UFO RESEARCH NEWSLETTER

Magazine Overview

This issue of the UFO Research Newsletter, Vol. I, No. 2, published monthly by UFO Research Associates (UFOR) in Washington, D.C., covers the period of May-June 1971. The editor is Gordon I.R. Lore, Jr. The newsletter focuses on unidentified flying objects, featuring news, witness accounts, and theoretical discussions.

New Witness Discovered in Mantell Tragedy

The lead article introduces a new witness to the famous Mantell tragedy: Lt. Col. E. Garrison Wood, a former Air Force pilot and Deputy Base Commander at Godman Field, Kentucky, at the time of the incident on January 7, 1948. Wood's account differs from newspaper reports, stating he observed the object between 11 a.m. and noon, not after 2 p.m. He described it as a "small pinpoint of light," contrary to press reports of a "tremendous" object. Wood also noted that there were no available aircraft at Godman Field for immediate investigation, requiring a call to the Air National Guard fighter group at Standiford Field, Louisville. Three P-51 planes approached, and the flight leader, Mantell, reported sighting the object ahead and above, climbing and moving at about half his speed. Mantell's last reported words were, "I'm not gaining on it." Wood tracked the UFO by theodolite until 7:30 p.m., observing that it did not move, convincing him it was not a planet, balloon, or aircraft. He recalled that a University of Louisville astronomer initially stated it could not be a planet, though media reports later suggested otherwise. Officers from Project Saucer investigated the incident the next day and reportedly treated it as a joke. Wood also recounted seeing a UFO in July 1945 over Grand Island, Nebraska.

UFOS AND STATUS INCONSISTENCY (An Editorial Comment)

This section discusses the views of Donald I. Warren, author of "Status Inconsistency Theory and Flying Saucer Sightings," published in Science magazine. Warren suggests that UFO witnesses are psychologically marginal and distort information, linking sightings to "status frustration." He posits that individuals with "status inconsistency"—those whose social position does not align with societal evaluations—experience alienation and stress, leading them to report UFOs as a means of escape or to express dissatisfaction with their social order. The article notes that Warren's findings are based on a review of a 1966 Gallup Poll, where only 5.9 percent of status inconsistents reported seeing UFOs. The author of the editorial comment questions Warren's conclusions, pointing out that his theory seems to contradict itself and ignores the possibility that some individuals have genuinely seen objects from other solar systems. The editorial also critiques Warren's theory by listing prominent individuals like airline pilots, engineers, and scientists who have reported UFOs, suggesting they are unlikely to be "marginally psychotic."

Sightings "Linked to Status Frustration"

This subsection elaborates on Warren's theory, stating that UFO sightings may be an expression of a personal status situation. Marginal status persons, according to Warren, report sightings to break out of a social order where they feel they are not accorded their rightful place. They exhibit alienation, distrust of official explanations, and question the "system." UFOs provide a form of escape, potentially representing "other lives, other planets, other beings," offering an opportunity to escape the system without losing gains.

New Jersey Man Sees UFO

This section details a sighting by Norman Vanderbush and his family in Dover, N.J., on March 11, 1971. They observed a "basketball-sized light" hovering over their apartment building, which moved and stopped. The object was later seen again, alternating between hovering and moving slowly. Vanderbush reported the sighting to the Dover Police, and the object disappeared while he was on the phone.

Object Seen Trailing Flame

Michael H. Baran reported seeing a glowing green UFO approximately 30 feet long and 15 feet wide near Jamestown, N.Y., on April 12, 1971. The object hovered for about five seconds before flying east, leaving a "trail of purplish-red flame about 10 feet long."

"Gigantic Wing" Observed

Residents of Union and Middlesex Counties, N.J., reported seeing a "huge object" on the evening of April 16, 1971. Police Sgt. William Dixon received numerous calls. Mrs. Anthony Limaldi described it as "like one of these space stations on television."

Sighting Reports Continue

This section summarizes various sighting reports from January onwards, including descriptions of electro-magnetic (E-M) effects, animal reactions, objects described as "engulfed in a cloud of steam," "space stations on television," trailing flame, and rotating, flashing UFOs. One specific incident involved Keith Brown on January 3, 1971, in Montesano, Washington, who saw three lights at low altitude, causing his car engine to stall. Another report from Jack Goforth in New Meadows, Idaho, on January 21, 1971, described a huge flash of light that changed color and disappeared in steam, accompanied by loud noises and barking dogs. Lawrence Dixon also reported dogs barking as an object flew low over his home.

Boise Residents See Objects

On January 26, 1971, Reuben Melander and co-workers in Boise, Idaho, saw a "brilliant white" object with a stationary bar and a cone-shaped dome. The object "slowly drifted south or southeast." Other Boise residents also reported the phenomenon. An FAA official stated, "I have no idea on that one." Later that evening, objects were sighted in the Horseshoe Bend area, described as a luminous white, red, and blue object that seemed to rotate and flash.

