UFO Newsletter (Richard Nolane) - No 12 - 24 juin 1997

Magazine Overview

Title: UFO Newsletter
Issue Date: June 24, 1947 / June 24, 1997 (50th Anniversary Edition)
Publisher: OVNI ET PHENOMENES CONNEXES
Country: France
Language: French (with English quotes and summaries)

This special edition of UFO Newsletter commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Kenneth Arnold sighting, a pivotal event in ufology that popularized the term 'flying saucer'. The magazine also critically analyzes the 1997 US Air Force report on the Roswell incident, alongside reviews of contemporary ufological publications and historical cases.

EXCLUSIF ! Kenneth Arnold's Sighting

The cover story, headlined "EXCLUSIF ! KENNETH ARNOLD, DE BOISE, IDAHO, VOIT NEUF AÉRONEFS INCONNUS EN FORME DE 'SOUCOUPES' AU-DESSUS DU Mt. RAINIER," details the famous sighting. Kenneth Arnold, a pilot from Boise, Idaho, reported seeing nine unknown aircraft on June 24, 1947, while searching for a missing marine plane in southern Washington. He described them as "nickel-plated" and flying at an "immense rate of speed," estimating their altitude between 9,500 and 10,000 feet. He clocked them moving from Mt. Rainier to Mt. Adams. Arnold's quote, "Impossible! Maybe, But Seein' Is Believin', Says Flyer," captures his own astonishment and the disbelief his account initially generated.

Kenneth Arnold: The Man Behind the "Flying Saucers"

Page 2 delves into the life and career of Kenneth Arnold. Born in 1915, Arnold was an experienced pilot and businessman who founded Great Western Fire Control Supply. His sighting on June 24, 1947, thrust him into the role of an impromptu investigator of UFO phenomena, leading him to engage with numerous witnesses. The article mentions his involvement in the "sombre histoire de l'île Maury" (the Maury Island incident) in July 1947, which ended tragically. Arnold later co-authored "The Coming of the Saucers" with Ray Palmer. He reportedly turned down lucrative offers for his story, seeking to maintain control over its narrative. The article notes his eventual distancing from the American ufological community, influenced by his belief that UFOs might be extraterrestrial beings. Arnold ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor in Idaho in 1957 and passed away in 1984 at the age of 69.

Reviews of Ufological Publications

The Cinquantenaire Reviews

Page 3 features a section reviewing relevant publications. "THE UNOPENED FILES," an English quarterly, is praised for its 102-page special issue, "50 YEARS OF UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS, 1947-1997," which is described as a professional work offering a year-by-year account of significant events and documents. In contrast, French popular science magazines "SCIENCE&VIE" and "SCIENCES ET AVENIR" are discussed with a mix of criticism and cautious optimism. While "SCIENCE&VIE" is characterized as being driven by scientism and profit, "SCIENCES ET AVENIR" is noted for a more open tone, featuring articles that acknowledge the growing interest in UFOs among researchers and citing authors like John Mack and Budd Hopkins. The review suggests a subtle shift towards open-mindedness in these publications.

X FACTOR / FACTEUR X

The French edition of the British fascicular encyclopedia "X FACTOR" (titled "FACTEUR X") is mentioned as an interesting work for the general public, with UFOs occupying a significant part. The review notes the addition of French content but also the departure of Perry Petrakis from the French editorial team.

Book Reviews

• "Aimé Michel ou La Quête du Surhumain" by Michel Picard is reviewed as a book exploring the intellectual work of Aimé Michel, a key figure in ufology, focusing on concepts beyond current human comprehension. Published by ORION.
• "OVNIS, 50 ANS DE SECRETS" by Gildas Bourdais is presented as a serious, well-documented work detailing military efforts since 1947 to maintain secrecy surrounding UFOs and abduction phenomena. The reviewer suggests that skeptics who fail to see the evidence are intellectually limited.

DERNIERE MINUTE: US Air Force Publishes New Roswell Report

Page 3 and 4 are dedicated to the US Air Force's new 230-page report on the Roswell incident, titled "Incident de Roswell: affaire règlée" (Roswell Incident: Case Closed). The magazine reports on the AFP (Agence France-Presse) communiqué, which states the report explains the "flying saucers" as radar targets and the "extraterrestrials" as human-shaped mannequins used in secret US Air Force activities, particularly during the Cold War.

The report, compiled after a four-year investigation, claims that alleged sightings of alien spacecraft and extraterrestrials were actually descriptions of ultra-secret US Air Force activities. The military initially described the object as a "flying disc" but later changed its story to a "radar target" used in a "Mogul" experiment. The explanation for alien bodies suggests they were human-like mannequins dropped from high-altitude balloons after 1953, some of which fell outside exercise areas. The report attributes witness memories of alien bodies to confusion with two real incidents: a 1956 KC-97 plane crash that killed 11 military personnel and a 1959 balloon incident that injured two people.

Colonel John Hayes, a Pentagon spokesperson, stated that the report would be the "last word" on the Roswell incident and that the US Air Force had no evidence of alien spacecraft or extraterrestrials. However, the magazine expresses skepticism, questioning why a new report was published and noting that it fails to address the crucial discrepancy of witnesses confusing events from the mid-1950s with the 1947 incident.

The article criticizes the US Air Force's portrayal of Roswell base personnel as incompetent or suffering from memory loss. It highlights that, for the first time, the USAF acknowledges the presence of non-human bodies, albeit explaining them away as mannequins. The magazine concludes that this report, rather than closing the case, inadvertently strengthens the Roswell crash hypothesis by its convoluted explanations. It suggests that the media should move beyond intellectual timidity and recognize this.

The issue also mentions that a signed copy of Richard D. Nolane's book, "Extraterrestres: la vérité sur Roswell," is available for 150F.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine's stance is critical of official explanations for UFO phenomena, particularly the US Air Force's report on Roswell. It champions independent research and detailed investigation, as evidenced by its praise for "THE UNOPENED FILES" and its in-depth review of Gildas Bourdais' "OVNIS, 50 ANS DE SECRETS." The editorial tone is skeptical of mainstream scientific dismissal of UFOs, suggesting a growing, albeit slow, openness in some popular science publications. The magazine appears to advocate for a serious, evidence-based approach to ufology, contrasting it with what it perceives as flawed official narratives and sensationalized media coverage. The recurring theme is the importance of historical accuracy and critical analysis in understanding UFO phenomena, especially in the context of anniversaries and new official reports.