SUNlite Shedding some light on UFOlogy and UFOs

“People don’t like to know what the boring answer would be. People like to know fantasy stuff. People like to think there could be things out there,....”

Mitch Stanley interviewed in 2007 Volume 2 Number 3 May-June 2010 Cover: I took a photograph of the sky as it is around 8PM on March 13, 1997. I then put in my versio of what I think the Arizona UFOs appeared like to many observers in Phoenix that evening over sev- eral minutes. Left: I recorded a UFO on March 20, during the Ple- iades Occultation. There were no satellites listed on Heaven’s above but further research reveled it to be the fainter IRAS, which was not listed because of it’s magnitude. My UFO turned into an IFO.

e-mail me with all sorts of exotic claims. I gave up responding since he seems to distort just about eveyrthing I write. However, he made one comment that made me smile. He suggested I argued against his Roswell investigations sim- ply because I secretly believed he was right. I responded with a simple “ROT- FLMAO” (“Roll on the floor laughing my A** off”), for which he took offense. Of course, nothing could be further from the truth. To change my opinion would require something more substantial than his wild theories about Roswell and Nitin- ol. His latest argument about Alcoholism seems to indicate that only Alien bodies can cause people to be addicted to Alco- Warmer weather = More UFO reports! hol (See the Roswell corner). TABLE OF CONTENTS With the passage of March 13th, we were through Robert Todd. When I started dis- treated with the usual “Arizona UFOs” cussing those that accused him of fudg- hype on the web. As always, it is tainted ing numbers and making up flight paths, Who’s blogging UFOs...... 2-3 and, as a result, I wanted to restate my he basically ignored the question and The Roswell Corner ...... 4 case on this. So, I spent some of the is- chose not to answer it. By that time, he sue trying to explain the case and what had become frustrated wtih the Roswell The case for the Arizona UFOs thirteen the likely solutions are. As with last issue, story. He seemed to think proponents years later...... 5-12 “Psycho clown” provides us with some were not interested in a scientific discus- The lessons of Zond IV...... 12-13 artwork for this piece! I hope the readers sion on that matter and were more into Malmstrom follow up...... 14-15 will find it informative. reinforcing their beliefs. One must re- member that Moore did much more than Bad Alien!!!!!...... 15-16 Frequent contributor, Matt Graeber in- discuss the Roswell incident and his con- Within the magic circle...... 17-21 forms me that his vision (which is pretty tributions to science and atmospheric re- poor these days) is being affected by search are something to be praised. Will the real UFO monsters please stand constantly looking at a computer moni- up! by Matt Graeber...... 21-26 tor. Despite this, Matt keeps pumping There was also plenty of UFO activity be- More night vision follies...... 27 out articles and I now have a backlog for ing reported by MUFON. I guess it has the next few issues. Hopefully, his vision something to do with the weather warm- IFO University: Satellites...... 28-29 will not get any worse. ing up. The events around Euclid, Ohio So you want to be the next Mr. Ed?....30 demonstrated, once again, that imagina- Is Euclid, Ohio the new UFO hotspot?....31 On March 6th, Dave Thomas informed tion can transform mundane lights into me that Professor Charles Moore passed something exotic. It sounds like UFOl- UFOs on the tube...... 32 away. Moore was part of the NYU team ogy will have an interesting summer. The Buy it, borrow it, bin it...... 32 that launched various balloon configu- efforts of the MUFON investigator in the rations out of Alamogordo in 1947 in Euclid case indicates that some of them conjunction with Project MOGUL. One know how to do their jobs. It is too bad of these balloon flights is considered the that this is not the case in all UFO inves- source for the Foster Ranch debris, which tigations. sparked the Roswell incident. I only had brief contact with the man years ago Finally, Anthony Bragalia continues to 1 C Hardly had SUNlite 2-2 been released All point towards the same general area when the UFO examiner presented a Who’s blogging southwest of Stephenville and involved whole slew of UFO reports. Either there seeing Jet activity. Do you think it is was a “wave”, the examiner had nothing UFOs? possible the military was conducting air to do with his time, or the warmer weath- operations involving aerial flares in the er has gotten people out looking at the Brownwood MOA again? sky. Several caught my eye. Hot topics and varied opinions Another early April sighting from The first was a sighting in Milford NH, Youngstown, Ohio by a “skywatcher” and not far from my home. This “UFO researcher”, includ- is a report filed very late and ing videos of some flashing happened on September 26, strobe lights. They looked 2009. from two pilots who saw like the strobe lights one an object in the sky that was, would expect on the wings they estimated, at an altitude of of an airplane. Apparently, 70-80,000 feet! How they esti- the appearance of hovering mated this is unkown since it is over the trees for a few min- virtually impossible to estimate utes made her think it could distance or altitude of an un- not be an airplane. Of course, known object without knowing any object that is heading in its size. If it were visible at an your direction from a dis- altitude of 70, 000 feet it must tance, will appear to hover have been really big! Addition- for a while until it gets close. ally, the weather would have The videographer also ex- to have been exceptionally pressed fear over the lights. clear without a trace of clouds! When it passed overhead, it These “pilots” stated it was circular in made the sound of an airplane and the shape (from 70-80,000 feet?). It was there time, angular speed, angular size, etc), I videographer noted this. According to for about 30-40 minutes and then disap- would consider his level of experience as her, the UFO appeared to be attempting peared so rapidly to the northeast that it an “amateur astronomer” at the “novice” to mimic an airplane in sound. Watch the appeared to “vanish”. Based on the wild level. It is interesting that the ISS made a clip. She actually states words to this ef- estimates of distance and altitude, it is pass around 20:30 from NW to SE. Could fect at time 4:50! Ahhh...the power of be- hard to accept this report as credible. this have been the UFO? I kept waiting lief. She obviously “knew what she saw”! for an update on the Georgia MUFON The second was another one of those website or the UFO examiner’s blog but The UFO examiner enjoys presenting pesky amateur astronomer sightings it never happened. I guess nobody cared photographs in low resolution, which from Oklahoma! It seems like Oklahoma to report that it was probably the ISS. makes them hard to evaluate. This one amateurs like reporting various noctornal from Loudon, TN was too easy though. lights to MUFON. This one was puzzling Another astronomical UFO appeared As usual, the witness did not see the as it involved lights flickering on an off to be Venus. The indiivdual stated they UFOs when the photograph was taken. It low in the eastern sky near Fort Smith, Ar- saw Sirius and the object was in the west is my opinion, the person took the photo- kansas. Another observer 22 miles to the much brighter than Sirius. No times were graphs through their window and caught south also saw these lights in the same given but it looked like a bright star he the reflection of the lights behind them general direction. It sounds a lot like mili- was recording. Once the camera was being reflected off the glass. tary flare activity. About fifty miles east of placed on a tripod, the object exhibited, Fort Smith, is the Shirley Military Opera- what appeared to be, diurnal motion Finally, there was a witness who was per- tions Area (MOA). I wonder if they were over the time of the recording. This rein- forming “astrophotography” and claimed busy that night? The long base-line of 22 forces the idea that it was astronomical. he recorded a UFO. He is not much of an miles with the same general direction in- My guess is that it was probably Venus. astrophotographer as the stars were out dicates the lights were very far away. of focus. Despite his claims of it not being Then there was the traveling salesman, a lens flare, this is exactly what it appears Another “amateur astronomer” report in- who watched UFOs for an hour at a fami- to be. You can see the light source at the volved somebody who was going to be lies home. These sounded very much like bottom right of the camera (it illuminates star watching in Georgia on the 21st of scintillating stars to me since he reports the house and tree). Not surprisingly the March. All we got was the date and the they show up every night! If this is true, “UFO” is in the upper left of center, oppo- UFO went from NW to SE. He mentioned why not send a STAR team or a MUFON site of the light source. that the UFO had spikes/protrusions but investigator? people have made those kinds of ob- Last month, I included a link to Pierre servations for planets and stars. Based We also had multiple reports from Dub- Charles Dubreuil, who had sent me an on the lack of important details (like the lin, Abilene, and Breckenridge, Texas. e-mail regarding the confessions of an 2 only select cases and the group seems to Who’s blogging UFOs? (Cont’d) be performing the investigations on their own. I was hoping it was a MUFON status ex-raelian member. I mistakenly thought Not happy with this little dustup, Randle report of each case because I am always he was the person. I made a mistake and inspired more Roswell exchanges in an- curious as to how these cases are exam- the actual ex-member is Jean Denis Saint other posting about “A dispassionate look ined and what the results were. Well, at Cyr. Apparently, he was a “bishop” in the at Roswell”. The response was anything least they are trying. movement. but “dispassionate” as the responses went well over a hundred rather quickly with Billy Cox pulled a boo-boo. His article Randall Fitzgerald documents his ex- the same back and forth. As expected, inappropriately linked a clip from the perience with the Arizona UFOs from the responses were extremely lengthy as film about secret KGB UFO files- show 1997. His efforts to track down the flight each side attempted to make sure their ing a tube-like UFO being pursued by a of Tutor aircraft were interesting. It ap- point of view was heard. Only Paul Kim- MIG-21 from the cockpit point of view. pears that this search was conducted re- ball was able to cut through the nonense Of course, this film had been debunked cently making it difficult to find records and make the following sober statement: long ago by numerous discussion boards that are probably destroyed. I disagree when aviation buffs recognized a glaring with his hologram conclusions though. It But that’s the problem - the UFO phenom- error. The film makers (not surprisingly) is too great a stretch. When trying to cre- enon has become so entangled in the were not very thorough in examining this ate a hypothesis, one should not make Roswell / crashed saucer / government film for authenticity because it shows an too many assumptions. He is assuming cover-up stories that “dispassionate” and ACES-II ejection seat of AMERICAN de- that the observations of the “dark object” reasoned discussion about it is impossible. sign. The standard MIG-21 ejection seat were highly accurate. I think this month’s There is no room in this world for the true does not look like this and I doubt the So- article on the matter demonstrates this is sceptic, who entertains the ETH as a valid viets put American ejection seats in their not quite true. hypothesis, but recognizes that there are aircraft. I think it is time for UFOlogists to any number of other possible explana- stop putting this film up as some sort of A very interesting blog I was alerted to tions for what remains a mystery. Instead, proof because it is a hoax. is “No more stupid lights”! You have to the debate - such as it is - has been cast in love the title and the authors disdain for manichean terms. There was an interesting news story youtube videos of people recording air- about Area 51 in the Seattle Times. The planes and satellites. Their website is also Randle also had a good laugh on every- stories told by aging veterans demon- pretty good. However, they disappointed one when he announced that Robert Big- strated there was nothing “alien” about me after posting a blog entry of a “pho- elow had purchased MUFON and NUFORC activities there. Just a lot of interesting tograph” of a 1990 Belgium triangle and and combined them to make NUFON. Of aircraft being tested. I enjoyed reading stating it was a classified recon craft. There course, this all happened on April 1st. I about how they paid a Sherriff and a is no evidence for this. I would hope the was actually beginning to believe this family who took some pictures/saw the author would be a bit more critical than happened until he stated Seth Shostak crash of an SR-71 in Utah $25K (Peter this. Still, the website/blog is well worth was placed in charge! Like that would re- Merlin described this event in SUNlite a look. ally happen! 1-4). I guess all those Roswell people are angry because they just got threatened A different perspective had Kevin Ran- Joe Capp announced that “debunk- without the payoff. dle posting a lengthy number of posts ers” better beware of the never ending regarding the Washington National UFO UFO “flap” that will start this summer. Jame Carrion apparently has called sightings press conference in 1952. It Apparently, he has deduced that UFOs it quits with organized UFOlogy. His was very informative to see the transcript are more common during summer than commentary “Goodbye UFOlogy, hello of the conference. I am sure people will winter. Well, that is no surprise. All it will Truth” contains well chosen words worth interpret it the way they think but it does mean is there will be more people out reading by anyone familiar with UFOl- provide a bit of UFO history. Unfortunately misidentifying things they are not used to ogy. Perhaps his best statement is, “That for the flow of the blog, Professor Moore seeing at night (like the ISS, fireball mete- in a nutshell is the sad state of Ufology to- passed away and Kevin posted a blog ors, scintillating stars, Venus, etc.). Capp day, humans deceiving humans.” Based entry for this. Almost immediately, David predicts that this “flap” will have some of on what I have read over the years on the Rudiak jumped in to perform his usual the most astounding encounters to date. subject, I can’t disagree with his opinion. long-winded explanation why Moore was Let me know when we have the landing a liar and bad scientist AGAIN! Of course, on the White House lawn. A Video of a UFO being pursued by that inspired others to comment and the some RAF fighter jets turned out to be blog entries after this were ignored for There was an interesting blog called a hoax. Good work to UFOblogger for some time. People just kept posting on UFO clearinghouse that came to my at- their work! the Moore entry. This is no great surprise tention. At first I was intrigued because as the number of comments approached it seemed to be discussing MUFON cases 100. Everyone eventually lost interest and that were being investigated. However, the positions remained the same. after careful examination, I realized it was 3 swell or any exotic metal properties (in- cohol abuse in relation to Roswell. This is The Roswell cluding Nitinol) in any of these reports. well within the statistical norm for abuse. Roswellian logic wins out over the more We don’t even have proof that Dr. Center simple explanation. (see SUNlite 1-3) or Lt. Gov. Montoya (see Corner Bragalia has since informed me that he Pflock -Roswell: Incovenient facts and the has linked just about every person in- will to believe) were even involved with volved with studying Titanium at the Roswell. This really cuts the list down to More of “a whole lot of nuthin” time as being “obsessed” with UFOs. The three people, who were known to be in implications of this “obsession” are that the area in July 1947. If people were really Recently, an anonymous source sent me all of them knew something about Ro- affected as he claims, there would have a copy of the first progress report asso- swell and that made them enthusiastic been dozens of alcoholics and psycho- ciated with the research regarding Tita- about studying the subject. However, logical breakdowns. Instead, it seems as nium Alloys by the Battelle institute in I think the use of the word “obsessed” if everyone went around as if it were busi- 1948. However, the report has also ap- is an exaggeration. For instance, Bra- ness as usual and were unaffected. peared on the DTIC website for everyone galia’s claim that Dr. Linus Pauling was In my opinion, taking advantage of peo- to view. As I stated last issue, it is no big “obsessed” with UFOs was shown to be ple’s personal addictions/problems to deal but feel free to see if you can figure without merit when I contacted Dr. Rob- publish a highly suspect story is really out how it is related to Roswell. How- ert Paradowski. He personally knew Paul- not good journalistic practice. Of course, ever, Mr. Bragalia, in another “challenge” ing and was one of Bragalia’s “sources” . this is “Roswell land”, where one can write e-mail told me that I did not have a clue Dr. Paradowski stated that Pauling DID just about anything and those willing to and that the first report was more re- NOT have an immense library of UFO believe will accept it. For the rest of the vealing than the second. I am not sure books (as claimed by Bragalia) and had more critical readers, it is simply tabloid what he was reading but the first report only a passing interest in the subject. In style research meant to “shock” readers is essentially the same as the second. my opinion, suggesting these scientists and gain notoriety. The last time I discussed the progress re- and engineers were involved in some port (SUNlite 1-3), I pointed out that Mr. massive cover-up is not giving them Bragalia’s claims appeared to be highly the credit they deserve for all their own exaggerated. This seems to be the case personal achievements. It indicates they again. did not do actually perform these stud- Billy Cox reports a feeble connection to a ies through research and hard work. In- Mr. John Burlin (J.B.) Johnson, who hap- stead, they received “help” in the form of pened to be the chief of the metallurgy some alien metal that nobody has ever group at Wright-Patterson. The cover seen before or since. letter for the report states that Johnson Like all of Bragalia’s links to Roswell it requested certain alloy studies made takes real imagination to create them. previously under a different contract be Of course, we know that Mr. Bragalia has included in this report. As a result they plenty of that. carried forward information from the previous contract and included it. John- 100 Proof Roswell son , who would be receiving copies, seems to have wanted the information Bragalia now suggests that the expsoure included in the report because it was to the Roswell UFO crash was so disturb- pertinent. These progress reports were ing that it caused various people to be- eventually assembled together as a com- come alcoholics. One statistic he does plete work. This is why the second prog- not mention stands out in my mind. ress report started on page 61. It appears According to statistics, there are 14 mil- that Johnson’s intention was for them to lion Americans that suffer from alcohol include the previous studies in the first related illnesses. Considering that there progress report so that the background are over 300 million Americans, this upon which these studies were being means roughly 4% of the population has made was included. This is not that big this problem. If we take a sample of all a deal but in “Roswell land”, things are the Roswell witnesses and contacts that never that simple. supposedly occurred (numbering in the In “Roswell land’s” highly complex world hundreds if you listen to Bragalia et.al.), of government subterfuge and con- it seems likely, you would find about a spiracy, Johnson is now the linchpin as- dozen or so with some record of abusing sociated with Roswell. Johnson is subtly alcohol. prompting these scientists to include Bragalia’s evidence (some of it based on these studies to replicate the miracle simple rumor) is a mere five witnesses , metal even though there is no hint of Ro- who supposedly had some form of Al- 4 The case of the Arizona UFOs thirteen years later

