4370 lines
193 KiB
Plaintext
4370 lines
193 KiB
Plaintext
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SUBJECT: THESIS ON THE CONTINUING UFO PROBLEM FILE: UFO1564
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DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
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HEADQUARTERS AIR UNIVERSITY
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MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE AL 36112,5001
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October 16, 1992
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HQ AU/IMD
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50 LeMay Plaza South
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Maxwell AFB AL 36112-6334
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This is in response to your Freedom of Information Act request of September
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14, 1992, for a copy of the "Thesis Submitted to the Air Command and Staff
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College of Air University ..." entitled "The UFO Problem: Time for a
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Reassessment" by J. King, Major, USAF, dated June 1968.
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The requested document is releasable and a copy is attached. there is no
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charge for the document.
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Sincerely
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/s/ Lucy P. McInnis
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LUCY P. McINNIS 1 Atch
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Chief, Records Management Division Copy of Thesis
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Directorate of Information Management
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Strength Through Knowledge
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AIR COMMAND AND STAFF COLLEGE
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THE UFO PROBLEM: TIME FOR A REASSESSMENT
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by
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John R.King, FR 47113, 1930-
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Major, USAF
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A Thesis Submitted to the Air and Staff College of
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Air University in Partial Fulfillment of
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The Requirements for Graduation
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June 1968
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Thesis directed by Dale E. Downing, Lieutenant Colonel, USAF
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No. 0670-68
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AIR UNIVERSITY
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MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, ALABAMA
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ABSTRACT
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The debate centered around whether or not UFOs are
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extraterrestrial space vehicles, or whether they exist
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at all, has raged for many years. During the course of
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the debate the United States Air Force, official govern-
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ment agency responsible for UFO report evaluation, has
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been subjected to severe criticism for the manner in
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which it has handled this problem. This paper presents
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the positions of the critics, outlined the Air Force re-
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sponse and general approach to the subject and concludes
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that the Air Force has performed ineptly. Recommendations
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are made for the future conduct of UFO investigations.
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ii
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PREFACE
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Anyone attempting a discussion of the UFO problem
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must present his scientific/technological credentials
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to the reader. Failure to present some assurance that
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things scientific and technological are not totally be-
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yond the comprehension of the writer exposes the writer
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to possible dismissal as untrained and/or unreliable.
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The writer of this paper presents the following:
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Occupation: Active duty Air Force officer with over
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fourteen years service.
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Academic Experience: Scientific. Chemistry, Biology,
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Botany, mathematics. Baccalaureate degree
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in Geology, University of Cincinnati, 1953.
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Member, Sigma Gamma Epsilon national geology
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honorary fraternity.
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Civilian Experience: Soils technician, The H. C. Nutting
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Company, General Engineering Testing, Cin-
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cinnati, Ohio.
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Air Force Experience: Technical officer. Communications-
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cs operation, maintenance. Radar
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site selection. Project Officer, Minuteman
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System program Office, in charge of develop-
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ment and aquisition of minuteman II Ground
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Electronics System (Launch Control and Sta-
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tus Monitoring System - digital data).
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iii
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---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Page
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ABSTRACT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ii
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PREFACE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
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Chapter
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I. INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
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The Psychology of the Times
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The Antagonists and the Bewildered
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Formalities of the Approach to the Subject
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The Plan
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II. THE POSITION SPECTRUM AND SALIENT CHARACTERISTIC .. 9
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The Ultra Group (Hostile)
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The Ultra Group (Benevolent)
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The Normal Believers
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The Converts
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The Neutrals
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The Non-Believers
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III. THE AIR FORCE AND UFOS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
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Past Performance
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The Current Situation
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IV. THE IMPLICATIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
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Political
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Sociological
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Military
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V. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS . . . . . . . . . 91
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FOOTNOTES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
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APPENDIX A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
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APPENDIX B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
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APPENDIX C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
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APPENDIX D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
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BIBLIOGRAPHY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
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iv
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---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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CHAPTER I
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INTRODUCTION
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The Psychology of the Times
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We have not yet arrived at the point in our culture
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where it is in vogue to believe in flying saucers. On
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the contrary, if one suggests that these machines might
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exist, and that we need to look at the problem objective-
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ly, he frequently meets with a not so subtle change in
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the topic of conversation. Why is this so?
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Within the last twenty years, Man has discovered
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that through his conscious efforts he can improve his
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material lot in marvelous ways. He no longer waits for
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accidental discoveries to take place. Rather, he active-
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ly searches out answers in the physical sciences and con-
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verts these discoveries into tangible and practical materi-
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al things for the good of humanity. The general advance-
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ment of what is known as technology is attributed to
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scientists, to the scientific method, and to the pragma-
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tism of the laboratory. The accomplishments in technolo-
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gy have been so impressive that scientists and things sci-
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entific have assumed an aura almost of infallibility.
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1
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---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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We are living in a pragmatic society. However, one
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detects a curious thing about all this objectivity. There
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has been built up almost a cult of allegiance to, and un-
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questioned confidence in, the scientist of today. the
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high priests are the coldly objective scientists, who
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"prove" truth and falsity in mathematical formulae and
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in laboratory demonstration. Their ability to do this
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in many areas has been quite convincing. This success
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has in large measure been responsible for the commonly
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heard statements, "It's not scientific," or, "Science
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has proven that...etc." Science is looked upon as the
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authority. However, people forget that some of the mis-
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conceptions of mankind have been shared with, or even
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caused by, the scientists of the times. The concept of
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the flat Earth and the concept of the Earth as the cen-
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ter of the universe were concepts commonly held by the
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scientists and people of the times. We today hold dif-
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ferent views about the nature of the Earth. Hopefully
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we are closer to the truth. It must be remembered that
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every succeeding generation has modified the scientific
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"truths" of past generations. No generation should be
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so brash as to think that it has once and for all deter-
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mined the ultimate in scientific truth.
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2
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---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Man continues to be egocentric and arrogant about
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his status in the universe. he has a tendency to be-
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come resentful and confused when he is confronted with
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a problem which he feels may be beyond his capacity.
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Scientists have developed what is known as the scienti-
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fic method. This approach to a problem includes as one
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of its precepts testing of hypotheses. This testing
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places emphasis on demonstrations perceivable to the
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five obvious senses. The scientific community until re-
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cently has looked askance at any attempt to include ad-
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ditional senses to the human inventory. Science has been
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using the five senses as the intellectual base for support-
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ing or refuting hypotheses. the scientific method has been
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sacrosanct. To challenge its adequacy has been heretical.
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Then along came things like psychic phenomena: clair-
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voyance, clairaudience, precognition, apportation, psychic
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surgery. In some scientific circles this must have been
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traumatic. Psychic attributes are not included in the
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five standard senses. Immediately some scientists set
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about to prove that demonstrations of psychic powers were
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either fraudulent or could be explained in terms of the
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five senses. Others refused to discuss the topic at all.
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Some of the open-minded scientists started to do what
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3
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True objectivity demands: investigate, on the assump-
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tion that these powers may in fact exist, and may war-
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rant a change in the established order of things. Out-
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of-hand rejection based on ignorance appears to be more
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human than scientific. These scientists who decided that
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psychic phenomena deserved investigation have been sub-
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jected to the scoffings and ridicule of the "stable"
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scientific community to the extent that much investiga-
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tion has had to be conducted clandestinely and anonymous-
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ly to preserve scientific reputation. Today, investiga-
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tions into psychic phenomena do not carry the paralyz-
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ing stigma of the past, but the existence of psychic
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senses is still not universally accepted.
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The writer's point is that objectivity may be sub-
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ject to various definitions, depending on how closely
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this objectivity conforms to the norms of the times.
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It appears to be much easier to be objective about any
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given "fact" or theory if the "fact" or theory fits neat-
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ly into the body of information currently accepted as
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valid. A "fact" or theory which fits may be taken almost
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as prima facie proof of itself. On the other hand, if
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some piece of information turns up which runs counter to
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current thought, which is unscientific, or which shakes
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the egocentricity of the scientific community or Man
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himself, then that piece of information or theory meets
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4
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---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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with particular non-objecvtivity. man finds it extreme-
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ly difficult to accept or even to objectively investi-
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gate anything which threatens to shatter his emotional
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equanimity or his high regard for himself.
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The Antagonists and the Bewildered
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It is not at all surprising that the UFO debate has
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frequently become charged with emotion. It contains
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within it many of the characteristics of the Earth-as-
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the-center-of-the-universe debate; it is probably viewed
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by some in the scientific community as a threat to their
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reputation of near-omniscience; it carries implications
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of the highest import to Man's status and future. The
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idea of the existence of UFOs ( and the corollary that they
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are operated by intelligent beings who are extraterrestrial)
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is emotionally difficult for Man to contemplate. A large
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section of society probably wishes that the problem would
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go away. The writer feels that, at least subconsciously,
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this wishful thinking has pervaded what is claimed to be
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an objective investigation. Currently the debate is con-
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centrated on what constitutes valid proof and evidence.
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The non-believers insist on physical, "scientific" proof
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and evidence. they are adamant. The believers maintain
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that there is already ample evidence, which should be
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5
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---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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accepted by the non-believers. But among the believers
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are those who have taken up positions so far away from
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the norm that they have earned nothing but the scorn and
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ridicule of the non-believers. These believers have serv-
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ed the non-believers well, because it is in the far out
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literature that monsters, little green men and ray guns
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appear, and the non-believers can point to this litera-
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ture as they make their sweeping statements about the
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mental condition of believers. And so the debate rages.
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Formalities of the Approach to the Subject
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The Problem: To investigate the bases for the op-
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posing positions taken in the existence of extraterrestri-
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al unidentified flying objects in order to determine the
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validity of the predominantly negatively oriented position
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of the U.S. AIr Force.
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The Major Objective: To determine the advisability
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of a modification in the Air Force's public relations
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approach to the subject of UFOs.
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The Specific Objectives:
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- To identify the various camps which are study-
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ing the UFO problem and to characterize their attitudes
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and consider their arguments.
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6
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---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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- To weigh the divergent positions.
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- To assess the political, sociological and
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military implications contained in the UFO
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debate.
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- To analyze the advisability of the current
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Air Force approach to the UFO problem in
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view of the implications.
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Research Limitations: Research will be limited to
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source materials available in the Montgomery, Alabama,
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area, with the possible exception of written or tele-
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phonic contact with Air Force Project Blue Book person-
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nel and special project personnel at the University of
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Colorado.
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|
|||
|
|
Assumptions:
|
|||
|
|
That: -
|
|||
|
|
- The Air Force will not modify its approach
|
|||
|
|
to the problem prior to the completion
|
|||
|
|
of this paper.
|
|||
|
|
- Physical evidence of the type acceptable
|
|||
|
|
to the Air Force will not be re-
|
|||
|
|
ceived prior to the completion of this paper.
|
|||
|
|
- Cognizance over UFO matters will not be
|
|||
|
|
removed from the Department of the Air Force.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
7
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The Plan
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
In succeeding chapters the author will review the
|
|||
|
|
various schools of thought of the believers, will pre-
|
|||
|
|
sent their respective stands, and will present the types
|
|||
|
|
of evidence offered by each school. He will also present
|
|||
|
|
the position of the non-believers and of the U.S. Air
|
|||
|
|
Force. An analysis will be made of the opposing and non-
|
|||
|
|
committal positions, with an attempt to present the salient
|
|||
|
|
points of each position. In the closing chapters, some
|
|||
|
|
of the debate will be explored, and certain conclusions
|
|||
|
|
drawn and recommendations made for consideration by the
|
|||
|
|
Air Force.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
8
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
CHAPTER II
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
THE POSITION SPECTRUM AND
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The Arena
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
In the UFO debate there are many shades of opinion,
|
|||
|
|
from the ultra-liberal to the ultra-conservative, with
|
|||
|
|
a graduation of opinion between these two extremes. As
|
|||
|
|
is usual in a debate with high emotional content, and
|
|||
|
|
on a subject with such profound implications, the most
|
|||
|
|
vociferous are to be found at the extremes, with the
|
|||
|
|
middle ground pleading for objectivity on the one hand
|
|||
|
|
and open-mindedness on the other.
|
|||
|
|
Diagrammatically, the position spectrum might be de-
|
|||
|
|
picted as follows. The diagram indicates the names of
|
|||
|
|
the principal spokesmen for the respective positions.
|
|||
|
|
There is no absolute line of demarcation between the con-
|
|||
|
|
tiguous positions of the believers. However, there are
|
|||
|
|
in each group certain rather clearly identifiable central
|
|||
|
|
traits which do not appear as major traits in the other
|
|||
|
|
groups. These key characteristics have been used by the
|
|||
|
|
author as the basis for the position spectrum.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
9
|
|||
|
|
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The Position Spectrum
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
--------------The Family of Believers--------------- Neutral Non-Beliver
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Ultra group Ultra group Normal Converts
|
|||
|
|
(Hostile) (benevolent) Believers
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Barker,G. Adamsky,G. Aime', M. (USAF) - - - USAF - - - - USAF
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Edwards,F. Bethurum,T. Girvan,W. Hynek,J. Fuller,J. Airman mag.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Kent,M. Fry,G. Hall,R. Ruppelt,E. Jung,C. Menzel,D.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Steiger,R. Leslie,D. Keyhoe,D. Look mag. Project
|
|||
|
|
Blue Book
|
|||
|
|
Williamson,G. Lorenzen,C. Quintanilla Tacker,L.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Skully,F. Simon,B. Von Braun,W.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Vallee,J. Sagan, C.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Young,M. Time mag.
|
|||
|
|
University----University
|
|||
|
|
of of
|
|||
|
|
Colorado Colorado
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Note: Dashes for USAF, Qunintanilla/Project Blue Book and University of
|
|||
|
|
Colorado indicates that the position is either not clear or tends to
|
|||
|
|
vacillate
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
10
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
<<< CUFON Note: original has dashed line between "Qunintanilla" and Project >>>
|
|||
|
|
<<< Blue Book. Original diagram is turned 90 degrees. >>>
|
|||
|
|
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The Family of Believers
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Although there are differences of opinion in some
|
|||
|
|
areas, all groups in the family of believers have cer-
|
|||
|
|
tain characteristics in common. Among these are:
|
|||
|
|
- A belief in the existence of UFOs as extrater-
|
|||
|
|
restrially originating space vehicles controlled by in-
|
|||
|
|
telligent beings.
|
|||
|
|
- Enthusiasm and active attempts through personal
|
|||
|
|
contacts and published material to persuade the popu-
|
|||
|
|
lace that UFOs do exist.
|
|||
|
|
- A general contempt towards the investigative ef-
|
|||
|
|
fort of the USAF and towards its official pronouncements
|
|||
|
|
and findings. This contempt of the USAF effort is the
|
|||
|
|
most important single unifying factor within the camp
|
|||
|
|
of the believers and presents itself to the Air Force
|
|||
|
|
As a common position.
|
|||
|
|
The Ultra Group (Hostile). Although this group is
|
|||
|
|
smaller than the group which believes that space visitors
|
|||
|
|
are benevolent, the members of this group will neverthe-
|
|||
|
|
less be heard. The literature of this group contains
|
|||
|
|
claims of hostile actions by space beings. Hostility
|
|||
|
|
in this context includes instances of death and injury
|
|||
|
|
supposedly related to UFO appearances, abductions, the
|
|||
|
|
appearance of monster-like beings, reconnaissance of
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
11
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
defense installations, harassment of aircraft and auto-
|
|||
|
|
mobiles, power blackouts, imminent invasion of the world
|
|||
|
|
and other happenings which purportedly take place because
|
|||
|
|
of the basic hostility of the space beings towards Man. [1]
|
|||
|
|
It is this group which publishes the sensational, alarmist
|
|||
|
|
material so often seen at the news stands. The emphasis
|
|||
|
|
is on the threat to mankind. It is claimed that the space
|
|||
|
|
beings have mastered space travel and are using this know-
|
|||
|
|
ledge to menace the Earth. the inference is that the space
|
|||
|
|
beings are sub-humans who are morally and spiritually de-
|
|||
|
|
generate.
|
|||
|
|
Usually the books of this group are of the paperback
|
|||
|
|
type and deal with only one or two alleged incidents of
|
|||
|
|
hostile action on the part of space beings. the writing
|
|||
|
|
is usually not of the highest caliber, and the depth of
|
|||
|
|
thought and of analysis leaves much to be desired. In
|
|||
|
|
addition, care is usually taken by the authors to conceal
|
|||
|
|
the identity of the person or persons involved. [2] This
|
|||
|
|
prevents any reader from pursuing independent investiga-
|
|||
|
|
tion. While this prevents a reader from confirming the
|
|||
|
|
story, it likewise protects the author from exposure. Be-
|
|||
|
|
cause of the sensationalism, the concealment of the identi-
|
|||
|
|
ty of the principals involved, the shallow treatment of the
|
|||
|
|
subject and the general alarmist approach, the credibili-
|
|||
|
|
ty and qualifications of the authors is subject to question.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
12
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
One suspects commercial motives in the bulk of this type
|
|||
|
|
of literature
|
|||
|
|
Nevertheless, one does find a few works which are
|
|||
|
|
serious attempts to warn of the malevolent nature of at
|
|||
|
|
least some of the space beings. [3] In any serious investi-
|
|||
|
|
gation of a problem all factors and approaches should be
|
|||
|
|
considered. For this reason, claims of hostile actions
|
|||
|
|
must be considered and not rejected out of hand.
|
|||
|
|
What are hostile actions/ For the purpose of this
|
|||
|
|
paper, hostile actions are defined as actions which re-
|
|||
|
|
sult in the death or injury of human beings and actions
|
|||
|
|
which disrupt the normal flow of human activity in a
|
|||
|
|
manner antagonistic to human interests. There are in
|
|||
|
|
the literature many examples of hostile actions on the
|
|||
|
|
part of space beings: death of two South AMerican tech-
|
|||
|
|
nologists, [4] death of Capt. Mantell (USAF), [5] disappear-
|
|||
|
|
ance of U.S. aircraft, [6] injury to a scout master in
|
|||
|
|
Florida, [7] abduction of a South American farmer, [8] abduc-
|
|||
|
|
tion of Mr. and Mrs. Barney Hill, [9] the appearance of a
|
|||
|
|
monster-like being in Virginia, [10] reconnaissance of de-
|
|||
|
|
fense installations, [11] harassment of aircraft and auto-
|
|||
|
|
mobiles, [12] power blackouts [13] and actions which purported-
|
|||
|
|
ly indicate preparations for an invasion of the Earth. [14]
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
13
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
members of the group claiming hostility on the part
|
|||
|
|
of space beings take the ominous approach. In addition
|
|||
|
|
to citing examples of distasteful contact with space
|
|||
|
|
beings, they also claim suppressive actions on the part
|
|||
|
|
of mysterious representatives of space societies, and
|
|||
|
|
even threatening visits by individuals who, in the opin-
|
|||
|
|
ion of the visitee, represent such agencies as the CIA,
|
|||
|
|
FBI and clandestine US government agencies. [15] It is
|
|||
|
|
claimed that these visitors issue threats to UFO investi-
|
|||
|
|
gators to terminate their investigations immediately.
|
|||
|
|
It is claimed that the reason for such government interven-
|
|||
|
|
tion is that the implications in the existence of extra-
|
|||
|
|
terrestrial beings are so serious that the government
|
|||
|
|
does not want their existence proved to the public. [16]
|
|||
|
|
The subject of implications is treated in chapter IV of
|
|||
|
|
this paper. Suffice it to say at this point that the
|
|||
|
|
implications are serious enough that the rationale for
|
|||
|
|
suppression is not altogether unreasonable.
|
|||
|
|
Those who claim hostile intent share the burden of proof is
|
|||
|
|
upon them. As with the other camps, the hostile group
|
|||
|
|
has no convincing hardware-type evidence. The evidence
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
14
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
is circumstantial. Conclusions are drawn from the frame
|
|||
|
|
of reference of the observer. For example, if an indi-
|
|||
|
|
vidual suffers temporary paralysis caused by some action
|
|||
|
|
on the part of a space being, he, as a human being , may
|
|||
|
|
consider this to be undesirable and a hostile act. This
|
|||
|
|
is a subjective conclusion drawn from an act which in it-
|
|||
|
|
self contains no malevolent or benevolent connotation.
|
|||
|
|
In this example, consider that paralysis may likewise be
|
|||
|
|
a beneficial condition to prevent death or injury to the
|
|||
|
|
observer by keeping him a safe distance from harm. The
|
|||
|
|
same rationale can be used for the death, injury, abduc-
|
|||
|
|
tion and reconnaissance incidents cited in the literature.
|
|||
|
|
these acts could be considered benevolent or neutral in
|
|||
|
|
intent as well as malevolent. For this reason, the author
|
|||
|
|
has found that hostile type literature is more interesting
|
|||
|
|
from the standpoint of description of the incident than
|
|||
|
|
from the conclusions drawn. The account of the abduction
|
|||
|
|
of Mr. and Mrs. Barney Hill is one of the most compelling
|
|||
|
|
report in the literature and is highly recommended to in-
|
|||
|
|
terested readers. [17] While such an abduction would admit-
|
|||
|
|
tedly be very unnerving to the abducted, the incident
|
|||
|
|
caused no harm, if one can discount the possible long term
|
|||
|
|
psychological effect of the experience on the Hills.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
15
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
In summary, the proponents of hostility tend towards
|
|||
|
|
sensationalism, address only specific cases without re-
|
|||
|
|
gard to the general context, are rather superficial in
|
|||
|
|
their treatment, may conceal the identity od the prin-
|
|||
|
|
cipals and draw conclusions concerning intent which do
|
|||
|
|
not necessarily follow from the incidents. On the other
|
|||
|
|
hand, some of the points made worthy of consideration,
|
|||
|
|
especially those which relate to implications.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The Ultra Group (Benevolent). this group is charac-
|
|||
|
|
terized by claims of periodic personal contact with saucer
|
|||
|
|
beings, trips in flying saucers to other planets, tours
|
|||
|
|
of exotic cities on other planets and discussions with
|
|||
|
|
extraterrestrial beings concerning their way of life, at-
|
|||
|
|
titudes, philosophies and reasons for contact with the
|
|||
|
|
Earth. As a general rule, the extraterrestrial beings
|
|||
|
|
described by this group are similar to Man in physical
|
|||
|
|
characteristics, but of much higher order of intelli-
|
|||
|
|
gence. The space beings are technologically, morally,
|
|||
|
|
and spiritually for advanced and either directly or through
|
|||
|
|
implication attempt to allow Man that he, too, can attain
|
|||
|
|
this higher degree of development. The space beings are
|
|||
|
|
benevolent and urge the spiritual approach to life. [18] They
|
|||
|
|
have a fraternal attitude towards Man. Their visits to
|
|||
|
|
Earth occur either as a part of programmed visits to
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
16
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
various parts of space for educational or recreational
|
|||
|
|
purposes or specifically for the purpose of enlighten-
|
|||
|
|
ing Man. In addition, there is some concern with Man's
|
|||
|
|
experimentation with nuclear energy, since atmospheric
|
|||
|
|
detonations modify the lines of magnetic force around
|
|||
|
|
the Earth sufficiently to cause an imbalance of the mag-
|
|||
|
|
netic relationships within the solar system. [19] this dis-
|
|||
|
|
turbs the space beings for at least four reasons: They
|
|||
|
|
use magnetic forces for power for their space ships; [20]
|
|||
|
|
they use magnetic lines of force for navigation; [21] they
|
|||
|
|
do not want to see the planet Earth significantly altered,
|
|||
|
|
since this would cause an imbalance within the solar sys-
|
|||
|
|
tem; and they feel that Man has within himself the poten-
|
|||
|
|
tial for spiritual development, which would suffer re-
|
|||
|
|
gression in the event of world nuclear suicide. [22] So,
|
|||
|
|
the interest of the space beings in humanity is one of
|
|||
|
|
self interest in addition to the more compelling desire
|
|||
|
|
to see Man advance spiritually. It is claimed that through-
|
|||
|
|
out the history of Man the space beings have taken an
|
|||
|
|
interest in the spiritual development of Man. [23] Propo-
|
|||
|
|
nents of the benevolent approach cite many cases of con-
|
|||
|
|
tact between Man and the space beings throughout history.
