433 lines
19 KiB
Plaintext
433 lines
19 KiB
Plaintext
SUBJECT: ERIE UFO SIGHTING FILE: UFO1430
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[The following is an edited version of Sunday, January 8, 1989 online CO with
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Rick Dell'Aquila discussing his investigation of the Lake Erie UFO]
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8:07:29 PM EST Sunday, January 8, 1989
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User User ID Nod Rm Name / Forum Area
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---- ------------ --- --- -----------------
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36 76012,3361 MRT 5 Ted
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46 71330,3655 JAK 5 GREG
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56 75376,1620 CVK 5 Dale
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63 73367,472 CVK 5 Rick
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65 76004,2063 ACM 5 mike h
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78 70511,17 CRZ 5 Mike
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95 72377,1264 ANY 5 jc
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94 71450,3504 ANN 5 Bert
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103 71340,276 SOR 5 Mark.Y
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129 76703,603 DCI 5 Jim Horn VETSIG
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(Ted) Our special Guest tonight is Cleveland attorney and UFO investigator, Rick
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Dell'Aquila. Rick and his investigative partner, Dale Wedge, are responsible
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for the investigation of the Lake Erie UFO. In addition to numerous files on
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this subject in LIBrary 10, the next issue of The MUFON Journal will feature
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this case in an article titled "Ohio Flap". Any opening remarks Rick? GA
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(5,Rick) Thanks Ted...Hello everyone. I first became aware of this case on
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reading an article in the Cleveland Plain Dealer 3/7/88, attributing a series of
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UFO reports by the Coast Guard and civilians near the CEI coal-burning power
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plant over Lake Erie on 3/4/88 to misidentifications of the planets Venus and
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Jupiter which were in close proximity to each other that weekend. The article
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quoted a local astronomer that lights reported entering and leaving the
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"planets" were "spontaneous gas emissions" from the planets' surface. I would
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have turned to the next page but for this ridiculous explanation. Instead, I
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phoned the astronomer who confirmed that the planetary explanation was his
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theory because "if they did not relate what they saw to the planets, then they
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must have been seeing the planets." But the first time he had heard the
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"spontaneous gas" explanation was when he read it in the paper himself. By now I
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was very curious about the accuracy of the rest of the article and I phoned my
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co-investigator, Dale Wedge. Dale and I began an investigation and ran a
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classified ad we received a response from someone who had taken a photo of a
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brightly glowing triangular object over his yard that same night near the Perry
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Nuclear Plant on Lake Erie and in the course of our investigation, we found
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several other witnesses who have seen some things over the same period. We also
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obtained a Coast Guard incident report on the sighting and interviewed witnesses
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on the beach with the Coast Guard. They described several small brightly glowing
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triangular objects
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zipping over the lake leaving a wake of ice below and behind them.
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These objects were emitted from a large football shaped object that
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ultimately landed on the ice below the horizon. The ice was crackling
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loudly and in an abnormal manner until the object landed and everything
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came deathly silent. The local CSICOP membership contends that the
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large object was the planets and the smaller triangular objects were
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the wings of seagull illuminated by moonlight. The photograph was examined by
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Dr. Maccabee and found to depict a uniformly glowing bright triangular object.
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ga
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(Ted) I'll now open the floor to ? ga
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(5,Bert) ?
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(5,Bert) Rick, can you tell us how you were able to come by the Coast Guard
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report? Also. What do you have now in the way of results of FOIA requests, etc.
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GA
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(5,Rick) A copy of the report was obtained by other investigators through the
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FOIA after the Coast Guard first denied its existence. I originally obtained a
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copy from a confidential source...However, as I say, the Coast Guard has since
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released it through FOIA. ga
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(Ted) At the MUFON meeting in Lincoln you were discussing the Lake Erie UFO
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photos with Dr. Bruce Maccabee when Bert and I walked up to you. Has the good
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Dr. done any analysis yet? And if so what are the results? ga
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(5,Rick) Yes, he has examined it and some other information we sent him
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concerning the camera...His opinion is that the image depicted is not the result
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of a flaw in the film or camera, but an accurate depiction of some uniformly
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glowing triangular shaped object...Based upon his calculations and our
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measurements at the scene, the roughly equilateral triangle is approximately
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25-35 feet tall. ga
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(Ted) ga Bert
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(5,Bert) Rick the fact that the CG has released the report via FOIA seems to
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acknowledge that something did indeed go on. Did any additional information get
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released as well, or do you think they release the copy simply because they knew
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it was already captured. Also, who did they release the report to?