began collecting reports, appearing on television and radio, and hurling accusa- tions at nearby military bases for not pro- tecting the public or covering up the fact they knew something about the events. They quickly proclaimed the case unex- plainable and strongly suggested this was evidence of alien visitation.

All sorts of observations were presented concerning the 8PM event. The consen- sus was that there were 5-7 lights in a “V” shape, the object was very low, it flew at “blimp” speed, it was silent, and, for some, there was a mysterious dark object behind the lights. Some eyewitnesses reported a sense of fear and awe as they saw this huge vehicle flying over the city. Most of the local investigators were quick to present these witnesses but less eager to present witnesses that told a slightly different and less exotic version of events. When potential explanations were offered, they were dismissed with little thought.

These explanations have nothing to do with the sci- entific process which involves gathering all of the data, analyzing the data, and formulating a care- fully crafted hypothesis to account for the data. This process takes time and effort.2

The 10PM event was equally compelling to investigators. Several actually saw and videotaped the lights. UFO investigator Bill Hamilton even observed the lights with a small telescope and described them as orbs of light. It was these vid- eos that were often shown on television to describe the Phoenix lights/Arizona Artwork courtesy of “Psycho-clown” UFOs even though they only showed the second event. Klass’ UFOlogical principle number 10. Many UFO Arizona, where “hundreds” of people re- cases seem puzzling and unexplainable simply be- ported seeing this amazing object. Less Military cover-up cause case investigators have failed to devote a suf- than 2 hours later, around 10PM, several ficiently rigorous effort to the investigation.1 individuals videotaped lights appearing The first thing that UFO groups began over the Estrella Mountains to the south to do was demand information from the n March 13th, 1997, a series of events of Phoenix. These lights hovered for sev- US Military. Initial responses by the USAF Ooccurred in the state of Arizona that eral minutes and then would mysteri- were typical of a military unit. Somebody UFO proponents would declare was the ously disappear. These two events would contacted an enlisted person at the air most amazing UFO event of recent times. eventually be called the “Phoenix lights/ base in the public affairs office and that Between 8:00 and 8:30 PM (which I call Arizona UFOs”. individual made the comment that none the 8PM event) a dark object, the shape of the aircraft were up that night. This was of a triangle or “V”, illuminated only by a Seeing is believing corrected a few days later by the officer, series of lights, navigated across the state who was actually in charge of the public from northwest to southeast. At one UFO investigators in the Phoenix area affairs office. After further investigation, point it passed over the city of Phoenix, had their big break. They immediately they discovered that there were aircraft 5 Dilettoso pseudoscience Jim Dillettoso was the “star” of the Ari- Dr. Rudin of Cognitech demonstrates that the 10PM videos lights disappeared because they were behind the Estrella Mountains and zona UFOs event. His computer analysis not in front. This was consistent with the flare explanation for the 10PM event. Images from Discovery Channel’s “UFO over Phoenix” of the light curves produced by the lights supposedly demonstrated how unique up but they were not involved. This was the lights in the 10PM event were just the lights in the 10 PM videos were and seized upon by various UFO investigators distant flares being dropped by aircraft that they could not flares. This was not to suggest the USAF was lying. A good at the Barry Goldwater test range over Dilettoso’s first experience with UFOs. He example was the response of Bill Hamil- 50 miles south of the City. He was im- was one of many who stood by the Billy ton: mediately characterized by some UFO Meier and his claims of photographing investigators as a “debunker”, an epithet UFOs. Most of UFOlogy considers them It seems like the official statements made to mem- utilized by some UFOlogists to demonize to be fake but it seems Dilettoso used his bers of the press and public by those representing anyone suggesting a UFO event can be vast computer skills to determine that our Air Force are, to put it delicately, on a course de- something other than an alien spaceship. 3 they were authentic. viation from the truth. Motzer’s opinion was ignored by those promoting these videos as evidence. In March of 1998, Tony Ortega wrote a Of course, they ignored the more likely piece for the Phoenix newstimes, which possibility that somebody just goofed In late July, 1997, Captain Eileen Bienz demonstrated that Dilettoso’s effort to and did not know that aircraft were up dropped a “bomb” on the 10PM event examine the “spectrum” of the lights that night. by declaring they were indeed flares in the video tape was pseudoscientific dropped over the Barry Goldwater test nonsense. Diletosso repeated this type Another version of the UFO cover-up sto- range by a visiting Air National Guard of analysis on the recent National Geo- ry came out through the National UFO unit from Maryland operating out of Da- graphic program. Comparing images Reporting Center (NUFORC). In this in- vis-Monthan AFB in Tuscon. The response of flares he obtained and the lights, he stance, an anonymous individual called in by many was that it was another Air Force declared the lights were not flares. This and declared that F-15 aircraft were sent cover-up because the original claim was work was flawed in 1997 and continued up from nearby Luke Air Force Base(AFB), that there were no aircraft operating at to be flawed in 2010. to intercept the UFO but they could not the range that night. This was due to a In mid-March of this year, the UFO Chron- because their systems were neutralized typical foul up in that the logs checked icles linked a story about Dilettoso being by the object. This does not agree with were for the craft stationed at Tuscon. interviewed on “The Paracast” last Au- the fact that Luke AFB normally does not The logs for visiting aircraft were not ex- gust. There he revealed that somebody have F-15s. They were a training base amined and were missed. Closer exami- peformed a frame lineup with the Kryston that flew F-16s. Additionally, none of the nation by Bienz, resolved the mystery. video. Dilettoso seemed shocked that it eyewitness reports describe any fighter was discovered that the lights winked off jets flying near the V-shaped formation Despite this information several investi- the instant they met the ridgeline of the of lights. gators clung to the idea that the lights ap- Estrella Mountains. He then complained peared in front of the mountains and not that in 1997, they did not have this com- It is a common theme in most UFO cases over them. This was shown to be inaccu- puter ability. Didn’t Dr. Rudin do the to involve the USAF in some way. If there rate when Cognitech examined the vid- exact same thing in 1997?! The general is a nearby USAF base, it can be guaran- eos for the Discovery Channel program, impression given during the interview teed that UFOlogists will find some rea- “UFOs over Phoenix”. Dr. Lenny Rudin was the Dilettoso was conceding it was son to suggest they are covering up the demonstrated that the lights were above possible that these lights were flares! event. It has been always assumed by the mountains when they appeared and UFOlogy that the USAF is going to cover- then disappeared as they descended be- The date of the interview seems to imply up any UFO event. Resorting to conspir- hind the mountains. His efforts were du- this was done for the National Geograph- acy rants is a sure way to “rally the troops” plicated by Dr. Paul Scowan in 1998 at the ic program. However, this was never seen and distrust anything the USAF was go- request of Tony Ortega. Also in 1998, UFO and, instead, we saw Dilettoso’s pseu- ing to say. investigator Dr. Bruce Maccabee wrote a doscientific analysis. If this analysis was paper that demonstrated, through trian- done for the program and was cut from The 10PM event debunked gulation, that the lights were very distant the show, it demonstrates a deception by and behind the mountains towards the the producers and all involved in the pro- In May of 1997, one UFO investigator, test range. This was all consistent with gram. Would this be any surprise? Richard Motzer, began to conclude that the statement by Captain Bienz regard- 6 The data breakdown 1998 1/50 0 1/50 ing the Maryland Air National Guard. I realize that some will question how I 1999 0 1/50 1/50 assigned the values of each report. It is 2000 3/60 0 2/40 Ignoring this evidence, the proponents a subjective measure in my opinion and 2001 0 0 0 continued to find reasons to keep the I tried to err in favor of caution. The re- 2002 2/50 1/25 1/25 10PM videos as proof of something ex- ports can be interpreted in many ways. 2003 1/100 0 0 otic. Jim Dilleteso, a self-proclaimed 2004 0 0 1/100 video expert, who owned “Village Labs” Chino Valley report: 2005 1/25 3/75 0 attempted to prove that the lights were The lights moved at a relatively slow pace in com- 2006 1/17 2/33 3/50 not flares by examining their character- parison to commercial jet traffic in the area and as istics recorded on the video. Dilettoso’s the lights passed overhead they went out as though 2007 0 0 1/100 they were all on the front edges of the object and 2008 2/67 1/33 0 work is flawed and has long since been were obscured by the object as it passed. All lights 2009 1/50 0 1/50 refuted. Still he gets air time and people were uniform in size and all appeared white. Path of “want” to believe his work is valid. travel would seem to be from the area of Kingman, Worried that I may have been biased in Arizona passing just west of Chino Valley and on my categorizing of the reports, I chose to toward Prescott Valley. Path would be slightly north Even today, the 10PM is still considered and east of the Prescott airport “Love Field”.1 do some polling of various individuals in a “true UFO” event by some. However, a private e-mail regarding the 1997 re- others now have offered the theory that I had to figure out if this was a “dark ob- ports. There was a limited response but ject” or “light formation” report. It would the 10PM event was an “intentional di- the responses I did receive were pretty version” created by the US military to have been a formation report if it were much the same as I determined. not for the statement about the lights keep attention away from the 8PM event, being associated with the front edge of I realize that the NUFORC database is not which was truly inexplicable. They state an object. To be conservative, I gave this the only source but the on-line MUFON this despite there being no evidence and a “dark object” classification even though database has only a few reports made ignoring the fact that the Maryland ANG it could easily have been classified as just many years after the event. Bill Hamil- had already been scheduled for this ex- a formation of lights. ton’s original report only listed a few wit- ercise long before 8PM on the 13th of nesses and Richard Motzer stated he had March. It is this kind of reasoning that Prescott report: 53 credible reports in his MUFON article demonstrates most UFOlogists are not At around 8:15 on 03/13/97 four of us observed a v from July 1997. Finally, Mike Fortson has interested in proper investigations. shaped object coming at us with bright lights. As it claimed to have received hundreds of e- got closer we got out some binoculars and looked The 8PM event at it, what looked like white lights were actually mail reports. The actual raw and unedited two lights forming one. One light being green the reports from all of these sources seem to other one was red. During this time the oddest thing be unavailable so we are left with the The 8PM flyover was probably the most about this, was there was no noise at all. There was NUFORC raw reports as our only source interesting event of the two. It had an air no moon to backlight this so we could only see the of mystery and awe to it that just begged lights. I thought perhaps because there was no noise of real data. for examination. When I first read about that it might have been a pedal plane that I saw on What we know from the NUFORC data this, I was impressed but I also felt it could the discovery channel once. It appeared to be about is that not everyone saw a dark object 1000 feet in the air.2 have an explanation. and a good portion made observations Here the witness describes the formation that indicated there was no such object My first attempt at reading a Bill Hamil- as a V-shaped object but really gives no attached to the lights. Ignoring or hop- ton’s MUFON report was one of frustra- reason to call it a V-shaped object. As a ing this information will not be noticed tion. There was very little useful data result, I chose to classify it as a formation demonstrates a desire to deceive the associated with it. Nobody bothered to of lights. public and accept only the most exotic get angular size or elevation estimates reports as evidence for what was seen Looking at the spread of reports over the from the eyewitnesses even though the that night. years they were reported, we see a fairly MUFON investigator’s manual requests it! consistent spread of data. The original re- Notes and references Instead, I had to wade through all sorts of ports indicated an even distribution over descriptions by people to try and under- the three classes. This remained the same 1. Davenport, Peter. National UFO Center UFO Re- stand what happened. over the years with a slight weight given ports Database. Available WWW: http://www.nu- to the dark object reports. This probably forc.org/webreports/002/S02072.html After reading the various sources, I had has to do with people being influenced by gathered some 26 reports of varying the television programs depicting a dark 2. Davenport, Peter. National UFO Center UFO Re- types from the National UFO reporting object. What was a formation of lights for ports Database. Available WWW: http://www.nu- center (NUFORC) database, Bill Hamil- them in 1997 may have transformed into forc.org/webreports/002/S02073.html ton’s summary report from MUFON, and a dark shape behind the lights through various accounts in the newspapers from the power of suggestion. the area. The data proved interesting in

