UFO Potpourri No 339

Magazine Overview

Title: UFO POTPOURRI
Issue: No. 339
Date: October 22, 1967 (cover date, but articles reference 1966 and 1967 dates)
Publisher: Houston Post

This issue of UFO POTPOURRI, published by the Houston Post, delves into various unidentified flying object (UFO) sightings and related phenomena reported primarily in the Texas region during 1966 and early 1967. The cover prominently features two lead stories: one detailing a 'big old cigar' shaped UFO reported in the La Porte area, and another about a 'strange blob of light' that startled five observers in Houston.

'Like a Big Old Cigar' UFO Is Reported In La Porte Area

This article, dated November 7, 1966, recounts an incident where four men reported seeing an unidentified flying object that resembled a "big old cigar" drifting over the La Porte area on a Sunday morning. Roy Pentecost, one of the witnesses, described the object as "so darn big, it looked like it could have been 10 feet in diameter and 150 feet long." He stated the object flew upright and appeared to have tapered fins at the bottom. The men observed the object for about 20 minutes through 50-power binoculars, estimating its speed at 100 MPH and its altitude at approximately 15,000 feet. The witnesses included Louis Fontenot, John Boyd, and Al Cooling. Pentecost reported the sighting to Ellington Air Force Base, after which a jet fighter reportedly appeared and seemed to follow the object's path as it moved in a northerly direction and disappeared from sight.

Silent and Flying Low: Strange Blob of Light Startles 5 Observers

This report, dated October 22, 1967, details an event from a Saturday morning when a "blob of light, more or less segmented," was seen passing over the Houston area from east to west at a low altitude. Five observers from different locations reported the object made no sound, was not an airplane, and was difficult to describe. Dr. E. L. Slataper described seeing a "big blob of light" with intermittent gray areas that he initially mistook for cabin windows of an airplane, but realized they were not. Nurse Mrs. Lil Mather saw the object from Hillcroft and Beechnut. H. M. Hancock, a safety inspector for Shell Oil, saw it in Pasadena. Mrs. B. M. Miller described a "bright light coming toward me, up about as high as a plane would fly if it were flying low," describing it as long like a cigar with lighted streaks. Milton Russell reported seeing "three of the craziest objects I ever saw in my life," describing them as "balls of greenish light" traveling from east to west at low altitude.

UFO, Auto Collide At Baytown

This article from the Houston Chronicle, dated March 30, 1966, reports on what is described as Earth's first recorded collision between a UFO and a car. The incident occurred on an overpass near Baytown when Miss Donella Banning, her mother Mrs. Doyle Havard, and Debbie Carrico were driving. Debbie screamed about a "glowing ball heading for us." Something hit the roof of their car, shaking it and causing them to think it blew up. Upon inspection, two dents were found on the car's roof, with the paint scraped off. The dents were about five inches in diameter and 15 inches apart. Miss Banning stated, "I just don't know what it was." Deputy Sheriff R. A. Kinsey investigated but found no trace of a UFO. The article also mentions that Houston police received a call from an unidentified woman about a UFO in the sky.

Planetarium Director's Opinion: UFOs May Be Meteor Fireballs

Armand Yramategui, director of the Burke Baker Planetarium of the Houston Museum of Natural Science, offers an opinion on a bright object seen by scores of Houstonians on a Saturday morning. He suggests it was probably a meteor fireball. The object was seen moving east to west in the northern sky at 6:16 AM Saturday and was reported as far north as southeast Oklahoma. Yramategui explained that a fireball is any meteor brighter than the brightest star and that its "area of glow is many times the actual diameter of the body itself." He noted that the average meteor is usually less than three or four feet in diameter. The article also mentions that the planet Venus was in that position in the sky and could be mistaken for an object.

Other Sightings and Reports

Police Report Light Moving Across Sky

An article from the Houston Chronicle, dated October 7, 1966, details reports from deputy sheriffs and officers of the Spring Valley police department who saw a slow-moving light high over Southeast Houston. Lt. Danny Brock described the light as moving slowly back and forth and changing colors from red to white to green, estimating its altitude between 3000 and 5000 feet. Armand Yramategui was unable to find the object with powerful glasses and suggested it might have been the planet Venus.

Rash of UFO's In South Texas

This brief report from Corpus Christi, dated September 10, 1967, mentions a "rash of sightings of unidentified bright objects" west of Beeville, west of Alice, and southwest of Corpus Christi, which flooded police switchboards. Naval Air Stations also reported numerous calls.

Object Lands Near Pecos, Farmer Says

This report from Pecos, dated October 22, 1967, states that police received a call from a farmer who claimed to have seen an unidentified object land near a roadside park. The farmer described the object as 85 to 100 feet wide and 25 feet high, with lights at the top and bottom that shone for five minutes before it rose.

They Saw an Object

This report from Boulder, Colorado, dated October 22, 1967, mentions that Boulder County Sheriff deputies, police officers, and residents watched a "mysterious red glowing object" for an hour and a half northwest of the city.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of UFO POTPOURRI are the reporting of unusual aerial phenomena, witness testimonies, and attempts to provide explanations for these sightings. The publication appears to be dedicated to documenting UFO reports, giving voice to individuals who claim to have witnessed these events. While some articles present the sightings without immediate explanation, others, like the opinion piece by Armand Yramategui, offer potential natural explanations such as meteor fireballs or planetary observations. The overall stance seems to be one of open reporting of UFO incidents, balanced with a degree of skepticism and scientific inquiry, as evidenced by the inclusion of expert opinions and official investigations (or lack thereof).