UFO Potpourri No 408

Magazine Overview

Title: UFO POTPOURRI
Issue: NO. 408
Date: NOVEMBER 1996
Publisher: JOHN F. SCHUESSLER
Location: HOUSTON, TX

This issue of UFO POTPOURRI delves into a variety of UFO and alien encounter reports, alongside coverage of military activities that have sparked public curiosity and rumors.

Hard Landing by Army Copter Hurts 2

The lead story details an incident on Tuesday night near Sugar Land, Texas, where an Army Special Operations Command helicopter, used for urban military training, executed a "hard landing" near Flanigan Road. The aircraft rolled onto its side, injuring the pilot, who was taken to Hermann Hospital in good condition. A second person may have also been hurt, but this was unconfirmed at the time of reporting. The landing occurred on property owned by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. The Sugar Land Municipal Airport is nearby, but its involvement in the training exercise was unknown. The military maneuvers were canceled for the rest of the night. The exercises, involving helicopters, small arms fire, and explosives in vacant buildings, were scheduled to continue in the Houston area until November 6th. Houston Police Chief Sam Nuchia stated that the exercises began Monday but that the department had not notified citizens, emphasizing it was a necessary Army practice with no danger to the public.

Rumors Fly as Army Copters Buzz City

This article by John Makeig from the Houston Chronicle explains the presence of Army helicopters in the Houston area. The 11 MH-60 Blackhawk and OH-6 helicopters, part of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, were using Houston as a "MOUT site" (Military Operations in Urban Terrain) for practice maneuvers. The exercise, which began with 12 copters, experienced an incident on Tuesday evening when one OH-6 had a "hard landing" near U.S. 90A and Texas 6, resulting in minor injuries to at least one person. Army spokesman Walt Sokalski explained that these operations often occur in difficult terrain. He noted that Houston's varied landscape provides unique challenges. Sokalski also addressed the public's curiosity, comparing it to wanting to see elephants at a circus, and stated that advance notice could create a hazard. The Army and local police attempt to alert immediate vicinities, but the side effect is the generation of rumors, with some callers to the Chronicle suggesting media cover-ups or questioning the presence of soldiers. Sokalski declined to state where the helicopters were based during the exercises, but mentioned that four CH-47s had used Ellington Field for practice previously.

Close Encounter Kept Secret for 31 Years

This report from the Bournemouth Advertiser details a bizarre close encounter that occurred on a storm-swept winter's night in 1965. A couple, then in their 20s, driving along the A6 in Cumbria, England, pulled over and noticed a luminous red dome. They then observed three small, luminous figures with "turnip-shaped" heads and round staring eyes approaching their car. Two figures had their arms outstretched. The terrified couple drove off. UFO investigator David Sankey, who is a friend of the family, revealed that the couple's son, who was a baby at the time, developed cancer in his teens. Tests showed his body contained amounts of radium. The couple had kept quiet due to fear of public reaction. Sankey plans to submit a report to Quest International.

UFO Buzzes Ex-Air Force Controller

Another report from the Bournemouth Advertiser describes an incident on March 30th where retired RAF traffic controller Peter Bryan saw a "mystery... a UFO" over Hengistbury Head. While observing a comet, Bryan and his brother noticed a bright light that swooped towards them from the Purbecks, hovered, and then sped off towards St. Catherine's Hill. The object emitted a bright white light that remained constant even when changing direction. Bournemouth Police received a report of a light off Swanage, attributed to a flare. Portland Coastguards also received two reports of white lights. Hurn Airport reported no radar contact.

Five People Who Met Aliens Describe Experience

This section, sourced from The Guardian, London, presents five distinct accounts of alien encounters:

• Jane Murphy (March 1981): A housewife from Birstall, West Yorkshire, was taken from her bed, given a bath by seven-foot aliens with black eyes, and experienced what she described as "the best sex I ever had."
• Rohan Hinton (Summer 1988): A schoolgirl from Chesapeake Bay, Delaware, was taken from a motel by light gray visitors with large dark eyes. She woke up in bed shouting, "They lied, they lied. They promised they were going to leave me alone, but they didn't."
• Commander Horatio Penrose (May 1954): While at Burnaston, Derbyshire, he was lifted from his car into a hovering circular object. After an examination by short, almond-eyed aliens in blue suits, he was injected with a green fluid and found himself in the back of his crashed car.
• Douglas Tams (June 1974): A bus driver on his last service near Stoke-on-Trent experienced his bus's electrics failing when a "300 ft. oval machine lit with a hazy green glow" passed overhead. He was an hour late.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of UFO POTPOURRI include the intersection of military activities with unexplained phenomena, the challenges of official investigations and public perception, and the persistent reports of close encounters with UFOs and alien beings. The editorial stance appears to be one of presenting these accounts and incidents, allowing readers to draw their own conclusions, while also highlighting the difficulties in obtaining official confirmation or explanation. The magazine aims to document these phenomena, from alleged government cover-ups to personal encounters, providing a platform for witness testimonies and investigator findings. The inclusion of both domestic and international reports suggests a broad scope in its coverage of UFOlogy.