Year dark object fixed non-fixed that only seven reports, in my opinion, (tot/pct) formation formation directly indicated a dark triangular/V- (tot/pct) (tot/pct) shaped object behind the lights. Twelve 1997 5/31 6/38 5/31 of the reports indicated independent 7 Mitch Stanley misunderstood and misrepresented motion between the lights and the re- maining seven just described the lights On March 13, 1997, Mitch Stanley was 150 miles away! as a formation of lights. in his backyard skywatching with his 10” dobsonian telescope. What Mitch saw UFO proponents have often stated there As the years have passed more and more that night was far different than what was no way that Stanley could have ac- people have added their accounts to many of the more prominent UFO wit- tually followed aircraft with his telescope the NUFORC/MUFON database (See box nesses stated: because they moved too fast and the im- on page 7). Curious I went through the age would be inverted, making it difficult NUFORC database again to see what the That night Mitch and his mother, Linda, were in the to determine if they really were aircraft. results of this search would produce. It is backyard and noticed the lights coming from the These were comments made by people hard to read some of these raw reports. north. Since the lights seemed to be moving so slow- who know nothing about using these Some of the reports from that night do ly, Mitch attempted to capture them in the scope. instruments. Amateur astronomers have not describe the 8PM event and just de- He succeeded, and the leading three lights fit in his no problem “mentally flipping” the image scribe orbs or various exotic lights. They field of vision. Linda asked what they were. “Planes,” upright. Tracking a formation of aircraft were apparently unrelated to the event Mitch said. at the angular speeds reported would in question. When I weeded those out, not have been that hard since Mitch had I came up with a total of 47 reports. Ex- It was plain to see, he says. What looked like individ- about a one-degree field of view. actly who saw what is difficult to state ual lights to the naked eye actually split into two un- but I broke up the descriptions into three der the resolving power of the telescope. The lights Witness Mike Fortson has also added groups. The first were those who claimed were located on the undersides of squarish wings, some exaggerations about what Mitch to have seen a “dark object” of some kind Mitch says. And the planes themselves seemed small, supposedly stated: with the lights. The second were those like light private planes. who saw a formation of lights that was But here is where young Mitch struggled (keep in fixed but made no comment that indicat- Stanley watched them for about a minute, and then mind he was not the youngest participant present). ed the lights were attached to some ob- turned away. It was the last thing the amateur as- During the question and answer segment, a couple ject. The third group were those that saw tronomer wanted to look at. “They were just planes, of pilots and ex-military people responded that at a formation of lights that shifted, could I didn’t want to look at them,” Stanley says when he’s night no pilot would be willing to fly in such forma- see stars between the lights, or stated the asked why he didn’t stare at them longer. He is cer- tion. Especially wing_tip-to-wing_tip or even in tight lights were not attached to anything indi- tain about what he saw: “They were planes. There’s formation, it’s just too dangerous . . . and at night cating a “non-fixed” formation of lights. no way I could have mistaken that.”1 this just isn’t done!2 dark object fixed non-fixed formation formation

I managed to catch up with Mitch via It is amazing that Fortson and the other Total 17 14 16 e-mail in February 1998 to gather more witnesses suddenly developed a skepti- Percentage 36 30 34 specific details. He gave me approximate cal attitude towards Mitch’s observation angular sizes/azimuth/elevations of the but had no skepticism for those reporting The fixed formation of lights is the gray formation. Mitch reported that he saw an unworldly aircraft over a mile in size. area here. Do they indicate a dark object three lights on “straight wing” aircraft and Such is the power of belief over reason. not seen or do they just indicate a pattern added that he fit two of them in his field of lights? It is very difficult to label these of view (about 1 degree) and a third was It is not unheard of for military pilots to reports one way or the other. However, it just outside of it. fly together at night. Additionally, Mitch is interesting that 1/3rd of these witness- did not state they flew “wing tip-to-wing es made observations that there was no tip” like one would expect at an air show. physical object behind the lights. Based on the descriptions he made about his observations, it seems they were Based on the witness descriptions and about a half degree apart (which com- observations, one can create a reason- putes to over a hundred feet). Forston’s able flight path of the UFOs. They start argument directly misrepresents what nothwest of Kingman, Arizona indicat- Stanley reported and is a poor argument ing an origin in Nevada. The UFOs then at that. proceeded southeast towards Prescott, where they shifted direction southward Notes and references towards Phoenix. After Phoenix, they The entire formation was about five de- shifted their path again slightly to the grees in size. It did not suprise me that 1. Ortega, Tony. “The Great UFO Coverup.” Phoenix southeast towards Tuscon, where they Mitch said that he had used his telescope Newstimes. 26 June 1997. mysteriously “disappeared”. previously to follow birds and airplanes. I remember being his age and doing simi- 2. Fortson, Mike. “Shostak’s “Phoenix Lights” Faux Clues to the 8PM event lar observations with small refractors. I Pas. UFO Chronicles blog. Available WWW: http:// even followed a Delta rocket launch from www.theufochronicles.com/2008/04/shostaks- When I first learned about this event, I my back yard once! It helped that I was phoenix-lights-faux-pas.html was curious about it. I e-mailed the as- 8 Mike Forston’s unique cates the formation passed approximate- tronomy groups in Arizona if they had any observations ly 4 miles to the west of Fortson over or reports from their amateurs. I received a just slightly west of the Price Freeway (rte response from one of the club officers, In my opinion, Mike Fortson made one 101). This computes to an elevation of who stated that one of their members of the most interesting observations of about 17,000 feet or slightly higher. This had observed the 8PM lights through his the night. He made his initial report to is the kind of altitude described in the telescope and saw they were airplanes. NUFORC on April 3rd and, despite assur- Fitzgerald article. To me, this seemed reasonable and I be- ing us that the object was one large craft, gan to look at the reports from this point made some observations that indicated Mike Fortson’s other comment is impor- of view. Was it possible that people could otherwise: tant. Seeing “horizontal waves” across have seen a formation of aircraft that eve- the moon is the exact kind of effect one ning and thought they saw something As the craft passed thru the light of the would expect from jet aircraft passing be- more exotic? moon the color of the moon changed to tween him and the moon. He could not dingy yellow, and we could see horizontal see the actual jets because they were just As the months passed in 1997, I learned “waves” as it passed. These waves were too small (about 4 minutes of arc or 1/8th that Mitch Stanley was the amateur who similar to gasoline fumes if one to take the the moon’s disc size) and the jet would saw the airplanes through his telescope lid off of a gas can, and look at the reflec- only be visible in front of the moon for and his story was told by Tony Ortega in tion of the fumes.1 a second or less. However, the exhaust the Phoenix Newstimes. I also discovered would linger for a few seconds and that a few others, who had made observations Fortson’s moon observation was critical in would create the effect seen. that were indicative of aircraft that night. that it was a very accurate measurement for the V-formation’s angle of elevation at 1. Rich Contry, who was driving west a specific moment in time (the elevation on Interstate 40 that night, made an of the moon was about 40 degrees at the unsolicited report to the UFOmind time of Fortson’s observation). website stating he saw the lights with binoculars and determined them to be aircraft.