|
|||
|
|
Classic examples of such contacts, supposedly not proper-
|
|||
|
|
ly recognized, are the miracle at Fatima [24] and Ezekiel and
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
17
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
the wheel. [25] The cloud by day and fire by night which
|
|||
|
|
guided Moses on his journey out of Egypt is also claimed
|
|||
|
|
to have been a space ship. [26]
|
|||
|
|
the general approach of the benevolent space beings
|
|||
|
|
is to discuss problems of humanity in very broad terms.
|
|||
|
|
Concepts of love for fellow man, cooperation, pursuit
|
|||
|
|
of things spiritual, a downgrading of material wealth....
|
|||
|
|
all these topics are discussed by the space beings with
|
|||
|
|
select Earth beings. The message is that Man's value
|
|||
|
|
system is in error and that pursuit of his present way
|
|||
|
|
of life is contrary to the universal plan nd prejudi-
|
|||
|
|
cial to Man's further spiritual enlightenment. Mastery
|
|||
|
|
od space travel, telepathic communication, reception and
|
|||
|
|
display of images three-dimensionally and in color as
|
|||
|
|
exact reproductions of the original, electromagnetic
|
|||
|
|
transmission or power....all these technologies and abi-
|
|||
|
|
lities are presented as only natural consequences of high-
|
|||
|
|
er spiritual development. [27] It is pointed out that Man
|
|||
|
|
does not yet recognize that relationship which exists be-
|
|||
|
|
tween the spiritual and the material and therefore strug-
|
|||
|
|
gles along in his feeble efforts to advance his technolo-
|
|||
|
|
gy without truly understanding what he is doing. The
|
|||
|
|
point is made that Man will continue to ponder the "whys"
|
|||
|
|
in his scientific investigations until he has reached the
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
18
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
point in his spiritual development where he will be able
|
|||
|
|
to comprehend the interrelationship between the spiritual
|
|||
|
|
and the material, and be able to use this understanding
|
|||
|
|
to further his interests, which he will recognize as spiri-
|
|||
|
|
tual.
|
|||
|
|
Although the emphasis is on the spiritual shortcomings
|
|||
|
|
of Man, as a matter of course during these discussions the
|
|||
|
|
Earth contactee is treated to tours of space vehicles and
|
|||
|
|
contacts with space beings. [28] the space people are usual-
|
|||
|
|
ly described as being similar to Man in stature, facial
|
|||
|
|
features, skeletal structure, etc., but of superior intel-
|
|||
|
|
ligence and ethical development....soft spoken, kind,
|
|||
|
|
gentile, polite and with a radiance which comes from super-
|
|||
|
|
ior spiritual development.
|
|||
|
|
The most convincing writers in this group present
|
|||
|
|
comprehensive, lucid, logical, literate writings in the
|
|||
|
|
highest ethical tradition. Students of philosophy,
|
|||
|
|
world religions, occult sciences and the Bible will find
|
|||
|
|
that the purported statements if the space beings are in
|
|||
|
|
consonance with the major religious beliefs of Man. Ac-
|
|||
|
|
cording to authors of this group, the space beings have
|
|||
|
|
long ago recognized the universal truths scattered through-
|
|||
|
|
out all Earth religions and have been able to synthesize
|
|||
|
|
these truths into an ethic which they live in their daily
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
19
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
lives. This recognition of and adherence to the Truth
|
|||
|
|
gives the space beings individual powers which we consider
|
|||
|
|
supernatural, but which they claim derive as a natural
|
|||
|
|
result of spiritual development.
|
|||
|
|
Here again, the evidence presented by this group is
|
|||
|
|
not physical. That is, they do not present pieces of
|
|||
|
|
apace ships or other tangible items. They ask us to be-
|
|||
|
|
lieve their accounts on face value because the contacts
|
|||
|
|
did in fact occur as written. In some cases the author
|
|||
|
|
presents affidavits warranting the truth of the story or
|
|||
|
|
has signed statements by the witnesses. [29] Affidavits not-
|
|||
|
|
withstanding, many in contemporary society will find the
|
|||
|
|
spiritual approach to be too rarified to accept and will
|
|||
|
|
continue to insist on physical evidence as the only accept-
|
|||
|
|
able scientific proof.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The Normal Believers. The author has included the
|
|||
|
|
word "normal" in identifying this group because its member-
|
|||
|
|
ship is composed of individuals who would be considered
|
|||
|
|
rational human beings, as opposed to cult-oriented, by
|
|||
|
|
the uninitiated. The Normal Believers are, nevertheless,
|
|||
|
|
believers. As such, they still are targets for the non-
|
|||
|
|
believers, but are not subjected to the intensely sarcas-
|
|||
|
|
tic criticism reserved for the Ultra Believers. The Normal
|
|||
|
|
Believers are convinced that UFOs exist and urge a serious,
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
20
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
methodical approach to investigating UFO incidents.
|
|||
|
|
In addition, they feel that some attempt should be made
|
|||
|
|
to understand the extraterrestrials: to try to determine
|
|||
|
|
the reasons for their Earth visits.
|
|||
|
|
This group takes an approach acceptable to modern
|
|||
|
|
society. That is, their approach is pragmatic, practi-
|
|||
|
|
cal and in consonance with the scientific method. It is
|
|||
|
|
this group which shows an objective approach to the prob-
|
|||
|
|
lem while at the same time vigorously urging a serious
|
|||
|
|
investigation into the UFO phenomenon.
|
|||
|
|
The emphasis in this group is on establishing for the
|
|||
|
|
populace that UFOs do exist. the interest of this group
|
|||
|
|
is in feasibility, technology and the establishment of
|
|||
|
|
motive or intent. Their general approach is documentation
|
|||
|
|
of sightings, description of incidents, establishment of
|
|||
|
|
witness credibility and sincere requests for a thorough
|
|||
|
|
and methodical investigation.
|
|||
|
|
The National Investigations Committee on Aerial Pheno-
|
|||
|
|
mena (NICAP) is the single best representative organization
|
|||
|
|
for this group. It consists of respected and "normal"
|
|||
|
|
members of society who are specialists in fields such as
|
|||
|
|
the physical sciences, the humanities, psychology, etc.
|
|||
|
|
In addition to members and consultants in the Washington,
|
|||
|
|
D.C. area, the location of the home office, NICAP has
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
21
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
qualified regional representatives who are on call to
|
|||
|
|
respond to reports of sightings in their respective
|
|||
|
|
geographical areas. Reports of sightings are investi-
|
|||
|
|
gated promptly and documented much in the same format
|
|||
|
|
as is recommended by the Air Force. [30] The NICAP report,
|
|||
|
|
"The UFO Evidence," is an excellent example of the object-
|
|||
|
|
ive, thorough approach of NICAP. The report consists
|
|||
|
|
of complete reports of sightings: diagrams of space ve-
|
|||
|
|
hicles as sighted, statements on color, size, shape,
|
|||
|
|
maneuvers, direction of movement, etc. Most impressive
|
|||
|
|
are the paragraphs on witnesses. NICAP has collected
|
|||
|
|
sightings from diverse individuals whose testimony can-
|
|||
|
|
not be lightly dismissed. reports come from airline
|
|||
|
|
pilots, technical people and a host of other men, women
|
|||
|
|
and children, either as individual or group witnesses
|
|||
|
|
to sightings. many sighting reports come from indivi-
|
|||
|
|
duals who were skeptics prior to their personal involve-
|
|||
|
|
ment in a sighting. NICAP is thoroughly convincing in
|
|||
|
|
pointing out that UFO sightingg do not only come from
|
|||
|
|
UFO cultists, but come from random sources and from people
|
|||
|
|
of various educational levels and occupations. In one
|
|||
|
|
section of the report there is a table showing compari-
|
|||
|
|
sons of UFO shapes, size, color, maneuvers, etc. The
|
|||
|
|
reader is immediately struck with the consistency in
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
22
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
characteristics which is apparent among re-
|
|||
|
|
ported at different locations and at different periods
|
|||
|
|
of time by different witnesses. However, these consis-
|
|||
|
|
tencies are apparent not only within the NICAP report
|
|||
|
|
but appear throughout the literature, whether the UFO
|
|||
|
|
is supposedly benevolent, malevolent or neutral. (Ap-
|
|||
|
|
pendix A to this paper describes those characteristics
|
|||
|
|
of UFO sightings most commonly reported throughout the
|
|||
|
|
literature.)
|
|||
|
|
The Aerial Phenomena Research Organization (APRO)
|
|||
|
|
is another organization which uses a "rational" approach,
|
|||
|
|
but organizational discipline appears not to be as re-
|
|||
|
|
fined as NICAP's. Hover, in addition to being rela-
|
|||
|
|
tively objective, the APRO periodical publication enables
|
|||
|
|
a reader to learn of recent sightings in the world short-
|
|||
|
|
ly after they are reported to APRO. [31]
|
|||
|
|
lest it be assumed that the Normal Believers are all
|
|||
|
|
members of one or the other of the above cited organiza-
|
|||
|
|
tions, the author offers the following examples of the
|
|||
|
|
types of statements which come from independent techni-
|
|||
|
|
cal people:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
- Dr. Herman Oberth, noted German rocket expert:
|
|||
|
|
These objects are conceived and directed by intel-
|
|||
|
|
ligent beings of a very high order. They probably
|
|||
|
|
do not originate in our solar system, perhaps not
|
|||
|
|
even in our galaxy. [32]
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
23
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
- Dr. James E. MacDonald, professor of meteorology at
|
|||
|
|
the University of Arizona and senior physicist at the
|
|||
|
|
Institute of Atmospheric Physics in Tucson:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(UFOs) are probably extraterrestrial vehicles
|
|||
|
|
engaged in something of the nature of a recon-
|
|||
|
|
naissance operation. (This conclusion is) the
|
|||
|
|
least unsatisfactory hypothesis for accounting
|
|||
|
|
for the fascinating array of UFO phenomena that
|
|||
|
|
are now on record. [33]
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
- from the noted psychoanalyst, Dr. Carl Jung, after
|
|||
|
|
he tried to explain UFOs as a psychic manifestation:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Unfortunately, however, there are good reasons
|
|||
|
|
why the UFOs cannot be disposed of in this simple
|
|||
|
|
manner. It remains an established fact, supported
|
|||
|
|
by numerous observation, that UFOs have not only
|
|||
|
|
been seen visually but have also been picked up
|
|||
|
|
on the radar screen and have left traces on the
|
|||
|
|
photographic plate. It boils down to nothing less
|
|||
|
|
than this: that either psychic projections throw
|
|||
|
|
back a radar echo, or else the appearance of real
|
|||
|
|
objects affords an opportunity for mythological
|
|||
|
|
projections. [34]
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
- Dr. Leo Sprinkle, professor of psychology at the
|
|||
|
|
University of Wyoming, after having seen "something in
|
|||
|
|
the sky, round and metallic looking:"
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
"...from a personal viewpoint, I am pretty well
|
|||
|
|
convinced that we are being surveyed." [35]
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Perhaps the key characteristic of the Normal Believers
|
|||
|
|
is their belief that the whole issue of the existence of
|
|||
|
|
UFOs is being suppressed by the Air Force. this allega-
|
|||
|
|
tion is dealt with more fully in Chapter III. There are
|
|||
|
|
various reasons given for this alleged suppression, but
|
|||
|
|
the most popular are the impotence of NORAD against UFOs
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
24
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
and orders given to the Air Force to debunk UFOs to
|
|||
|
|
prevent mass hysteria among the populace. [36] The Normal
|
|||
|
|
Believers argue that to ignore a reality is to take an
|
|||
|
|
ostrich-like approach to the problem, and furthermore,
|
|||
|
|
the populace would be able to cope woth the realization
|
|||
|
|
that UFOs exist without hysteria. It is claimed that
|
|||
|
|
the Ir Force knows UFOs exist, protestations to the
|
|||
|
|
contrary notwithstanding. SO, the Normal Believers
|
|||
|
|
persist in their efforts to establish the existence of
|
|||
|
|
UFOs. That a congressional hearing on UFOs took place
|
|||
|
|
in 1966 largely because of the pressures of this group
|
|||
|
|
attests to its influence. [37]
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The Converts. Those who have been neutrals, skeptics
|
|||
|
|
or outright non-believers but who have eventually sided
|
|||
|
|
with the Believers have been placed in this category.
|
|||
|
|
This group, although relatively small, contains indivi-
|
|||
|
|
duals who speak persuasively, its members having been
|
|||
|
|
at one time in the neutral or negative camp. In addi-
|
|||
|
|
tion, the top level converts have been, or are present-
|
|||
|
|
ly, officially connected with the U.S. Air Force inves-
|
|||
|
|
tigation of UFOs.
|
|||
|
|
The author places in this category Edward J. Ruppelt
|
|||
|
|
(formerly Capt. Ruppelt, chief of Project Blue Book,
|
|||
|
|
1951-1953), and Dr. J. Allen Hynek, (director of Dearborn
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
25
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
Observatory, director of the Lindheimer Astronomical
|
|||
|
|
Research Center, Chairman of Department of Astronomy
|
|||
|
|
at Northwestern University and consultant to the USAF on
|
|||
|
|
the UFO problem since 1948.) ____ of the understandable
|
|||
|
|
characteristics of this group is the tendency to issue
|
|||
|
|
ambiguous or ambivalent public statements on the sub-
|
|||
|
|
ject of UFOs which st__ _____ t the speaker to
|
|||
|
|
maneuver in response to diverse external pressures.
|
|||
|
|
Their official and public relationship to the Air Force
|
|||
|
|
investigation most likely causes these investigators to
|
|||
|
|
assume this relatively safe, non-commital, fence-sit-
|
|||
|
|
ting position. However, the difference between the pub-
|
|||
|
|
lic position and the private position can be rather easi-
|
|||
|
|
ly detected by the serious researcher.
|
|||
|
|
Let us look at a few of the statements of Captain
|
|||
|
|
Ruppelt and Dr. Hynek as exemplifying this sometimes
|
|||
|
|
subtle shift from non-belief or skepticism to belief.
|
|||
|
|
Capt. Ruppelt (deceased) was the chief of the Air Force's
|
|||
|
|
Project Blue Book, the project charged with the resonsi-
|
|||
|
|
bility for investigating UFO reports, from 1951 until 1953.
|
|||
|
|
During the course of his tenure in this position, he and
|
|||
|
|
his staff studied over 4500 reports of UFOs. All reports
|
|||
|
|
were subjected to military intelligence analysis proce-
|
|||
|
|
dures. they were analyzed through consultations with
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
26
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
astronomers, physicists, aerodynamic engineers and
|
|||
|
|
psychologists in the course of the Air Force investiga-
|
|||
|
|
tions. [38] After his release from the Air Force, Captain
|
|||
|
|
Ruppelt wrote a now famous book about these investiga-
|
|||
|
|
tions entitled "The Report on Unidentified Flying Objects." [39]
|
|||
|
|
The following statements by Capt. Ruppelt appear in
|
|||
|
|
the Book.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
I know the full story about flying saucers and
|
|||
|
|
I know it has never before been told... [40]
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Personally, I don't believe that "It can't be."
|
|||
|
|
I wouldn't class myself as a "believer" exactly,
|
|||
|
|
because I've seen too many UFO reports that first
|
|||
|
|
appeared to be unexplainable fall to pieces when
|
|||
|
|
they were thoroughly investigated. But every time
|
|||
|
|
I begin to get skeptical I think of the other re-
|
|||
|
|
ports, the many report made by experienced pilots
|
|||
|
|
and radar operators, scientists, and other people
|
|||
|
|
who knew what they are looking at. These reports
|
|||
|
|
were thoroughly investigated and they are still
|
|||
|
|
unknowns. Of these reports, the radar-visual
|
|||
|
|
sightings are the most convincing. When a ground
|
|||
|
|
radar picks up a UFO target and a ground obser-
|
|||
|
|
ver sees a light where the radar target is loca-
|
|||
|
|
ted, then a jet interceptor is scrambled at inter-
|
|||
|
|
cept the UFO and the pilot also sees the light
|
|||
|
|
and gets a radar lock on only to have the UFO
|
|||
|
|
almost impudently outdistance him, there is no
|
|||
|
|
simple answer. We have no aircraft on this earth
|
|||
|
|
that can at will so handily outdistance our
|
|||
|
|
latest jets. [41]
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
What constitutes proof? Does a UFO have to land
|
|||
|
|
at the River Entrance to the Pentagon near the
|
|||
|
|
Joint Chiefs of Staff offices? Or is it proof
|
|||
|
|
when a ground radar station detects a UFO, sends
|
|||
|
|
a jet to intercept it, the jet pilot sees it, and
|
|||
|
|
locks on with his radar, only to have the UFO
|
|||
|
|
streak away at a phenomenal speed? Is it proof
|
|||
|
|
when a jet pilot fires at a UFO and sticks to his
|
|||
|
|
story even under the threat of Court Marshal? Does
|
|||
|
|
this constitute proof? [42]
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
27
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
Maybe the final proven answer will be that
|
|||
|
|
all of the UFOs that have been reported are
|
|||
|
|
merely misidentified known objects. Or may-
|
|||
|
|
be the pilots, radar specialists, gene-
|
|||
|
|
rals, industrialists, scientists, and the man
|
|||
|
|
on the street who have told me, "I wouldn't
|
|||
|
|
have believed it either if I hadn't seen it
|
|||
|
|
myself," knew what they were talking about.
|
|||
|
|
maybe the Earth is being visited by inter-
|
|||
|
|
planetary space ships. [43]
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The reader asks himself, "What does Capt. Ruppelt,
|
|||
|
|
the former chief of Project Blue Book, really think about
|
|||
|
|
the reality or non-reality of the existence of UFOs"
|
|||
|
|
This writer suggests that Ruppelt's personal beliefs
|
|||
|
|
are rather thinly disguised, if at all.
|
|||
|
|
Dr. Hynek, the present consultant to the Air Force
|
|||
|
|
in UFO matters, makes statements similar in approach
|
|||
|
|
to Ruppelt's. The following are examples. For the
|
|||
|
|
congressional record, Dr. Hynek made the following
|
|||
|
|
statement:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
During this entire period of nearly twenty
|
|||
|
|
years I have attempted to remain as open-
|
|||
|
|
minded in this subject as circumstances per-
|
|||
|
|
mitted, this despite the fact that the whole
|
|||
|
|
subject seemed utterly ridiculous, and many
|
|||
|
|
of us firmly believed that, like some fad or
|
|||
|
|
craze, it would subside in a matter of months. [44]
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
In a well known magazine, Dr. Hynek made this statement:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
In 1948, I was asked by the U.S. Air Force
|
|||
|
|
to serve as a scientific consultant on the
|
|||
|
|
increasing number of reports of strange
|
|||
|
|
lights in the sky. I was then Director of
|
|||
|
|
the Astronomical Observatory of Ohio State
|
|||
|
|
University, and am now the Chairman of the
|
|||
|
|
Astronomy Department at Northwestern. I had
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
28
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
scarcely heard of UFOs in 1948 and, like
|
|||
|
|
every other scientist I knew, assumed
|
|||
|
|
that they were nonsense. [45]
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Hynek's early skepticism and caution is further reveal-
|
|||
|
|
ed in this statement:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
It has come to my attention rather force-
|
|||
|
|
ably through correspondence and personal
|
|||
|
|
contact, that many of my colleagues in
|
|||
|
|
various fields are more than just a little
|
|||
|
|
interested in the "natives", although they
|
|||
|
|
might well disclaim this interest if chal-
|
|||
|
|
lenged. I certainly would not have expres-
|
|||
|
|
sed openly any such interest had I not been
|
|||
|
|
asked to do so officially many years ago,
|
|||
|
|
first under Project Sign and later under
|
|||
|
|
Project Blue Book. [46]
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The shift from skepticism to cautious urging that the
|
|||
|
|
subject of UFOs be taken seriously can be seen in the
|
|||
|
|
following statements:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Despite the seeming inanity of the subject,
|
|||
|
|
I felt that I would be derelict in my scien-
|
|||
|
|
tific responsibility to the Air Force if I
|
|||
|
|
did not point out that the whole UFO pheno-
|
|||
|
|
menon might have aspects to it worthy of
|
|||
|
|
scientific attention. [47]
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
All of this increased my own concern and
|
|||
|
|
sense of persona; responsibility,. and moti-
|
|||
|
|
vated me to urge the initiation of a meaning-
|
|||
|
|
ful scientific investigation of the UFO pheno-
|
|||
|
|
menon be physical and social scientists. I
|
|||
|
|
had guardedly raised this suggestion in the
|
|||
|
|
past and at various official hearings, but
|
|||
|
|
with little success. UFO was a term that
|
|||
|
|
called forth buffoonery and caustic
|
|||
|
|
banter precisely because scientists paid no
|
|||
|
|
attention to the raw data - the reports them-
|
|||
|
|
selves. [48]
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
29
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
Still, on the average, if several pilots
|
|||
|
|
and/or poicemen concur on the main points
|
|||
|
|
of the story, particularly if the duration
|
|||
|
|
of their experience was long enough (a mat-
|
|||
|
|
ter of minutes rather than seconds) to have
|
|||
|
|
brought their judgement into play, it is
|
|||
|
|
difficult to brush aside their seemingly
|
|||
|
|
hardheaded testimony. And when one gets
|
|||
|
|
reports from scientists, engineers and tech-
|
|||
|
|
nicians whose credibility by all common
|
|||
|
|
standards is high and whose moral caliber
|
|||
|
|
seems to preclude a hoax, one can do no less
|
|||
|
|
than hear them out, in all seriousness. [49]
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
As a scientist, I must be mindful of the
|
|||
|
|
lessons of the past; all too often it has
|
|||
|
|
happened that matters of great value to
|
|||
|
|
science were overlooked because the new
|
|||
|
|
phenomenon simply did not fit the accepted
|
|||
|
|
scientific outlook of the time. [50]
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
I cannot dismiss the UFO phenomenon with a
|
|||
|
|
shrug. I have begun to feel that there is
|
|||
|
|
a tendency in 20th Century science to for-
|
|||
|
|
get that there will be a 21st Century science,
|
|||
|
|
and indeed a 30th Century science, from which
|
|||
|
|
vantage points our knowledge of the universe
|
|||
|
|
may appear quite different than it does to us.
|
|||
|
|
We suffer, perhaps, from temporal provincial-
|
|||
|
|
ism, a form of arrogance that has always ir-
|
|||
|
|
ritated posterity. [51]
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Referring to a methodical investigatiuon which he proposes,
|
|||
|
|
Dr. Hynek says the following:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Admittedly, I will be surprised if an intensive,
|
|||
|
|
year long study yields nothing. To the contrary,
|
|||
|
|
I think thatr mankind may be in for the greatest
|
|||
|
|
adventure since dawning human intelligence turned
|
|||
|
|
outward to contemplate the universe. [52]
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
This writer feels that the foregoing statements need no
|
|||
|
|
commentary. It is to be remembered that the statements
|
|||
|
|
come from a man who has been officially connected with
|
|||
|
|
the UFO problem since 1948 and has been privy to most,
|
|||
|
|
if at all, of the data officially reported, in addition
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
30
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
to having been personally involved in many of the
|
|||
|
|
investigations.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The Neutrals. This group consists of that segment
|
|||
|
|
of the population which has no opinion in the UFO de-
|
|||
|
|
bate, either through personal choice or because of pro-
|
|||
|
|
fessional constraint. Within this large group are con-
|
|||
|
|
tained the astronomers, biologists and other scientists
|
|||
|
|
who speak of the possibility of intelligent life else-
|
|||
|
|
whe5re in the universe, but who are non-committal about
|
|||
|
|
the existence of UFOs. The U.S. Air Force is a member
|
|||
|
|
of the neutral group, at least officially. the Air
|
|||
|
|
Force position is a perplexing one. Al;though the Air
|
|||
|
|
Force has attempted to show officaial neutrality and
|
|||
|
|
objectivity in the UFO debate, it has in reality vacil-
|
|||
|
|
lateed between belief and non-belief, all the while try-
|
|||
|
|
ing to give the impression of neutrality. A reader of
|
|||
|
|
official Air Force pronouncements is left with the prob-
|
|||
|
|
lem of determining for himself what the position is, if
|
|||
|
|
in fact there is a position, since he may read official
|
|||
|
|
Air Force statements which are pro-UFO, neutral, and
|
|||
|
|
anti-UFO. This problem will be discussed at length in
|
|||
|
|
Chapter III of this paper.