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(5,Rick) Dale and I have been knocking ourselves out trying to take this
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investigation to the next logical step, which is to interview the USCG
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themselves. This has been an exercise in futility to this point. I do not
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believe that there has been an explicit admission by the USCG that something
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unexplained went on. Their position is that their personnel misidentified the
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planets for a period exceeding one hour using binoculars and describing the
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erratic movements, spotlights, colors, etc. which are in the report and the
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witnesses description. The report was printed in a CAUS Bulletin and released to
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several other investigators after Dale and I made it public. ga
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(Ted) What did the CG have to say about their comment that they were told "This
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is out of their league? " GA
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(5,Mark.Y) ?
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(5,Rick) This was a statement made to the civilian witnesses the hearsay we have
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is to the effect that the USCG wanted to go out on the lake the next day to
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investigate but were told not to do so since the matter was "out of their
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league." ga
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(Ted) Mark Y is next GA Mark
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(5,Mark.Y) (Slightly off the topic.) Were there multiple evenings of sightings
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or is this an isolated case? GA
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(5,Rick) There have been multiple evening and multiple witness sightings over
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this period, all seemingly within a 10-15 square mile area we have reports and
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investigations on-going over this area from September 1987 to as recently as
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November 1988...But that weekend seemed to be a peak period. ga
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(Ted) Is there any evidence of missing time with any of the witnesses? ga
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(5,Rick) No. ga
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(Ted) Can you tell us anything about the most recent sightings? ga
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(5,Rick) The 11/88 sighting involved a brightly lit cigar shape viewed in the
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daylight for about 15 minutes which is identical to one reported by two
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witnesses in September 1987. There have been reports of objects hovering over
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or near the nuclear power plant and one report of a low level fly-by by an
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unmarked black helicopter, among some other things. ga
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(5,Bert) ?
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(Ted) Ga Bert
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(5,Bert) Regarding the question of missing time is this issue routinely explored
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when you interview a witness? GA
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(5,Rick) Dale and I have been particularly sensitive to this question especially
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since one of the witnesses was pregnant at the time of the sighting. It would
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be premature for us to say anything about that subject without more than we have
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to this point. ga
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(5,Bert) follow
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(Ted) GA Bert
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(5,Bert) Are you saying then that the question of missing time is indeed
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discussed with your witnesses, but that it is premature to reveal it here? GA
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(5,Rick) No...I don't want you to jump to that conclusion...but we do routinely
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explore the question with the witnesses. ga
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(5,Dale) !
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(Ted) GA Dale
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(5,Dale) I just wanted to note for Bert that the witness did have her baby in
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September of 1988. ga
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(Ted) What did it's eyes look like (HAH!) How many people, in total , have now
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seen this UFO? ga
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(5,Rick) On the night in question there were 4 civilians and two USCG personnel
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on the beach and two witnesses present in the area of the photograph. ga
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(Ted) How about other nights (or days? ) ga
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(5,Rick) We have been talking to about two dozen people to date. ga
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(5,Dale) !
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(Ted) Ga Dale
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(5,Dale) On the question of the release of the USCG document, I think it is
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noteworthy to explain that an underling from the USCG released the document to a
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news source who wants to remain anonymous. Once that was done, I believe that
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they could not hide the fact that there was one, therefore, they had to release
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it to others. From that point, the well has dried up also, in Just Caus,
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someone asked through FOIA about USCG documents after the document we have. The
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USCG said they had no such documents, but Caus put the document that we have
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next to this letter of denial. You figure it out.ga
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(5,Bert) ?
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(Ted) Ga Bert
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(5,Bert) Rick. You and Dale have put together a nice collection of documents
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which give a rather comprehensive coverage of what happened the peak evening.
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Once you had all this info together along with the CG report, did you go to the
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news media with it?GA
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(5,Dale) !