2. The Mike Fortson observation re- vealed that when the “dark object” passed in front of the moon, it be- Photograph I took of a propeller aircraft passing in front of the moon came translucent and left “waves” using a telescope. This is about the angular size one would expect of that distorted the moon. This can a standard size fighter/trainer jet seen from Fortson’s position that also be the type of description one night based on the proposed path and altitude. would expect from an aircraft pass- ing in front of the moon (see box on left).

3. Randy Fitzgerald, writing an article for Reader’s digest, states he talked My impression of how Fortson’s observation may have actually ap- to a pilot on an American West flight, peared. Image from Orion’s “Starry Night SE” planetarium program who saw the formation of lights. He for March 13, 1997 around 8:30PM and his co-pilot asked the enroute controller about them. The control- This angle indicates an object that was ler stated they were a formation of much higher than treetop level. Observ- CT-144 Tutor aircraft flying at 19,000 ers over ten miles west of Fortson could “These waves were similar to gasoline fumes”. The blurring of the moon feet. One of the pilots radioed and also see the formation of lights. If it were by the exhaust of an aircraft in front of it (in this case it was an ATR stated they were “snowbirds” fly- only a few hundred feet off the ground, turboprop aircraft). A jet aircraft or a formation of aircraft would have ing “Tutors”(the CT-144 is an aircraft that would not be possible. Back in 1997, been more obvious. used by the Snowbird demonstra- I used the flawed data from the Hamilton tion team). However, investigation report to indicate the planes were over Notes and references revealed the Snowbird team was not 30,000 feet in altitude. I had assumed that in the area when people stated they saw the UFO 1. Davenport, Peter. National UFO Center UFO Re- pass overhead, they meant the zenith. It ports Database. Available WWW: http://www.nu- 4. Dark object witness Tim Ley also re- seems that as long as the lights were high forc.org/webreports/002/S02124.html ported seeing a “distortion” waves in the sky, they were considered by inex- behind the formation of lights. perienced observers as “overhead”. 5. Several witnesses described the The route shown on the page 10 indi- lights not being one light but two. 9 the observations by eye- to fly to southern states to get flying time witnesses that stated the and proficiency training they could not lights were independent get because of weather issues at their of each other (see box on home bases. It was “Snowbird” that got the upper right). This criti- the Maryland Air National Guard flying cal piece of evidence has in Arizona. It is likely that the forma- often been ignored by UFO tion of Canadian Tutors were transitting proponents. Arizona that evening as part of this same program, which is why they referred to Coupled with majority of themselves as “snowbirds”. the forty-seven NUFORC reports showing no craft, The Tutor in 1997 was a training aircraft it appeared that the “V- flown by Canadian pilots. Pilots from shaped” craft testimony Canada could have been flying in the was more wishful thinking southern United States as a group for than accurate observation. proficiency and training. On this night, It was a repeat of the Zond it is possible these pilots left Nellis AFB IV case (see page 12) with a in Las Vegas, formed up and decided to slightly different stimulus. make the trip in a V-shaped formation.

Above: Sectional chart showing the enroute airways for aircraft over The Terry Proctor video 18,000 feet. Highlighted is the path a formation of planes would take. The solution? Red circles indicate concentrations of witnesses who reported the lights. compare this to the distribution of witnesses in the maps on Probably the most interesting piece of ac- page 12. It is probably most interesting that the tual evidence from that night is the rarely Below: Other sectional charts have similar airways present in case the formation of lights followed the exact mentioned video tape of Terry Proctor. aircraft were flying below 18,000 feet. path one would expect from an aircraft He was located in Scottsdale and saw the that was flying from Las Vegas to Tuscon formation of lights that night. Mr. Proc- Arizona (see charts to left). They would tor’s video shows something one would have taken the airway to Prescott, turned not expect from some lights attached to south towards Phoenix and then follow a fixed “dark object”. The lights do not the airway to Tuscon. Is this a mere coin- maintain a fixed position relative to each cidence? Is it just chance that UFO chose other. They appear to move back and to follow the same route an airplane or forth as if they were individual objects group of airplanes would take? trying to maintain position in formation. This is the kind of behavior one would After reading Randy Fitzgerald’s descrip- expect from individual aircraft flying as tion of the American West report, I decid- group. Imagine that? ed to revise some of my earlier estimates and conclusions about the formation of aircraft seen by Mitch Stanley. Mitch had reported that he had spotted straight- wing aircraft through his telescope. This gave me the impression that he might One even described examining the have seen A-10s or T-37s at very high lights with binoculars and seeing altitude (>30,000 feet). However, Fitzger- two lights, one red and one green. ald’s description of Tutor aircraft got me This is the standard lighting on air- rethinking this hypothesis. One of the craft wings (red-left,green-right). programs that was in progress during the time period was something called “Op-

6. The Terry Proctor video confirmed eration snowbird”. “Snowbird” was a pro- Frame grabs of the Terry Proctor video from the Discov- gram allowing units from northern states ery channel’s “UFOs over Phoenix”.

Tutor aircraft flown by Canadian pilots in 1997. The Snowbird demon- stration team flies a modified version of this craft. Note the taxi light in These are some images taken from a video shot of the Snowbirds at the 2006 Grey Cup. The left most image is interesting and shows the front of the plane’s nose. (From the Canadian Air Force website) the intensity of the nose taxi lights when viewed at the correct angle and the difficulty in seeing the aircraft at that distance. 10 Why they did this is unknown but it may the case to UFO investigators and they How about 5:30 PM at Sunset Point near Crown King, have been an effort to conduct an exer- flatly rejected them. Writing shortly after AZ? No one investigated that as well. And again thru cise in maintaining formation at night. the event, Bill Hamilton stated: Chino Valley, Prescott, Prescott Valley, Dewey Wick- For safety purposes, the pilots probably enburg, and well into the northern most part of the decided to keep the nose taxi light lit, Conventional explanations that were proffered in- Phoenix metro area. No reports. They did not do a which can be very bright (see image of cluded flares or a formation of airplanes, however fairly good job at all. They did nothing! In fact it was the “Snowbirds” at the Grey cup on previ- when all witness testimony is taken into account, done so poorly, how can these people claim to be re- ous page). such conventional explanations do not seem conso- searchers at all? nant with the facts. 4 Flying at 19,000 feet, the aircraft proba- ....So how can this incident claim to be “fairly well bly would go unheard by most witnesses Of course, Bill had his own reason to re- investigated?” You have to be kidding! The media and the aircraft would have appeared ject the potential prosaic explanation didn’t investigate. The police didn’t investigate. The very small to the unaided eye. To add to but it has nothing to do with science. only investigating that was done was the two 10 PM this, the light on the nose would make it Bill would eventually write a book called witnesses to the diversionary flare drop. And they difficult to see any silhouette. This forma- “The Phoenix Lights Mystery”, about his both wrote books and failed to share any informa- tion proceeded to Davis-Monthan AFB investigation. The on-line description for tion.6 in Tuscon and spent the night there. The the book states: next day, they left for their next destina- When you count on UFOlogists, you usu- tion not knowing what had transpired Some of the largest and most impressive unconven- ally are not going to get much of an inves- (the local print media did not report the tional airborne objects flew over one of the largest tigation. Far too often personal interests event until almost a week later). By the metropolitan areas in the United States and the lack interfere. There is really no control over time it became a national news story in of response from the Air Force and local and state what these individuals write or investi- June, the planes were north of the border, governments was dismissive as well as ridiculing gate. My experience is that a significant where they would have been oblivous to the reports by observant witnesses. This book pres- majority of UFO groups and people are what transpired. Unless they watched ents the whole story for the first time including the more interested in self-promotion and these UFO programs or spent time on attempts to debunk the eyewitness testimony when less interested in “the truth”. UFO web sites, they probably did not the accounts show this mass sighting event to be realize they had caused a massive UFO one of the century’s unsolved mysteries.5 Since he has “gone public”, Fortson claims event. Since they were visiting aircraft, to have over 200 e-mails from people nobody probably checked the records Apparently, Bill ignored the actual evi- describing their experience that night. to determine if a group of five visiting dence and wrote his book based on a These reports were made over a decade aircraft landed at Davis-Monthan around desire to believe than through actual sci- later at his prompting. Are they are con- 9PM or if they were even recorded. entific investigation. taminated by the publicity on the subject and are they going to place emphasis on For those who doubt this possible an- Mike Fortson has made a name for him- the “dark object” reports? Ironically, he swer, I suggest they watch the first two self when it comes to the Arizona UFO apparently has done nothing with these minutes of this video clip. It looks very event. He is considered an expert wit- reports he has collected. They don’t ap- much like what the witnesses for the ness and defender of the case. He writes pear to be posted into a database or were 1997 event descrbied. Kentaro Mori’s ex- articles on-line for “The UFO Chronicles” investigated to see how accurate they planation demonstrates that a formation and other blogs. Fortson also appears might be. If this is the case, Fortson is al- of aircraft can produce such an effect. on UFO radio and TV programs present- most as guilty as those he is criticizing. ing his views on the case. It has been his It is a shame that the UFO groups inves- “mission” to demonstrate that the case Meanwhile, Larry Lowe has stepped in tigating the events shortly after March deserves serious investigation by quali- and claims that there is a group of UFOlo- 13th did not bother to request FAA radar fied people. gists who are now “finally” interested in tapes, flight plans, or anything else con- investigating the case. Larry was show- cerning flight operations that night. Had Over the years, he has been critical of cased in the “UFOs over Phoenix” show they done so, they might have resolved UFOlogy’s non-investigation of the on the National Geographic channel (see the case in short order. As it stands now, event: SUNlite 2-2): the records have probably long since been routinely destroyed. How can some of these people claim the “Phoenix There are enough unanswered questions on this one Lights” case was “fairly well investigated and pre- UFO incident alone to merit a full formal series of in- Tomorrow and tomorrow... sented?” Do they understand that no one from MU- vestigation, with real resources put into both gather- FON AZ or Sky Watch International made written ing material and conducting analysis.....Despite the Over thirteen years have passed and the reports from witnesses? How could a case be exam- best effort of the National Geographic, far too many puzzle is missing a few pieces still. How- ined without written or recorded reports? Both Rich- questions remain unanswered.7 ever, it seems that the big picture can ard Motzer and Bill Hamilton perceived the “5” 10 PM be seen. The clues were always there for videos as the “holy grail” and failed to start at the be- Larry’s comments indicate that an inves- those willing to examine the case. Early ginning of the first report of unusual activity. By that tigation is on-going but this is almost too on, somebody gave the explanations for I mean 8:16 in Paulden, AZ. No one started there. little, too late. Thirteen years has passed 11 and people’s memories of the event are Misleading information? The lessons of Zond IV evolving. What would be the goal of such What the data from the NUFORC data- an investigation? Would it be an effort to base reveals is that the recent production During the Condon study, a mass sight- debunk it or just to amplify that ET sce- on the National Geographic Channel, ing similar to the 1997 Arizona event nario that has already been promoted by “American paranormal”, grossly misled occurred on March 3, 1968. On that day, so many? Far too often UFOlogists find it its audience with a photograph of Ari- the debris from Zond IV re-entered the easier to promote a mystery than to solve zona depicting where all the UFO reports earth’s atmosphere in spectacular fash- one. transpired that night. They stated that ion between the states of Kentucky and the National UFO reporting Center re- Pennsylvannia. Writing for the Condon Non-acceptance of any answer ceived “hundreds” of reports. Yet, all we study, Dr. William Hartmann discussed have are 47 in the database that deal how people perceived this event after In my thirteen years of following this directly with the 8PM event. Either Dav- examining the reports they submitted to case, I have come to the conclusion that enport does not list the “extra” reports or Bluebook. UFO proponents and witnesses will never the show exaggerated the claim. Even accept the possibility that the 8 PM event more interesting is that only 16 reports It must be emphasized that a majority of was, or could be caused by, a formation of dealing directly with the 8PM event were the reporters got the basic facts right re- aircraft. If I had all the records, including received in1997! garding the event. They reported seeing radar data, pilot names, and tail numbers unidentified lights they had never seen for the aircraft, it still would not be good before. A certain percentage of these re- enough because they are convinced that ports where affected by the observer’s in- it was something exotic. They will tell you terpretation of what they saw. The most that they know what they saw! To suggest interesting and lengthy report was made they saw something mundane instead of by a woman, who was in the company of exotic is the same thing as telling some- her husband and the mayor of the city. body they did not witness a religious mir- They were outstanding members of their acle. The power of belief is far too great community and would be considered “re- for them to accept anything other than liable”: an alien spaceship. Then—IMPACT!!!—the impact referring to is the Notes and references impact on my emotions, for with breathtaking suddenness, the “thing” was nearly overhead 1. Klass, Philip. UFOS: The Public Decieved. Amherst: and seemed to be quite large and close!...It was Prometheus, 1997. P. 304 National Geographic’s representation of the NU- shaped like a fat cigar, in my estimation. I was FORC database of UFO reports for March 13, 1997. impressed that it seemed of considerable size, 2. Hamilton, Bill. “Re: Big Hanger” 25 June 1997. the size of one of our largest airplane fuselages, UFO Updates. Available (through subscription) or larger...It appeared to have square-shaped win- WWW: http://www.virtuallystrange.net/ufo/ dows along the side that was facing us. I remember updates/1997/jun/m25-021.shtml the urge to count the windows, but other details flashed n view and my curiosity made me jump 3. Hamilton, Bill. PHOENIX SIGHTINGS: Summary to other observations. For an instant, I thought I Report - Mass Sightings in Arizona. Available WWW: caught a glimpse of a metallic look about the fuse- http://www.ufoevidence.org/documents/doc1509. lage, and this really made me feel that the “thing” htm was close! ...It appeared to me that the fuselage was constructed of many pieces of flat sheets 4. ibid. of metal-like material with a “riveted together look.” It occurred to me that the fuselage was not 5. UFO Evidence bookstore. Available WWW: http:// of the smooth contour. The many “windows” seemed www.ufoevidence.org/books/book126.htm to be lit up from the inside of the fuselage with light that was quite bright...I did not observe anything 6. Fortson, Mike. “The Phoenix lights investigative other than the light in the windows. (It occurred to Faux Pas”. UFO Chronicles Blog. Available WWW: me that I might see objects or persons, but there was http://www.theufochronicles.com/2007/01/exclu- little time for a good look.)....I was impressed with sivethe-phoenix-lights.html what looked to me like low altitude of the craft The actual distribution of reports form March 13, at this point of my sighting—I thought, around 7. Lowe, Larry. “Reaction mixed to American Para- 1997. It appears that many of the reports from the 1,000 feet or less...I concentrated on the “trail of northwest part of the state and near Tuscon are normal: UFOs over Phoenix”. The Phoenix UFO ex- missing or, perhaps, were exaggerated by the pro- fiery particles” that seemed to come from the end aminer Blog. Available WWW: http://www.examiner. gram’s producers. of the fuselage. I was expecting to see a bright ball com/x-3766-Phoenix-UFO-Examiner~y2010m3d1- of fire close to the fuselage end, but I saw no bright Reaction-mixed-to-American-Paranormal-UFOs- ball of fire. However, I noticed that the trail’s inten- over-Phoenix sity did increase somewhat...Upon this observation, 12 lights. It was clearly obvious that it was a craft of some sort. We could see the area between the lights which had a tiangular shape, was solid and was a different shade (darker) of black than the night sky...5