|
|||
|
|
Of interest are the statements made by various mem-
|
|||
|
|
bers of the sceintific community relative to the possibi-
|
|||
|
|
lity of the existence of life elsewhere in the universe.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
31
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
It is acknowledged that it would not necessarily fol-
|
|||
|
|
low that UFOs exist as vehicles controlled by some extra-
|
|||
|
|
terrestrial intelligence even if it could be proven that
|
|||
|
|
life does in fact exist elsewhere. However, it appears
|
|||
|
|
that the UFO believers would derive a certain degree of
|
|||
|
|
support and the positive UFO position would gain increased
|
|||
|
|
credibility if it could be demonstrated that life exists
|
|||
|
|
elsewhere, since it is assumed that "intelligence" pre-
|
|||
|
|
sumes some type of living form.
|
|||
|
|
Dr. Carl Sagan (Department of Astronomy, Harvard
|
|||
|
|
University; Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory,
|
|||
|
|
Cambridge, Massachusetts; and advisor to the armed
|
|||
|
|
services on extraterrestrial life) has this to say:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
It now seems quite clear that Earth is not the
|
|||
|
|
only inhabited planet. there is evidence that
|
|||
|
|
the bulk of the stars in the sky have planbetary
|
|||
|
|
systems. recent research concerning the origin
|
|||
|
|
of life on Earth suggests that the physical and
|
|||
|
|
chemical processes leading to the origin of life
|
|||
|
|
occur rapidly in the early history of the major-
|
|||
|
|
ity of planets. The selective value of intelli-
|
|||
|
|
gence and technical civilization is obvious, and
|
|||
|
|
it seems likely that a large number of planets
|
|||
|
|
within our Milky Way galaxy - - perhaps as many
|
|||
|
|
as a million - - are inhabited by technical civi-
|
|||
|
|
lizations in advance of our own. Interstellar
|
|||
|
|
space flight is far beyond our present technical
|
|||
|
|
capabilities, but there seems to be no fundamen-
|
|||
|
|
tal physical objections to preclude, from our own van-
|
|||
|
|
tage point, the possibility of its deveopment
|
|||
|
|
by other civilizations. [53]
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
In 1962, in an address to the convention of the American
|
|||
|
|
Rocket Society in Los Angeles, Dr. Carl Sagan said that mankind
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
32
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
must be preapared to face the possibility that the Earth
|
|||
|
|
has already been visited by intelligent beings from
|
|||
|
|
elsewhere in the universe, and that they have, or have
|
|||
|
|
had, bases on the far side of the moon. [54]
|
|||
|
|
Another astronomer, Dr. Jesse Greenstein, staff
|
|||
|
|
member of Mount Wilson and Palomar observatories and
|
|||
|
|
professor of astrophysics at the California Institute
|
|||
|
|
of Technology says:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Fascinating problems of the future will be
|
|||
|
|
concerned with life and intelligence on other
|
|||
|
|
worlds beyond the realm of physical science.
|
|||
|
|
We must try to understand things much more
|
|||
|
|
difficult than the universe, such as future
|
|||
|
|
discoveries of life and intelligence somewhere
|
|||
|
|
out there. [55]
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Certain competent lay members of society will also
|
|||
|
|
be heard. One such individual is John G. Fuller, a
|
|||
|
|
journalist recently turned free-lance UFO investigator,
|
|||
|
|
and the author of "Incident at Exeter" [56] and "The Inter-
|
|||
|
|
upted Journey." [57] Both these works are examples of
|
|||
|
|
objective reportage. Mr. Fuller has added significant-
|
|||
|
|
ly to the UFO literature with his moderate approach.
|
|||
|
|
In "Incident at Exeter" Mr. Fuller very carefully
|
|||
|
|
documents the sighting at Exeter, New Hampshire, in
|
|||
|
|
September 1965. The documentation is exhaustive, con-
|
|||
|
|
taining numerous interviews with people who were wit-
|
|||
|
|
nesses to the sighting, containing a detailed explanation
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
33
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
of the approach taken by Mr. Fuller, and containing a
|
|||
|
|
detailed discussion of the many factors and situations
|
|||
|
|
surrounding that particular sighting. Incidentally,
|
|||
|
|
Mr. Fuller quotes Frank B. Salisbury, of the Department
|
|||
|
|
of Botany and Plant Pathology of Colorado State Univer-
|
|||
|
|
sity, as having said:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
I must admit that any favorable mention of
|
|||
|
|
the flying saucers by a scientist amounts
|
|||
|
|
to extreme heresay and places the one making
|
|||
|
|
the statement in danger of excommunication
|
|||
|
|
by the scientific theocracy. Nevertheless,
|
|||
|
|
in recent years I have investigated the story
|
|||
|
|
of the unidentified flying object (UFO), and
|
|||
|
|
I am no longer able to dismiss the idea light-
|
|||
|
|
ly. [58]
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Although Mr. Fuller does not specifically state that he
|
|||
|
|
is convinced that UFOs of extraterrestrial origin exist,
|
|||
|
|
his concluding statements in "Incident at Exeter" are com-
|
|||
|
|
pelling in their appael for release by the government of
|
|||
|
|
any information which it may be withholding and for a
|
|||
|
|
scientific investigagtion an a major scale.
|
|||
|
|
In "The Interrupted Journey", Mr. Fuller once more
|
|||
|
|
meticulously documents the experience of Mr. and Mrs.
|
|||
|
|
Barney Hill in connection with their alleged abduction
|
|||
|
|
by space beings. This account is anything but frivo-
|
|||
|
|
lous, and does not contain the science fiction sensa-
|
|||
|
|
tionalism which one might expect. It is a report of the
|
|||
|
|
circumstances surrounding the abduction as revealed
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
34
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
independently by Mr. and Mrs. Hill to Dr. Benjamin
|
|||
|
|
Simon, M.D., under rigidly controlled hypnosis. The
|
|||
|
|
book is in large part made up of the transcript of
|
|||
|
|
the tape recorded interviews between Dr, Simon and
|
|||
|
|
Mr. and Mrs. Hill while the Hills were under hypnosis.
|
|||
|
|
Appropriate professional commentary by Dr. Simon is
|
|||
|
|
included. "The Interrupted Journey" raises many trouble-
|
|||
|
|
some questions about the existence of UFOs, the motives
|
|||
|
|
of the space beings (if the in fact exist), and what
|
|||
|
|
the experience which the Hills apparently had portends
|
|||
|
|
for the future of Man.
|
|||
|
|
Of recent, we have seen the entry of the mass news
|
|||
|
|
media into the UFO debate in a posititon of neutrality.
|
|||
|
|
Numerous articles have appeared recently in "reputable"
|
|||
|
|
newspapers and magazine in the form of editorials and
|
|||
|
|
special features, and scientific journals have carried
|
|||
|
|
a few articles on UFOs. There has been a significant
|
|||
|
|
change in the approach that the mass circulation publi-
|
|||
|
|
cations have taken. Whereas early articles were usual-
|
|||
|
|
ly derisively written as human interest stories, replete
|
|||
|
|
with appropriate references to green men, the more recent
|
|||
|
|
articles seriously raise the question of the existence
|
|||
|
|
of UFOs. [59] This change in attitude may be attributable
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
35
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
to the generally more permissive outlook which the pub-
|
|||
|
|
lic has recently taken. the approach taken by mass media
|
|||
|
|
publications seems to reflect quite accurately the atti-
|
|||
|
|
tudes of the general populace at any particular point in
|
|||
|
|
time.
|
|||
|
|
Those in the neutral camp have made a most signi-
|
|||
|
|
ficant contribution to the UFO debate: they have brought
|
|||
|
|
the subject to the attention of the general public quth-
|
|||
|
|
out taking sides. they have in effect assured the public
|
|||
|
|
that the subject of UFOs can be discussed in public. It
|
|||
|
|
appears that as long as UFO articles did not appear in
|
|||
|
|
mass media in serious form the general public was reluc-
|
|||
|
|
tant to broach the subject for fear of ridicule. Once
|
|||
|
|
the newspapers and magazines began to address the subject
|
|||
|
|
with some seriousness, they seemed to signal to the faint
|
|||
|
|
hearted that it was now all right to discuss the subject.
|
|||
|
|
Popular interest and discussion in a society responsive
|
|||
|
|
to public opinion is usually a precursor of official
|
|||
|
|
action.
|
|||
|
|
One might say in summary that the Neutrals view the
|
|||
|
|
UFO debate from a position which allows them interest
|
|||
|
|
without involvement. It is a position which is politi-
|
|||
|
|
cally equivoacl and more or less professionally safe.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
36
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
The Non-Believers
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The spectrum for Non-Believers is less definite
|
|||
|
|
than for the Believers, and the author has chosen to
|
|||
|
|
place all Non-Believers in a common category. There
|
|||
|
|
have been, and continue to be, a few spokesmen for the
|
|||
|
|
Non-Believer group, but the output of literature for
|
|||
|
|
this group is quantitatively far below that of the
|
|||
|
|
various believer groups. Generally, the Non-Believer
|
|||
|
|
literature has as its main objective the debunking of
|
|||
|
|
believers, the challenging of witnesses to UFO incidents,
|
|||
|
|
and attempts to demonstrate "scientifically" that UFOs
|
|||
|
|
do not exist. the usual approach is to cite examples
|
|||
|
|
wherein a UFO sighting has been definitely identified
|
|||
|
|
as some neutral or man-made phenomenon or object, and
|
|||
|
|
then by analogy to extrapolate that particular solution
|
|||
|
|
to unresolved cases.
|
|||
|
|
Characteristically, the Non-Believer literature
|
|||
|
|
contains shallow argument, irrelevancies, faulty anal-
|
|||
|
|
ogy and a failure at address knotty cases of UFO sight-
|
|||
|
|
ings without rebuttal in specific or convincing terms.
|
|||
|
|
The author has personally encountered many cases
|
|||
|
|
of non-belief in which the NonBeliever has had little
|
|||
|
|
or no knowledge of the specifics of the debate and of
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
37
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
the evidence and has merely "felt" that UFOs do not
|
|||
|
|
exist. In these instances, the position of non-belief
|
|||
|
|
is probably taken out of a combination of ignorance
|
|||
|
|
and the desire to be considered normal, conventional
|
|||
|
|
and stable.
|
|||
|
|
Within the anti-UFO group there are various shades
|
|||
|
|
of non-belief: from the doubting to the absolutely in-
|
|||
|
|
transigent. But regardless of the degree of non-belief,
|
|||
|
|
the Non-Believers use "rationality" as a common approach.
|
|||
|
|
That is, they explain sightings in terms of what Man
|
|||
|
|
today considers acceptable as defined by the scientific
|
|||
|
|
method. This group feels that all instances of UFO
|
|||
|
|
sightings can be explained "rationally" as man-made ob-
|
|||
|
|
jects or misinterpretations of natural phenomena, or
|
|||
|
|
mental aberration, or hoax. Even in instances in which
|
|||
|
|
they are at a loss to propose an explanation they are
|
|||
|
|
confident that the explanation lies in one of the cate-
|
|||
|
|
ories cited. they do not deny that many people have
|
|||
|
|
seen what they consider to be UFOs; they say that these
|
|||
|
|
observers are mistaken in their observations and that
|
|||
|
|
what was truly seen was some "rationally" explainable
|
|||
|
|
object or phenomenon. this group will not entertain
|
|||
|
|
the idea that UFOs are extraterrestrial space vehicles.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
38
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
The usual approach is to cite examples of positive
|
|||
|
|
identification of something sighted as man-made or
|
|||
|
|
natural and then to attempt to use that particular
|
|||
|
|
example as a plausible explanation for those sightings
|
|||
|
|
categorized as unknown.
|
|||
|
|
The literature of the Non-Believers becomes at times
|
|||
|
|
as caustic about the subject as that of the Believers.
|
|||
|
|
One of the prime weapons of this rational, science-orient-
|
|||
|
|
ed group ridicule. Dr. Hynek, scientist-tuened-con-
|
|||
|
|
vert, properly points out that "ridicule is not a part
|
|||
|
|
of the Scientific Method and the public should not be
|
|||
|
|
taught that it is." [60]
|
|||
|
|
The attempts by the Non-Believers to explain UFOs
|
|||
|
|
in terms of natural phenomena and mistaken identity is
|
|||
|
|
exhaustive. Let us look at some examples of the approach]
|
|||
|
|
taken as exemplified by the writings of Dr. Donald
|
|||
|
|
Menzel, [61] Professor of Astrophysics at Harvard University,
|
|||
|
|
and Lt. Col. Lawrence J. Tacker, USAF. [62] Both these
|
|||
|
|
writers are placed by the author in the category of in-
|
|||
|
|
transigent Non-Believers and, as such, may not truly
|
|||
|
|
represent the more moderate Non-Believers. However
|
|||
|
|
both Menzel and Tacker are quoted profusely in most of
|
|||
|
|
the Non-Believer literature as authorities - Menzel re-
|
|||
|
|
presenting science and Tacker representing the United
|
|||
|
|
States Air Force.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
39
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
Dr. Menzel, in his "Flying Saucers'" [63] sets the general
|
|||
|
|
tone of the book in his first sentence: "Throughout the
|
|||
|
|
ages, apparitions of one kind or another have plagued the
|
|||
|
|
human race." On page 6 of the same book,. menzel states
|
|||
|
|
that "Flying saucers are real - as real as a rainbow,
|
|||
|
|
and no more dangerous." From that departure point he
|
|||
|
|
goes on throughout the book to describe how various natur-
|
|||
|
|
al phenomena in the sky behave. he implies in most cases
|
|||
|
|
that UFOs can be accounted for in large measure by these
|
|||
|
|
celectial phenomena. He describes the behavior and ap-
|
|||
|
|
pearance of the setting sun, comets and meteors, solar
|
|||
|
|
halos, mock suns, ice crystals, lenses of air, mirages,
|
|||
|
|
refraction, aurora borealis and conditions causing radar
|
|||
|
|
anomalies. These discussions are very interesting, but
|
|||
|
|
the reader is left to his own resources to try to match
|
|||
|
|
these descriptions of natural phenomena to specific UFO
|
|||
|
|
sightings. In those few instances in which Menzel arrempts
|
|||
|
|
to relate these phenomena to sightings, he does so very
|
|||
|
|
briefly and almost as if he were anxious to move on to
|
|||
|
|
his next topic.
|
|||
|
|
As an example: beginning on page twelve of the cited
|
|||
|
|
work, and continuing through page seventeen, Menzel re-
|
|||
|
|
peats several reports made by pilots in connection with
|
|||
|
|
sightings. The reports are by pilots of Eastern Airlines,
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
40
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
Mid-Continent Airlines, Lt. George F. Gorman (ANG) and
|
|||
|
|
others. After describibg the various encounters, Menzel
|
|||
|
|
comments only on the Gorman incident. After describibg
|
|||
|
|
"fireball fighter" (foo fighter) cases experienced in
|
|||
|
|
World War II, he extrapolates the observation to the
|
|||
|
|
Gorman case with, "to my mind, the similarity of Gorman's
|
|||
|
|
object to the foo fighters seems entirely reasonable." [64]
|
|||
|
|
He gives no specifics and no analysis. He asks us to
|
|||
|
|
accept this as an explanation because it "seems reason-
|
|||
|
|
able to him. Once having established in this manner
|
|||
|
|
that the explanation lies in foo fighters, Menzel then
|
|||
|
|
incorporates this conclusions into the statement, "I
|
|||
|
|
think Gorman was right when he stated that the foo
|
|||
|
|
fighter seemed to be controlled by thought. However,
|
|||
|
|
the thought that controlled it was his own." [65] Gorman
|
|||
|
|
did not say the object was a foo fighter. [66] Menzel
|
|||
|
|
does not say how he arrived at the conclusion that the
|
|||
|
|
object was controlled by Gorman's thought; he just comes
|
|||
|
|
to that conclusion. Lest the reader question the logic
|
|||
|
|
of Menzel's conclusions, he says, "We may not be able to
|
|||
|
|
account for every detail; the impressions of the obser-
|
|||
|
|
ver are hazy and leave many gaps." [67]
|
|||
|
|
Menzel goes on in the same vein in his attempt to
|
|||
|
|
explain some of the sightings reported throughout history,
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
41
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
and dispose od Ezekiel's wheel as a misinterpretation
|
|||
|
|
of a complex solar halo. [68] In like manner, the classic
|
|||
|
|
Lubbock lights case is explained: [69]
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
. . . a low, thin layer of haze or smoke re-
|
|||
|
|
flected the lights of a distant house or some
|
|||
|
|
other multiple source. The haze must have been
|
|||
|
|
inconspicuous to the eye, because Tombaugh com-
|
|||
|
|
ments on the unusual clarity of the sky. [70]
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Capt. Ruppelt comments thus on the Lubbock lights case:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
When four college professors, a geologist,a
|
|||
|
|
chemist, a physicist and a petroleum engineer
|
|||
|
|
report seeing the same UFOs on fourteen differ-
|
|||
|
|
ent occasions, the event can be classified as,
|
|||
|
|
at least, unusual. Add the fact that hundreds
|
|||
|
|
of other people saw these UFOs and that they
|
|||
|
|
were photographed, and the story gets even bet-
|
|||
|
|
ter. Add a few more facts - that these UFOs were
|
|||
|
|
picked up on radar and that a few people got a
|
|||
|
|
close look at one of them, and the story begins
|
|||
|
|
to convince even the most ardent skeptic. [71]
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Apparently, Menzel was not convinced. In Menzel's dis-
|
|||
|
|
cussion of radar there is no explanation as to how radar
|
|||
|
|
picks up light reflections.
|
|||
|
|
The above examples illustrate the type of logic used
|
|||
|
|
by Menzel. The approach is one typical of the Non-Believ-
|
|||
|
|
er group. In Menzel's case, one gets the feeling almost
|
|||
|
|
of desperation. He has so long resisted the idea of UFOs
|
|||
|
|
as space vehicles, has attacked so amny of the Believers,
|
|||
|
|
becoming the champion of many of the Non-Believers, that
|
|||
|
|
he has placed himself in the uncomfortable position of not
|
|||
|
|
being able to gracefully extricate himself from his un-
|
|||
|
|
yielding position. he, himself, best illustrates his
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
42
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
intransigence and closed mind with these words:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
It would be absolutely impossible for an ob-
|
|||
|
|
ject of such a shape to veer or maneuver as
|
|||
|
|
reported. And there is no possible way that
|
|||
|
|
such an object could be immune to the high
|
|||
|
|
resistance of the Earth's atmosphere at its
|
|||
|
|
reported speeds of movement. [72]
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
It would appear that the use of the words "impossible"
|
|||
|
|
and "no possible way" is presumtuous and not character-
|
|||
|
|
istic of the inquisitiveness and open-mindedness desir-
|
|||
|
|
able in a scientific investigator.
|
|||
|
|
Another widely quoted Non-Believer is Lt. Col.
|
|||
|
|
Lawrence J. Tacker, a former chief of Public Information,
|
|||
|
|
Headquarters, USAF. He published a book in 1960 titled
|
|||
|
|
"Flying Saucers and the U.S. Air Force." [73] This book has
|
|||
|
|
been a key publication in the UFO debate. It is used
|
|||
|
|
by the Non-Believers for official support of their po-
|
|||
|
|
sition. Tcaker takes generally the same approach as
|
|||
|
|
Menzel in that he attempts to demonstrate that UFOs are
|
|||
|
|
cases of mistaken identity of man-made or natural objects
|
|||
|
|
and phenomena. Tacker devotes a large part of the book
|
|||
|
|
to assuring the populace that the Air Force is not with-
|
|||
|
|
holding UFO information, a charge constantly levied
|
|||
|
|
against the Air Force by all Believer groups. In Tacker's
|
|||
|
|
book one encounters what might be called the demented-by-
|
|||
|
|
reason-of-association technique, or the oblique ridicule
|
|||
|
|
method. Also, one encounters false logic in the Melzelian
|
|||
|
|
pattern.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
43
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
Let us briefly look at some examples of Tacker's
|
|||
|
|
approach.
|
|||
|
|
The foreword to the book is by General Thomas D. White,
|
|||
|
|
Chief of Staff of the Air Force at the time. Gen. White
|
|||
|
|
explains that the Air Force is responsible for the air
|
|||
|
|
defense of the United States He goes on to say that
|
|||
|
|
the Air Force is in charge of UFO investigations. The
|
|||
|
|
last two sentences of the statement are subject to quest-
|
|||
|
|
ion if they are based on Tacker's arguments. These state-
|
|||
|
|
ments are:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
1. ". . . all unidentified flying object
|
|||
|
|
sightings are investigated in meticulous
|
|||
|
|
detail by Air Force personnel and quali-
|
|||
|
|
fied scientific consultants."
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
2. "So far, not a single bit of material
|
|||
|
|
evidence of the existence of spaceships
|
|||
|
|
has been found."