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(5,Rick) We have sent copies and letters to Television ,radio and print media
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throughout this part of Ohio with very little response, except for a local UHF
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TV station which interviewed me after their airing of UFO Coverup: Live. They
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have suggested a longer segment on this case with me but that has not yet
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materialized. ga
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(Ted) GA Dale
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(5,Dale) Correct me if I'm wrong Rick. I believe Rick contacted the media in an
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effort to gain information instead of publicizing it, up to the UFO Live
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program. There was a lady on an FM station that said her son was a USCG person
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at the scene of the incident on that night. Rick tried to get a copy of the
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tape but the radio station did not respond. We were contacted about going on TV
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around the time of the sightings, but felt that this would jeopardize the
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investigation with other who would state they saw the object for publicity sake.
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Now, I hope Rick can get on TV to promote the case and get more info from
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sources that may know something about that night.ga
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(Ted) mike h. did you have a ? ga
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(5,mike h) yep. Dale: I really hate to bring this up, but is the Sept. birth
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related to your now notorious benevolent disinformation campaign? And what are
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we supposed to believe about the Erie information if this is indeed the case? ga
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(5,Dale) Rick had no knowledge of what I was doing. He has chastised me for it,
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since he has put so much time into this case. This, in my opinion is Rick's
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case, and in that manner, you should only give credibility to his facts, and not
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mine. Rick is a credible attorney and investigator and should not be
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questioned.ga
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(5,mike h) sorry
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(Ted) No one here is above "questioning" but I think I understand what you mean.
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Rick have you read any of the Cooper/Lear "stuff" and if so what do you think?
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ga
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(5,Rick) Yes I have read those materials and I am waiting for evidence as far as
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my personal opinion: I HOPE its not true. ga
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(Ted) SO do I. Several months ago we had a member by the name of Neil Palumbo
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who was investigating a case of UFO crashing through the ice near Rochester.
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Have you any knowledge of this person or his case? ga
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(5,Rick) Someone mentioned it to me briefly and I find this one of the more
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interesting aspects of these cases...That (At least at Lake Erie) the object
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landed below the horizon onto the ice, where the smaller triangular objects
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returned and hovered over it as it emitted several bright lights, one of the
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triangle shone a spotlight onto the large object and at some point the entered
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the large object one by one, whereupon it shut off its lights and was no longer
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visible...But these things have been reported from time to time over Lake Erie
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as well as Lake Ontario. ga
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(Ted) I think it was Palumbo that claimed to have evidence of an under water
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structure. Dale, do you remember any of this? ga
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(5,Dale) Yes. I believe that Neil had been working at a library and ran across
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some maps that showed (to him) that there were some under water bases in Lake
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Ontario. I don't recall the extent or the information that he had on this. I
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believe that there was something in LIB10 on this at one time.ga
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(5,Bert) !
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(Ted) Perhaps in light of recent information it might be a good idea to contact
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him. GA Bert
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(5,Bert) As I recall Palumbo and several others have been investigating UFOs
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entering and leaving the water at a sight near Toronto. They apparently had been
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studying this for some time and were going to put the story together in a book
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that would come out in 1990. I remember he said that what they think is some
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sort of base could actually be seen in some satellite photographs, but he would
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not tell us where to look, because he didn't want to give the story away. I got
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the feeling that he eventually was afraid he told us too much and that is why he
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stopped showing up here on Sunday evenings. In any case, I think Dale actually
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spoke to him on the phone. Is that right Dale. GA
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(5,Dale) !
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(Ted) Ga Dale
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(5,Dale) I wanted to say Bert is absolute correct, the maps that Neil spoke
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about were satellite photo maps that he ran across. Where he never did disclose
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to me. I was unable to gain information in talking to him and just sent him
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copies of our information at that time.ga
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(Ted) His PPN is 71211,2217
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(5,Rick) Before we sign-off here, I wanted to leave my post office box in case
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anyone wants to drop me a line, or if Mr. Palumbo should read this:
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P.O. Box 29163
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Parma, Ohio 44129
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(5,Dale) !
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(Ted) GA Dale
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(5,Dale) I have a question for Rick. Rick and I have been upset that this case
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hasn't made the MUFON Journal, since it gives many different elements not seen
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in a lot of cases (e.g., official documents, photos, and multiple independent
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witnesses). Rick, when did you find out that they would put your article in the
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Journal and what will it say as opposed to the article that was written last
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year, but not published? ga
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(5,Rick) This has been a disappointment for me apparently, MUFON will print a
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VERY preliminary summary which was sent to them in April of 1988 when Dale and I
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were hip deep in the investigation (complete with telephone problems). The first
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notice that I had about the article being printed came from Ted this morning. I
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regret that MUFON didn't contact us sooner before printing the article since we
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have so much more and better information to add now. ga
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(5,Dale) !