This craft was 3000 ft. off the surface. at least 1 mile in length. There is no doubt in our minds that what

Witness sketches that accompanied the reports below of the Zond IV event (From UFOs: Explained by Philip Klass) and a photograph of the we were seeing, was one object. It appeared to be Jules Verne ATV re-entry/breakup (NASA), which is similar to what the witnesses actually saw that night. triangular or wedge shaped. Three bright white I concluded that there must be an outward bulge make a report), while the most accurate reports may beams of light up front, and 4-5 solid, non-blinking in the fuselage, especially after taking into account not be recorded. red lights on east side and rear... It never moved ir- that there were no windows toward the rear end...All ratically, nor did it make a sound. It was totally quiet. too soon, the “thing” was flying away, low over the In summary, we conclude that all of the following Our viewing sight was approximatly 2 miles from the treetops toward the Northeast. I could see only the factors demonstrably confuse reports of unidenti- craft...This craft had no visible means of propulsion “orangish-colored” light of the trail now. Certainly, fied phenomena and make subsequent investiga- and was totally quiet. It never changed course and SOUND would come from this craft!!! The three of tion difficult: went straight south towards Tucson, Az. The object us remained quite while looking and listening. I was dark and was not big in height, but beyond huge was still expecting to hear noise, but, instead, there 1. Objects are conceived of in terms of familiar in length. We were back inside by 8:45 in total disbe- remained only silence! The three of us remained concepts, such as aircraft. This produces mis- lief of what we had seen.6 quiet for awhile, even after the craft was well out of conceptions of distance, speed, shape, etc. sight. We were all baffled by that... All three of us Do these kinds of reports sound familiar? agreed that we had seen something other than 2. At least during the last decade conceptions Can one extend the lessons of Zond IV any planes we had seen or read about from our have been heavily influenced by the “flying to the Arizona UFO event? Is it possible Earth. We thought we had seen a “craft of to- saucer” concept in movies, TV, and periodicals. that the “airship” and “excitedness” effects secret category from our Earth,” or that we had Reports of “saucer-shape,” “cigar-shape,” and could have created the “dark object” re- seen a “craft from Outer Space.1 physiological reaction are probably a conse- ported by some of the witnesses in the quence. NUFORC database? In my opinion, the Another report from Indiana stated: answers to these questions is an emphat- 3. Due to the nature of certain cases, certain ic “Yes”! The object flew at about tree-top level and was seen questions on prepared questionnaires or report very clearly since it was just a few yards away. All of forms become ambiguous or meaningless. Notes and references the observers saw a long jet airplane, looking like a vehicle without wings. It was on fire both in 4. The “excitedness effect” biases reports toward 1. Menzel, Donald H. and Ernest H. Taves. The UFO front and behind. All the observers observed many those containing more exotic conceptions. enigma: The definitive explanation of the UFO phe- windows in the UFO. My cousin said, “If there had nomenon. Garden City, New York. Doubleday and been anybody in the UFO near the windows, I 5. The “airship effect” causes some observers to company, inc. 1977. p. 145-9 would have seen them.”2 conceive of a shape surrounding light sourc- es.4 2. ibid. p. 151 There were a few other “exotic” sounding reports in the mix but a majority of the Could it be that the same “interpreta- 3. Condon, E. U., et al., eds. Scientific Study of Un- witnesses did not allow their interpreta- tions” that were made in the Zond IV identified Flying Objects. New York: Bantam 1968. tion of what they saw affect their reports. event have been made by some of the p. 574-5 Knowing exactly what all these witnesses witnesses in the Arizona event? Look at saw, Dr. Hartmann made the following a few of the “dark object” reports filed in 4. Davenport, Peter. National UFO Center UFO Re- observations: 1997 to NUFORC: ports Database. Available WWW: http://www.nu- forc.org/webreports/002/S02079.html An effect important to the UFO problem is demon- As we stood there watching we were completely flab- strated by the records: the excited observers who ergasted because it was going to pass directly over 5. Davenport, Peter. National UFO Center UFO Re- thought they had witnessed a very strange phe- our house. And it did. It passed directly over head ports Database. Available WWW: http://www.nu- nomenon produced the most detailed, longest, and maybe a thousand or so feet overhead... it seemed forc.org/webreports/002/S02221.html most misconceived reports, but those who by virtue to float over us and it made absolutely no detect- of experience most nearly recognized the nature of able sound at all... As we looked up we could see 6. Davenport, Peter. National UFO Center UFO Re- the phenomenon became the least excited and pro- through the middle of the “V” but each arm seemed ports Database. Available WWW: http://www.nu- duced the briefest reports. to be flat shaped like a ruler, and rather long from forc.org/webreports/002/S02124.html the first lead light to the tip lights, maybe a couple The “excitedness effect” has an important bearing of hundred feet or more. It was huge.The kids got a on the UFO problem. It is a selection effect by which little frightened...4 the least accurate reports are made more prominent (since the observer becomes highly motivated to She pointed into the sky and told me to look at these 13 James Carlson has sent me an e-mail Malmstrom missile also told them that no one from any UFO office in the regarding some of the claims made by Air Force ever interviewed/deriefed your dad and/or Hastings. Contrary to what Hastings had shutdown follow-up me and that I do not remember ever signing any pa- pronounced publicly, Carlson HAD talked pers about anything. In fact, I told them that until he to Figel. However, he would not reveal by Hastings with Colonel Figel caught mentioned it, I did not even know there was an office what he stated unless Figel said it was al- in the crossfire in this war of claims and that monitored sightings of “UFOs” in the Air Force. right to do so. When he had, Carlson sent counter claims. Hastings reported that out the following e-mail: Carlson had misinterpreted what Figel When your dad and I came topside the next day - no had stated. Carlson, again contacted Fi- one ever said anything about UFOs and there was To begin with, Col. Figel does not believe in UFOs and gel, who seemed agitated that he had no “large gathering” of people on site that morn- does not believe that they were even remotely as- been caught in the middle. Figel made ing. There may have been later that afternoon, but sociated with the Echo Flight Incident, or any other one final e-mail to Carlson and Hastings I would have no knowledge of that as we were long equipment failures at Malmstrom AFB in 1967 (or that stated: gone back to the base as usual. any other year, for that matter). In one of his emails to me, he stated conclusively that “I am not a fan of I guess you must have posted something somewhere I did not know the targeting office’s name or even Salas, Hastings, or the whole UFO crowd. I have nev- that got Hastings attention He did call and we did know that he was there. I did say there was a VRSA er seen one and flatly don’t believe they exist at all. speak for a bit, so did Salas. You should know that recording reporting a “Channel 9 - NO GO” reported. I just want you to be clear of my position on UFOs. both calls were very cordial as was ours. However, They said that the maintenance crews had no such They make good science fiction - nothing more.” In I think you guys have a pissing contest going that report at the LF. I told him that I did not know how a discussion of Robert Salas and James Klotz’s book I would rather not get in the middle of. I have no the system worked at the missile site so that I do not “Faded Giant” and Robert Hastings’ book “UFOs and vested or financial interests in UFOs and actually not know if that is possible or not. Nukes”, Col. Figel states unequivocably that “I have even a passing interest in them. Guess I am different read both of their books. There are many inaccurate from most people. But, I could really care less about I have always maintained that I do not personally statements and events in the books. I have told them the subject. believe in UFOs. I am not convinced that November both that.” Apparently, both authors ignored what or Oscar ever happened. But these are obviously per- Figel told them. In addition, he states that “Oscar I reasserted that I personally never did see a UFO at sonal opinions and I can not state them as facts or Flight NEVER had any problems and Salas was NEV- any time. I do not personally “believe” that UFOs had prove them - they are my personal beliefs. ER involved in any of them at all.” Now that’s a pretty anything to do with Echo flight shutting down that definitive statement to make in light of the categori- year. I repeated that I never heard about an incident I also believe these statements are accurate. I also cal importance both authors have previously invest- at November or Oscar flight and have no knowledge believe that is what I said 2 years ago, but I don’t ed the testimony of Col. Figel with. that they ever happened and that I doubted they have recordings. So my knowledge is very slim and did. That is obviously a personal opinion as I can not I have no records about anything at all. More specifically, Col. Walt Figel has definitively prove the negative. I repeated that Colonel Dick Ev- agreed with the scenario of events that I have out- ans was at the alternate command post at Kilo which In addition, that was 43 years ago and memories lined on numerous internet forums, including this is in the same squadron as November and Oscar and fail - especially about things that were not especially one, a scenario that shows exactly how laughable he never mentioned anything about a shutdown at important to me at the time. Today, I can’t remember it is to believe that the “report” of a UFO received by either of these two flights. If it did happen, I person- what time my wedding was and that I assure you is Figel and my father could be anything other than a ally don’t know anything about it. more important to me then and now. And that was badly wrought joke made by junior enlisted military in 1971. members in the course of establishing the status of One of their books said I had a personal log - I did the missiles at the silos they were encamped at. He not. The only log I ever filled out was the official log So if this is a help, so be it. But I would rather stay out states that NOBODY ever believed that UFOs were that all flights kept and that I do not and never did of any long standing debate about UFOs and leave involved in this incident until Robert Salas came for- have a copy of that log. Obviously I can not remem- that to the experts and researchers and those who ward with his ridiculous and silly science fiction tale ber what I wrote that morning. know or at least truely believe that they know. After of interference from beyond the stars, and that he all they may be right and proven so