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
In his book, Tacker uses an approach which seems to contra-
|
|||
|
|
dict the first statement about meticulous Air Force investi-
|
|||
|
|
gation. The second statement should have added to it the
|
|||
|
|
words "as far as the Air Force is concerned." Another
|
|||
|
|
interesting thing about the second statement is that it
|
|||
|
|
illustrates to some degree the ambivalence or equivoca-
|
|||
|
|
tion of so many of the official pronouncements. It will
|
|||
|
|
be noted that the statement does not say that spaceships
|
|||
|
|
do not exist; it merely implies that they do not exist. What
|
|||
|
|
this sentence does is lead the careless reader to a false
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
44
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
conclusion while at the same time preserving an escape
|
|||
|
|
opportunity, semantically, if the existence of UFOs is
|
|||
|
|
"proven" at some later date. In itself, it may appear
|
|||
|
|
to be a sincere statement, but in the context of the
|
|||
|
|
debate it is evasive.
|
|||
|
|
In his opening chapter, Tacker gives an account of
|
|||
|
|
a sighting near the Hawaiian Islands on 11 July 1959.
|
|||
|
|
This was a sighting reported by five separate observers,
|
|||
|
|
all airline pilots: one from Slick Airways, one from
|
|||
|
|
Empress Airlines, one from United Airlines and two from
|
|||
|
|
Pan American - all reporting the same object. Although
|
|||
|
|
each report varies in some of the specifics, these com-
|
|||
|
|
mon observations were made: very bright lights in a clear
|
|||
|
|
sky, moving at high speed and making a sharp (90 degree)
|
|||
|
|
turn in flight at high speed. Tacker then goes into
|
|||
|
|
some general information about meteors and fireballs
|
|||
|
|
and disposees of this sighting by saying that the opinion
|
|||
|
|
of the Air Technical Intelligence Center was that the
|
|||
|
|
object was a fireball, and that they felt that all ob-
|
|||
|
|
sevvers had seen this same meteor. [74] It should be noted
|
|||
|
|
here that Tacker uses the same device as Menzel, in that
|
|||
|
|
he tries first to establish in the mind of the reader
|
|||
|
|
what the object was and then, using his conclusion, he
|
|||
|
|
incorporates that conclusion into a subsequent statement.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
45
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
At the end of this particular narrative, Tacker makes
|
|||
|
|
a footnote comment that he used poetic license in report-
|
|||
|
|
ing this incident, for dramatic effect, and also, that
|
|||
|
|
this narrative "proves" the "fact" that even highly
|
|||
|
|
trained observers can be mystified by what they have
|
|||
|
|
seen. [75]
|
|||
|
|
After dealing with several other sightings, Tacker
|
|||
|
|
closes his third chapter with, "And so it goes. Sight-
|
|||
|
|
ings come in from all over the world from various types
|
|||
|
|
of individuals, with the great majority of sightings
|
|||
|
|
logically explained after objective investigation.
|
|||
|
|
Certainly the experience gained over the last 13 years
|
|||
|
|
points up to the fact that flying saucers are not space
|
|||
|
|
craft from other worlds but, rather, represent con
|
|||
|
|
ventional objects or aerial phenomena seen under con-
|
|||
|
|
fusing conditions."
|
|||
|
|
Another interesting statement by Tacker appears on
|
|||
|
|
page 47 of his book:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The Air Force emphasizes the belief that if
|
|||
|
|
more immediate detailed objective observation-
|
|||
|
|
al data could have been obtained on the unex-
|
|||
|
|
plained flying saucer sightings in its files,
|
|||
|
|
these too would have been satisfactorily ex-
|
|||
|
|
plained as conventional objects or some form
|
|||
|
|
of aerial phenomena.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Another example of Tacker's logic is illustrated in
|
|||
|
|
a letter, dated 15 November 1960, which he sent to
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
46
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
Coral Lorenzen, of the Aerial Phenomena Research Organi-
|
|||
|
|
zation (APRO), and which deals with the famous Trinidade
|
|||
|
|
Island sighting. [76] In his letter Tacker quotes a state-
|
|||
|
|
ment by the Brazilian Navy Ministry, which reads in part,
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
. . . . This Ministry has no motive to im-
|
|||
|
|
pede the release of photographs of the re-
|
|||
|
|
ferred to object taken by Mr. Almiro Barauna,
|
|||
|
|
who was at the Trinidade Island at the invitation
|
|||
|
|
of the Navy, and in the presence of a large
|
|||
|
|
number of the crew of the ALMIRANTE SALDANHA from
|
|||
|
|
whose deck the photographs were taken. Clear-
|
|||
|
|
ly, this Ministry will not be able to make any
|
|||
|
|
pronouncement concerning the object seen be-
|
|||
|
|
cause the photographs do not constitute suf-
|
|||
|
|
ficient proof for such purpose.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Tacker then says,
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
This official statement of the Brazilian Navy
|
|||
|
|
Ministry clearly indicates the fact that the
|
|||
|
|
photographs were of no value in proving or
|
|||
|
|
disproving the existence of flying saucers
|
|||
|
|
as space ships. I trust this clarifies any
|
|||
|
|
misunderstanding you may have had concerning
|
|||
|
|
this sighting and the Air Force Conclusion
|
|||
|
|
that it was a hoax.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Let us consider these statements. The Brazilian Navy
|
|||
|
|
Ministry refers to an "object." They say that
|
|||
|
|
the photographs were taken in the presence of "a large
|
|||
|
|
number of the crew." They go on to say that the photo-
|
|||
|
|
graphs "do not constitute sufficient proof" to allow
|
|||
|
|
them to rule on what the object was. Tacker's logic
|
|||
|
|
leads him on to say that "clearly" the photographs
|
|||
|
|
were of no value in proving or disproving the existence
|
|||
|
|
of flying saucers as space ships. The Brazillian Navy
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
47
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
Ministry did not say this. They said thta the photo-
|
|||
|
|
graphs did not constitute sufficient proof to enable
|
|||
|
|
them to make a pronouncement. In addition, Tacker
|
|||
|
|
qualifies his statement about the existence of fly-
|
|||
|
|
ing saucers by adding. "as space ships." So, he does
|
|||
|
|
not say that Mr. Barauna and the crew didi not see a
|
|||
|
|
flying saucer. The final twist of logic comes in the
|
|||
|
|
last sentence when Tacker says that the Air Force has
|
|||
|
|
concluded that the whole thing was a hoax.
|
|||
|
|
Mrs. Lorenzen discusses the processing and analysis of Mr.
|
|||
|
|
Barauna's film in Chapter XI of her book, "The Great
|
|||
|
|
Flying Saucer Hoax." [77] She says that the film was pro-
|
|||
|
|
cessed immediately after the photos were taken, and that
|
|||
|
|
the processing was witnesses by several of the officers
|
|||
|
|
of the ship, and that the negatives were viewed by the
|
|||
|
|
entire crew of the ship immediately after processing.
|
|||
|
|
She says that the negatives were sent to Cruzeiro do Sul
|
|||
|
|
Aerophotogrammetric Service, where they were analyzed.
|
|||
|
|
The laboratory determined that they were genuine. If this
|
|||
|
|
is true, then this causes one to wonder on what basis
|
|||
|
|
the Air Force has declared this sighting a hoax.
|
|||
|
|
These brief examples illustrate the approach taken
|
|||
|
|
by Lt. Col. Tacker and Dr. Menzel. A was pointed out
|
|||
|
|
earlier. Menzel and Tacker are not in the moderate Non-
|
|||
|
|
Believer camp, but they have become champions of this
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
48
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
group and are widely quoted as the scientific and of-
|
|||
|
|
ficial authority by the Non_believer group. Some of
|
|||
|
|
the explanations for sightings presented by this group
|
|||
|
|
are easy to accept within the framework of the scienti-
|
|||
|
|
fic method. There is no question that a portion of the
|
|||
|
|
sightings arew indeed misinterpretations or hoaxes. The
|
|||
|
|
Non-Believers cite several cases of sightings which have
|
|||
|
|
been definitely identified as misinterpretations, and
|
|||
|
|
they substantiate these cases. Also, there have been
|
|||
|
|
several cases in which individuals have admitted perpe-
|
|||
|
|
trating a hoax. However, it does not follow that because
|
|||
|
|
some cases can be demonstrated to be misinterpretations
|
|||
|
|
or hoaxes that all sightings can be explained in these
|
|||
|
|
terms. It is most difficult to reconcile many sightings
|
|||
|
|
as reported by reputable and qualified observers with
|
|||
|
|
the explanantions proposed by the Non-Believers.
|
|||
|
|
This group has been severe in its debunking of
|
|||
|
|
witnesses and has incurred the wrath and disgust of
|
|||
|
|
many. The Non-Believers should remember that, while
|
|||
|
|
the Believers must demonstrate that UFOs exist, the
|
|||
|
|
Non-Believers must demonstrate that they do not. the
|
|||
|
|
crux of the debate lies in the definition of acceptable
|
|||
|
|
and valid evidence.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
49
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
Summary
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
very generally, these are the participants in the
|
|||
|
|
UFO debate, which goes on interminably. Unfortunately,
|
|||
|
|
the Air Force is caught in the cross-fire as the Believ-
|
|||
|
|
ers debate the intent of the space beings, the Non-Be-
|
|||
|
|
lievers try to discount the whole subject, and the
|
|||
|
|
Neutrals and Converts plead for level-headed investi-
|
|||
|
|
gation. The Air Force response to, and involvement in,
|
|||
|
|
the UFO debate will be discussed in the next chapter.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Some Observations
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Of recent, there seems to be a general shift in
|
|||
|
|
attitude, frequently quite subtle, on the question
|
|||
|
|
of UFOs. Reputable scientists issue statements from
|
|||
|
|
time to time which do not reflect as negative as ap-
|
|||
|
|
proach as they have borne heretofore. There appears
|
|||
|
|
to be among the populace less reluctance to consider
|
|||
|
|
the possibility, at least, of the existence of UFOs.
|
|||
|
|
The shift may be attributable, in part, to advancing
|
|||
|
|
space technology, to more and more sightings by repu-
|
|||
|
|
table individuals and groups, to more photographic
|
|||
|
|
evidence and to a general feeling that there may be
|
|||
|
|
something to the UFO debate if the Air Force has asked
|
|||
|
|
the University of Colorado to study the problem.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
50
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
CHAPTER III
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
THE AIR FORCE AND UFOs
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
It can be seen from the foregoing discussion that
|
|||
|
|
there is diversity of opinion in the UFO debate. The
|
|||
|
|
populace at large looks to the Air Force as the author-
|
|||
|
|
ity and is apparently willing to accept official Air
|
|||
|
|
Force explanations. The Air Force position on the exist-
|
|||
|
|
ence of UFOs is as follows:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
To date, the firm conclusions of project Blue
|
|||
|
|
Book are:
|
|||
|
|
1. No unidentified flyinf object re-
|
|||
|
|
ported, investigated and evaluated by the Air
|
|||
|
|
Force has ever given any indication of threat
|
|||
|
|
to our national security.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
2. There has been no evidence sub-
|
|||
|
|
mitted to or discovered by the Air Force that
|
|||
|
|
sightings categorized as UNIDENTIFIED repre-
|
|||
|
|
sent technological developments or principles
|
|||
|
|
beyond the rangee of present day scientific
|
|||
|
|
knowledge.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
3. There has been no evidence indi-
|
|||
|
|
cating that sightings categorized as UNIDENTI-
|
|||
|
|
FIED are extraterrestrial vehicles. [1]
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The challenge to this Air Force position comes from
|
|||
|
|
those who have studied the UFO problem in some detail
|
|||
|
|
and includes individuals who have been associated with
|
|||
|
|
the Air Force investigation.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
51
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
Past Performance
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
From the very beginning of the current UFO debate,
|
|||
|
|
which is defined as the way Mr. Arnold reported objects
|
|||
|
|
which appeared to him like "flying saucers," the Air
|
|||
|
|
Force was off to a bad start. [2] Dr. Hynek at that time
|
|||
|
|
suggested that Mr. Arnold's "saucers" were some type of
|
|||
|
|
known aircraft. Based on Kenneth Arnold's sighting, and
|
|||
|
|
the interest it generated across the nation, the Air
|
|||
|
|
Force became officially involved with UFOs. [3]
|
|||
|
|
The early years were devoted to investigation of
|
|||
|
|
specific cases and to the development of an organiza-
|
|||
|
|
tion to handle the problem. The pattern for official
|
|||
|
|
Air Force pronouncements seems to have been established
|
|||
|
|
in 1952 when a panel of consultants recommended that the
|
|||
|
|
"Air Force take immediate steps to strip the unidenti-
|
|||
|
|
fied flying objects of the special status and the aura
|
|||
|
|
of mystery they had unfortunately acquired." [4] The Air
|
|||
|
|
Force has from that time very consistently followed this
|
|||
|
|
advice. One could get the feeling that at no time has
|
|||
|
|
the Air Force been really seriously interested in the UFO
|
|||
|
|
problem. As Tacker states, "The Air Force's interest,
|
|||
|
|
or program, was born or, one might say, evolved from
|
|||
|
|
necessity." [5] In this case, necessity could be understood
|
|||
|
|
to mean necessity to quell the public clamor which followed
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
52
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
Arnold's sighting. So, one might say that the Air Force
|
|||
|
|
was peressured by public opinion into doing something.
|
|||
|
|
Dr. Hynek, the Air Force's special consultant on
|
|||
|
|
UFOs, says this about Air Force interest in UFOs in 1948:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
. . . The Wright-Patterson group usually con-
|
|||
|
|
sisted only of a captain, who headed the team,
|
|||
|
|
one other officer, a sergeant, and myself as
|
|||
|
|
occasional consultant. The fact that the com-
|
|||
|
|
manding officer was a captain indicates the ex-
|
|||
|
|
tent of the Air Force's concern for this inves-
|
|||
|
|
tigation. [6]
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Since 1948 there has been little change in the staf-
|
|||
|
|
fing of this management office. Today, a major heads the
|
|||
|
|
office, he has a lieutenant, a staff sergeant and a secre-
|
|||
|
|
tary to assist him. However, it must be recognized that
|
|||
|
|
this is a central staff only. Major Quintanilla is assist-
|
|||
|
|
ed in investigation and evaluation by various consultants
|
|||
|
|
and by the Air Force officers located at Air Force bases.
|
|||
|
|
The writer of this paper has serious reservations about the
|
|||
|
|
competence of the officers delegated the duty of acting as
|
|||
|
|
investigating officers at Air Force bases. Although it is
|
|||
|
|
recognized that generalities may not be valid, this writer
|
|||
|
|
was apalled at the ignorance of one such officer who was
|
|||
|
|
interviewed by the writer. He had his equipment: camera,
|
|||
|
|
compass, binoculars, etc., but knew little about what he
|
|||
|
|
was supposed to investigate. He had not read any of the
|
|||
|
|
UFO literature, did not know any of the background of the UFO
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
53
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
debate, except what had been briefed to him in grossly
|
|||
|
|
general terms, and did not know of the existence of
|
|||
|
|
NICAP, which he referred to as "nightcap" in his brief-
|
|||
|
|
ing notes.
|
|||
|
|
Even if one attributes exceptional competence to
|
|||
|
|
the central Blue Book staff, the grade structure and
|
|||
|
|
paucity of numbers could be interpreted by sensitive
|
|||
|
|
individuals as an indication that the Air Force does
|
|||
|
|
not take the UFO problem seriously and maintains the
|
|||
|
|
Blue Book office to assuage the sensibilities of
|
|||
|
|
the public.
|
|||
|
|
Admittedly, the Air Force is in a difficult posi-
|
|||
|
|
tion. They must try to maintain objectivity; they must
|
|||
|
|
be relatively conservative and operate within the frame-
|
|||
|
|
work of the scientific method as presently defined; they
|
|||
|
|
must consider the effects of their pronouncements on the
|
|||
|
|
American Public, bot the man-at-large and the scienti-
|
|||
|
|
fic community; they must insure that their pronounce-
|
|||
|
|
ments on the are in consonance with natioal policy....and they
|
|||
|
|
must be able to reconcile these constraints with the truth.
|
|||
|
|
In cases where the truth and the constraints are not
|
|||
|
|
compatible, something must be sacrificed. It goes with-
|
|||
|
|
out saying that any official pressure on the Air Force,
|
|||
|
|
an agency of the government, can be quite effective. If
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
54
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
these pressures dictates that only partial truths be
|
|||
|
|
told, then the Air Force has only three options:
|
|||
|
|
tell that partial truth as best it can, refuse to
|
|||
|
|
comply, or refuse to say anything. The Air Force,
|
|||
|
|
as the official agency for UFO investigations, can-
|
|||
|
|
not remain silent, and it is not realistic to think
|
|||
|
|
that the Air Force is in a position to refuse the
|
|||
|
|
"guidance" of higher authority. This leaves the last
|
|||
|
|
option: tread the hazardous path of partial truth,
|
|||
|
|
ambivalence, ambiguity and vagueness. This, of course,
|
|||
|
|
may be the best path from a national standpoint, in
|
|||
|
|
view of the implications, but organizations like NICAP
|
|||
|
|
and APRO are not satisfied with this approach and con-
|
|||
|
|
stantly remind the Air Force of their displeasure through
|
|||
|
|
publications, letters to the Air Force and agitation
|
|||
|
|
among various congressmen and senators.
|
|||
|
|
A serious investigator of the UFO problem cannot
|
|||
|
|
believe that the AIr Force is satisfied with its solu-
|
|||
|
|
tions. This presumes that the investigations are carried
|
|||
|
|
out with competence. One begins to appreciate the dilemma
|
|||
|
|
of the Air Force when one sonsiders that Captain Ruppelt
|
|||
|
|
spent two years as the chief of Project Blue Book but did
|
|||
|
|
not publish his book until 1956, after leaving the Air
|
|||
|
|
Force. The question could be asked, "Why was the infor-
|
|||
|
|
mation contained in Ruppelt's book not published as an
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
55
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
official Blue Book report while he was in charge of the
|
|||
|
|
UFO investigation? Ruppelt speaks his mind in his book.
|
|||
|
|
Why did he not say what he had to say while he was hold-
|
|||
|
|
ing his official position? Was it because he was official-
|
|||
|
|
ly constrained? Tacker has this to say in a rather obvious
|
|||
|
|
reference to Ruppelt:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
. . . It is conceivable that some person
|
|||
|
|
or persons associated with the Air Force
|
|||
|
|
program were personally convinced that
|
|||
|
|
flying saucers might be real and could
|
|||
|
|
be interplanetary spaceships.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
If this statement is with reference to Ruppelt, it is
|
|||
|
|
indeed astounding. Was it not Ruppelt's job to make an
|
|||
|
|
evaluation? If not, what was his function as chief?
|
|||
|
|
Was Ruppelt the Air Force's expert on UFOs? If not,
|
|||
|
|
was he incompetent? If he was incompetent, why did the
|
|||
|
|
Air Force accept his reports during his tenure as chief?
|
|||
|
|
Does a change from active duty to civillian life
|
|||
|
|
change a man's basic competence? If Ruppelt held the
|
|||
|
|
views which he espouses in his book during his tenure
|
|||
|
|
as chief, why did he not make these views publically known?
|
|||
|
|
Questions such as these are elementary. Unfortunately,
|
|||
|
|
throughout this whole UFO debate the Air Force's answers
|
|||
|
|
to questions such as these have shown remarkable inept-
|
|||
|
|
itude. In cases in which the Air Force has attempted to
|
|||
|
|
answer such questions, ineptitude has only compounded the
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
56
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
problem, because the Believers immediately have taken
|
|||
|
|
the Air Force to task. In an effort to clarify and
|
|||
|
|
explain what it really meant, the Air Force has clari-
|
|||
|
|
fied itself into even greater problems by trying to ex-
|
|||
|
|
plain the logic on which the initial statement was based.
|
|||
|
|
As an example of how the Air Force gets into a posi-
|
|||
|
|
tion from which it has difficulty extricating itself,
|
|||
|
|
the writer of this paper has selected at random just
|
|||
|
|
one case from among the almost innumerable cases which
|
|||
|
|
would just as well illustrate the point. This case also
|
|||
|
|
illustrates the problem of credibility, the question of
|
|||
|
|
the thoroughness of Air Force investigations, the prob-
|
|||
|
|
lem of inconsistency, the problem of carelessness and the
|
|||
|
|
problem of community relations. This particular case
|
|||
|
|
has been widely commented on in the UFO literature and
|
|||
|
|
has caused considerable consternation as to the Air Force
|
|||
|
|
approach.
|
|||
|
|
The sighting occurred on January 11, 1966, at
|
|||
|
|
Wanaque, New Jersey. [8] The sighting was witnessed by
|
|||
|
|
entire communities. At the Wanaque reservoir, over
|
|||
|
|
which the UFO hovered for two hours, the police had to
|
|||
|
|
set up traffic controls to handle the volume of pede-
|
|||
|
|
strians and automobiles which converged on the reservoir.
|
|||
|
|
Among the witnesses were the mayor of Wanaque, a city
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
57
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
councilman, various police officers and the general
|
|||
|
|
public. The UFO hovered over the reservoir from
|
|||
|
|
6:20 PM until 8:58 PM. It was observed with the naked
|
|||
|
|
eye and through binoculars. It was described as a bright
|
|||
|
|
disk between two and nine feet in diameter, silent, and
|
|||
|
|
playing a bright light an the surface of the ice on the
|
|||
|
|
reservoir. Its speed in flight was described as about
|
|||
|
|
1000 MPH as it moved up and down the reservoir (6 miles).
|
|||
|
|
The light was white, changed to green, and at times the
|
|||
|
|
white light had a red fringe. The UFO came to within
|
|||
|
|
twenty feet of the surface of the ice. Those are the
|
|||
|
|
essential elements of the sighting.
|
|||
|
|
This sighting was reported immediately to the near-
|
|||
|
|
est Air force bases (Stewart AFB, N.Y. and McGuire AFB,
|
|||
|
|
N.J.). Stewart Air Base reported no military aircraft
|
|||
|
|
in the area. Later, McGuire Air Base said that the UFO
|
|||
|
|
was a weather balloon which was launched from Kennedy
|
|||
|
|
International Airport. A weather observer at Patterson,
|
|||
|
|
N.J. then said that the UFO might be the planet Venus
|
|||
|
|
or an aircraft. Then Stewart Air Base said that an Air
|
|||
|
|
Force helicopter with a powerful beacon had been on a
|
|||
|
|
mission in the area. McGuire then called the local police
|
|||
|
|
and rescinded their balloon explanation. A Major Sherman
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
58
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
then called from Stewart Air Base and denied the earlire
|
|||
|
|
Stewart explanation of the helicopter. he said that there
|
|||
|
|
were no aircraft from Stewart in the area. This call took
|
|||
|
|
place after several aircraft were seen over the reservior.
|
|||
|
|
The next day, the Pentagon announced that the UFO was a
|
|||
|
|
helicopter witha powerful beacon. Shortly thereafter,
|
|||
|
|
Wright-Patterson made the announcement that the UFO could
|
|||
|
|
be attributed to the planets Venus and Jupiter and an
|
|||
|
|
Air Force Helicopter.
|
|||
|
|
This narrative need little comment. If one tries
|
|||
|
|
to reconcile the sighting as reported by many witnesses
|
|||
|
|
at any of the explanations offered, there are sever-
|
|||
|
|
al things left unexplained. The inconsistencies in the
|
|||
|
|
official statements are obvious. Of interest is the
|
|||
|
|
matter of the aircraft in the area. There are many cases
|
|||
|
|
in the literature in which it is claimed that the Air
|
|||
|
|
Force has denied dispatching aircraft to investigate,
|
|||
|
|
even though these aircraft have been seen in the UFO
|
|||
|
|
area. As for the object itself and the official explan-
|
|||
|
|
ation, one would question a disc-shaped object able to
|
|||
|
|
move up and down the reservoir silently at 1000 MPH as
|
|||
|
|
a helicopter, a planet, or a weather balloon. How were
|
|||
|
|
these explanations arrived at without an on-the-spot
|
|||
|
|
official observer? If the Air Force did not know what
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
59
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
the object was, why did they try to explain it? Could
|
|||
|
|
they not have said that they did not know but would
|
|||
|
|
investigate? This is a case of poor judgement and
|
|||
|
|
inept handling. The press was quite caustic in its
|
|||
|
|
comments about the Air Force explanation. Even assum-
|
|||
|
|
ing that the thousands of people had observed some natural
|
|||
|
|
phenomenon, or aircraft, or were suffering from mass
|
|||
|
|
hallucination, or that a hoax was being perpetrated, it
|
|||
|
|
would appear that the Air Force handled the situation
|
|||
|
|
poorly and not in the best interest of Air Force-com-
|
|||
|
|
munity relations. With the way the Air Force handled
|
|||
|
|
this sighting, would it not seem natural for the popu-
|
|||
|
|
lation to wonder, at least, about the efficiency and
|
|||
|
|
coordination of the Air Force?
|
|||
|
|
In another case, several sightings of UFOs occurred
|
|||
|
|
ove the state of Oklahoma during the period 31 July to
|
|||
|
|
3 August 1965. The UFOs were tracked on radar by the
|
|||
|
|
weather bureau in Wichita and were seen by a variety of
|
|||
|
|
witnesses, including many at McConnell Air Force Base.
|
|||
|
|
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported watching diamond-
|
|||
|
|
shaped formations of UFOs for half an hour. details in
|
|||
|
|
this case are unimportant, because regardless of the
|
|||
|
|
specifics, the Air Force pronouncement on this incident
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
60
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
is inexcusable. The Air Force answer to these sightings
|
|||
|
|
was that the observers had seen the stars Rigel, Capella
|
|||
|
|
and Aldebran. There was only one problem: These stars
|
|||
|
|
were on the opposite side of the Earth from Oklahoma
|
|||
|
|
during the period of the sightings. Star locations
|
|||
|
|
were confirmed by Walter Webb, Hayden Planetarium, Boston,
|
|||
|
|
and Robbert Risser, Director, Oklahoma Planetarium, who
|
|||
|
|
said of the Air Force explanation. "This is as far from
|
|||
|
|
the truth as you can get." [10] This case illusrates the
|
|||
|
|
type of answer provided to the public by the Air Force
|
|||
|
|
in many cases. This type of answer has become so com-
|
|||
|
|
mon that the Believers have come to expect that the Air
|
|||
|
|
Force will "solve" UFO cases in this manner. What this
|
|||
|
|
does to Air Force credibility is obvious.
|
|||
|
|
Another interesting point is that the Air Force
|
|||
|
|
classifies UFOs in three general categories: Identi-
|
|||
|
|
fied, Insufficient Data and Unidentified. [11] In the case
|
|||
|
|
just mentioned, one wonders into which classification it
|
|||
|
|
was placed. the whole matter of the Air Force classifi-
|
|||
|
|
cation system, the basis on which the Air Force classifies
|
|||
|
|
sightings, what constitutes adequate substantiation for
|
|||
|
|
a classification of Identified and the validity of the
|
|||
|
|
statistical approach as a method for determining the
|
|||
|
|
existence or non-existence of UFOs have come under fire
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
61
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
from a variety of sources. A particularly pointed re-
|
|||
|
|
mark comes from the "Yale Scientific Magazine":
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Based on unreliable and unscientific sur-
|
|||
|
|
mises as data, the Air Force develops elabor-
|
|||
|
|
ate statistical findings which seem impressive
|
|||
|
|
to the uninitiated public, unschooled in the
|
|||
|
|
fallacies of the statistical method. One must
|
|||
|
|
conclude that the highly publicized periodic
|
|||
|
|
Air Force pronouncements based upon unsound
|
|||
|
|
statistics serve merely to misrepresent the
|
|||
|
|
true character of UFO phenomena. [12] (See Appendix B)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The allegation that the Air Force is concealing the
|
|||
|
|
truth about UFOs and knows more than it is telling the
|
|||
|
|
public is a frequent one. In the forefront of the censor-
|
|||
|
|
ship debate is Donald Kehoe (Major, USMC, Ret.),
|
|||
|
|
Director, NICAP. His books, "The Flying Saucer Conspira-
|
|||
|
|
cy" [13] and "Flying Saucers, Top Secret" [14] deal with what is
|
|||
|
|
claimed to be Air Force censorship of UFO information.