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(Ted) GA Dale
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(5,Bert) !
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(5,Dale) I was just wondering if this was done in order to get the Central
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States most important case in the Journal before an award was made? Dan Wright
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stated that this was the most important case in this sector of MUFON. Perhaps
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it had to be justified through printing in the Journal.ga
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(Ted) Let me state how this information came to me. In preparation for tonight's
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CO I called Walt Andrus (I think on Thursday.) I asked him why this case hadn't
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gotten more attention as it was fascinating to me. He said that it was to appear
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in the next issue which was at the printers and should be in the mail in a week
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to 10 days. He also stated that the article was to be titled "Ohio Flap".
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Perhaps either Dale or Rick should confirm this. GA
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(5,Bert) !
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(5,Rick) I guess I am pleased that it will finally be publicized, but as I say,
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the article which will appear does not do justice to the scope and details of
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the on-going "flap". ga
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(Ted) GA Bert
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(5,Bert) Just for the record, it's worth noting that in the FENWICK files, which
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are on LIB10, there is reference to a UFO base located in Lake Ontario near
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Hamilton. That would place it in the same area that Palumbo et al are doing
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their research. I would recommend taking a look at that part of the file, Rick.
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I say "that part", because it is quite long and much of it seems pretty "far
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out". GA
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(5,Rick) Thanks for the reminder...I did download that file, I believe from
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Paranet...I'll have to look at it again. ga
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(Ted) Dale did you have a comment? ga
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(5,Dale) No sir. I just guess maybe one. I wish Rick could have given justice
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to the upcoming MUFON article by having the chance to upgrade his article. The
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article you will read was done in the midst of the investigation, and not
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towards the end. I guess lastly, Rick, is there anything available through the
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mail about the investigation that can be given out rather cheaply to those
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interested?ga
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(5,Bert) !
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(5,Rick) Yes...If anyone wants more info, write me at the Post Office Box. I'm a
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little slow in responding, but I do get around to it, and since we intend to
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continue pressing this investigation, there seems to be new developments
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regularly. ga
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(Ted) GA Bert
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(5,Bert) Just wondered if you had considered sending some of your material to
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UFO magazine or UFO Universe? GA
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(5,Rick) Dale and I have talked about that and we will probably do something
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along those lines eventually. ga
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(Ted) What is this I hear about a book in the works? ga
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(5,Dale) !
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(5,Rick) Why does every investigation need to conclude in a book? I think this
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sort of thing is the best way to get the most current information out there. ga
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(Ted) Dale care to comment? ga
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(5,Dale) I agree with Rick, but one thing that I would like to do is get Rick
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out here to test out my handy dandy new VHS Camera and do a poorly done video to
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show you what we did throughout this. This could help others understand what we
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went through, what was done, and what can be done better. The Coyne's did it
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Rick, remember?
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(Ted) The Coyne's ? ga
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(5,Dale) The Coyne's did a video on investigation. Rather good, but I think we
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could make a video that is really quite interesting.ga
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(Ted) Shirley and George? ga
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(5,Dale) yeah.ga
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(Ted) I'd like to see that. ga
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(5,Rick) Not a bad idea. ga
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(Ted) Sounds like you have a winner Dale! ga
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(5,Rick) Let's talk later. ga
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(5,Dale) The thing is this is if this ever happens again, I want to film it as
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it happens from start to finish. Rick and I were left to audio tape, we taped
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everything. Video would be a great asset for us all.ga
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(Ted) Any other ?s ga
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(Ted) Rick I want to thank you for spending your evening with us. It has been
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informative and interesting. I will forward a copy of this CO to you after I
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have cleaned it up. Again, thanks and don't be such a stranger to the ISSUES
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forum. We are international and would love to have you visit us from time to
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time. ga
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(5,Rick) Thanks I'll stay in touch...Are you going to be in Las Vegas this
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summer? ga
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(Ted) I sure hope so. Anyone else? ga Let's hear it from those that plan to go
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to the MUFON Las Vegas symposium. GA
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(Ted) ME!
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(5,Mike) Hope so!
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(5,Dale) Need a baby sitter
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(Ted) Take him with you!
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(5,JIM) Do MUFONs bite?
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(5,Rick) grrr
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