some day. As has told in no uncertain terms this very assessment One of the books says that the flight shut down in for me, I’ll just go my way as a skeptic until proven to both Hastings and Salas. He is also as disgusted “seconds” - that is not an exactly accurate state- wrong. as I am and as every other citizen of this country ment. It obviously took some time for your dad and should be at the systematic trashing of reputations I to run the appropriate checklists and make all the As you can see, I cc’d Hastings so that you both have these men have engaged in to no purpose whatso- calls that we had to make to the command post and the same piece of paper. I don’t think that there are ever except to increase the sales of their inaccurate maintenance. We were near the end of the checklist any inconsistencies in what I said to either of you. If and fictional books -- destroying the reputations and when the second missile shut down and shortly thre- there are, I’m sorry, that is not my intention at all. decent memories of men like my father, MAJ (Ret.) after the rest of them followed suit. That sequence of Eric D. Carlson, the UFO Officer at Malmstrom AFB -- events took several minutes not seconds, but that is Good luck in your pursuits. Stay professional and all Lt. Col. Lewis D. Chase -- the Condon Committee UFO all a very minor point in fact and doesn’t change the will benefit. Regards to your dad, I wish him well. It’s investigator Roy Craig, and everybody who was ever facts of the overall sequence of events that morning. been many years. involved with the investigation of this singular event in USAF history. I told him that when someone mentioned UFOs, I With that said, I hope that this tug of war is over and just laughed it off as a joke and assumed someone the three of you can resolve your differences about Carlson’s revelations set off a firestorm was just kidding around. I never took it seriously. I the whole affair. 14 Those at “Reality Uncovered” examined ing questions about UFOs on several tion that was slanted to convince a per- the e-mail and confirmed its authenticity. “ask an expert” type web sites. The UFO son they HAD been abducted. Badalien. Hastings, meanwhile, was very quiet and, questions are very interesting and I’ve org tries to be more balanced, with both despite an invitation to enter the “Reality certainly learned a lot about the his- skeptic and believers contributing, but Uncovered” forum, chose to say nothing. tory of UFO sightings and what people certainly with more of a slant toward sci- commonly mistake as an “alien aircraft” ence and common sense. My years of (what most people think when a UFO is experience, and with help from several sighted). There are many cases in which alleged abductees I’ve come to known, my answer has to be “I don’t know, I don’t all went into the site. have enough information to reach a con- clusion.” Often my “best guess” is given, The point of the site is to give informa- but only as a guess because a sighting tion via links, shared stories, and what without enough information, or biased I’ve learned over the years, so that any- information (from the passage of time one that questions if they have been or simply the wish to see an alien UFO abducted or not can try to find the an- rather than a terrestrial UFO), I can’t make swer for themselves. Also, I answer many a definitive decision about what a certain emails with one on one help for specific UFO is. cases. The web site is a good starting off point. The questions that really interested me the most have been those of alien A lot of people that feel (or often fear) BAD ALIEN!!!! abductees. The question “have I been they have been abducted are very con- Barbara Mervine abducted by aliens?” was one I at first fused and indeed ashamed. They don’t thought would be impossible to answer. want to be thought “weird” or “crazy”. It seemed very important that I learn how What they want are answers. Many peo- to answer such questions, as many alien ple only have a vague feeling of missing abuctees are very unhappy people. I al- time or have had some weird realistic ways try to use a team of experts when dream of aliens and abduction. When answering any UFO or alien abductee these people Google or try to find -an question. I don’t think any one person swers, the only answers they were get- can “know it all”. I called upon my team ting before Badalien was “you are crazy of astronomers, psychologists, therapists alien abduction isn’t real” or “You have and physicians to help me come up with been abducted by aliens and it’s much a good answer for the abductee ques- worse than you even remember so far.” tions I receive. Over the years I refined Badalien tries to reassure people that a these answers, finding out what worked lot of things besides “aliens” can cause and what didn’t from the responses from an alien abduction experience. Medical the “abductees” themselves. issues, including side effects from com- mon medicines, sleep issues, fantasy I was at a skeptic meeting when I met Tim prone personality and media influences Farley. Tim runs the website “What’s the can all lead to a sense that perhaps one Harm”, which really answers the ques- has been abducted. Many alleged ab- tion “What’s the harm in....” “Homeopathic ductees tell me they feel great relief that medicine”, “psychics”, “tarot cards”... Tim they aren’t crazy, and that it was only talked about the success of running his a side effect (such as the “lucid - night own web site that is “narrow interest”. He mares” caused by the drug Ambien), or encouraged me to start a web site not sleep paralysis that caused the very real about “Aliens” or “UFOs”or a broad topic. experience they feel they had. Instead, he said what was needed was BadAlien.org is a web site dedicated to a narrow interest web site about some- The response to the web site has been the open minded exploration of alien thing not covered by a broad based web wonderful. While not everyone that abduction. The focus is not on if aliens site that will give specific information to a goes to the site comes away feeling they have or have not been abducting people. group that needs it. I picked alien abduc- have not been abducted by aliens, they It is on have YOU been abducted or not. tion for my web site as alleged abductees do feel they have been treated fairly and It takes a very personal one on one ap- do not need to hunt through a large web the site is balanced. The main problem I proach to help those that believe or sus- site filled with information to get the ba- have is from skeptics, that have difficulty pect they have been abducted by aliens, sic answers they need to figure out for with a site that gives a voice to alleged figure out what really happened. themselves what’s happening. The only abductees and allows the person visit- other web sites I could find that were just ing the site to reach their own conclu- For the past 6 years I have been answer- about abductions were full of informa- sion from the information given. What 15 skeptic don’t always understand is that answer with the “believer” rather than another important purpose of the site is just telling them the answer, simply be- to expose them to what an alleged alien ing a little more patient with a “believer” abductee is like. Too often skeptics don’t and knowing that change takes time is a take the time to listen to people with a lesson I learned that I”m hoping to pass less than skeptic viewpoint. If you want on to more skeptics and scientists in the to be heard as a skeptic, you have to first future. When I give a talk about aliens listen. Badalien.org is a good starting and abductees these days my focus is as point for skeptics wanting to learn what much on how to talk to a “believer” as it is an alleged abductee is thinking. Part of about aliens. the site is for “Shared Stories” where ab- ductees can write what their experience As for myself, I always try to remain open is like without anyone posting “well that’s minded when dealing with an abductee plain nuts” after. Skeptics need to know case. Only by starting with a clean slate alleged abductees feel their experience with each person, can I help them reach is real, and that many of these abductees a conclusion that will help them. For the have had what they feel are truly horrify- person that enjoys abduction experienc- ing experiences. es, I try to keep an open dialogue. For the person that is unhappy, I try to help them Also many alleged abductees are happy figure out what might really be happen- they are regularly abducted by aliens. ing, and the feedback is wonderful in that They find the experience enriches their they are often helped greatly. If anyone lives and makes them feel special. Some- thinks they have been abducted by aliens one that feels they are “special” because my best advice is to check they are abducted by aliens is the hard- est to get to be more open minded about other causes for their abduction experi- ence. Since they get something good from the feeling of abduction, they have no reason to give it up. Still there is a lot to learn from even the more hard- ened believer. People will believe “weird things” if that gives them a sense of being important and a feeling of being a part of something bigger in this Universe. This can help the average skeptic in under- standing the continued belief in aliens, UFOs from outer-space, and abductions despite the lack of hard evidence.

Since setting up the site I’ve learn how real an abduction experience can be for people. I’ve learned that when you see an abductee on television, it’s almost al- ways the happy fantasy prone person, not the person tormented and driven to a life of hiding and unhappiness by their abduction experience. The wide variety of abduction experiences mimics that of the wide variety of types of UFOs seen in the sky. While most abduction experienc- es may seem the same if you watch TV, in reality the experiences vary greatly.

For the future, my work with alleged ab- ductees continues. My focus now is on the skeptic and non believer. I want to help push a more tolerant approach to dealing with “believers”. Taking the time to listen, taking the time to explore an 16 I hadn’t any preconceived notions con- WITHIN THE MAGIC CIRCLE cerning the circle enigma, we had both read a little about it in the UFO literature Matthew Graeber and had seen a couple of TV news seg- ments and specials about the phenome- non. But, because I resided in Montgom- ery County and was actually in the vicinity of the affected area just prior to a short- lived but severe storm passing through it, we were on the look out, so to speak, for evidence of a possible wheat fall caused by high winds, and a very heavy down- pour that occurred the evening before the damage was discovered.

My first perception of the field’s - condi tion seemed to confirm this suspicion; but we still examined the wheat shafts very closely, searched for scorched, bent or broken shaft samples, and even looked about for evidence of foot trails leading to or from the damaged crops. We per- formed a radiological survey of the area because it is near a nuclear power plant (only background readings noted) and even tried to imagine how some of the formations might have been made by pranksters with the aid of an implement of some kind. We did this because one particularly large formation looked like an intoxicated person’s rendition of a di- nosaur, while several others looked as if something had been carelessly dragged or rolled through them.