|
|||
|
|
One example from the latter book will illustrate the
|
|||
|
|
problem. [15]
|
|||
|
|
Kehoe had been invited to appear on a radio pro-
|
|||
|
|
gram, Armstrong Circle Theater, to participate in a
|
|||
|
|
panel discussion of the UFO problem. He had planned
|
|||
|
|
to bring up Capt. Ruppelt's claim that UFOs were real,
|
|||
|
|
were interplanetary and that the Air Force knew this,
|
|||
|
|
to the extent of publishing a report to this effect
|
|||
|
|
in an official Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
62
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
report in 1948. [16] The individuaL charge of review-
|
|||
|
|
ing the program prior to its airing told Kehoe that he
|
|||
|
|
could not use that material because of time limitations
|
|||
|
|
Kehoe suspected Air Force pressure on the radio station
|
|||
|
|
and asked if this was the case. The answer he received
|
|||
|
|
was that CBS did not want ot get into difficulty with the
|
|||
|
|
Air Force. Kehoe cut the referenced discussion from his
|
|||
|
|
script, but in the heat of the discussion during the actual
|
|||
|
|
broadcast he declared that he would make an announcement
|
|||
|
|
never befor made to the public, at which time his micro-
|
|||
|
|
phone was cut off. There was a public clamor about this
|
|||
|
|
in the press and in letters from individuals to the radio
|
|||
|
|
station. In answer to an inquiry by a NICAP member,
|
|||
|
|
Herbert A. Carlborg, CBS editor of Editing, made this
|
|||
|
|
statement:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
This program has been carefully cleared for
|
|||
|
|
security reasons. therefore, it was the re-
|
|||
|
|
sponsibility of this network to insure per-
|
|||
|
|
formance that was in accordance with pre-
|
|||
|
|
determined security standards. Any indica-
|
|||
|
|
tion that there would be a deviation from
|
|||
|
|
the script might lead to a statement that
|
|||
|
|
neither this network nor the individuals on
|
|||
|
|
the program were authorized to release... [17]
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
This case raises the question: Cleared for security
|
|||
|
|
by whom? It is interesting to note that Tacker claims
|
|||
|
|
that no such report existed, [18] even though Capt. Ruppelt
|
|||
|
|
said that this information was contained in a Top Secret
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
63
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
ATIC report which he had read while hw was chief of
|
|||
|
|
Project Blue Book. [19] Either Tacker or Ruppeli is in
|
|||
|
|
error.
|
|||
|
|
Direct and threatening official pressure on indivi-
|
|||
|
|
duals who have been involved in UFO sightings is a re-
|
|||
|
|
curring subject throughout the literature. A frequent
|
|||
|
|
charge is that the individual is approached by men in
|
|||
|
|
uniform or plain clothes and threatened with loss of
|
|||
|
|
job if he talks about his sighting. Frank Edwards cites
|
|||
|
|
one such incident in which it is claimed that an indus-
|
|||
|
|
trial worker who had seen an UFO was interviewed by two
|
|||
|
|
military men and asked to maintain silence on the subject.
|
|||
|
|
When the worker appeared hesitant, he was supposedly told
|
|||
|
|
by these military men that his employer had government
|
|||
|
|
contracts and that they would not like to see the work-
|
|||
|
|
er get into trouble with his employer. [20] This pattern
|
|||
|
|
is a frequent one in the literature.
|
|||
|
|
Although incidents such as those outlined above are
|
|||
|
|
cited in the UFO literature as indicating duplicity,
|
|||
|
|
inefficiency and confusion in the Air Force, the offi-
|
|||
|
|
cial Air Force pronouncements themselves are so phrased
|
|||
|
|
that they are subject to question. The very UFO credo
|
|||
|
|
of the Air Force, as stated in Blue Book pronouncements,
|
|||
|
|
is confusing and evasive.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
64
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
Let us look at the three-part Blue Book position
|
|||
|
|
statement. [21] This is Blue Book statement:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
No identified flying object reported, investi-
|
|||
|
|
gated and evaluated by the Air Force has ever
|
|||
|
|
given any indication of threat to our national
|
|||
|
|
security.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
A reader of this statement might ask: Does this mean
|
|||
|
|
that the Air Force has determined that UFOs do exist,
|
|||
|
|
bu that the Air Force is trying to reassure the people
|
|||
|
|
that they are not hostile? Is this the prime concern
|
|||
|
|
of the Air Force. ..to determine the intent of UFOs?
|
|||
|
|
Are they not interested in determining whether or not
|
|||
|
|
UFOs exist, hostile or not? The above statement is
|
|||
|
|
qualified by the words "by the Air Force." In view of
|
|||
|
|
the way the Air Force conducts UFO investiagtions, as
|
|||
|
|
indicated by some of the examples cited earlier, the
|
|||
|
|
above statement seems to be safe enough for the Air
|
|||
|
|
Force, since the Air Force can control the outcome of
|
|||
|
|
any investigation. That is, if the Air Force says that
|
|||
|
|
a UFO sighting can be explained as a weather balloon,
|
|||
|
|
then they may also say that the weather balloon had no
|
|||
|
|
hostile intent.. The problem here is credibility. Also
|
|||
|
|
one wonders why there is even the need to make a state-
|
|||
|
|
ment about intent, since the Air Force has long maintain-
|
|||
|
|
ed that UFOs do not exist. One might also ask why an
|
|||
|
|
Air Force aircraft would shoot at a UFO if there was no
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
65
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
The second statement is:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
There has been no evidence submitted to or
|
|||
|
|
discovered by the Air Force that sightings
|
|||
|
|
categorized as unidentified represent tech-
|
|||
|
|
nological developments or principles beyond
|
|||
|
|
the range of present day scientific knowledge.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The Blue Book definition of UNIDENTIFIED is:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
A sighting is considered unidentified when a
|
|||
|
|
report apparently contains all pertinent data
|
|||
|
|
necessary to suggest a valid hypothesis con-
|
|||
|
|
cerning the cause or explanation of the report
|
|||
|
|
but the description of the object or its motion
|
|||
|
|
cannot be correlated with any known object or
|
|||
|
|
phenomenon. [23]
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The Air Force statement admits that UNIDENTIFIED objects
|
|||
|
|
cannot be correlated with any known object or phenomena.
|
|||
|
|
The statement says that a report categorized as UNIDENTI-
|
|||
|
|
FIED contains all pertinent data necessary to suggest a
|
|||
|
|
valid hypothesis. It also says that the motion of the
|
|||
|
|
object cannot be corelated with any known object or
|
|||
|
|
phenomena. It seems strange, based on the above, that
|
|||
|
|
the Air Force can then say that sightings categorized
|
|||
|
|
as UNIDENTIFIED do not represent technological develop-
|
|||
|
|
ments or principles beyond the range of present day scienti-
|
|||
|
|
fic knowledge. It appaers that the Air Force is saying,
|
|||
|
|
in effect, that even though the object cannot be corre-
|
|||
|
|
lated to anything known, it nevertheless does not exhi-
|
|||
|
|
bit any features that are unknown . . . a difficult
|
|||
|
|
exercise in logic. Also, it is obvious that the Air Force
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
66
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
does not accept the numerous reports of ultra-high
|
|||
|
|
speed right angle turns performed by UFOs ...
|
|||
|
|
or do they? In the official statement why is it
|
|||
|
|
necessary to say "Technological developments or
|
|||
|
|
principles . . .?" Would not "developments" suf-
|
|||
|
|
fice? One could suggeat that use of the word
|
|||
|
|
"principle" has been included to enable semantic
|
|||
|
|
escape for the future. The reason for this suggestion
|
|||
|
|
is that it is claimed by the Believers that UFGOs are
|
|||
|
|
propelled by application of certain principles of magne-
|
|||
|
|
tism. It is true that modern science is aware of the
|
|||
|
|
existence of magnetism. However, to date, it appears
|
|||
|
|
that Man has not been able to apply these principles
|
|||
|
|
to propulsion as exhibited by the flight characteristics
|
|||
|
|
of UFOs. therefore, to say that UNIDENTIFIED objects
|
|||
|
|
do not exhibit any unknown principles could be partial
|
|||
|
|
truth . . . it is just that we have not discovered how to
|
|||
|
|
apply these principles.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The third statement is:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
There has been no evidence indicating that
|
|||
|
|
sightings categorized as UNIDENTIFIED are
|
|||
|
|
extraterrestrail vehicles.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
There can be no argument with this statement, since the
|
|||
|
|
word "evidence" used in this Air Force statement is evi-
|
|||
|
|
dence as defined by the Air Force. If the Air Force is
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
67
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
convinced that it has not received acceptable evidence,
|
|||
|
|
then it is pointless to argue the validity of eye wit-
|
|||
|
|
ness reports as circumstantial but adequate.
|
|||
|
|
It can be seen that there are certain inscrutabili-
|
|||
|
|
ties in the Air Force credo. From time to time, the Air
|
|||
|
|
Force tries to clarify its position, all the while cling-
|
|||
|
|
ing to its credo. An article appeared in the July 1967
|
|||
|
|
issue of "Airman" magazine, official magazine of the
|
|||
|
|
Air Force. [24] The magazine is published monthly by the
|
|||
|
|
Internal Information Division, Directorate of Information,
|
|||
|
|
Office of the Secretary of the Air Force. Al though there
|
|||
|
|
is the usual official disclaimer, the editor of the maga-
|
|||
|
|
zine, in a note preceeding the article on UFOs, states that
|
|||
|
|
the author has done admirably in presenting an article
|
|||
|
|
which tells the truth about UFOs and what the Air Force
|
|||
|
|
knows about them. The article uses several of the ploys
|
|||
|
|
encountered in the Non-Believer literature. it begins by
|
|||
|
|
citing examples of UFO reports which were subsequently
|
|||
|
|
definitely resolved as misidentification of common ob-
|
|||
|
|
jects. The reader is then to extrapolate these cases to
|
|||
|
|
the unknowns. hoaxes are emntioned. the planet Venus is
|
|||
|
|
mentioned. The Air Force statistical listing is mentioned.
|
|||
|
|
many of the arguments against UFOs are presented. . . argu-
|
|||
|
|
ments which have become classic over the years. there is
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
68
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
nothing new is presented in the article. It is unfortun-
|
|||
|
|
ate that this particular article will be read by so many,
|
|||
|
|
from the pages of "Airman" magazine and from the special
|
|||
|
|
"True" magazine reproduction of the article. [25] The author
|
|||
|
|
of the article has attempted to review years of compli-
|
|||
|
|
cated debate in five pages. The article is offered as
|
|||
|
|
the "truth." The author asks, "Are flying saucers fact
|
|||
|
|
or fiction? What does the Air Force know about them?
|
|||
|
|
Read on, and then form your own judgements." Unfortun-
|
|||
|
|
ately, amny reders will do just that. Some of the most
|
|||
|
|
intensely debated aspects of the UFO problem are perfunct-
|
|||
|
|
orily brushed aside. How this is done in the article
|
|||
|
|
can be illustrated by the following statements in the
|
|||
|
|
article. Note that the author does several things in
|
|||
|
|
this statement: ridicules the rationality of Believers;
|
|||
|
|
implies that the reader should not associate himself with
|
|||
|
|
the Believers (This is the "demented by association"
|
|||
|
|
ploy mentioned earlier); presents a faulty analogy;ex-
|
|||
|
|
poses his own closed mind with reference to the possibi-
|
|||
|
|
lity that science may progress beyond the Twentieth Cen-
|
|||
|
|
tury; leaves the questions unanswered; tries to cause
|
|||
|
|
the reader to come to an "obvious" conclusion which is
|
|||
|
|
incorrect.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
69
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
Why do not UFOs, which reportedly move at
|
|||
|
|
supersonic speeds, produce sonic booms? An
|
|||
|
|
earth aircraft, or any solid object, always
|
|||
|
|
creates an audible "boom" when it exceeds
|
|||
|
|
the speed of sound. Bullets produce a sonic
|
|||
|
|
boom! Missiles cause a "boom" once they sur-
|
|||
|
|
pass the speed of sound! However, not one
|
|||
|
|
of the thousands of reports received by the
|
|||
|
|
Air Force mentions any sonic boom associated
|
|||
|
|
with the reported UFO sighting. How can UFOs
|
|||
|
|
defy Earth's gravity and perform erratic aerial
|
|||
|
|
maneuvers and square turns at supersonic speeds?
|
|||
|
|
The pilots of our aircraft and space vehicles
|
|||
|
|
haven't been able to ignore the laws of gravity
|
|||
|
|
and motion!
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
the above statement illustrates the general tenor of
|
|||
|
|
the article. It can be seen that when the author says,
|
|||
|
|
"read on, and then form your own judgements" that he has
|
|||
|
|
stacked the evidence in favor of the negative position.
|
|||
|
|
No valid judgement can be made based on the article.
|
|||
|
|
It is unfortunate that the writer of the article is
|
|||
|
|
either not familliar with the UFO literature or has chosen
|
|||
|
|
to ignore it. there are several works which deal with
|
|||
|
|
the sonic boom, high speed and right angle turns. [26]
|
|||
|
|
The author of the "Airman" magazine article might also find
|
|||
|
|
it illuminating to check on the status of government-
|
|||
|
|
sponsored anti-gravity research programs. [27]
|
|||
|
|
The rather transparent attempt by the Air Force to
|
|||
|
|
dissuade the public takes a shameless form in project
|
|||
|
|
Blue Book material. As part of this material, the fol-
|
|||
|
|
lowing items are included:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
70
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
1. A suggested reading material list which con-
|
|||
|
|
tains thirteen references. Of the thirteen references,
|
|||
|
|
eight deal with astronomy; one with weather; one with
|
|||
|
|
optics; one with the space program, written by Von Braun,
|
|||
|
|
a Non-Believer; one written by Menzel, the classic in-
|
|||
|
|
transigent Non-Believer; and one written by Jacques
|
|||
|
|
Valle, who reviews the history of UFO sightings. of the
|
|||
|
|
thirteen works cited, the book by Valle is the only one
|
|||
|
|
which leaves room for questioning the Air Force's nega-
|
|||
|
|
tive approach. The references to astronomy, weather,
|
|||
|
|
optics and the space program are not even relevant to the
|
|||
|
|
UFO debate. WAs the Air Force afraid to include pro-UFO
|
|||
|
|
literature? Valle is not pro-UFO; he is neutral. If a
|
|||
|
|
reader were to read every reference in the suggested read-
|
|||
|
|
ing list he would understand more about astronomy but
|
|||
|
|
would hardly see why the Air Force's position on UFOs is
|
|||
|
|
being challenged.
|
|||
|
|
2. An article entitled "Arriving from Mars by UFO?.
|
|||
|
|
this article discusses the relative positions of Earth
|
|||
|
|
and MArs with reference to favorable periods for the
|
|||
|
|
launching of space vehicles from Mars to Earth. It goes
|
|||
|
|
into several arethmetic discussions and concludes that:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
When one goes back to examine the direction
|
|||
|
|
from which the UFOs arrive, we find not a single
|
|||
|
|
case for the UFO coming in from the proper direc-
|
|||
|
|
tion to indicate that it had originated on Mars
|
|||
|
|
or Venus.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
71
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
Here we see an example of the refusal to consider that
|
|||
|
|
UFO technology may not be hampered by the limitations
|
|||
|
|
of our own embryo space program. The presumptuousness
|
|||
|
|
of the conclusion is so gross as to be insulting to the
|
|||
|
|
intellect.
|
|||
|
|
3. An interview with Werner Von Braun, in which he
|
|||
|
|
concludes by saying that he will not believe in UFOs un-
|
|||
|
|
til he sees one.
|
|||
|
|
4. A questionnaire that is to be completed by any-
|
|||
|
|
one seeing a meteor or fireball and then mailed to the
|
|||
|
|
American Meteor Society.
|
|||
|
|
Such an irrelevant, one-sided, transparent approach
|
|||
|
|
is demeaning to the United States Air Force.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The Current Situation
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The results of a recent Gallup poll [28], would seem to
|
|||
|
|
indicate that the Air Force is having limited success in
|
|||
|
|
dissuading the public. According to the poll, there are
|
|||
|
|
more than five million Americans who are certain that they
|
|||
|
|
have seen flying saucers or other UFOs. A more signifi-
|
|||
|
|
cant figure is the 46% of America adult who believe that
|
|||
|
|
UFOs are real.
|
|||
|
|
Such an indication of belief in UFOs is truly amazing
|
|||
|
|
when one considers the exotic nature of the subject and
|
|||
|
|
the Air Force's attempts to dissuade the public. However,
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
72
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
the UFO problem has been with us for a long time, and
|
|||
|
|
some of the sensationalism has worn off. The subject
|
|||
|
|
of UFOs has become a more acceptable topic of conver-
|
|||
|
|
sation. Mass media are addressing the problem openly.
|
|||
|
|
The ridicule index is down. more and more reputable
|
|||
|
|
scientists are making statements which are more permis-
|
|||
|
|
sive and hint at the possibility that UFOs might exist.
|
|||
|
|
Dr. Hynek has done much to reinforce the Believer posi-
|
|||
|
|
tion and weaken the Non-Believer position by his subtle
|
|||
|
|
shift away from the intransigent Non-Believers. Also,
|
|||
|
|
the populace is aware that the Air Force has asked a
|
|||
|
|
University of Colorado team to study the problem.
|
|||
|
|
It appears that the citizenry is at least temporari-
|
|||
|
|
ly satisfied that the problem is being looked into.
|
|||
|
|
Both the critics and the Air Force appear to have de-
|
|||
|
|
clared a truce while they await the results of the
|
|||
|
|
Colorado investiagtion, due for public release in 1968.
|
|||
|
|
The writer of this paper predicts a resumption of
|
|||
|
|
the debate with renewed fury upon release of the Colorado
|
|||
|
|
recommendation. The reason for this prediction is that
|
|||
|
|
in the fall of 1968, the recommendation as to whether or
|
|||
|
|
not the government should invest more money in UFO investi-
|
|||
|
|
gation is csheduled to be made by the Colorado team. If
|
|||
|
|
the Colorado team recommends that the investigation be
|
|||
|
|
pursued, the Believers will feel vindicated and clamor
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
73
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
for information, and the Air Force will fell the brunt
|
|||
|
|
of the assault and will be placed on the defensive. On
|
|||
|
|
the other hand, if the Colorado tem recommends no further
|
|||
|
|
investigation, this will incur the wrath of the Believers,
|
|||
|
|
who will not be convinced. So, in either case, the de-
|
|||
|
|
bate will continue on some form. It would appear to be
|
|||
|
|
advisable for the Air Force to prepare contingency plans
|
|||
|
|
for either eventuality.
|
|||
|
|
Confidence is apparently running high in some circles
|
|||
|
|
that UFOs are here to stay. In an article in "Air Progress," [29]
|
|||
|
|
Don Berliner states that civillian industry has been, and
|
|||
|
|
continues to be, interested in capitalizizng on the techni-
|
|||
|
|
cal aspects of UFO construction and propulsion and has been
|
|||
|
|
carrying on research projects aimed at solving such things
|
|||
|
|
as flight principles of a disc form and magnetic field
|
|||
|
|
propulsion. At the end of his article he says,
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Numerous large corporations, sensing the re-
|
|||
|
|
search and development potential of UFO in-
|
|||
|
|
vestigation, have quietly begun pilot projects
|
|||
|
|
aimed at cashing in on an expanded government-
|
|||
|
|
financed study which would almost certainly
|
|||
|
|
follow any positive conclusion by the Univer-
|
|||
|
|
sity of Colorado. An example is the instru-
|
|||
|
|
ment loaded microbus now being prepared by a
|
|||
|
|
large West Coast aerospace firm, which hopes
|
|||
|
|
to get it to the site of a major wave of UFO
|
|||
|
|
sightings and get precise trackings and high
|
|||
|
|
quality photographs. Additionally, there are
|
|||
|
|
billions of dollars waiting for the firm which
|
|||
|
|
first solves the puzzles of the UFO propulsion
|
|||
|
|
control and maneuverability.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
74
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
This rather commercial approach to the UFO problem
|
|||
|
|
would seem to ignore the Air Force assurance that UFOs
|
|||
|
|
are natural phenomena, man-made objects, hallucinations,
|
|||
|
|
or hoaxes.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Summary
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
It is really small wonder that the Air Force is
|
|||
|
|
being challenged. Any private citizen, trying to under-
|
|||
|
|
stand the UFO debate, and researching the problem from
|
|||
|
|
materials available at a public library, will soon see
|
|||
|
|
that the manner in which the Air Force has handled this
|
|||
|
|
problem justifies the challenge. The Air Force has suf-
|
|||
|
|
fered poor publicity, has given irrational answers to
|
|||
|
|
the public, has insulted the intelligence of the citi-
|
|||
|
|
zenry, has alienated many commerciial pilots and scientists,
|
|||
|
|
has made careless mistakes, has become officious, has lost
|
|||
|
|
credibility, has been inconsistent, has refused to modi-
|
|||
|
|
fy its basically irrelevent statistical approach to the
|
|||
|
|
problem and continues to insist that even the unknowns
|
|||
|
|
are probably explainable in terms of the familiar Even
|
|||
|
|
Dr. Menzel, the anti-UFO stalwart, has criticized at least
|
|||
|
|
one of the Air Force "solutions". Referring to the Air
|
|||
|
|
Force determination that Gorman's UFO was really lights
|
|||
|
|
suspended from a balloon, Menzel says, "Of all possible
|
|||
|
|
explanations, the idea of balls of light suspended from
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
75
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
balloons could account for the observations is complete-
|
|||
|
|
ly at variance with the reports. i should rather accept
|
|||
|
|
the alternative that the objects were interplanetary
|
|||
|
|
saucers." [30]
|
|||
|
|
The frustration and anger felt by those who believe
|
|||
|
|
that the Air Force is mishandling the UFO problem has
|
|||
|
|
been succinctly, if emotionally, summed up by an author
|
|||
|
|
famous for his acrimonius attacks on the Air Force:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Almost everybody else in the world agrees
|
|||
|
|
that where there is much smoke there must
|
|||
|
|
be some fire. But not the Air Force. To
|
|||
|
|
them we all have soot on our sun glasses
|
|||
|
|
and the moving disck we think we see are
|
|||
|
|
really drops of sweat. Very simple fellows
|
|||
|
|
in the Air Force. Too simple. [31]
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
76
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
CHAPTER IV
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
THE IMPLICATIONS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The Air Force has for many years had a special of-
|
|||
|
|
fice staffed for the handling or the UFO problem. Many
|
|||
|
|
specialized disciplines have been called upon to assist
|
|||
|
|
in the analysis of UFO reports. Large civilian organi-
|
|||
|
|
zations have been formed to investigate UFO reports.
|
|||
|
|
There has been a congressional hearing on UFOs. Letters
|
|||
|
|
on the subject of UFOs have been passed between the popu-
|
|||
|
|
lace and the Air Force, the populace and members of con-
|
|||
|
|
gress, and the Air Force and members of congress. Mass
|
|||
|
|
media have sponsored programs and published special issues
|
|||
|
|
on the UFO debate, Currently the UFO problem is being
|
|||
|
|
studied by a team from the University or Colorado. Why
|
|||
|
|
does the interest and concern of the people and the govern-
|
|||
|
|
ment continue over the years at such a high level? The
|
|||
|
|
key reason lies in the implications inherent in the UFO
|
|||
|
|
debate.
|
|||
|
|
For the next few pages the author will outline some
|
|||
|
|
of the major political, sociological and military impli-
|
|||
|
|
cations associated with the existence of UFOs. Unfortun-
|
|||
|
|
ately, even if UFOs do not exist as extraterrestrial space
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
77
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
vehicles, the implications of the debate have already
|
|||
|
|
been felt by the Air Force to the detriment of that ser-
|
|||
|
|
vice. Irreparable damage has been suffered by the Air
|
|||
|
|
Force in the minds of a large segment of the population
|
|||
|
|
of this country because of the way that the Air Force
|
|||
|
|
has handled the UFO problem up to this point, as pointed
|
|||
|
|
out in Chapter III of this paper.
