UFO Research Newsletter - 1980 04 05 - Vol 06 No 11

Magazine Overview

Title: UFO RESEARCH NEWSLETTER
Issue: Vol. VI, No. 11
Date: April - May 1980
Publisher: UFO Research Associates (UFOR)
Country: USA
Language: English

This issue of the UFO Research Newsletter, dated April-May 1980, focuses on UFO sightings that occurred in January 1980, highlighting a range of phenomena including electromagnetic effects, illuminated objects, and interactions with witnesses and vehicles. It also delves into historical aspects of UFO investigations, with a former Airman detailing U.S. Air Force teams from the 1950s.

UFOS ENTER THE NEW DECADE: January 1980 Sightings

The lead article details numerous UFO reports from at least four states during January 1980. Residents of Virginia reported seeing large, illuminated objects. Dempsey Miller of Chesapeake described a huge saucer that stopped directly over his car, emitting a loud roar and causing him to stop dead, stating, "It scared me to death." The object reportedly followed him home. Miller also noted the object had "a circle of bright, off-white lights on the bottom" that were blinding, with red, blue, and green lights forming a circle around the edge. The object was silver or gray and large enough for a station wagon to fit inside.

In Virginia Beach, Virginia, on January 23, Dawn Coffee and her parents were awakened by "booming noises and very bright lights." They observed a large disc at treetop level with an amber glow and various colored lights. James Pearce of Crisfield Road also reported a "big white then blue light" that illuminated his bedroom and saw "blue, red and other colored lights, like little balls" moving in the sky, which turned the whole sky orange.

In Red Wing, Minnesota, on January 13, Brenda Simanski and Janine Mattson saw what they described as a "star going berserk." This object was a triangle of lights, white in front, blue in the back two corners, with a red light between. It was flat, about 15 feet wide and 20 feet long, and hovered directly above them.

Otis Taylor, driving south of Klamath Falls, Oregon, on January 6, reported being followed by a "giant, brightly-illuminated spaceship," about 35-40 feet across. The object stopped when he stopped and moved at his speed, even rushing up on him from behind before flying over his truck and alongside him. The craft lit up everything around him.

Other sightings included Tom Hoyt near Cumberland, Wisconsin, on January 19, who saw two red lights, experienced his car's headlights dimming, and his engine sputtering as a "huge yellow ball, round like a basketball, but almost as big as a house" approached. The object was described as having a metallic flash with orange, red, and violet hues that lasted about 10 minutes.

Former Airman Confirms Air Force UFO "Teams"

A significant section of the newsletter details a report from a former Airman Second Class, John Smith (pseudonym), who was part of a U.S. Air Force "team" investigating UFO sightings in the 1950s. Smith stated that there were at least three such teams, two in Montana (Billings and Glasgow) and one at White Sands Proving Grounds, New Mexico. Smith spent a year at Malstrom AF Base, investigating reports from Montana, Utah, and Iowa. The teams consisted of an Airman, a lieutenant, and staff members who taped interviews and collected statements and photographs. Smith noted that witnesses were sometimes reluctant to hand over photos, which were often "confiscated" and not returned, especially if considered hoaxes. He also mentioned seeing photos with details like portholes, antennae, and landing gear. The teams collected physical evidence such as soil and burned spots. Smith also alluded to a UFO office at White Sands, though he couldn't confirm it. Paul Cerny, MUFON's Western States Director, expressed skepticism about the lack of official confirmation, sensing he was being lied to.

The editor's note suggests that the Air Force was more involved in UFO investigations than publicly acknowledged, citing conversations with individuals who were part of AF UFO "teams" and were reluctant to speak until their military ties were severed. One informant claimed to have participated in chasing UFOs with specially equipped planes.

Abduction, Radar, E-M, Physiological Effects Highlight 1979 Reports

This section summarizes sighting reports from July-December 1979, covering a wide range of phenomena across eight states and four foreign countries. These included UFOs that apparently abducted cars, were tracked on radar, illuminated areas, caused animal reactions, and had physiological and E-M effects. Witnesses included control tower operators, a pilot, and a doctor.

Larry Powers, a music education student in Roanoke, Virginia, reported seeing an approaching light on November 7, 1979. The object, about three miles away, had "a configuration of four lights" and was described as "big as a Winnebago" and "shaped like a beetle, oval with a humped-up top." It emitted a sound like a new refrigerator and had a dark, dull finish.

John Farley in Huntingdon, Tennessee, on November 3, 1979, reported interference with his TV set, followed by seeing "sets of lights" outside his home, with one object lighting up the hillside.

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Sweet near Fairland, Indiana, on November 25, 1979, encountered an egg-shaped UFO about 10-12 feet tall and 25 feet long that descended and paced their vehicle with a swaying motion. It pulsated with a brilliant white light and had two dim yellow lights at the front.

Two girls in Fairfield, Nebraska, on December 3, 1979, saw a gray, metallic-looking object, 20-30 feet in diameter, with red, white, and green lights, hovering 40-50 feet off the ground. The object appeared to be constructed in section-like pieces and tilted westward when it left.

Charles Peacock near Atlanta, Texas, on October 30, 1979, observed a domed object with pulsating lights at about 1,000 feet altitude, accompanied by a "swirling and swishing noise."

International Sightings

The newsletter also includes reports from outside the USA:

• England: In Cambridgeshire, residents reported UFOs falling into five categories, including red lights splitting apart, brilliant white lights, pulsing red lights, boomerang-shaped objects, and a huge UFO resembling a "railway carriage." Witnesses in Stroud and Cambridge also reported white flashing lights and objects splitting in two.
• France: Henri Lucas in Chateaubriant observed an orange "ball" land in a field, cover an automobile, and then disappear with the car. He later returned to the site and fled from the UFO.
• Spain: Thousands in Madrid reportedly saw two UFOs, one described as circular with an inner circle. A doctor witnessed a "metallic" flash from a UFO that shot straight up at "incredible speed."
• Italy: Radar control tower personnel at Capo Mele spotted a huge, sphere-shaped, metallic, orange object.
• South Africa: Mrs. Jean Brittain and Robert Doak observed a "big green ball with a long streak of light behind it" in Port Elizabeth.
• Scotland: Reports from Kirkcaldy, Whitfield, and Glasgow described flashing orange lights, a big red light, and a "buzzing sound and a beam of light."

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the increasing number and variety of UFO sightings reported globally, the diverse characteristics of the objects observed (shapes, colors, lights, sounds, and behaviors), and the persistent mystery surrounding their origin and purpose. The newsletter also highlights the historical context of UFO investigations, suggesting a greater level of official involvement than previously acknowledged. The editorial stance appears to be one of serious reporting and documentation of UFO phenomena, presenting witness accounts and expert opinions without overt skepticism, while also acknowledging the difficulty in definitively explaining such events.