UFO Newsclipping Service - 2004 05 - no 418

Magazine Overview

This issue of UFO Newsclipping Service, dated May 2004 and numbered 418, focuses on the significant 1966 Ohio UFO chase and its aftermath, under the headline "STRANGERS in the NIGHT." The cover story, by James Renner, details how police officers and a chief of police chased a UFO across state lines, only for the government to later offer seemingly dismissive explanations.

The 1966 Ohio UFO Chase: A Detailed Account

The article begins with the early morning of April 17, 1966, when Chief Gerald Buchert of Mantua, Ohio, was alerted to lights in the sky. He woke his wife, Joan, and together they witnessed a hovering, saucer-shaped object emitting light but no sound. Buchert managed to snap a photo before the object moved east. Simultaneously, near Ravenna, deputies Dale Spaur and Wilbur "Barney" Neff investigated an abandoned car filled with radio equipment and bearing strange markings. They then observed a saucer-shaped craft, approximately 50 feet long and 20 feet high, rising from behind trees. It emitted a bright light from its bottom, and appeared to have a dome and an antenna-like protrusion.

Spaur reported the sighting, and after a confused exchange, was advised by the dispatcher to shoot the craft down. However, Sergeant Henry Shoenfelt from the Ravenna police station reversed the order, suspecting a weather balloon. Before the order could be fully processed, the craft accelerated east, and Spaur and Neff gave chase.

The pursuit continued for half an hour, with speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour, crossing into Pennsylvania. Officer Wayne Huston joined the chase. Fighter jets were reportedly seen in the sky, attempting to intercept the craft. The chase ended near Conway, Pennsylvania, when Spaur and Neff's car ran out of fuel. They encountered Officer Frank Panzanella, who also witnessed the object.

As the craft accelerated upwards and disappeared, pilots were heard on the radio chasing it. The object was described as accelerating rapidly and heading straight up.

The Aftermath and Official Explanation

Back in Mantua, the Buchert household became a hub for UFO reports. Chief Buchert's son, Harry, recalls his father's dedication to his job, which may have contributed to his later health issues. Gerald Buchert suffered a brain aneurysm in 1986.

The media attention following the incident was intense. Buchert described the object as "round when I looked straight up at it, but when it moved to the left - I feel like an idiot saying this - it looked like a saucer, like two table saucers put together." The incident caused Buchert to lose 20 pounds in three days due to the stress.

Buchert developed his film, adhering to his "Cover your ass" principle. He sent the negatives to Major Hector Quintanilla at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Quintanilla later stated that Buchert's film was "severely fogged" and the image was a processing defect, attributing the sighting to the planet Venus.

Project Blue Book and Skepticism

Major Hector Quintanilla led Project Blue Book, the Air Force's investigation into UFOs. His son, Karl Quintanilla, recalls his father's grumbling about late-night calls related to UFO investigations. Quintanilla was a skeptic, believing the vast distances between celestial bodies made interstellar travel unlikely.

Dr. J. Allen Hynek, a civilian astronomer, was often consulted by the Air Force to provide rational explanations. Hynek's son, Paul, explains that his father was sought out to provide a respected scientific voice to counter public fear. Hynek himself was known for his scientific approach, aiming to explain sightings through known phenomena.

However, William Powers, Hynek's assistant, wrote a letter to Spaur and Neff stating that he and Dr. Hynek disagreed with the public explanation, as the evidence did not support the Venus theory. Quintanilla, upon learning of this, visited Buchert and other witnesses, including a local priest who also claimed to have seen the object.

The Air Force's involvement intensified, with attempts to explain the sighting as a weather balloon. Buchert felt pressured and almost resigned. Quintanilla conducted taped interviews with Spaur, Neff, Sheriff Ross Dustman, and dispatcher Robert Wilson. Despite alternating explanations, Quintanilla remained firm that the officers had not seen anything extraordinary. Sheriff Dustman expressed frustration that the government seemed unaware of what was happening in the sky.

Quintanilla's official conclusion was that the sightings were "Misinterpretation of conventional objects and natural phenomena," categorized as "satellite and atmospheric observations."