|
|||
|
|
One finds throughout the UFO literature charges, ac-
|
|||
|
|
cusations and allegations of censorship and suppression
|
|||
|
|
aimed at the Air Force. Usually the critics end their
|
|||
|
|
discussions with a plea for release of the information
|
|||
|
|
which the Air Force is supposedly concealing, There is
|
|||
|
|
usually some statement to the effect that no matter how
|
|||
|
|
dire the implications, the sophisticated U.S. public,
|
|||
|
|
accustomed to a daily existence in a rather dire world,
|
|||
|
|
will be able to cope with the knowledge that other intel-
|
|||
|
|
ligent beings share the universe with us and have been
|
|||
|
|
visiting the Earth. One wonders whether or not the public
|
|||
|
|
has really thought out some of the implications. If the
|
|||
|
|
Air Force is under orders not to reveal what it knows
|
|||
|
|
about UFOs, maybe the implications give us a clue as to why
|
|||
|
|
this is so.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Political Implications
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
If UFOs are hostile, some of the implications might be:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Demand for protection. Most likely, one of the
|
|||
|
|
first actions on the part of the populace after it has
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
78
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
had time to assess the situation would be to demand
|
|||
|
|
protection from hostile UFOs, The public would demand
|
|||
|
|
to know of the political leaders what they had done or
|
|||
|
|
are doing to protect the people of the nation. Under
|
|||
|
|
the assumption that UFOs represent a technology far
|
|||
|
|
superior to our own, the answer would most likely be
|
|||
|
|
that programs are under consideration to study the prob-
|
|||
|
|
lem, but no effective defense has yet been devised.
|
|||
|
|
Such an announcement would be politically embarrassing,
|
|||
|
|
since UFOs have been with us for many years. In a situ-
|
|||
|
|
ation in which the populace felt threatened, and consi-
|
|||
|
|
dering that most people would not understand the techni-
|
|||
|
|
cal problems involved, such an announcement would be dis-
|
|||
|
|
advantageous to the incumbent political party.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Transfer of emphasis from current world problems to
|
|||
|
|
the international threat. To that degree this would hap-
|
|||
|
|
pen would depend on the nature of the UFO threat. That
|
|||
|
|
is, if the hostility were moderate, only one or two iso-
|
|||
|
|
lated incidents. then the threat might serve only to add
|
|||
|
|
to the world's problems; on the other hand, if there were
|
|||
|
|
some significant and larger scale hostile operation then
|
|||
|
|
the emphasis would shift to one of immediacy,
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Change in international conflict status. This effect
|
|||
|
|
would most likely follow any significant hostile action
|
|||
|
|
against the Earth at large. Nations would soon recognize
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
79
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
a common threat to Man and might reassess their posi-
|
|||
|
|
tions relative to international jealousies and conflicts.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Demand for international unity. It is likely that the
|
|||
|
|
peoples of the world would lose interest in internation-
|
|||
|
|
al conflicts and demand international unity to try to
|
|||
|
|
counter the common threat.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Politically, any of the last three effects would be
|
|||
|
|
highly disruptive to the political status quo and to
|
|||
|
|
government programs and plans.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Political implications if UFOs are benevolent;
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Assuming that the intelligence behind the UFOs began
|
|||
|
|
to take more than a passing interest in Earth society,
|
|||
|
|
and in consideration that this intelligence would probab-
|
|||
|
|
ly be more advanced not only in technology but in other
|
|||
|
|
areas as well, some of the effects might be:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Loss of allegiance; Existing political organi-
|
|||
|
|
zations might be hard pressed to maintain the allegiance
|
|||
|
|
of their people if extraterrestrial beings of a superior
|
|||
|
|
nature criticized the actions of the existing governments.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Loss or sovereignty; International boundaries and
|
|||
|
|
traditional prerogatives or government may be lost. Direc-
|
|||
|
|
tions issued by an existing government would be subject
|
|||
|
|
to review by an authority which might be considered by
|
|||
|
|
the people to be wiser, and the people might be reluctant
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
80
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
to comply without the approval of this superior authori-
|
|||
|
|
ty.
|
|||
|
|
Loss of confidence in government might be brought
|
|||
|
|
about by extraterrestrial disapproval of government opera-
|
|||
|
|
tion.
|
|||
|
|
Modification or invalidation of national object-
|
|||
|
|
ives; If national objectives were criticized by higher
|
|||
|
|
intelligences, governments might have to make a choice
|
|||
|
|
between a change of objectives or political chaos caused
|
|||
|
|
by dissension among the populace as to proper national
|
|||
|
|
objectives.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Loss of national ego might result from decline
|
|||
|
|
of nationalism, and an enhancement of international
|
|||
|
|
spirit.
|
|||
|
|
Loss of national prestige: The loss or reduction
|
|||
|
|
or individual and national ego, the weakening of the poten-
|
|||
|
|
cy of government dictates, a decrease in nationalistic
|
|||
|
|
pride, and the realization that Earth civilization is
|
|||
|
|
relatively retarded would probably result in a loss or
|
|||
|
|
reduction of national prestige throughout the world.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Alteration of political systems; Revamping of
|
|||
|
|
entire concepts of government may result because of ad-
|
|||
|
|
vice from superior beings, who could point out deficien-
|
|||
|
|
cies and recommend better forms of government.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
81
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
Change in international power relationships:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
With a change in national objectives, possibly new forms
|
|||
|
|
of government and a shift in government priorities, power
|
|||
|
|
relationships may drastically change, since the new object-
|
|||
|
|
ives may not be supported by the existing power structures.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Political chicanery and deception: A remote pos-
|
|||
|
|
sibility, but one which is not beyond the unprincipled,
|
|||
|
|
would be an attempt on the part of politicians to per-
|
|||
|
|
suade the people that a certain course of action or pro-
|
|||
|
|
gram was recommended by the superior intelligences, when
|
|||
|
|
in fact it was not.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The effects listed above are far-reaching, sweeping
|
|||
|
|
effects. But one wonders if considerations such as out-
|
|||
|
|
lined above have not been causing feelings of uneasiness
|
|||
|
|
in certain government quarters,
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Sociological Implications
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The political and military effects and responses have
|
|||
|
|
their foundations in the sociological implications, influ-
|
|||
|
|
ences on the very core of the individual, . . his beliefs,
|
|||
|
|
his understanding of himself and his relationship to others...
|
|||
|
|
in short, his Man-oriented society. An intrusion by extra-
|
|||
|
|
terrestrial beings into this closed society may have the
|
|||
|
|
following effects on the human being.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
82
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
If UFOs are hostile;
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Initial shock and consternation; Active hosti-
|
|||
|
|
lity on a significant scale by extraterrestrials would
|
|||
|
|
represent an event for which Man is ill-prepared. He
|
|||
|
|
would need some time to realize the magnitude of the
|
|||
|
|
threat. After realizing what this threat meant to Man-
|
|||
|
|
kind, he would most likely be disoriented, since there
|
|||
|
|
is no historical precedent that he can call on to aid
|
|||
|
|
him in confronting the problem. With time, Man would
|
|||
|
|
realize more and more what the implications were, and
|
|||
|
|
shock and consternation would grow into:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Worldwide fear; localized panic; Classical
|
|||
|
|
panic would probably not occur except in the immediate
|
|||
|
|
vicinity of the hostile action, when it was realized
|
|||
|
|
that Man is powerless to defend himself effectively.
|
|||
|
|
With worldwide communications, any hostile action of
|
|||
|
|
significance would become worldwide knowledge. World-
|
|||
|
|
wide reaction, on an individual basis, would probably
|
|||
|
|
take the form of deep fear for the future of Man. This
|
|||
|
|
reaction would probably not be immediate, but would
|
|||
|
|
slowly evolve, becoming more and more intense with reali-
|
|||
|
|
zation.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
A turning to religion: on the face of the reali-
|
|||
|
|
zation that Man would be, for all practical purposes, de-
|
|||
|
|
fenseless against hostile UFOs, there may be a turning to
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
83
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
religion for help and comfort.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
A change in human relationships: There may be
|
|||
|
|
more cooperation among the peoples of the world and among
|
|||
|
|
people in the same nation, community and neighborhood as
|
|||
|
|
they join together to face a common threat and to com-
|
|||
|
|
miserate with one another. As General Douglas MacArthur
|
|||
|
|
said in the New York Times, October 9, 1955,
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The nations of the world will have to unite,
|
|||
|
|
for the next war will be an interplanetary
|
|||
|
|
war. The nations of the earth must someday
|
|||
|
|
make a common front against attack by people
|
|||
|
|
from other planets.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Sociological implications if UFOs are benevolent:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Again, initial shock and consternation: Man
|
|||
|
|
would need time to sift out for himself what the appear-
|
|||
|
|
ance of extraterrestrial beings means to Man as an indi-
|
|||
|
|
vidual and as a society. Once more, Man is ill-prepared
|
|||
|
|
to do this. He would have to view flying saucers as some
|
|||
|
|
thing more than subjects for TV and comic strips, He would
|
|||
|
|
most likely look to his government for guidance. This
|
|||
|
|
guidance would be either non-existent or feeble and inade-
|
|||
|
|
quate.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Change in human relationships: As in the Case of
|
|||
|
|
hostility, people would probably grow closer together as
|
|||
|
|
they struggled to develop an understanding and modus viven-
|
|||
|
|
di under the new conditions.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
84
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
Loss or reduction of ego: An encounter with
|
|||
|
|
superior beings, superior technology and superior under-
|
|||
|
|
standing in all areas which Man considers important would
|
|||
|
|
act to deflate Man's high esteem for himself. His ac-
|
|||
|
|
complishments would appear rudimentary.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Modification of the human value system: Again,
|
|||
|
|
assuming that extraterrestrial beings took an active
|
|||
|
|
interest in the affairs of Man, certain ends pursued
|
|||
|
|
by Man as worthwhile objectives in life may be demon-
|
|||
|
|
strated convincingly to be either of limited value or
|
|||
|
|
worthless. Man would then have the choice of continu-
|
|||
|
|
ing to pursue objectives which were demonstrated to be
|
|||
|
|
false, or of modifying his value system.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Decrease in status of scientists and world
|
|||
|
|
technology: As in the case with loss or reduction of
|
|||
|
|
ego, world technology and the scientific community which
|
|||
|
|
promotes it would lose some of its luster in the face of
|
|||
|
|
superior technology and understanding of the workings of
|
|||
|
|
natural laws and their application. This factor may be
|
|||
|
|
the basis, in part, for the too frequent reluctance of
|
|||
|
|
scientists to look too deeply into the UFO problem.
|
|||
|
|
There is the chance that the UFOs will not become active-
|
|||
|
|
ly involved with Earth society. If scientists can de-
|
|||
|
|
bunk UFOs with moderate success, and if the involvement
|
|||
|
|
of UFOs with our society remains as it has over the last
|
|||
|
|
few years, then the scientists stand a fair chance of re-
|
|||
|
|
taining their esteem.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
85
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
Turmoil in world religions: Religious concepts
|
|||
|
|
based on the notion that Man holds a special and exclu-
|
|||
|
|
sive place in the Master Plan will have to be re-evalu-
|
|||
|
|
ated, not because of the special place of Man, but be-
|
|||
|
|
cause of the idea of exclusivity. Such re-evaluation
|
|||
|
|
will revitalize religion because of a better understand-
|
|||
|
|
ing of concepts presently misunderstood.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Transfer of allegiance from traditional religions
|
|||
|
|
to the philosophy and religion of the extraterrestrials:
|
|||
|
|
While the traditional religions are undergoing a reassess-
|
|||
|
|
ment, and assuming that the extraterrestrial beings are
|
|||
|
|
advanced over Man in spiritual development, there will
|
|||
|
|
most likely be a shift in allegiance from the tradition-
|
|||
|
|
al religions to that of the extraterrestrials. The hunger
|
|||
|
|
for spiritual answers and the inability or traditional re-
|
|||
|
|
ligion to convincingly provide the answers is legendary.
|
|||
|
|
Any religion which makes Man's purpose clear and which can
|
|||
|
|
provide answers to his questions will gain a large follow-
|
|||
|
|
ing.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Military Implications
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Since the Air Force is charged with the responsibi-
|
|||
|
|
lity for assuring the security of the skies over the
|
|||
|
|
United States, it is understandable that intrusion into
|
|||
|
|
U.S. air space by strange air vehicles at any place and
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
86
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
at any time would cause considerable Air Force nervous-
|
|||
|
|
ness. Although there have been instances in which these
|
|||
|
|
strange vehicles have been pursued and fire upon by Air
|
|||
|
|
Force aircraft (See Chapter III), the Air Force claims
|
|||
|
|
that it has no physical evidence of the existence of these
|
|||
|
|
vehicles. This is a declaration of the impotence of the
|
|||
|
|
Air Force against these craft. However, the Air Force
|
|||
|
|
should not feel that it is remiss in providing air secur-
|
|||
|
|
ity for the nation. The Wright brothers would have had
|
|||
|
|
little success in convincing an F-4 pilot that he should
|
|||
|
|
be escorted to the nearest airfield.
|
|||
|
|
There are two very significant problems confronting
|
|||
|
|
Earth technology today, assuming a military threat from
|
|||
|
|
the UFOs. First, forces in being are demonstrably inade-
|
|||
|
|
quate to cope with any such threat. This inadequacy is
|
|||
|
|
reflected both in the passive role of detection and track-
|
|||
|
|
ing and also in the active role of offense action. De-
|
|||
|
|
tection by radar is thwarted by a combination of small
|
|||
|
|
radar cross-section, high speed, and ability to stop while
|
|||
|
|
in flight. Assuming that the reflective surface were suf-
|
|||
|
|
ficient to give a good return, high speed and an erratic
|
|||
|
|
flight path would make it virtually impossible to effective-
|
|||
|
|
ly pass the track through the radar network or individual
|
|||
|
|
radar stations. Any radar station working on the ballistic
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
87
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
trajectory principle, or equipped with moving target
|
|||
|
|
indicator (MTI) circuitry would be confounded by the
|
|||
|
|
erratic flight and the ability of the space vehicles
|
|||
|
|
to come to a stop in flight. In the case of MTI, the
|
|||
|
|
UFO would appear to disappear from the scope when it
|
|||
|
|
stopped moving.
|
|||
|
|
Even assuming that a UFO could be detected and
|
|||
|
|
tracked, we have nothing in the inventory, aircraft
|
|||
|
|
or missile, that is capable or coping with the UFO.
|
|||
|
|
Ultra-high speed, angular maneuvers and unlimited
|
|||
|
|
ceiling assure the UFO's ability to elude any inter-
|
|||
|
|
cepting weapon, provided that the UFO is able to de-
|
|||
|
|
tect an attack. The detection capability of UFOs is
|
|||
|
|
not discussed in the literature available to the public.
|
|||
|
|
The second major problem confronting Earth technolo-
|
|||
|
|
gy is the matter of lead time, both in the laboratory and
|
|||
|
|
on the production line. If we assume that at some point
|
|||
|
|
in time we are able to determine the vulnerabilities of
|
|||
|
|
the UFO , we must then translate this understanding into
|
|||
|
|
a defensive weapon system. It would appear from the de-
|
|||
|
|
scriptions of the behavior of these vehicles that they
|
|||
|
|
employ principles which are rather exotic, in terms of
|
|||
|
|
Man's understanding of physical laws. If this is so, it
|
|||
|
|
will be no mean task to understand these principles suffi-
|
|||
|
|
ciently to be able to design a counter weapon, to
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
88
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
produce that weapon, and then to deploy a system to the
|
|||
|
|
field. In such a situation, the time lapse is reckoned
|
|||
|
|
in years. We may not have sufficient time to develop
|
|||
|
|
such a defensive weapon, even assurance that we had enough
|
|||
|
|
information to begin with.
|
|||
|
|
If the UFOs are not hostile, and if they are benevo-
|
|||
|
|
lent, then the problem is not a technical one; it is more
|
|||
|
|
an ego problem and a human relations problem. Military
|
|||
|
|
ego would suffer a severe setback in the face of just one
|
|||
|
|
public demonstration of the capabilities of a disc. The
|
|||
|
|
impotence of the military establishment to cope with the
|
|||
|
|
UFOs would be manifestly apparent to all. Military wea-
|
|||
|
|
ponry and tactics would appear obsolete overnight. In
|
|||
|
|
addition to the blow to military prestige, a far more
|
|||
|
|
significant effect could be felt by military establish-
|
|||
|
|
ments world-wide. If th@ extraterrestrial beings sug-
|
|||
|
|
gested that war between nations was not a valid method
|
|||
|
|
for the resolution of international conflicts, and if they
|
|||
|
|
could demonstrate an alternative and offer guidance. mili-
|
|||
|
|
tary forces would gradually fall into disrepute and the
|
|||
|
|
world would probably see the eventual dissolution of mili-
|
|||
|
|
tary establishments world-wide.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Summary
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Any reader would be able to think of almost an in-
|
|||
|
|
finite number of implications in economics, industry,
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
89
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
the arts . . . across the whole spectrum of human acti-
|
|||
|
|
vity. The point is that we should be thinking about all
|
|||
|
|
these implications so that we can be better prepared for
|
|||
|
|
the day when we might be confronted with an overt approach
|
|||
|
|
on the part of extraterrestrials. The other nagging quest-
|
|||
|
|
ion is the matter of intent. If we could determine intent
|
|||
|
|
this would be a start towards psychological adjustment and
|
|||
|
|
possible accommodation, whether the intent be hostile or
|
|||
|
|
benevolent.
|
|||
|
|
It can be seen that if the question of implications
|
|||
|
|
is explored fully, one gains an appreciation of Dr. Hynek's
|
|||
|
|
statement that "Mankind may be in for the greatest advent-
|
|||
|
|
ure since dawning human intelligence turned outward to con-
|
|||
|
|
template the universe.
|
|||
|
|
Also, one can begin to appreciate why the Believers
|
|||
|
|
have been so unkind to the Air Force. They feel that any
|
|||
|
|
knowledge which the Air Force may be withholding is right-
|
|||
|
|
fully the property of mankind, and not the exclusive pro-
|
|||
|
|
perty of any one military or political organization.
|
|||
|
|
The thought arises, or course, that in view of the
|
|||
|
|
implications, maybe release of all information on UFOs
|
|||
|
|
would herald the beginning of the dissolution of the world
|
|||
|
|
as we have come to know it. For some, this may be unac-
|
|||
|
|
ceptable, and as was pointed out earlier, if the UFOs have
|
|||
|
|
only a casual interest iu Earth and do not plan to involve
|
|||
|
|
themselves with mankind, then maybe some of the problems
|
|||
|
|
are only academic.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
90
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
CHAPTER V
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
It is once more pointed out that if the Air Force
|
|||
|
|
is handling the UFO problem properly, in view of the
|
|||
|
|
seriousness of the implications, nevertheless, the
|
|||
|
|
interested researcher is left with the impression that
|
|||
|
|
either the Air Force investigation has been inept or
|
|||
|
|
some important information is being purposely withheld,
|
|||
|
|
giving rise to the many curious statements made by the
|
|||
|
|
Air Force as it tries as best it can to assuage the
|
|||
|
|
public, while withholding the truth.
|
|||
|
|
Based on an exhaustive review of the literature
|
|||
|
|
available to the public, the writer of this paper comes
|
|||
|
|
to the following conclusions:
|
|||
|
|
1. Many objects reported as UFOs are misidentifi-
|
|||
|
|
cations of natural phenomena or man-made objects.
|
|||
|
|
2. Many objects reported as UFOs are space vehi-
|
|||
|
|
cles.
|
|||
|
|
a. These vehicles originate extraterrestrially.
|
|||
|
|
b. These vehicles are controlled by some intel-
|
|||
|
|
ligence either on board the vehicles or at some extra-
|
|||
|
|
terrestrial location remote from the vehicles.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
91
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
c. The space technology or the extraterrestrial
|
|||
|
|
intelligence is far superior to ours.
|
|||
|
|
d. It is likely that contact has been made with
|
|||
|
|
Man on an individual and covert basis.
|
|||
|
|
e. It is not known why overt contact with Man
|
|||
|
|
has not been made.
|
|||
|
|
f. The intent of the extraterrestrial beings
|
|||
|
|
is not known.
|
|||
|
|
3. The implications for the world in the existence
|
|||
|
|
of UFOs is presently significant, and will become even
|
|||
|
|
more significant if overt contact is made.
|
|||
|
|
4. The Air Force has been inept in its handling of
|
|||
|
|
the UFO problem.
|
|||
|
|
5. The Air Force has lost some of its esteem in the
|
|||
|
|
eyes of a large segment of the U.S. population because
|
|||
|
|
of the manner in which the Air Force has handled the UFO
|
|||
|
|
problem.
|
|||
|
|
6. Defense of the anti-UFO position has been weak.
|
|||
|
|
Charges and allegations against the Air Force have not
|
|||
|
|
been satisfactorily answered.
|
|||
|
|
7. The gravity of the implications for mankind in
|
|||
|
|
the existence of UFOs may be the root cause for the
|
|||
|
|
puzzling official pronouncements and approach to the
|
|||
|
|
problem.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
92
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Recommendations
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
1. Conduct an open congressional hearing with the
|
|||
|
|
Air Force, NICAP, APRO and the University of Colorado
|
|||
|
|
represented. Conduct this open hearing upon completion
|
|||
|
|
of the current initial study being conducted by the
|
|||
|
|
University of Colorado, even if results show that fur-
|
|||
|
|
ther study is required.
|
|||
|
|
2. If it is considered inadvisable to conduct an
|
|||
|
|
open hearing because of the implications, then:
|
|||
|
|
a. Quietly call in members of NICAP and enlist
|
|||
|
|
their cooperation. Explain current status and implica-
|
|||
|
|
tions, and have NICAP contact key people in APRO.
|
|||
|
|
b. Disband Project Blue Book.
|
|||
|
|
c. Establish a nationwide official UFO investi-
|
|||
|
|
gative organization independent of the Air Force. Staff
|
|||
|
|
this organization with a broad spectrum of experts.
|
|||
|
|
Train all investigators. The disbanding of Project Blue
|
|||
|
|
Book and the establishment of the investigative organi-
|
|||
|
|
zation should be done without fanfare. These actions
|
|||
|
|
might be justified as a reorganization in order to pro-
|
|||
|
|
vide a more detailed, prompt investigation of reports
|
|||
|
|
by citizens.
|
|||
|
|
3. The United States government should prepare
|
|||
|
|
contingency plans for contact with UFOs (hostile and
|
|||
|
|
benevolent).
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
93
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
4. After establishment of the new investigative
|
|||
|
|
organization, the United States should actively try
|
|||
|
|
to establish contact with the UFOs and determine
|
|||
|
|
motive. Attempts at contact should not be provocative
|
|||
|
|
or aggressive.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
94
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
FOOTNOTES
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Chapter II
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
1. Brad Steiger and Joan Writenour, "Flying Saucers
|
|||
|
|
Are Hostile" (New York: Universal Publishing and Distri-
|
|||
|
|
buting Corp.,l967), p. 66.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
2. Malcom Kent, "The Terror Above Us" (New York:
|
|||
|
|
Tower Publications, 1967, p. 15.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
3. Steiger, op. cit., p. 10.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
4. Ibid., p. 12.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
5. Edward J. Ruppelt, "The Report on Unidentified
|
|||
|
|
Flying Objects" (New York: Doubleday and Co. Inc., 1956),
|
|||
|
|
p. 51.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
6. Donald E. Keyhoe, "The Flying Saucer Conspiracy"
|
|||
|
|
(New York: Henry Holt and Co., 1955), p. 288.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
7. Coral Lorenzen, "The Great Flying Saucer Hoax"
|
|||
|
|
(New York; William-Frederick Press, 1962), p. 32.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
8. Coral and Jim Lorenzen, "Flying Saucer Occupants"
|
|||
|
|
(New York: The New American Library, Inc., 1967), p. 42.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
9. John G. Fuller, "The Interrupted Journey" (New York:
|
|||
|
|
Dial Press, 1966).