Investigative considerations

While reading the May 2002 edition of about the strange similarities between As ufologists, we were fully aware that the Fate magazine, I was struck by the view- the UFO legend and the crop circle phe- crop circle mystery has been tentatively points of Rosemary Ellen Guiley PhD in nomenon’s ever-changing character. How linked to the UFO phenomenon because her “Gateways” article on crop circles; the small circles of the 1950s and 1960s, some of the circular crop formations have and those of Ms Lucy Pringle in her “The which were believed to be UFO land- appeared in areas where UFO activity had Mind of God” piece on the same phe- ing sites at the time, had grown increas- been previously reported. Because of the nomenon. ingly larger and extraordinarily complex near time framing and close proximity of in design. How formations were starting both UFO sightings and the discovery of In fact, their stories were so thought pro- to pop up all over the planet and how some circular crop depressions, the as- voking and well written that I was com- strange sounds were reported to have sumption that UFOs had landed or near- pelled to dust off one of my old X-files, emanated from them. landed in these areas and caused unusual in search of a crop circle report that I had depressions became popular. investigated way back in 1992 at Limer- I was thinking about the various rumours ick, Pa. and theories that had sprung up about Circles and other varieties of suspected the formations and how the circles were UFO landing marks in soil, crops, swamps, When is a crop circle not a circle? thought to be linked to Stonehenge, and and fields of wild grasses have been re- (UFO researchers descend on a their sounds matched up with musical ported since the early 1950s in the Unit- wheat field to find out) tones; that is, with the exception of the ed States and elsewhere in the world note ‘A’. Although I had researched UFO with sporadic frequency. Naturally, ufolo- As Tom Carey (the Mutual UFO Network landing reports for more than twenty gists wishing to establish some sort of Section Leader for South-east Pennsylva- years, this was to be my first experience scientific proof regarding the presence of nia) and I entered the wheat field, it was with the investigation of a crop circle for- extraterrestrial space craft (either piloted chilly and the sky was grey. I was thinking mation; and, even though Mr Carey and or remote controlled) in our environment 17 have performed an array of basically non- manifested as bits and pieces of physical observed flying towards Philadelphia In- organic tests of soil and crop depression evidence of some sort, but as human ex- ternational Airport or the Pottstown Air samplings in an effort to discover what periences too. Facility, which is only about four miles kind of energy source (generally believed away from the site. to be linked to the UFO’s propulsion sys- For example, a psychic who came to the tem) might have produced the flattened, site to examine the crop damage in- Theories swirled, charred, decayed, or dried up ap- formed me that he and his son had a very pearance of the affected areas. strong impression that a huge helicopter Speculative avenues of investigation had landed, or near crash-landed, in the involving theories that crop circles are With equal tenacity, UFO sceptics and field. He spoke of distinctly seeing (in his produced by strong wind vortices, vor- hard-core debunkers have attempted to mind’s eye) a tyre and wheel assembly of tex plasmas, magnetic field changes and demonstrate that birds, animals (e.g. deer such an aircraft and that most of its me- tectonic events (i.e. plate shifts) possibly and hedgehogs), weather, and common tallic parts were dark green in colour (i.e. taking place beneath the affected areas organic causes such as fungi (i.e. fairy presumably a military craft). had been brought to the fore by several rings) could produce many of the effects researchers. Similar theories have been upon soil and crops that the ufologists Although imprints, gouges, holes or tyre applied to the study of UFO phenomena find so baffling and mysterious. marks of any kind were not discovered in over the years and have produced very the crops, it is interesting to note that an- interesting, but seemingly inconclusive, But the new era of crop circle formations other individual contacted me by phone results. (roughly 1978 to date) had expanded a day or two later and described seeing the problem of linking residual evidence several strange-looking helicopters fly- The problem may be that we are dealing of this kind of UFO activity, animals or ing about in another area of Montgom- with a variety of causes for the events fungi because the circles have become ery County. The weird thing about these which we carelessly lump together and increasingly larger and/or have taken helicopters was that several (six or seven) call the crop circle phenomenon when, on the appearance of intelligently ex- men jumped out of them wearing large in fact, some of the crop damage may be ecuted symbols or designs which in crop back-packs of some kind. The packs caused by plasma vortex phenomena or circle parlance are called pictograms. weren’t parachutes because the men some other kind of unusual or unknown Interestingly, these formations often ap- seemed to just fly about the helicopters atmospheric anomaly, while still others pear with or without the corresponding without tumbling earthward. Apparently, may be the result of high levels of nitro- UFO observations and so-called landing parachutes were never deployed by the gen or ammonia-laced fertiliser satura- burn marks of the past and because of men during the incident and this aspect tions that may weaken the crops’ stalks these more recent developments, the of the event seems to have disturbed the and cause them to fail when subjected to crop circles should be examined as be- witness somewhat. gusty winds. ing either of the generally circular kind (or simple depression-type circles), and At face value, if true, this report sounds Intelligently made further scrutinised as being potentially like some sort of high-tech military train- UFO generated or something that merely ing manoeuvre involving the use of the Obviously, the pictograms are intelli- coincides with the UFO observations or so-called “jet packs” that the Air Force gently executed and we are, therefore, some other kind of unusual occurrenc- developed about thirty years ago. But it left with only two possibilities regarding es or atmospheric conditions. In other seems highly unlikely that a training ex- their origin. Either they are man-made words, the hypothetical UFOs discussed ercise involving equipment of this kind pranks or hoaxes; or perhaps they are in this article may be of a plasma vortex would take place over populated civilian specifically designed to provoke human variety, some other form of atmospheric areas; that is, if such manoeuvres have interest in them. If they are man-made for or tectonic anomaly or even extraterres- ever been attempted. some specific reason, we should attempt trial space craft. to determine if that reason is religious, Although there had not been any UFO ideological, sociological, psychological, Moreover, because the crop circles and reports filed prior to the radio/TV news political, or merely competitively and ar- the UFO phenomenon seem to excite the announcements concerning the crop tistically expressive in nature. human imagination in such a way as to circles found at Limerick Township, sev- induce a great deal of speculation and eral reports were filed with the Pottstown In the last case, the crop circles would every kind of fantasy possible, it is little Mercury (a local newspaper) after the be closely akin to the graffiti that appear wonder that so many diverse, unusual fact, placing UFO activity in the general overnight in American cities and may be and outrageous explanations of these vicinity of the crop damage. Unfortunate- linked to socio-economic conditions and mysteries have come to the fore. But be- ly, the reporting parties did not identify the egocentric needs of certain individu- cause we also know that absurdity, de- themselves to the news staff, so there als to make their mark upon (or otherwise lusion and mendacity as well as human is no way of determining if the reports be noticed by) a seemingly indifferent so- wants, needs and desires also play a part were genuine or merely the products of ciety. in the make-up of the rumours that swirl over-active imaginations, or common- around these events, we are obliged to place misidentifications of conventional If the so-called authentic circles and remember that these events are not only fixed-wing aircraft that may have been pictograms are not man made, then we 18 must consider the possibility that they In addition to the above considerations, The researcher continued, “Crop circles may be extraterrestrially executed (by we might also ponder the possibility that may appear as ill-formed formations too. use of unknown mechanisms) as a form the crop circle researchers, too, may be Indeed, damage which many researchers of communication with humankind. Why unconsciously affected by their forays would not think to examine because it is an alien life form would select fields of into these magic circles; simply because not aesthetically appealing to our senses crops as a historical contact point rather the circles and pictograms, though dis- and, therefore, provokes little or no inter- than using a radio frequency or a day- tinct (as specific forms or designs) are, est to us.” light landing near some government in- nevertheless, curiously ambiguous (like stitution should not be an overly critical a gigantic Rorschach Plate) regarding Still thinking that a circle should look consideration because we haven’t had their origin and possible significance for something like a circle, I asked him, “How any prior experience with contacting humankind. would one interpret the chaotic-looking alien intelligences and, therefore, could damage found at Limerick Township in not possibly know what such a creature In answer to many researchers’ comparison to the far more precise cir- might consider to be appropriate diplo- most provocative question: “Are cles and pictograms found in the United matic protocol. all crop circles merely hoaxes?” Kingdom and elsewhere?”

Crop circle history I personally believe that quite a number He replied, “The orderly appearance of of them are created by pranksters. But the formations in Great Britain may be Since UFOs and crop circles have been re- the crop circles’ effect upon many -indi symbolically indicative of that society’s ported since the Middle Ages and quite viduals in the global community is real collective physical state or condition; possibly before Biblical times, we are also enough, and that in itself makes them while ill-formed and chaotic-looking left with the rather interesting possibility significant and worthy of further study. crop damage may be linked to the psy- that we may not discover what generates Should some of them turn out to be the chological, sociological, political and/or crop circles at any time in the near future; products of, say, vortex plasmas, perhaps economic upheavals of a society in great and, like our ancestors, we will only be samples taken from the affected crops distress.” able to project our contemporary beliefs, will tell us something about that phe- world view (or Weltanschauung) upon nomenon which will eventually point us I asked, “How could an adverse human these phenomena. This seems to have in the direction of a new and truly mar- or societal condition be manifested as a already taken place since UFOs (i.e. pre- vellous source of energy. physical effect upon the Earth’s surface sumed super-technological devices) and and, in particular, upon fields of crops?” crop circles have been tentatively linked Unlike reported UFO phenomena which He expressed the belief that the Earth by technologically accented means of usually leave very little behind in the way and those living upon it are connected study and conjecture by formation re- of trace (or residual) evidence, the crop in very subtle ways - ways that we cannot searchers, ufologists, the popular press, circle phenomenon is all evidence that even imagine, perceive, or ever hope to the electronic media, and the motion still manages to elude positive identifica- scientifically weigh and measure. picture industry. tion regarding its cause and purpose. So, instead of just asking what a crop circle He continued, “The Earth, like the human Legend building - the human is, perhaps we should also be asking why unconscious, speaks to us in terms that factor these things are appearing at this partic- are not logical, but symbolic.” I quickly ular point in time? asked, “And what is the bottom-line These all-too-human factors would be a meaning of this kind of Gaian symbol- very interesting area of research for so- When is a crop circle not a ism?” He replied, “Why do you think that cial scientists, folklorists and theologians circle? archetypal symbols (i.e. circular airborne to explore because it would afford them objects - UFOs) that used to be frequent- an opportunity to follow the ongoing During a follow-up phone conversation ly seen in the skies are now appearing legend building (or myth making) pro- with a crop formation researcher who in man’s bread basket?” It was food for pensity of twenty-first century man con- was also present at the primary Limerick thought because the number of UFO cerning the UFOs, crop circles and picto- Township site on 26 May 1992 I was in- sightings had dropped off considerably grams. What’s more, since news of crop formed that “We should not base our con- in recent times, while reports of crop cir- formation appearances have compelled cept of what a crop circle should look like cles seemed to be coming in from all over large numbers of individuals to visit the upon the preconceived notions of a few the planet at an ever-increasing rate. sites (indeed, groups of people that ap- self-proclaimed experts from the United pear to exceed the expected number of Kingdom.” (The researcher was obviously Unimpressed, but curious common curiosity seekers) we are con- responding to circle expert Colin An- fronted with the distinct possibility that drews’s assertion that several American Tom and I left the wheat field feeling that the crop circles are not only interesting to investigators were over-zealous types what we had observed was not what examine, but that they have also become who could not distinguish authentic crop several other researchers who were pres- something of a “magic circle” or “numi- formations from damage that was caused ent thought that they saw in the crops. nous place” for people who may be seek- by heavy weather.) Indeed, many of the wheat shafts were ing a genuine mystical experience. kinked and flattened close to the ground, 19 of the corn were not broken or kinked - they had simply bent over just above the ground.

There have been other eyewitness ac- counts of crop circles being formed by unusual misty whirlwinds that produced sound and tingling effects upon the ob- servers who were caught in their wake. Unfortunately, the witnesses did not have video recorders with them at the time and could not fully document their experiences. So the investigation of the crop circle phenomenon continues, as does our pursuit for a better understand- ing of the UFO experience.

Scattered memories

So here it is, ten years later and I’m sitting on the porch writing this essay on my ex- perience with a crop circle incident that still sparks debate over its authenticity. For the circle aficionados there is little doubt that something very unusual oc- curred on that Memorial Day weekend in Limerick, Pa.; while sceptics and several other circle experts seem to be content with the notion that the Limerick, Linfield and Royersford, Pa. crop falls were caused by a combination of heavy weather and the spindly condition of the crop itself.