Lingering Doubts and Unresolved Cases

Chief Buchert eventually resigned, feeling the pressure and public scrutiny. His son, Harry, now chief of police, keeps his father's scrapbook of the incident, hoping to clear his name.

Officer Neff, who was particularly affected, became reclusive and spoke of feeling like a "freak." Dale Spaur fared the worst, disappearing for days and eventually leaving his job and wife, becoming gaunt and destitute. His whereabouts are currently unknown.

Dr. Hynek, while able to explain most sightings, was reportedly troubled by the unresolved 2-3 percent. His son, Paul, notes that his father believed the distances made interstellar travel difficult but didn't dismiss the existence of UFOs. Scott Hynek, Paul's brother, recalls his father's challenge of the word "believe," stating that reports of whales were enough to believe they exist.

NICAP investigator William Weitzel challenged the official ruling, noting that Venus would have been too high in the sky at the time of the sightings to be mistaken for an aircraft. Despite this, Project Blue Book was disbanded in 1969, and Quintanilla retired from the Air Force, later suffering injuries from a golf-cart accident.

Other UFO Reports and Events

The issue also includes several other articles related to UFOs:

• Aztec UFO Fest: A report on the 7th annual Aztec UFO Symposium, featuring speakers like George Green, who claims religion is a problem and aliens created humans, and Nancy Red Star, who discusses Native American views on "star ancestors" and extraterrestrial connections.
• Roswell Enters the Picture: News about Roswell, New Mexico, hosting its first film festival alongside the Roswell UFO Festival, featuring independent films and music.
• Experts Land in Ashland: An article about UFO experts visiting Ashland, Nebraska, to investigate sightings, including a 1967 encounter by Officer Herbert Schirmer and historical reports from 1897.
• Seeing Things: A report from Terrace, British Columbia, Canada, highlighting it as a hotspot for UFO activity, with numerous sightings of disk-shaped objects, flying crosses, and strange lights, as detailed by researcher Brian Vike.
• Aliens Did It: Circle Investigator: Larry Sommerfield investigates mysterious crop circles appearing on a lawn in Terrace, B.C., believing they are alien creations.
• NASA Rover Spots Martian Streaker: A photograph from NASA's Mars rover Spirit captures a streak in the Martian sky, believed to be the Viking 2 spacecraft.
• Lagos Plane Crash Called UFO: Searchers in Lagos, Nigeria, abandoned the search for a crashed light aircraft after finding no trace, leading authorities to classify the incident as a UFO.
• Paper Clips: A roundup of UFO reports from Ireland, including sightings near Dublin Airport and a mysterious object resembling a paraglider.
• 'Flying Saucer' Pictures Stun UFO Watchers: Amateur photographs taken in Plymouth, England, appear to show a genuine UFO, baffling experts.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the persistent mystery of UFO sightings, the perceived government cover-ups or dismissive explanations, and the personal toll these encounters can take on individuals. The editorial stance, as conveyed through the detailed reporting of the 1966 Ohio case and the inclusion of various other sightings and investigations, is one of serious inquiry into the unexplained, giving voice to eyewitnesses and researchers while acknowledging the skepticism and official narratives that often accompany these phenomena. The magazine appears to lean towards presenting the evidence and accounts, allowing readers to draw their own conclusions, while highlighting the inconsistencies and unanswered questions in official reports.

Title: Amazing But True
Issue Date: March 11, 2004
Publisher: FORTEANA NEWS
Country of Publication: USA
Language: English

This issue of "Amazing But True" magazine, published by FORTEANA NEWS, focuses on a variety of paranormal phenomena, with a strong emphasis on Bigfoot sightings and the ongoing debate surrounding their existence. The magazine also features reports on UFO encounters and other unexplained events, drawing from eyewitness accounts, research, and expert opinions.