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
10. Lorenzen, "Flying Saucer Occupants," p. 116.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
11. Frank Edwards, "Flying Saucers Serious Business"
|
|||
|
|
(New York: Bantam Books, Inc., 1966), p. 167.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
12. Ibid., p. 170 and Ruppelt, op. cit., p. 119.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
95
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
13. John G. Fuller, "Incident at Exeter" (New York:
|
|||
|
|
Putnam, 1966), p. 203 and Edwards, op. cit., p. 142 and
|
|||
|
|
Steiger, op. cit., p. 69.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
14. Steiger, op. cit., p. 10.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
15. Keyhoe, op. cit., p. 38.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
16. Vincent H. Gaddis, "Mysterious Fires and Lights"
|
|||
|
|
(New York; David McKay Co. Inc., 1967), p. 11 and Steiger
|
|||
|
|
op. cit., p. 153.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
17. Fuller, "The Interrupted Journey".
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
18. George Adamski, "Inside the Flying Saucers!" (New
|
|||
|
|
York: Paperback Library, Inc., 1967), p. 66.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
19. Ibid., P. 69.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
20. Ibid., p. 59 and 69.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
21. Frank Skully, "Behind the Flying Saucers" (New
|
|||
|
|
York: Holt, 1950), p. 52.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
22. Adamski, op. cit., p. 7O and 7l.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
23. Jacques Vallee, "Anatomy of a Phenomenon" (Chicago:
|
|||
|
|
Henry Regnery Co., 1965), p. 167.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
24. Ibid., p. 148.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
25. Cleve Mitchell, "The UFO Saga" (Lakemont, Georgia:
|
|||
|
|
CSA Press, 1966), p. 84.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
26. Ibid., p. 84.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
27. Adamski, op. cit., p, 64.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
28. Ibid., p. 35.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
29. George Adamski and Desmond Leslie, "Flying Saucers
|
|||
|
|
Have Landed" (New York; The British Book Centre, 1953),
|
|||
|
|
facing p. 192.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
30. Richard H. Hall, "The UFO Evidence" (Washington,
|
|||
|
|
D. C.: NICAP, 1964).
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
31. "The APRO Bulletin" (Tucson, Arizona)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
96
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
32. Gaddis, op. cit., p. 9.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
33. Ibid.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
34. "A Fresh Look at Flying Saucers", Time (August
|
|||
|
|
4, 1967), p. 32 and Lorenzen, "Flying Saucer Occupants",
|
|||
|
|
p. 164.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
35. "Flying Saucers", (Special Issue by Look Magazine),
|
|||
|
|
(New York: Cowles Communications, Inc., 1967), p. 59.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
36. Fuller, "Incident at Exeter", p. 221.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
37. "Hearing on Unidentified Flying Objects", Committee
|
|||
|
|
on Armed Services, House of Representatives, 89th Congress,
|
|||
|
|
2nd Session, 1966, Hereafter cited as "Hearing on UFOs".
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
38. Ruppelt, loc. cit.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
39. Ibid.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
40. Ibid., p. 13.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
41. Ibid., p. 314.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
42. Ibid., p. 8.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
43. Ibid., p. 315.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
44. "Hearing on UFOs", op. cit., p. 6006.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
45. J. Allen Hynek "The UFO Gap", Playboy, Vol. 14,
|
|||
|
|
No. 12 (December 1967), P. 146.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
46. J. Allen Hynek, in a letter to "Science" magazine,
|
|||
|
|
(1 August, 1966).
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
47. "Hearing on UFOs", op. cit., p. 6007.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
48. Hynek, "Science".
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
49. Hynek, "Playboy", p. 270.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
50. "Hearing on UFOs", op. cit., p. 6007.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
51. Hynek, "Science".
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
52. Hynek, "Playboy", p. 271.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
97
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
53. Carl Sagan "Unidentified Flying Objects", (an
|
|||
|
|
article copyrighted in 1963 by The Encyclopedia Americana;
|
|||
|
|
reprinted for private circulation), p. 5.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
54. Edwards, op. cit., p. 112. .
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
55. Graham Berry, "Those Mysterious Signals from
|
|||
|
|
Outer Space", Los Angeles Times West Magazine, (January
|
|||
|
|
8, 1967), p. 27.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
56. Fuller, "Incident at Exeter".
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
57. Fuller, "The Interrupted Journey".
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
58. Fuller, "Incident at Exeter", p. 193.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
59. Time
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
60. Hearing on UFOs, loc. cit.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
61. Donald H. Menzel, "Flying Saucers" (Massachusetts:
|
|||
|
|
Harvard University Press, 1953).
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
62. Lawrence J. Tacker, "Flying Saucers and the USAF"
|
|||
|
|
(New York; Van Nostrand, 1960).
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
63. Menzel, op. cit.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
64. Ibid., p. 18.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
65. Ibid., p. 19.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
66. Ibid., p. 17.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
67. Ibid., p. 19.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
68. Ibid., p. 125.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
69. Ruppelt, op. cit., p. 133.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
70. Menzel, op. cit., p. 38.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
71. Ruppelt, op. cit., p. 133.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
72. Menzel, op. cit., p. 283.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
73. Tacker, loc. cit.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
74. Ibid., p. 8
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
98
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
75. Ibid., p. 10.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
76. Lorenzen, "The Great Flying Saucer Hoax", p. 188.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
77. Ibid., p. 159.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Chapter III
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
1. Project Blue Book, 1 March, 1967, p. 4.-
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
2. Tacker, op. cit., p. 12.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
3. Ibid., p. 13.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
4. Ibid., p. 17.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
5. Ibid., p. 13.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
6. Hynek, Playboy, p. 146.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
7. Tacker, op. cit., p. 83.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
8. Edwards, op. cit., p. 179 and Edward J. Babcock
|
|||
|
|
and Timothy Green Beckly, "UFO Plagues Now Jersey Reservoir"
|
|||
|
|
Fate, October 1966, Vol. 19, No. 10, Issue 199, p. 34.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
9. Mort Young, "UFO Top Secret" (New York; Essandess
|
|||
|
|
Special Editions, 1967), p. 101.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
10. Ibid., p. 102 and Edwards, op. cit., p. 167.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
11. Project Blue Book, op. cit., p. 1.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
12. Yale Scientific Magazine, (Yale University,
|
|||
|
|
Vol. XXXVII, No. 7, April 1963).
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
13. Keyhoe, "The Flying Saucer Conspiracy".
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
14. Donald E. Keyhoe, "Flying Saucers Top Secret" (New
|
|||
|
|
York; Putnam's Sons, 1960).
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
15. Ibid., p. 155.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
16. Ruppelt, op. cit., p. 62.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
17. Kehoe, "Flying Saucers Top Secret", p. 164.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
99
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
18. Tacker, op. cit., p. 83.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
19. Ruppelt, op. cit., p. 62.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
20. Edwards, op. cit., p. 140.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
21. Project Blue Book, op. cit., p. 4.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
22. Keyhoe, "Flying Saucers Top Secret", p. 100.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
23. Project Blue Book, op. cit., p. 2.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
24. George W. Ogles, major, USAF, "What Does the
|
|||
|
|
Air Force Really Know About Flying Saucers?", The Airman,
|
|||
|
|
Vol. XI, No. 7, July 1967, (Washington, D. C.: U. S.
|
|||
|
|
Government Printing Office, 1967), p. 4.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
25. George W. Ogles, Major, USAF, "Air Force Takes
|
|||
|
|
the Stand: 'Just the Facts, Sir' " The New Report on
|
|||
|
|
Flying Saucers by the Publishers of True, No. 2, 1967
|
|||
|
|
(Connecticut: Fawcett Publications, Inc., 1967), p. 4.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
26. Leonard G. Cramp, "Space, Gravity and the Flying
|
|||
|
|
Saucer (New York: British Book Centre, 1955) and Keyhoe,
|
|||
|
|
"The Flying Saucer Conspiracy", p. 247 and Skully, loc. cit.
|
|||
|
|
and Michael Aime, "Flying Saucers and the Straight Line" (New
|
|||
|
|
York: Criterion Books, 1958).
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
27. Edwards, op. cit., p. 127.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
28. Time, op. cit., p. 32
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
29. Don Berliner, "The UFO from the Designer's View-
|
|||
|
|
point", Air Progress, Vol. 21, No. 4, October 1967, p. 72.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
30. Menzel, op. cit., p. 18.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
31. Skully, op. cit., p. 186.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
100
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
APPENDIX A
|
|||
|
|
TYPICAL UFO CHARACTERISTICS AND EFFECTS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
As was pointed out in Chapter II of this paper, it
|
|||
|
|
is apparent, after review of UFO sighting reports con-
|
|||
|
|
tained throughout the literature, no matter what the
|
|||
|
|
particular persuasion of the author, that there are
|
|||
|
|
certain consistencies in these sightings, regardless
|
|||
|
|
of the stand which has, at least in the past, been
|
|||
|
|
taken by Project Blue Book (Special Report #14). These
|
|||
|
|
consistencies are tabulated below.
|
|||
|
|
If it is felt that within any category of character-
|
|||
|
|
istics there is too much diversity, the author suggests
|
|||
|
|
that these differences are no greater than those which
|
|||
|
|
exist between a helicopter and a commercial jet aircraft.
|
|||
|
|
There are many reports of elongated, cigar-shaped
|
|||
|
|
objects, thought by some authors to be what is termed
|
|||
|
|
a "mother ship" i.e., a much larger vehicle which usu-
|
|||
|
|
ally does not land, but hovers near the area where the
|
|||
|
|
disc-shaped objects descend to lower altitudes or land.
|
|||
|
|
It has been theorized that master control over the disc
|
|||
|
|
shaped objects may be exerted from the "mother ship", re-
|
|||
|
|
gardless of whether or not the discs are remotely control-
|
|||
|
|
led from the "mother ship" or carry intelligent beings
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
101
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
on board. A modification of this theory suggests an
|
|||
|
|
aircrart carrier type role for the "mother ship", i.e.,
|
|||
|
|
the "mother ship" transports the discs across the ex-
|
|||
|
|
panse of interplanetary space and discharges the discs
|
|||
|
|
upon reaching the near environment of the Earth. The
|
|||
|
|
cigar-shaped vehicles have been reported to be immense
|
|||
|
|
objects.....approximating the length of a football field.
|
|||
|
|
Several other shapes have been reported: bell-shaped
|
|||
|
|
triangular, egg-shaped, rectangular.....but these shapes
|
|||
|
|
are in the minority.
|
|||
|
|
The characteristics and effects outlined on the next
|
|||
|
|
page are applicable to the classic disc-shaped object,
|
|||
|
|
by far the most commonly reported. This is the "flying
|
|||
|
|
saucer" model. The Believer literature usually ascribes
|
|||
|
|
a scouting, probing, investigation, reconnaissance, funct-
|
|||
|
|
ion to this type of object.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
102
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Typical UFO Characteristics and Effects
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Physical Characteristics:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Size: From two feet in diameter to over 100 feet
|
|||
|
|
in diameter.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Shape: Circular; disc-shaped; like two saucers, one
|
|||
|
|
inverted over the other. The center of the
|
|||
|
|
disc is thicker than the edges, which may be
|
|||
|
|
sharp or blunt.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Color: Daytime: Brilliant silver color with a sheen.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Nighttime: Intense white light. May also be
|
|||
|
|
orange, red, green, blue. Many reports indi-
|
|||
|
|
cate a gradual change of color as maneuvers
|
|||
|
|
change, i.e., disc may be dull orange while
|
|||
|
|
hovering and change through brilliant orange
|
|||
|
|
to red to white as the disc moves progressive-
|
|||
|
|
ly faster in a horizontal or vertical direct-
|
|||
|
|
ion. The light is usually described as extreme-
|
|||
|
|
ly intense and pulsating.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Construction:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Material: Metal- pure magnesium. (Incidentally,
|
|||
|
|
Coral Lorenzen, of APRO, claims she had a
|
|||
|
|
sample of this material analyzed. Her report,
|
|||
|
|
with several spectrographic tables and discus-
|
|||
|
|
sion, appears in her book, "The Great Flying
|
|||
|
|
Saucer Hoax", p. 89)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Lnnding Gear: Tripod spherical....like ball
|
|||
|
|
bearings; or tripod extensions with flat or
|
|||
|
|
wedge-shaped plates at the end of each of the
|
|||
|
|
three "legs".
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Access: Throu@h a panel usually on the under-
|
|||
|
|
side of the vehicle. Panel opens and closes
|
|||
|
|
silently and smoothly. When closed, the fit
|
|||
|
|
with the vehicle body is so precise that seams
|
|||
|
|
cannot be detected.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
103
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
Exterior Features: Antenna-like projection
|
|||
|
|
is frequently reported. Center of disc fre-
|
|||
|
|
quently has a cupola. May have running lights
|
|||
|
|
and port holes.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Interior Features: Extremely bright "burnish-
|
|||
|
|
ed aluminum" appearing walls. Compartments in
|
|||
|
|
the shape of a pie wedge, with the point or
|
|||
|
|
the wedge joining a central column. Doors fit
|
|||
|
|
without seams. May have more than one level.
|
|||
|
|
Lighted instrument panels; star charts ( See
|
|||
|
|
"The Interrupted Journey", J.G. Fuller). Source
|
|||
|
|
of light is not apparent, "seems to come from
|
|||
|
|
everywhere."
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Flight Characteristics:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Speed: 0 (hover) to 5000 MPH or greater.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Maneuverability: Hover; vertical ascents vertical
|
|||
|
|
descent; horizontal. High speed departure
|
|||
|
|
from Earth surface is usually on a slant.
|
|||
|
|
Ability to change from hover to high speed
|
|||
|
|
is instantaneous; ability to stop from high
|
|||
|
|
speed movement is instantaneous; right angle
|
|||
|
|
turns at high speed are common.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Special Flight Characteristics: The discs are usual-
|
|||
|
|
ly seen to "wobble" at low speeds (instabili-
|
|||
|
|
ty?). At night, while hovering, the light
|
|||
|
|
emitted by the disc is usually reported to
|
|||
|
|
"pulsate".
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Propulsion: Propelled through application of principles
|
|||
|
|
of magnetism as yet not understood by Man.
|
|||
|
|
(Navigation is theorized to be based on a
|
|||
|
|
compehensive understanding of magnetic fields
|
|||
|
|
in space....therefore the concern that Man
|
|||
|
|
may alter the relationships by his nuclear
|
|||
|
|
explosions in space.) The power system is
|
|||
|
|
absolutely silent or may hum much like an
|
|||
|
|
electrical transformer. A high pitched,
|
|||
|
|
intense hum or whine is often reported.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Effect on Immediate Vicinity:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Electrical Systems: Disruption. Lights go out; auto
|
|||
|
|
ignitions fail. Some authors theorize that the
|
|||
|
|
recent power blackouts were caused by UFO experi-
|
|||
|
|
mentation.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
104
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Radioactivity: Low to high readings on radioacti-
|
|||
|
|
vity d@tection instruments.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Human Beings: No effect, to tingling sensation, to
|
|||
|
|
paralysis, to burns on flesh. Some cases
|
|||
|
|
of involuntary compliance with unspoken
|
|||
|
|
orders from space beings.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Animals: Horses panic; dogs cower; insects and frogs
|
|||
|
|
stop chirping. These occurrences are report-
|
|||
|
|
ed many times to have been the reason for the
|
|||
|
|
observer leaving his house to investigate,
|
|||
|
|
and once outside, then seeing the UFO.
|
|||
|
|
(See "The Interrupted Journey" for a descript-
|
|||
|
|
ion of the effect on a dog.)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Vegetation: Matted grass; burned grass and bushes
|
|||
|
|
in the vicinity of a landing.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Other: Many reports of strong metallic odor, some
|
|||
|
|
to the point of causing nausea, in the im-
|
|||
|
|
mediate vicinity of the UFO.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
105
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
APPENDIX B
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Extracted from Project Blue Book material distri-
|
|||
|
|
buted to Air Force base UFO officers at a meeting at the
|
|||
|
|
University of Colorado on 12 June 1967.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
TOTAL UFO (OBJECT) SIGHTINGS
|
|||
|
|
(Con@piled 15 Feb 6?)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
TOTAL
|
|||
|
|
YEAR SIGHTINGS UNIDENTIFIED SOURCE
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
1947 122 12 Case Files
|
|||
|
|
1948 156 7 Case Files
|
|||
|
|
1949 186 22 BlueBook, Page 108
|
|||
|
|
1950 210 27 Case Files
|
|||
|
|
1951 169 22 Case Files
|
|||
|
|
1952 1,501 303 BlueBook, Page 108
|
|||
|
|
1953 509 42 Case Files
|
|||
|
|
1954 487 46 Case Files
|
|||
|
|
1955 545 24 Case Files
|
|||
|
|
1956 670 14 Case Files
|
|||
|
|
1957 1,006 14 Case Files
|
|||
|
|
1958 627 10 Case Files
|
|||
|
|
1959 390 12 Case Files
|
|||
|
|
1960 557 14 Case Files
|
|||
|
|
1961 591 13 Case Files
|
|||
|
|
1962 474 15 Case Files
|
|||
|
|
1963 399 14 Case Files
|
|||
|
|
1964 562 19 Case Files
|
|||
|
|
1965 887 16 Case Files
|
|||
|
|
1966 1,060 30 Case Files
|
|||
|
|
----- ---
|
|||
|
|
TOTAL 11,108 676
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
106
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
L---+---T1----+-T--2----T----3--T-+----4T---+---T5----+-T--6----T----7--T-+-------------------R
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
STATISTICAL DATA FOR YEARS 1953-1965
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
TOTAL CASES BY CATEGORY
|
|||
|
|
(Compiled 15 Feb 67)
|
|||
|
|
1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 TOTAL
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Astronomical 175 137 135 222 341 231 144 235 203 136 85 123 250 2417
|
|||
|
|
Aircraft 73 80 124 148 218 106 63 66 77 68 73 71 222 1389
|
|||
|
|
Balloon 78 63 102 93 114 58 31 22 37 19 28 20 36 701
|
|||
|
|
Insufficient Data 79 103 95 132 191 111 65 105 115 94 59 99 85 1333
|
|||
|
|
Other 62 58 65 61 120 93 75 94 77 65 58 88 126 1042
|
|||
|
|
Satellite 0 0 0 0 8 18 0 21 69 77 82 142 152 569
|
|||
|
|
Unidentified 42 46 24 14 14 10 12 14 13 15 14 19 16 253
|
|||
|
|
TOTAL 509 487 545 670 1006 627 390 557 591 574 399 562 887 7704
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
ASTRONOMICAL SIGHTINGS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Meteors 70 92 79 88 179 168 100 187 119 95 57 61 101 1396
|
|||
|
|
Stars and Planets 101 44 52 131 144 56 40 45 78 36 23 55 140 945
|
|||
|
|
Other 4 1 4 3 18 7 4 3 6 5 5 7 9 76
|
|||
|
|
TOTAL 175 137 135 222 341 231 144 235 203 136 85 123 250 2417
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
OTHER CASES
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Hoaxes, Hallucinations,
|
|||
|
|
Unreliable Reports and
|
|||
|
|
Psychological Causes 15 6 18 16 37 29 14 13 17 11 16 34 34 260
|
|||
|
|
Missiles and Rockets 2 1 1 3 2 6 14 12 13 9 13 7 10 93
|
|||
|
|
Reflections 4 6 4 3 2 7 11 9 3 3 0 2 7 61
|
|||
|
|
Flares and Fireworks 1 4 8 6 8 3 5 7 4 3 3 7 4 63
|
|||
|
|
Mirages and lnversions 3 2 4 1 5 2 4 5 6 3 0 2 5 42
|
|||
|
|
Search and Groundlights 9 6 14 9 12 8 5 6 1 3 2 6 9 90
|
|||
|
|
Clouds and Contrails 6 3 2 1 9 5 3 4 5 4 5 0 3 50
|
|||
|
|
Chaff 0 2 0 1 2 6 1 4 3 5 2 1 1 28
|
|||
|
|
Birds 4 7 2 6 1 1 0 3 2 2 2 4 11 45
|
|||
|
|
Radar Analysis 15 7 1 8 27 3 8 6 9 0 1 2 3 90
|
|||
|
|
Photo Analysis 1 1 2 4 1 7 4 6 3 2 3 6 6 46
|
|||
|
|
Physical Specimens 1 6 5 3 5 10 3 7 4 15 3 8 12 82
|
|||
|
|
Satellite Decay 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 9 3 3 3 4 8 31
|
|||
|
|
Other 1 7 4 0 9 5 3 3 4 2 4 6 13 61
|
|||
|
|
TOTAL 62 58 65 61 120 93 75 94 77 65 58 88 126 1042
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
107
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC TOTAL
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
ASTRONOMICAL 14 8 44 47 15 12 20 20 12 38 21 4 255
|
|||
|
|
AIRCRAFT 8 4 32 42 31 26 29 28 14 24 22 10 270
|
|||
|
|
BALLOON 0 0 2 5 3 2 7 4 2 5 1 1 32
|
|||
|
|
INSUFF DATA 8 3 34 27 30 22 19 19 19 34 21 6 242
|
|||
|
|
OTHER 5 1 19 15 7 5 10 5 7 9 8 3 94
|
|||
|
|
SATELLITE 2 0 32 5 12 21 5 23 5 11 2 1 109
|
|||
|
|
UNIDENTIFIED 1 2 5 2 1 4 3 3 4 3 1 1 30
|
|||
|
|
PENDING 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 4 2 6 14 28
|
|||
|
|
TOTAL 38 18 158 143 99 92 93 104 67 126 82 40 1060
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
ASTRONOMICAL
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC TOTAL
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Meteors 8 1 8 19 5 3 10 7 4 8 8 2 83
|
|||
|
|
Stars/Planets 4 6 32 23 7 8 9 10 7 29 12 2 149
|
|||
|
|
Other 2a 1a 4a 5a 3a 1a 1a 3ab 1a 1a 1c 23
|
|||
|
|
TOTAL 14 8 44 47 15 12 2 20 12 38 21 4 255
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(a) moon (b) unusual sunset (c) unusual meteorological condition
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
OTHER
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC TOTAL
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Hoaxes,Conf.Psy 2 1 6 3 2 2 2 1 3 4 3 29
|
|||
|
|
Missiles/Rockets 1 1 2
|
|||
|
|
Search/Gd Lights 1 1 3 2 1 1 1 10
|
|||
|
|
Flares/Fireworks 1 1 1 1 4
|
|||
|
|
Reflections 3 1 2 1 2 9
|
|||
|
|
Clouds/Contrails 2 3 1p 2p 1p 9
|
|||
|
|
Birds 1 4 1 2 1 9
|
|||
|
|
Radar Analysis 1n 1
|
|||
|
|
Physical Speciman 1f 2st 1f 2st 4
|
|||
|
|
Satellite Decay 1 1 2
|
|||
|
|
Photo Analysis 5bcdei 2ge 2c 1q 10
|
|||
|
|
Miscellaneous 2ah 1j 1k 1r 5
|
|||
|
|
TOTAL 5 1 19 15 7 5 10 5 7 9 8 3 94
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(a) swamp gas (b) stellar image (c) no image (d) insuff data (e) processing defect (f) chaff
|
|||
|
|
(g) electric light (h) blown transformer (i) lighthouse (j) plasma (n) anamalous propogation
|
|||
|
|
(p) artificial cloud release (q) time exposure of moon reported to be UFO (r) electric wires
|
|||
|
|
sparking (s)indentations in ground, and soil samples (t) unknown animal
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
108
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
APPENDIX C
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
RECOMMENDED READING LIST
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Those interested in a relatively rapid survey of
|
|||
|
|
the salient points and the various positions and argu-
|
|||
|
|
ments in the UFO debate will find that the following
|
|||
|
|
publications will provide a good understanding of the
|
|||
|
|
problem across the spectrum.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Ultra Group (Hostile):
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Steiger, Brad and Writenour, Joan. "Flying
|
|||
|
|
Saucers Are Hostile". New York; Universal
|
|||
|
|
Publishing and Distributing Corporation, 1967.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Ultra Group (Benevolent):
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Adamski, George. "Inside the Space Ships".
|
|||
|
|
New York: Abelard-Schuman, 1955.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The Normal Believers:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Aime' Michael. "The Truth About Flying Saucers".
|
|||
|
|
New York: Criterion Books, 1956.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Hall, Richard H. "The UFO Evidence", Washington, D.C.
