UFO Newsclipping Service - 1983 08 - no 169

Magazine Overview

This issue of the UFO Newsclipping Service, dated August 1983, presents a collection of recent UFO reports and ongoing investigations into the phenomenon. The cover story, by David Widener, details a 'big silver star' sighting in Vidor, Texas, where residents reported a star-shaped, floating object with a periodic glow that moved soundlessly. The article includes reactions from local authorities and weather services, who found no official confirmation.

UFO Researchers Trace Extraterrestrials Skeptically

This article profiles Ron Schaffner, head of the Ohio UFO Investigators League, who investigates UFO sightings with a skeptical yet open mind. Schaffner believes many 1950s sightings were military experiments and examines local reports, including a bell-shaped light in Maineville. The article highlights the league's professional approach, using forensic techniques and laboratory testing, and their affiliation with the North American Federation of UFO-ologists.

Groups Investigate UFO Sightings

This section, by Pat Conner, discusses the growing interest in UFOs and extraterrestrial life, leading to the formation of various investigative groups. It features stories of 'contactees' who report dreams, visitations, and implants, such as Paris David Colorado's experience of being pulled towards a windshield by an object. The article also touches upon the beliefs of groups like the UFO Contact Center International, which suggests a coming cataclysm and the role of 'preservers of humanity'. In contrast, Robert Gribble of the UFO Reporting Center emphasizes a more scientific approach to investigation.

Pentagon Won't Have to Release E.T.

This report covers a federal judge's dismissal of a lawsuit filed by Citizens Against UFO Secrecy, which demanded the Pentagon release alien bodies allegedly recovered from a New Mexico crash. The judge ruled that the court lacked jurisdiction and that the evidence, including a 1950 FBI memo, was hearsay. Larry W. Bryant, the lawsuit filer, is considering an appeal.

Author Continues Quest For Truth About UFOs

This profile focuses on Leonard Stringfield, a researcher who claims to have interviewed 23 firsthand witnesses to UFO crashes and retrievals, suggesting the existence of alien bodies stored by the government. Stringfield's work, detailed in his books, inspired a petition to the U.S. District Court to force the Air Force to release information. The article mentions his own unsettling experience of being escorted off a stage after a lecture. Stringfield's research is supported by various informants, including physicians and government officials.

Wanted: True UFO Visits Accounts

This piece by John Farina highlights a television special being produced by Ron Jorgenson for Southwestern Cable TV, seeking firsthand accounts of UFO sightings. Jorgenson is looking for people willing to share their experiences, even anonymously, due to fear of ridicule. The article includes a brief mention of a sighting by Royce Johnson of El Cajon and a witness who saw a V-formation of five discs near an Arizona military base.

What Did Lonnie See?

This in-depth article revisits the famous 1964 Lonnie Zamora sighting in Socorro, New Mexico. Zamora, a former police officer, recounts his experience of seeing a shiny oval-shaped vehicle and two small figures. The article details the investigation that followed, including the arrival of Air Force teams and Dr. J. Allen Hynek. It also explores the skepticism and theories surrounding the event, including Philip Klass's suggestion of a hoax to boost tourism. The piece includes perspectives from Zamora's former colleagues and family, emphasizing his sincerity and the lasting impact of the event.

UFO- new reports are coming in

This foreign news section compiles several recent UFO reports. In Kent, England, residents reported seeing a large, bright ball of orange light. In Victoria, Australia, a picture of a UFO was taken showing a pulsating light changing colors. A letter from C.B. Evans describes a similar orange light sighting in Bromley, England. Another report from Ballarat, Australia, mentions a UFO sighting by Noel Martin that allegedly submerged in the sea.

Effort Continues to Get Information About UFO Flyers

This article discusses the ongoing efforts by groups like Citizens Against UFO Secrecy to obtain UFO records from the government through the Freedom of Information Act. Despite court setbacks, the group, aided by the Center for UFO Studies, continues to pursue information, including alleged alien bodies from crash sites. John P. Timmerman of the Center for UFO Studies suggests the government may withhold information due to potential public reaction or to protect military secrets.

