Victoria, residents reported seeing bright, flashing lights in the sky on Friday and Saturday evenings. Witnesses described the lights as alternating red, white, and green with a blue tinge. Binoculars revealed a kaleidoscope effect. The sky was clear, and the lights were too large to be stars.

Man snaps object

This article from Bendigo, Australia, features photographs taken by Michael Evans of an unidentified object. The highly magnified image shows an irregular cigar-shaped light. The irregularity is attributed to possible camera movement or slight linear movement of the object during the exposure.

UFO sighted by policeman

Senior Constable Harry Witkiss of Romsey police reported that a motorist stopped to report a strange light in the sky. Witkiss, initially skeptical, observed a bright light with two cones of green light descending gradually. The motorist later reported the object vanished after rotating. Witkiss declined to state his belief in UFOs.

Caution: Lights ahead

Police in Bristol, England, are investigating independent reports of UFO sightings by three officers. Two policewomen followed a flashing light that shot upwards, and a sergeant reported seeing a second pulsating light. The article also mentions a report from the Mirror newspaper about bright, colored lights seen by Foster residents.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue include the widespread nature of UFO sightings across different continents, the challenges in identifying these phenomena, and the skepticism or cautious investigation by official bodies like the RAAF and police forces. There's a consistent emphasis on eyewitness testimony, with many articles highlighting the witnesses' credibility and the baffling nature of their experiences. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, presenting various accounts and perspectives, from those who firmly believe in UFOs and extraterrestrial visitation to those who offer more conventional explanations or remain skeptical. The publication seems to lean towards documenting the unexplained, encouraging further investigation rather than outright dismissal.

This issue of The Advertiser, dated May 27, 1983, prominently features reports on unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and mysterious night lights sighted across Victoria, Australia. The cover headline, "ANOTHER PHOTO. OF NIGHT LIGHTS," highlights a significant photographic capture of a UFO by a local student.

Key Articles and Reports

One Sighting is a Star

This article discusses mysterious night lights appearing over central Victoria and Melbourne. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) offers an explanation for at least one sighting over Melbourne, suggesting it could be the star Spiker or Canopus, with atmospheric distortions playing a role. Flight-Lt Brett Biddington, the RAAF investigating officer, noted that while this explanation might fit the Melbourne sighting, he was not satisfied with it for the lights seen over central Victoria. Investigations into these phenomena, including the possibility of lasers, were ongoing. The RAAF's explanation for the Melbourne light was that inversions caused by hot air trapped below cold air could distort light from stars. However, the article notes that people in Bendigo reported seeing five or six lights at the same time, unlike the single light seen in Melbourne.

Another Photo. of Night Lights

This piece focuses on a photograph of a UFO taken by Russell Henthorn, a 16-year-old student from White Hills Technical School. His pictures, taken from his parents' home, reportedly show a circular object with a superstructure and surrounded by green and red lights. The object is described as having considerable width in relation to its diameter. Henthorn captured seven pictures during a 45-minute observation period. His film is in color, and the exposures ranged from 10 seconds to 10 minutes. The camera was mounted on a tripod. One picture clearly shows three lights on the side of the object, two blue and one red, each in a defined five-sided frame. The object appeared to be at an angle of about 45 degrees from the horizon in the north-west and rapidly dropped towards the horizon. There was some light cloud, but it did not obscure the object. The article also mentions that many observers reported the objects either spinning or creating an impression of spinning by flashing lights on and off.

Mystery object looked like this

This section provides a visual representation of the UFO, with an artist's impression and a detailed description. The object is depicted as an elongated Chinese lantern or a 1920s era lampshade. The central panel emitted a red light and appeared flat or recessed, with two outside panels giving off green light. These panels were pentagon-shaped and extended outwards in the center. The object had a brilliant white light on top, and the other lights appeared to be flashing on and off. The photograph, blown up 16 times, shows pentagon-shaped lights around the circumference, impressed on the film at the start of an eight-minute exposure. Longer exposures showed a straight trail of light as the object moved out of frame.

A Great Weekend for UFOs

This report details an unidentified flying object sighted near Penshurst, Victoria. Five people observed the UFO, described as a "round ball of light" that changed colors, including red, tan-yellow, and blue. The object faded but did not descend towards the horizon. It was viewed from a farmhouse on the outskirts of Penshurst in a north-westerly direction and was visible for nearly 30 minutes. The observer noted that the object started off very bright and kept fading. The article also mentions that hundreds of people from areas stretching from Kyneton to Merrigum claimed to have seen UFOs.

Light in sky too fast for a plane

Mr. Merv Hammett, 80, of Foster, Victoria, reported seeing an object traveling from east to south at about 5:50 p.m. He described it as moving very fast across the sky and believed it to be a satellite. His son, Alf, also witnessed the object, which appeared to disintegrate as it disappeared. The RAAF base at East Sale was contacted, and an officer agreed to send a questionnaire for Mr. Hammett and his son to complete. The article notes that the same weekend, there were many reports from various parts of Victoria of strange lights in the sky, though most were of objects that appeared to be stationary.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme throughout this issue is the prevalence and mystery surrounding UFO sightings and unexplained aerial phenomena in Australia, particularly in Victoria. The editorial stance appears to be one of reporting these events with a degree of seriousness, presenting witness accounts, photographic evidence, and official investigations (like the RAAF's) while acknowledging the lack of definitive explanations for many sightings. The inclusion of multiple reports from different locations and the focus on photographic evidence suggest an effort to document and explore these phenomena.