Bigfoot: A Local and Global Phenomenon

The magazine extensively covers the topic of Bigfoot, exploring its presence both locally and globally. An article titled "Bigfoot has a toe-hold locally?" by Staff Reporter Scott Hammers delves into the possibility of Bigfoot inhabiting the Lake Oswego and West Linn areas of Oregon. It discusses the Tualatin River as a potential migration route and features insights from science teacher and author Thom Powell, who, despite being a skeptic, believes the creature could exist undetected in the region.

Local Bigfoot sightings are documented, including reports from the 1950s to early 1960s and a more recent incident in 1987 involving a scream and investigation near Marylhurst University. The website Oregonbigfoot.com is highlighted as a source for collecting witness reports.

Further afield, an article from the Eastern Oklahoma County Today discusses a Bigfoot sighting by an Oklahoma resident, referencing a 1990 incident in Cherokee County that was classified as a 'Class A' sighting by the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization (BFRO). This report includes details about footprints and descriptions of the creature.

The Bigfoot Hoax Debate

A significant portion of the magazine is dedicated to the controversy surrounding the authenticity of Bigfoot evidence, particularly the famous Patterson film. An article titled "Truth is out about Bigfoot" from the Statesman Journal reports on Bob Heironimus, who claims to have worn a gorilla costume for the 1967 film, calling it a hoax. Heironimus, a retired Pepsi bottler, reveals his story in the book "The Making of Bigfoot" by paranormal investigator Greg Long.

This claim is contrasted with the views of Bigfoot believers and researchers. Paul Fattig, a columnist for the Mail Tribune, discusses the ongoing debate and mentions that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers considers Bigfoot's existence "not unlikely." He also references the scientific classification of Gigantopithecus americana. Daryl Colyer, a Texas field investigator for the BFRO, argues that physical evidence like hair and tracks, along with thousands of eyewitness accounts, support Bigfoot's existence. Jon-Erik Beckjord, director of the Bigfoot Investigation Project, also defends the Patterson film, citing details like a "butt crack" and potential female reproductive organs as evidence against it being a costume.

UFO Sightings and Other Paranormal Events

Beyond Bigfoot, the magazine features several reports on UFO sightings and other unexplained phenomena.

An article from the Standard newspaper in Canada details mysterious orange lights above Prince George, which were explained as parachutists jumping at night. It also mentions a UFO survey released by Ufology Research of Manitoba, listing Canadian cities with the most reported sightings.

The Courier newspaper reports on a mother in England who believes she had a close encounter with a UFO, capturing inconclusive photos.

From Chile, reports of "STRANGE ANIMAL DEATHS" in Tocopila are discussed, with the Chupacabras legend being resurrected. Another report from Chile details a UFO sighting in La Poma, where shepherds feared abduction by a luminous object.

From Argentina, there are multiple reports concerning "EL UNUDO" (The Clawed One), a mysterious character causing fear and hysteria in Justo Daract. Descriptions vary, but include an ape-like appearance, agility, and the ability to climb and jump with great speed. The phenomenon is linked to mass hysteria and potential pranks.

Further Argentine reports include "Mysterious fires hit Italian town" from USA TODAY, detailing unexplained fires in Sicily, and "IS THERE A LOBIZON IN OUR CITY?" from Entre Rios, about a strange apparition causing anxiety.

Other Notable Content

An article from the Rochdale Observer features Andrew Smith, who claims to have seen a UFO near the M62 motorway, supporting a sighting by children.

The Gazette, Blackpool, England, reports on "Strange sights in port's skies" with frequent orange lights being observed.

The Yorkshire Evening Post announces a new website for UFO fans, ufoparanormal.com, launched by Russ Kellett following the closure of UFO Magazine.

The Statesman Journal features an article about Randall Sullivan's book "The Miracle Detective: An Investigation of Holy Visions," which explores religious ecstasy and the concept of the miraculous.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the persistent mystery surrounding Bigfoot, the ongoing debate about its existence and the authenticity of evidence, and the prevalence of UFO sightings and other unexplained phenomena across different regions. The magazine presents a wide range of perspectives, from believers and researchers to skeptics and those who claim hoaxes. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, presenting various accounts and theories without definitively concluding on the nature of these events, encouraging readers to form their own opinions.