UFO Sighted In Pike Area

This report from Pikeville, Kentucky, describes a UFO sighting witnessed by spectators at a baseball game and restaurant patrons. The object was described as triangular with bright lights and moved slowly before disappearing. Accounts varied slightly, with one witness describing it as rectangular with red and yellow lights.

UFO buffs swap data

This article covers a symposium held in Guilderland, New York, where UFO enthusiasts and researchers gathered to share information and discuss the phenomenon. Pete Mazzola, director of the Scientific Bureau of Investigation, believes the government is covering up UFO existence. The article mentions various sightings investigated by the group, including an incident in Vietnam and a case at Albany County Airport.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the persistent mystery of UFO sightings, the challenges of investigating them, and the ongoing debate about their origins, whether extraterrestrial or terrestrial. There's a clear emphasis on witness testimonies, the difficulties in obtaining official confirmation, and the role of various organizations in pursuing research. The publication seems to lean towards presenting a wide range of perspectives, from those who believe in extraterrestrial visitation to those who advocate for scientific investigation and skepticism. The overall stance appears to be one of documenting and exploring the UFO phenomenon without definitively concluding its nature, while also highlighting the perceived government secrecy surrounding the topic.

This issue of the Daily Mirror, dated June 30, 1983, with the volume identifier CR: M. Stott, is primarily focused on unexplained aerial phenomena, particularly UFO sightings and related mysteries. The cover story highlights an investigation by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) into mysterious high-speed radar signals detected at Sydney Airport. The magazine also features reports from various international locations, including England, Italy, and Spain, detailing other UFO encounters and sightings.

Sydney Airport Radar Mystery

The lead article, "SYDNEY AIRPORT TRACKS UFOS," by Elizabeth Fortescue and Wynne Gray, reports that the RAAF is investigating a series of unexplained ultra-high frequency signals detected by air traffic controllers at Sydney Airport. These signals have been coming from an area 100km to 250km north of Sydney. Mascot operations controller Pat Townsend stated that while some sounds can normally be explained, this series is baffling air traffic control. A RAAF spokesman noted the object's speed was approximately 2400km/h, twice the speed of sound. The RAAF has refused to speculate on the craft's identification pending a full investigation, with Townsend mentioning possibilities like 'angels' (weather inversions or gaseous pockets) but noting these are usually detectable. The possibility of restricted military activity was also considered, as was satellite interference, though radar technicians reported no malfunctions. The article concludes that nothing can fly in controlled airspace without authorities knowing about it.

UFO Sightings and Encounters

Several other articles detail UFO sightings from around the world:

• Bromley, England: Reports of a mysterious UFO hovering over the Bromley area, with descriptions including a bright light with an orange glow, a triangular shape of bright lights, and a brilliant white light with a purply orange haze of a banana shape with a dome on top. Some witnesses believe it may have landed at Biggin Hill. UFO expert Timothy Good is seeking more details from readers.
• Melton, Australia: An article titled "ET leads police a merry dance" by John Silvester describes a six-hour cat-and-mouse chase involving eight policemen and two bystanders who reported seeing UFOs. Sightings included a mystery object near the Western Highway, one hovering over the Melton shopping centre, and an object resembling a Harrier jump-jet. Traffic control at Melbourne Airport also detected an object on radar. RAAF spokesman Ken Llewellyn suggested it could be an elaborate hoax, while an Aviation Department spokesman admitted they were as puzzled as the police.
• Bendigo, Australia: Mrs. Mavis Marshall suggests that reported UFO sightings in the shape of flickering spheres around Bendigo might be explained by hobbyists launching paper hot-air balloons filled with methylated spirits, which create a flickering appearance and can be mistaken for UFOs.
• Westbury, Wiltshire, England: "E.T. phone the Express-have you come back to Earth?" by Jack Hill reports on five mystery circles that appeared in a cornfield in Westbury, within the "Warminster Triangle." The largest circle is 50ft in diameter, with four smaller ones positioned around it. The corn is flattened in a swirling manner. Theories include whirlwinds, deer, practical jokers, or even a spaceship landing. Farmer Stan Pointer and his wife Janet have differing opinions on the cause.
• Winchester, Hampshire, England: A similar mystery of five rings appearing in a barley field in Hampshire's Devil's Punchbowl is reported. These circles, similar to those in Wiltshire, have appeared previously in 1980 and 1981. Theories include whirlwinds, deer, helicopters, or even hedgehogs. Lieutenant-Commander Henry Bruce dismisses the UFO theory, calling it "wanton destruction" by people with "minds of children." Mrs. Jenny Randles of the British Unidentified Flying Object Research Association believes whirlwinds or tornadoes are the cause.
• La Mola, Spain: A businessman reported seeing a large, bright white fiery ball near La Mola that ascended, exploded into a bright beam, and departed at high speed. He confessed to being a skeptic until this experience.
• Valencia and Barcelona, Spain: Two Iberia Boeing 727s reportedly encountered a UFO, described as a bright, reddish object, which circled one of the jets.
• Pavia, Italy: "I'VE MET 'E.T.' CLOSE ENCOUNTER NEAR PAVIA" reports that hundreds of witnesses saw a UFO in the sky over Pavia and surrounding towns. Three individuals reported a close encounter of the second kind with an egg-shaped object hovering near the ground with a strange light.

Other Mysteries and Investigations

The issue also delves into other unexplained phenomena:

• Bigfoot: Articles discuss the search for Bigfoot in the Blue Mountains of Washington state, with reports of whistling sounds and tracks. Another article mentions the "Iceman of Altura" and a Bigfoot sighting near St. Croix Falls, Minnesota, though the latter was later admitted to be a hoax by the teenagers involved.
• Loch Ness Monster: Erik Beckjord, a wildlife photographer, claims to have filmed a long, black object swimming in Loch Ness, though he concedes it might have been a freak wave. The article also mentions the odds of Nessie's existence being reduced by bookmakers and the ongoing scientific investigations.
• Cattle Mutilations: Several reports detail mysterious cattle mutilations. In Arkansas, farmer Claude Lowery believes a cult is responsible for the deaths and mutilations of his cattle, citing smooth incisions and missing body parts. The State Veterinarian, Dr. James Cornelius, suggests scavengers like coyotes and buzzards are more likely culprits, explaining that natural processes can mimic surgical cuts. In New Mexico, similar mutilations of a cow and a steer are reported, with authorities baffled. In Texas, a witchcraft cult is suspected in the sexual mutilations of seven horses.
• Dinosaur Claims: An adventurer claims to have recorded the roars of a previously unknown, dinosaur-like creature in a remote African jungle. While sound analysis suggests it's an unidentified animal, experts deem the evidence inconclusive.
• Glowing Tree: Chinese scientists are studying wood from a tree that glows in the dark, emitting a clear blue light.
• Professor Lightman's Theories: Professor Alan Lightman of Harvard/Smithsonian discusses his calculations on the potential time scales for extraterrestrial life, suggesting that days and years might not be drastically different from Earth's.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the unexplained, the mysterious, and the search for answers to phenomena that defy conventional explanation. The magazine presents a wide range of reports, from official investigations by the RAAF to anecdotal accounts from witnesses and the speculations of UFO enthusiasts and cryptozoologists. While some reports lean towards skepticism or natural explanations (e.g., whirlwinds for crop circles, scavengers for cattle mutilations), the overall tone suggests an open-mindedness towards the possibility of the unknown, particularly concerning UFOs and other cryptids. The editorial stance appears to be one of reporting on these phenomena, presenting various perspectives, and inviting reader engagement, as seen in the call for details on UFO sightings.