|
|||
|
|
NICAP, 1964.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Keyhoe, Donald E. "Flying Saucers: TOP SECRET",
|
|||
|
|
New York: Putnam, 1960.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Lorenzen, Coral. "The Great Flying Saucer Hoax",
|
|||
|
|
New York; William-Frederick Press, 1962.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Vallee, Jacques. "Anatomy of a Phenomenon",
|
|||
|
|
Chicago; Regnery, 1965.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
109
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
|
|||
|
|
>>>> CUFON NOTE: Pages 110 and 111 were not sent along with the rest <<<<
|
|||
|
|
>>>> of the thesis from Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, <<<<
|
|||
|
|
>>>> Alabama. CUFON will make every effort to obtain these 2 missing <<<<
|
|||
|
|
>>>> pages and incorporate them in this file. <<<<
|
|||
|
|
>>>> <<<<
|
|||
|
|
>>>> Pages 112 - 120 consist of a copy of the portion of Air Force <<<<
|
|||
|
|
>>>> Regulation 80-17(C1), Attachment 1, (AF Form 117 Aug 67) which <<<<
|
|||
|
|
>>>> is the (blank) "Sighting of Unidentified Phenomena Questionaire" <<<<
|
|||
|
|
>>>> These pages are not included in this file because of the graphic <<<<
|
|||
|
|
>>>> nature of the form. A copy of this reporting form is reproduced <<<<
|
|||
|
|
>>>> in Appendix "B" of "The Final Report of the Scientific Study of <<<<
|
|||
|
|
>>>> Unidentified Flying Objects" (The "Condon Report") E.P. Dutton <<<<
|
|||
|
|
>>>> 1968, published in association with Colorado Associated <<<<
|
|||
|
|
>>>> University Press. (pp. 829 - 837) <<<<
|
|||
|
|
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
AIR FORCE REGULATION 80-17
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
|
|||
|
|
Washington, D.C. 19 September 1966
|
|||
|
|
Research and Development
|
|||
|
|
UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS (UFO)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
This regulation establishes the Air Force program for investigating and
|
|||
|
|
analysing UFOs over the United States. It provides for uniform investigative
|
|||
|
|
procedures and release of information. The investigations and analyses
|
|||
|
|
prescribed are related directly to the Air Force's responsibility for the air
|
|||
|
|
defence of the United States. The UFO Program requires prompt reporting and
|
|||
|
|
rapid evaluation of data for successful identification. Strict compliance
|
|||
|
|
with this regulation is mandatory.
|
|||
|
|
-----------------------
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
SECTION A - GENERAL PROVISIONS
|
|||
|
|
Paragraph
|
|||
|
|
Explanation of Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
|
|||
|
|
Program Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
|
|||
|
|
Program Responsibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
SECTION B - PUBLIC RELATIONS, INFORMATION,
|
|||
|
|
CONTACTS, AND RELEASES
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Response to Public Interest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
|
|||
|
|
Releasing Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
SECTION C - PREPARING AND SUBMITTING REPORTS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
|
|||
|
|
Guidance in Preparing Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
|
|||
|
|
Transmittal of Reports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
|
|||
|
|
Negative or Inapplicable Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
|
|||
|
|
Comments of Investigating Officer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
|
|||
|
|
Basic Reporting Data and Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
|
|||
|
|
Reporting Physical Evidence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
SECTION A - GENERAL PROVISIONS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
1. Explanation of Terms. To insure proper and uniform usage of terms in UFO
|
|||
|
|
investigations, reports and analyses, an explanation of common terms
|
|||
|
|
follows:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
a. Unidentified Flying Objects. Any aerial phenomenon or object which is
|
|||
|
|
unknown or appears out of the ordinary to the observer.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
b. Familiar or Known Objects/Phenomena. Aircraft, aircraft lights,
|
|||
|
|
astronomical bodies (meteors, planets, stars, comets, sun, moon),
|
|||
|
|
balloons, birds fireworks, missiles, rockets, satellites, weather
|
|||
|
|
phenomena
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(clouds, contrails, dust devils), and other natural
|
|||
|
|
phenomena.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
2. Program Objectives. Air Force interest in UFOs is two-fold: to determine
|
|||
|
|
if the UFO is a possible threat to the United states and to use the
|
|||
|
|
scientific and technical data gained from study of UFO reports. To attain
|
|||
|
|
these objectives, it is necessary to explain or identify the stimulus which
|
|||
|
|
caused the observer to report his observation as an unidentified flying
|
|||
|
|
object.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
a. Air Defence. The majority of UFOs reported to the Air Force have
|
|||
|
|
been conventional or familiar objects which pose no threat to our
|
|||
|
|
security.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(1) It may be possible that foreign countries may develop flying
|
|||
|
|
vehicles of revolutionary configuration or propulsion.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(2) Frequently, some alleged UFOs are determined to be aircraft. Air
|
|||
|
|
Defence Command (ADC) is responsible for identification of
|
|||
|
|
aircraft.
|
|||
|
|
-----------
|
|||
|
|
This Regulation supersedes AFR 200-2, 20 July 1962
|
|||
|
|
OPR: AFRSTA
|
|||
|
|
DISTRIBUTION: S
|
|||
|
|
121
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
Except as aircraft are determined to be the stimulus for
|
|||
|
|
a UFO report, aircraft are not to be reported under the provisions
|
|||
|
|
of this regulation.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
b. Technical and Scientific. The Air Force will analyse reports of UFOs
|
|||
|
|
submitted to it to attain the program objectives. In this connection
|
|||
|
|
these facts are of importance:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(1) The need for further scientific knowledge in geophysics, astronomy
|
|||
|
|
and physics of the upper atmosphere which may be provided by study
|
|||
|
|
and analysis of UFOs and similar aerial phenomena.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(2) The need to report all pertinent factors that have a direct bearing
|
|||
|
|
on scientific analysis and conclusions of UFO sightings.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(3) The need and the importance of complete case information. Analysis
|
|||
|
|
has explained all but a small percentage of the sightings which
|
|||
|
|
have been reported to the Air Force. The ones that have not been
|
|||
|
|
explained are carried statistically as "unidentified." Because of
|
|||
|
|
the human factors involved and because of analysis of a UFO
|
|||
|
|
sightings depends on a personal interpretation by the observer
|
|||
|
|
rather than on scientific data or facts obtained under controlled
|
|||
|
|
conditions, the elimination of all unidentifieds is improbable.
|
|||
|
|
However, if more immediate, detailed and objective data on the
|
|||
|
|
unidentifieds that have been available and promptly reported,
|
|||
|
|
perhaps these too, could have been identified.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
3. Program Responsibilities:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
a. Program Monitor. The Deputy Chief of Staff, Research and Development,
|
|||
|
|
is responsible for the overall program, evaluation of investigative
|
|||
|
|
procedures, and the conduct of separate scientific investigations.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
b. Resources. The Air Force Systems Command will support the program with
|
|||
|
|
current resources within the Foreign Technology Division (FTD) at
|
|||
|
|
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, to continue Blue Book effort.
|
|||
|
|
Other AFSC resources normally used by FTD for this effort will continue
|
|||
|
|
to be made available.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
c. Investigation. Each commander of an Air Force BAse will provide a UFO
|
|||
|
|
investigative capability. When notice of a UFO sighting is received,
|
|||
|
|
an investigation will be implemented to determine if the stimulus for
|
|||
|
|
the sighting. An Air Force base receiving the notice of a UFO sighting
|
|||
|
|
may not be the base nearest the locale of the sighting. In that event,
|
|||
|
|
the reported UFO sighting will be referred to the Air Force base
|
|||
|
|
nearest the sighting for action.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
EXCEPTIONS: FTD at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, independently
|
|||
|
|
or with the help of pertinent Air Force activities, may conduct any
|
|||
|
|
other investigation to conclude its analysis or findings. HQ USAF may
|
|||
|
|
arrange for separate investigations.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
d. Analysis. FTD will:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(1) Analyze and evaluate all information and evidence reported to bases
|
|||
|
|
on those UFOs which are not identified at the base level.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(2) Use other Government agencies, private industrial companies, and
|
|||
|
|
contractor personnel to assist in analyzing and evaluating UFO
|
|||
|
|
reports as necessary.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
e. Findings. FTD, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, will prepare a final case
|
|||
|
|
report on each sighting reported to it after the data have been
|
|||
|
|
properly evaluated. If the final report is deemed significant, FTD
|
|||
|
|
will send the report of its findings to AFSC (SFCA), Andrews AFB, Wash
|
|||
|
|
D.C. 20331, which will send a report to HQ USAF (AFRDC), Wash D.C.
|
|||
|
|
20330.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
f. Cooperation. All AIr Force activities will cooperate with UFO
|
|||
|
|
investigators to insure that pertinent information relative to
|
|||
|
|
investigations of UFO are promptly obtained. When feasible, this will
|
|||
|
|
include furnishing air or ground transportation and other assistance.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
SECTION B - PUBLIC RELATIONS, INFORMATION, CONTACTS, AND RELEASES
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
4. Response to Public Interest. The Secretary of the Air Force, Office of
|
|||
|
|
Information (SAF-OI), maintains contact with the public and the news media on
|
|||
|
|
all aspects of the UFO program and related activities. Private individuals
|
|||
|
|
or organizationsdesiring Air Force interviews, briefings or lectures, or
|
|||
|
|
private discussions on UFOs will be instructed to direct their requests to
|
|||
|
|
SAF-OI. Air Force members not officially connected with UFO investigations
|
|||
|
|
covered by this regulation will refrain from any action or comment on UFO
|
|||
|
|
reports which may mislead or cause the public to construe these opinions as
|
|||
|
|
official Air Force findings.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
5. Releasing Information. SAF-OI is the agency responsible for releasing
|
|||
|
|
information to the public and to the news media.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
a. Congressional and Presidential Inquiries. The Office of Legislative
|
|||
|
|
Liaison will:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(1) With the assistance of SAF-OI,
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
122
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
answer all Congressional and Presidential queries regarding UFOs
|
|||
|
|
forwarded to the Air Force.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(2) Process requests from Congressional sources in accordance with AFR
|
|||
|
|
11-7.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
b. SAF-OI will:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(1) Respond to correspondence from individuals requesting information
|
|||
|
|
on the UFO program and evaluations of sightings.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(2) release information on UFO sightings and results of
|
|||
|
|
investigations to the general public.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(3) Send correspondence queries which are purely technical and
|
|||
|
|
scientific to FTD for information on which to base a reply.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
c. Exceptions. In response to local inquiries regarding UFOs reported in
|
|||
|
|
the vicinity of an Air Force Base, the base commander may release
|
|||
|
|
information to the news media or the public after the sighting has been
|
|||
|
|
positively identified. If the stimulus for the sighting is difficult
|
|||
|
|
to identify at the base level, the commander may state that the
|
|||
|
|
sighting is under investigation and conclusions will be released by
|
|||
|
|
SAF-OI after the investigation is completed. The commander may also
|
|||
|
|
state that the Air force will review and analyze the results of the
|
|||
|
|
investigation. Any further inquiries will be directed to SAF-OI.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
SECTION C - PREPARING AND SUBMITTING REPORTS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
6. General Information:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
a. The Deputy Chief of Staff, Research and Development, USAF and the ADC
|
|||
|
|
have a directed immediate interest in UFOs reported within the US.
|
|||
|
|
All Air Force activities will conduct UFO investigations to the extent
|
|||
|
|
necessary for reporting action (see paragraphs 9, 10, 11, and 12).
|
|||
|
|
Investigation may be carried beyond this point when the preparing
|
|||
|
|
officer believes the scientific or public relations aspect of the case
|
|||
|
|
warrants further investigation. In this case, the investigator will
|
|||
|
|
coordinate his investigation with FTD.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
b. Paragraph 7 will be used as a guide for screenings and reportings.
|
|||
|
|
Paragraph 11 is an outline of the reporting format.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
c. Inquiries should be directed to SAF-OI (see paragraph 5)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
d. If possible, an individual selected as a UFO investigator should have a
|
|||
|
|
scientific or technical background and experience as an investigator.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
e. Reports required by this regulation are excluded from assignment of a
|
|||
|
|
reports control symbol in accordance with paragraph 3k, AFR 300-5.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
7. Guidance in Preparing Reports. The usefulness of a UFO report depends
|
|||
|
|
largely on accuracy, timeliness, skill and resourcefulness of the person who
|
|||
|
|
receives the initial information and makes the report. Following are aids
|
|||
|
|
for screening, evaluating and reporting sightings:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
a. Activities receiving initial reports of aerial objects and phenomena
|
|||
|
|
will screen the information to determine if the report concerns a valid
|
|||
|
|
UFO as defined in paragraph 1a. reports not falling within that
|
|||
|
|
definition do not require further action. Aircraft flares, jet
|
|||
|
|
exhausts, condensation trails, blinking or steady lights observed at
|
|||
|
|
night, lights circling near airport and airways, and other aircraft
|
|||
|
|
phenomena should not be reported as they do not fall within the
|
|||
|
|
definition of a UFO.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
EXCEPTION: Reports of known objects will be made to FTD when this
|
|||
|
|
information originally had been reported by local news media as a UFO
|
|||
|
|
and the witness has contacted the Air Force. (Do NOT solicit reports.)
|
|||
|
|
News releases should be included as an attachment with the report (see
|
|||
|
|
paragraph 8c)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
b. detailed study will be made of the logic, consistency, and authenticity
|
|||
|
|
of the observer's report. An interview with the observer by persons
|
|||
|
|
preparing the report, is especially valuable in determining the
|
|||
|
|
reliability of the source and the validity of the information. Factors
|
|||
|
|
for particular attention are the observer's age, occupation, and
|
|||
|
|
education, and whether he has a technical or scientific background. A
|
|||
|
|
report that a witness is completely familiar with certain aspects of a
|
|||
|
|
sighting should indicate specific qualifications to substantiate such
|
|||
|
|
familiarity.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
c. The following procedures will assist the investigation officer in
|
|||
|
|
completing the report and arriving at conclusion as required in
|
|||
|
|
paragraph 11.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(1) When feasible, contact local aircraft control and warning (ACW)
|
|||
|
|
units, and pilots and crews of aircraft aloft at the time and place
|
|||
|
|
of the sighting. Contact any persons or organizations that may
|
|||
|
|
have additional data on the UFO or can verify evidence - visual,
|
|||
|
|
electronic, or other.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(2) Consult military or civilian weather forecasters for data on tracks
|
|||
|
|
of weather
|
|||
|
|
123
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
balloons ar any unusual meteorological activity that may have a
|
|||
|
|
bearing on the stimulus for the UFO.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(3) Consult navigators and astronomers in the area to determine if any
|
|||
|
|
astronomical body or phenomenon might account for the sighting.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(4) Consult military and civilian tower operators, air operations
|
|||
|
|
units, and airlines to determine if the sighting could have been an
|
|||
|
|
aircraft. Local units of the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) can be
|
|||
|
|
of assistance in this regard.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(5) Consult persons who may know of experimental aircraft of unusual
|
|||
|
|
configuration, rocket and guided missile firings, or aerial tests
|
|||
|
|
in the area.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(6) Consult local and State police, county sherifs, forest rangers,
|
|||
|
|
and other civil officials who may have been in the ara at the time
|
|||
|
|
of the sighting or have knowledge of other witnesses.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
8. Transmittal of Reports:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
a. Timeliness. report all information on UFO's promptly. Electrical
|
|||
|
|
transmission with a "Priority" precedence is authorized.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
b. Submission of Reports. Submit multiple-addressed electrical reports
|
|||
|
|
to:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(1) ADC
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(2) Nearest Air Division (Defence)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(3) FTD WPAFB. (First line of Text: FOR TDETR.)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(4) CSAF. (First line of Text: FOR AFRDC.)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(5) OSAF. (First line of Text: FOR SAF-OI)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
c. Written Reports. In the event that follow-up action requires a letter
|
|||
|
|
report, send it to FTD TDETR, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, 45433. FTD
|
|||
|
|
will send the reports to interested organizations in the US and to
|
|||
|
|
SAF-OI if required.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
d. Reports from Civilians. Advise civilians to report UFOs to the
|
|||
|
|
nearest Air Force Base.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
e. Negative or Inapplicable Data. If specific information is lacking,
|
|||
|
|
refrain from using the words "negative" or "unidentified" unless all
|
|||
|
|
logical leads to obtain the information outlined in paragraph 11 have
|
|||
|
|
been exhausted. For example, the information on weather conditions in
|
|||
|
|
the area, as requested in paragraph 11g, is obtainable from the local
|
|||
|
|
military or civilian weather facility. Use the phrase "not
|
|||
|
|
applicable (NA)" only when the question really does not apply to
|
|||
|
|
the sighting under investigation.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
10. Comments of Investigating Officer. This officer will make ann initial
|
|||
|
|
analysis and comment on the possible cause or identity of the stimulus in a
|
|||
|
|
supporting statement. He will make every effort to obtain pertinent items of
|
|||
|
|
information and to test all possible leads, clues, and hypotheses. the
|
|||
|
|
investigating officer who receives the initial report is in a better position
|
|||
|
|
to conduct an on-the-spot- survey and follow-up than subsequent
|
|||
|
|
investigative personnel and analysts who may be far removed from the area and
|
|||
|
|
who may arrive too late to obtain vital data or information necessary for
|
|||
|
|
firm conclusions. The investigating officer's comments and conclusions will
|
|||
|
|
be in the last paragraph of the report submitted through channels. The
|
|||
|
|
reporting official will contact FTD (Area Code 513,257-0916 ot 257-6678) for
|
|||
|
|
verbal authority to continue investigations.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
11. Basic Reporting Data and Format. Show the abbreviation "UFO" at the
|
|||
|
|
beginning of the text of all electrical reports and in the subject of any
|
|||
|
|
follow-up written reports. Include required data in all electrical reports,
|
|||
|
|
in the order shown below:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
a. Description of the Objects(s):
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(1) Shape.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(2) Size compared to a known object.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(3) Color.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(4) Number.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(5) Formation, if more than one.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(6) Any discernible features or details.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(7) Tail, trail or exhaust, including its size.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(8) Sound.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(9) Other pertinent or unusual features.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
b. Description of Course of Object(s):
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(1) What first called the attention of observer(s) to the object(s).
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(2) Angle of elevation and azimuth of object(s) when first observed.
|
|||
|
|
(Use theodolite or compass measurement if possible.)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(3) Angle of elevation of object(s) upon disappearance. (Use
|
|||
|
|
theodolite or compass measurement if possible.)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(4) Description of flight path and maneuvers of object(s). (Use
|
|||
|
|
elevations and azimuth, not altitude.)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(5) How did the object(s) disappear? (Instantaneously to the North,
|
|||
|
|
for example.)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(6) How long were the object(s) visible? (Be specific - 5 minutes, 1
|
|||
|
|
hour, etc.)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
c. Manner of Observation:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(1) Use one or any combination of the following items: Ground-visual,
|
|||
|
|
air-visual, ground-electronic, air-electronic. (If electronic,
|
|||
|
|
specify type of radar.)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(2) Statement as to optical aids (tele-
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
124
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
scopes, binoculars, etc.) used and description thereof.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(3) If the sighting occurred while airborne, give type of aircraft,
|
|||
|
|
identification number, altitude, heading, speed, and home station.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
d. Time and Date of Sighting:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(1) Greenwich date-time group of sighting and local time.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(2) Light conditions (use one of the following terms: Night, day, dawn,
|
|||
|
|
dusk).
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
e. Location of Observer(s). Give exact latitude and longitude coordinates
|
|||
|
|
of each observer, and/or geographical position. In electrical reports,
|
|||
|
|
give a position with reference to a known landmark in addition to the
|
|||
|
|
coordinates. For example, use "2 mi N of Deeville"; "3 mi SW of Blue
|
|||
|
|
Lake," to preclude errors due to teletype garbling of figures.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
f. Identifying Information on Observer(s):
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(1) Civilian - Name, age, mailing address, occupation, education and
|
|||
|
|
estimate of reliability.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(2) Military - Name, grade, organization, duty, and estimate of
|
|||
|
|
reliability.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
g. Weather and Winds-Aloft Conditions at Time and Place of Sighting:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(1) Observer(s) account of weather conditions.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(2) Report from nearest AWS or US Weather Bureau Office of wind
|
|||
|
|
direction and velocity in degrees and knots at surface, 6000',
|
|||
|
|
10,000', 16,000', 20,000', 30,000', 50,000', and 80,000', if
|
|||
|
|
available.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(3) Ceiling.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(4) Visibility.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(5) Amount of cloud cover.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(6) Thunderstorms in area and quadrant in which located.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(7) vertical temperature gradient.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
h. Any other unusual activity or condition, meteorological, astronomical,
|
|||
|
|
or otherwise that might account for the sighting.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
i. Interception or identification action taken (such action is authorized
|
|||
|
|
whenever feasible and in compliance with existing air defence
|
|||
|
|
directives).
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
j. Location, approximate altitude, and general direction of flight of any
|
|||
|
|
air traffic or balloon releases in the area that might account for the
|
|||
|
|
sighting.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
k. Position title and comments of the preparing officer, including his
|
|||
|
|
preliminary analysis of the possible cause of the sighting(s). (See
|
|||
|
|
paragraph 10.)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
12. Reporting Physical Evidence:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
a. Photographic:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(1) Still Pictures: Forward the original negative to FTD (TDETR),
|
|||
|
|
Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 45433, and indicate the place, time, and
|
|||
|
|
date the photograph was taken.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(2) Motion Pictures. Obtain the ORIGINAL film. Examine the film strip
|
|||
|
|
for apparent cuts, alterations, obliterations, or defects. In the
|
|||
|
|
report comment on any irregularities, particularly in films
|
|||
|
|
received from other than official sources.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(3) Supplemental Photographic Information. Negatives and prints often
|
|||
|
|
are insufficient to provide certain valid data or permit firm
|
|||
|
|
conclusions. information that aids in plotting or in estimating
|
|||
|
|
distances, apparent size and nature of object, probable velocity,
|
|||
|
|
and movements includes:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(a) Type and make of camera.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(b) Type, focal length, and make of lens.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(c) Brand and type of film.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(d) Shutter speed used.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(e) Lens opening used; that is "f" stop.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(f) Filters used.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(g) Was tripod or solid stand used.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(h) Was "panning" used.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(i) Exact direction camera was pointing with relation to true
|
|||
|
|
North, and its angle with respect to the ground.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(4) Other Camera Data. If supplemental data is unobtainable, the
|
|||
|
|
minimum camera data required are the type of camera, and the
|
|||
|
|
smallest and largest "f" stop and shutter speed readings of the
|
|||
|
|
camera.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
(5) Radar. Forward two copies of each still camera photographic prints
|
|||
|
|
per AFR 95-7. Classify radarscope photographs per AFR 205-1.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
NOTE: If possible, develop film before forwarding. Mark undeveloped film
|
|||
|
|
clearly to indicate this fact, to avoid destruction by exposure through mail
|
|||
|
|
channels to final addresses.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
b. Material. Air Force echelons receiving suspected or actual UFO
|
|||
|
|
material will safeguard it to prevent any defacing or alterations which
|
|||
|
|
might reduce its value for intelligence examination and analysis.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
c. Photographs, Motion pictures, and Negatives Submitted by Individuals.
|
|||
|
|
Individuals often submit photographic and motion picture material as
|
|||
|
|
part of their UFO reports. All original material submitted will be
|
|||
|
|
returned to the individual after completion of necessary studies,
|
|||
|
|
analysis, and duplication by the Air Force.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
125
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
AFR 80-17
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
By Order of the Secretary of the Air Force
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Official J.P. McCONNELL
|
|||
|
|
General U.S. Air Force
|
|||
|
|
Chief of Staff
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
R.J. PUGH 1 Attch.
|
|||
|
|
Colonel, USAF 1. (Sec. C1)
|
|||
|
|
Director of Administrative Services
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
126
|
|||
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
BIBLIOGRAPHY
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Books
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Adamski, George. "Inside the Flying Saucers", New York:
|
|||
|
|
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127
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|
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128
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|||
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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|||
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129
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|||
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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|||
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|
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|||
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Other Sources
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|||
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|||
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|
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|||
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|
Base UFO officers at a conference at the University
|
|||
|
|
of Colorado on 12 June 1967.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
130
|
|||
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
=============================================================================
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
**********************************************
|
|||
|
|
* THE U.F.O. BBS - http://www.ufobbs.com/ufo *
|
|||
|
|
**********************************************
|