SIGHTING CAPSULES

This section provides brief summaries of several reported sightings:

• September 1970, Jamestown, N.Y.: Mr. and Mrs. Paul Reinhardt reported objects passing over the city, with one crashing, later identified as a hoax balloon.
• December 1970, Santa Fe, N.M.: Numerous reports of "intensely bright lights," described as hovering or moving at high speeds, with some landing. FAA personnel admitted receiving reports.
• March 1, 1971, London, Ontario, Canada: Colin Cave and students reported seven UFOs with flashing lights that hovered for 30 minutes. Possible explanation: planetary illusions.
• March 11, 1971, Phoenix, Ariz.: Residents saw "two spheres side by side," one yellow and the other changing colors. The objects were allegedly photographed.
• April 4, 1971, Amherst, Ohio: Greg Cook, Leroy Zunt, and Keith Brown saw a "cigar-shaped" UFO with two lights and a flashing red one. Possible explanation: aircraft.
• April 13, 1971, Westgate, Iowa: Mike Potratz, Don Ede, and Russell Bartz saw a "bright flash" followed by a reddish-orange object that hovered over a field and then shot back up. They found a burned circle about 10 feet in diameter, which was later revealed to be a hoax by a sociology class.
• May 3, 1971, St. Julie, Quebec, Canada: A landed UFO was reported, but police found only an "elaborate contraption made of used car parts."

HYNEK DISCUSSES POSSIBLE ROLE IN DESIGNING OBSERVATORY ON MOON

Dr. J. Allen Hynek, a Northwestern University astronomer and UFO consultant, may help design the first observatory on the moon. A private New York group, New Worlds Co., Inc., plans to acquire Apollo moon shot hardware to establish this observatory, which would rent time to earth-based firms. Hynek was asked to attend a meeting on May 4 to investigate private, for-profit moon expeditions.

BRITISH HIGH COMMAND MEMBER STATES UFO VIEWS

Lord Portal of Hungerford, Chief of Britain's Air Staff during World War II, stated that he "does not rule out interplanetary travel from extraterrestrial sources." His views were expressed in a previously unpublished letter dated May 2, 1967. He argued that it would be "unwarrantably presumptuous" to assume Earth is the most developed planet and questioned why humans can travel in space but other communities could not have done so for centuries.

Lord Dowding Also UFO Advocate

Air Chief Marshal Lord Dowding, hero of the Battle of Britain, was also a strong UFO advocate. He stated in a 1954 article that he believed UFOs exist based on cumulative evidence, similar to his belief in Australia's existence without having seen it. Dowding was convinced that UFOs are not manufactured by any nation on Earth and must come from an extraterrestrial source. He also believed that hindering contact with extraterrestrial beings would be "criminal folly."

AF ACADEMY TEXTBOOK NOW FOLLOWS CONDON REPORT

The Air Force Academy textbook chapter that previously suggested UFOs were extraterrestrial probes has been revised to align with the conclusions of the negative University of Colorado UFO Project report (Condon Report). The revision occurred in Fall 1970, nearly two years after the Condon Report was made public.

WATER IN COMETS INDICATE EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFE

A group of space scientists at a NASA press conference on April 1, 1971, stated that water is an essential ingredient of comets, suggesting this as further indication of possible life in the Milky Way. Dr. Charles Lillie of the University of Colorado noted that new data from NASA satellites launched in 1968 has "completely changes the understanding of the structure of (comets]." Information from Prof. Jacques E. Blamont and Dr. Gary Thomas indicated an "interstellar 'wind'" of hot hydrogen gas. Comets may now be regarded as "icy snow balls" with temperatures below zero.

MOON ROCKS NO VITAL CLUE TO LUNAR ORIGIN

Scientists at the American Geophysical Union meeting in April concluded that moon rocks from Apollo 11, 12, and 14 offer no substantial clue to lunar origin. The evidence suggests that truly primitive regions of the moon, where original materials might still exist, are no longer present. The moon, like other planets, was assembled by gravitational forces, and the intense heat generated during its formation likely melted its upper regions. This history is preserved in the Apollo samples.

CORRECTION

The newsletter corrects an error from its previous issue, stating that Thomas F. Mantell, Jr., was an Air National Guard officer, not an Air Force captain.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The newsletter consistently reports on UFO sightings and related phenomena, often presenting witness accounts and investigative details. It appears to lean towards a belief in the reality of UFOs and the possibility of extraterrestrial origins, as evidenced by the positive portrayal of Lord Dowding's and Lord Portal's views, and the critical stance towards the Condon Report and the "Status Inconsistency Theory" as presented by Donald I. Warren. The editorial stance seems to favor open investigation and belief in the potential significance of UFO phenomena, while also acknowledging and debunking hoaxes and misidentifications. The publication also includes scientific news related to space exploration and potential indicators of extraterrestrial life, such as water in comets.