I would later learn that a mid-western bi- not gently bent over. There were trails there. But, as things stand right now ologist who had examined samples taken leading to and from the damage, even (speaking strictly as ufologists), Mr Carey from the sites felt that the wheat shafts though we had been assured that none and I are not convinced that crop circles had been subjected to some sort of un- existed. More importantly, the forma- and UFO phenomena are related in any known energy force, which caused them tions in Montgomery County looked way - except for the fact that the UFO to swell and bend at right angles at the totally unlike the precise “cookie cutter” enigma is a sort of magnet that attracts junction of their third or fourth nodes. circles and pictograms found in England, all sorts of other unusual events to it. That When questioned by sceptics on his find- Australia and Japan. is why strange occurrences like cattle ings, the circle expert (who didn’t actually mutilations and other mysteries such as have a PhD in biology), refused to share Still later, when I contacted a couple of the Bermuda Triangle disappearances are the samples (for a blind study analysis) circle investigators about the discrepan- believed to be UFO related. But simply with other researchers, claiming that cies I found in published accounts con- because one cannot explain one mystery “such studies are for amateurs”. So, as one cerning the Montgomery County event, doesn’t mean that we should project it crop circle proponent put it, “Those scep- I was informed that the crops at Limerick, upon another enigma and then assume tics probably didn’t ask him to participate Linfield and Royersford were “hit again” that we actually know something about in the study very nicely!” and that new samples had revealed that either one of them. the fields were subjected to some kind of Over the years, only one researcher has energy (or force) which produced both In July 1982 Mr Raymond Barnes was ever asked me for information on the an angular displacement of the wheat’s walking in the country near Westbury, Limerick incident and my brief contacts upper shaft and a splitting of the third Wiltshire in south-west England. Sud- with other researchers who were pres- or fourth nodes. Unfortunately, no one denly he heard a humming wind and ent while Tom and I were investigating thought to contact Mr Carey or myself the sound of falling corn. Within three the matter ended within weeks of the about the additional formations that had seconds a corn circle had formed in the incident. The press seemed to have a ball mysteriously appeared. So I guess we will field beside him and, within the circle, with the story and the local TV news peo- have to wait on events before we form an the stalks lay swirled outward from the ple played the matter up quite seriously, opinion on what might have happened centre. Despite the flattening, the stems while also having an obvious tongue-in- 20 cheek attitude toward Tom and me dur- Twenty-First Century UFOlogy V ing our on-site interviews. WILL THE REAL UFO MONSTERS PLEASE STAND UP! Evening newscasts of the event were followed by off-the-cuff comments like, “Well, fellas, I guess they got away again”, Matthew Graeber and similar gentle jibes. While at the site, a young newswoman shoved a micro- In this written for ‘SUNlite’ article we will fully, Generally, they pass on from their phone in my face while asking, “So, do take a look into the possible connections status slots or, slip into obscurity as some you think that this is the big one?” I told between UFOs and various reported new and exciting phase of UFOlogy takes her that I didn’t know about that, but monster appearances (other than the root in saucerdom (such as the early sev- I would be willing to perform a radio- bulb-headed grays and scaly-skinned enties ancient astronauts craze or, the logical survey of the formation she was reptilians which have become linked with eighties abduction malaise. 2. Follow up broadcasting from moments ago just to the abduction lore since the late seventies or, embellished details of long-ago re- see if she was going to glow in the dark a (either by error, intentional design, pure solved UFO reports tend to be total fab- bit later (end of interview!). delusional fantasy or, all three!) However, rications and distortions of facts. I have like all myths and sci-fi flavored folklore experienced such unbridled nonsense In search of . . . the monsters and the saucers they are first hand with Roswell, Aztec and the said to skillfully pilot (with exception of Carbondale crash and cover up myths The field was visited by young mothers an occasional crash in the New Mexican (but, that’s a very sad story for another with their children, older (often infirm) desert) are mere will-’o-the-wisps, prime time) In fact, I am so certain of the distor- folks, curious college students, retired examples of dim-witted rumor-monger- tion, lying and fantasy, it caused me to men with their buddies, a swami and his ing and legendary rehashes of titillating switch sides, abandon long-time friend- followers, Township officials, the media, tidbits of saucer sensationalism…( i.e., ships and become a pariah in many pro- and UFO and crop circle researchers from it used to be simply called leg-pulling saucer camps. In short, Virtue is the es- New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland. spoofs!) The problem is some folks tend sential missing ingredient in each slice of to take these yarns very seriously and of- saucer pie served up to satisfy the sweet The young policemen who first reported ten to heart. Some are more than willing teeth of UFO enthusiasts. However, there the incident rented a small plane just to to debate the issue in a heated fashion, are several other missing ingredients, fly over the field and photograph the thereby, occasionally defending both such as genuine science and real objec- damage. He sent samples taken from all their personal beliefs and financial inter- tivity. (BTW, I am not a saucer expert, and three sites to a researcher to analyse. He ests IF they happen to be saucer experts. seek no following of any kind. I encour- would later express his belief that the As a so-called TURN-COAT UFOLOGIST age the vigorous pursuit of knowledge crop damage was not storm related and who has shamelessly gone over to the through access to all reference sources.) enhanced by hoaxing college students. other side, I AM NOT IN THE SLIGHTEST But, always remember being open-mind- JEALOUS OF THEIR SUCCESSES - I SIM- ed is not the same thing as being empty- And so it was that a chilly damp day and PLY DETEST UNSUSPECTING FOLKS BE- headed a muddy field failed to keep many folks ING BAMBOOZLED BY UFOOLogts WHO from visiting the site of a crop circle for- FEIGN BEING KNOWLEDGABLE, WELL- However, there is little to be accom- mation that wasn’t actually circular, sym- INTENTIONED AND SINCERE ABOUT plished with the effort of overcoming metrical in design, or even vaguely artis- ADVANCING SCIENC FOR THE BENEFIT ‘the will-to-believe’, as my dear friend Karl tic looking. During all of this, the farmer’s OF HUMANKIND. I mean, have these so- Pflock aptly put it. UFOOLogy as you are claims that he’d seen crop falls of this kind called experts no shame at all?! aware is a very infectious and persistent several times over the years seemed to malady to combat. Especially, if some of go unheard and be dismissed as the rant- I have learned several very disappoint- the patients totally reject the western sci- ings of a local yokel who simply didn’t ingly things about some UFO reports and entific methodologies of critical analysis want to see his crop trampled underfoot. many experts during my thirty-seven and applied logic. As Tom and I left the field, a bus load of years of chasing saucers 1. Many experts sightseers entered the driveway on the have a PRIMARY OBJECTIVE, and it is to We shall not be discussing very much field’s edge. Filled with curiosity and an- remain the leading expert in their self- about the dreaded New Jersey Devil ticipation, they peered from the bus’s appointed field(s) of yarn-spinning. Many sightings which have been re-activated windows, while the farmer just muttered, also have an investment of time spent in since1840 and reportedly on-going since “Oh, no!” and rolled his eyes. their field to protect. In these endeavors 1909 (the year the first Abraham Lincoln they are very much like career politicians pennies were minted), simply because Perhaps we will never know exactly what who will distort and omit facts, double- the Jersey Devil appears to be a lone- happened in that Montgomery County speak and skirt issues in order to advance flyer and homebody who generally stays wheat field, or if it was of scientific or their agenda. Remember, there is only so within the geographical confines of the historical significance, but a sociological much room at the top of the heap in sau- Garden State, parts of South/Eastern phenomenon of the first magnitude did cerdom and these wary an suspicious fel- Pennsylvania and Bucks County, Pa. Un- take place on that day in May. lows and gals will not step down grace- like the horrid Point Pleasant, W.V., Moth- 21 man creature, the Devil obviously hasn’t met a young waitress at a restaurant who a saucer to ride around in, nor does he told us her uncle and his new bride were team up with other big moths and bring buzzed by the low-flying Devil as they down steel bridges with the resonate rode a motorcycle along Route 42. Later beating of gigantic wings! We shall also that day, as we briefly stopped to pay a skip the many mysterious Crop Circle highway toll. I asked a rather large and appearances in this article, not because friendly lady working the toll booth if she some unknown almond-eyed E.T. creates had recently seen the Jersey Devil? She them like an elusive intergalactic graffiti quickly glanced into the pines just be- artist, but, simply because the Circles de- yond our auto’s lane and replied “Honey, I serve a thorough skeptical examination married him eighteen years ago, so, I get in another edition of ‘SUNlite. However, to see him everyday!” it is not just the monsters that scare the begeebers out of many folks, it is the Of course, one might argue all saucer crea- UFO legend itself - Its dark and forebod- tures are monsters of sorts, even those as- ing side - its assumed insidious intent to- sumed to be benevolent, humanoid and ward humankind as espoused by saucer spiritually enlightened intelligences – experts of the day (within the pages of they are, after all, completely alien to hu- their latest books and at lucrative UFO man beings, so, their assumed intentions conference gigs, or, with the promotional should always be in question as a mat- assistance of ratings hungry cable TV ex- ter of caution. They have, over the years, The horrific Flatwoods Monste ecutives). So, if you feel you are ready to appeared in a variety of shapes, forms of 1952 brave the unknown… we shall buckle up and sizes. Some with limbs like humans and venture into monster’s lair where few and others were thought to have been However, a wee bit earlier in the annals of have dared go before and fewer still lived robotic devices. In one well-publicized saucers with creatures stories, we find the to tell about it…..Eeek! case, robots were said to have teed a ter- strange tale of the so-called Flatwoods rified man in the woods. Many have also monster of West Virginia. In 1952, three been of rather small stature, while some boys observed a glowing and pulsating were called ‘giants’ (even without heads!) red sphere of light in the sky. Then, a ten But, to properly discuss the ever-growing to twelve foot tall creature appeared in pantheon of reported alien creatures (in- the woods, and has since been the sub- cluding the so-called UFO Michelin Men) ject of much speculation and controversy. would be a monumental task far exceed- Like many other UFO with monster sight- ing the intention and scope of this brief ings of the fifties and sixties (which were ‘SUNlite’ article. However, it should be quite frequently reported by youngsters), The dreaded New Jersey Devil: noted today’s Grays, Reptilians and Arian- the reports of an acrid odor accompany- type space creatures may not be entirely ing the encounters were occasionally My personal investigative experience new to UFOlogy, though the dominance made. In some instances the odor was with the Jersey Devil is quite limited and of the little Grays seems to be linked to likened to sulfur and attributed by some a great deal of detailed information on the onset of the popular abbuction lore. religious-minded saucer proponents (like the loathsome creature appears online those at the 20th Century UFO bureau of at various sites. He kinda resembles (in Kelly-Hopkinsville UFO and New Jersey) to the presence of Satan him- some illustrations) a bat-winged, ema- Creatures: self! The sulfuric odor no longer seems to ciated goat or, mule with a long neck be part of the UFO lore, nor are the flying and pointed satanic tail, he is said to de- Perhaps this 1955 UFO report from the Christian crosses and star of David-like vour small dogs and chickens, and once backwoods of Kentucky gave us the truly saucer sightings of yesteryear. caused an entire New Jersey town to arm frightful essence of monster encounters itself in fear of encountering the beast af- when the Sutton family shot a couple Anyway, the Flatwoods monster had ter the sun had set. It reportedly attacked of space monsters at very close range, a glowing red face with bulging eyes, a trolley car and the transit company had heard their scattergun’s buckshot and a green body with stubby arms, and actually placed armed guards aboard its rifle bullet’s hit (“like shoot’n in an empty seemed to be wearing a flaring skirt-like public transportation for awhile. Schools bucket!”) Yet, leaving the weird, four foot garment. Oh yes (like ‘Ming the Merciless’ and businesses closed in dread of the tall gliding creatures totally unaffected of Flash Gordon serial fame), the monster monster, and there were reportedly a by the Sutton’s good marksmanship. also wore a high-backed, spade-shaped couple thousand witnesses of the crea- upright collar or, its head was spade- ture over the course of a couple hundred shaped. (this seems to be a contested years. detail by several Flatwoods monster ex- perts.) My son and I while driving through New Jersey on a business trip a few years ago, The Flatwoods story is often discussed in 22 two parts by saucer purists, 1. The sight- years) but then again, it’s really quite dif- ing of the sphere of light, thought to be a ficult to know exactly what might interest flying saucer. 2. The sudden appearance a moth, other than an bright light bulb! of the monster itself. Some locals refer to the monster as the ‘Phantom of Braxton Interestingly, the above mentioned County’. The creature was not reported prophecies and several others were re- before or, since 1952, although, parts of portedly channeled to Mr. Keel (who is West Virginia are said to have been the alleged to be an investigative journal- locale of several harrowing ghost en- ist, but is called by some a science fic- counters. There is a recently established tion writer) Anyway. Mr. Keel claims he festival of the1952 monster encounter learned of the prophesies from several which is held annually (as is the case with persons who were contactees, and the the popular Roswell saucer crash of 1947, system of New York City. For the Moth- psychic warnings reached their peak the Aztec, New Mexico crash of 1948 and man encounters are said to have had a when the bridge collapsed killing forty- the celebration of the 1966-‘67 Mothman pronounced psychic component and six people on December 15, 1967. For this appearances near Point Pleasant, West perhaps a deadly intent. For it was said and several other reasons Mr. Keel’s mid- Virginia.) These tourist and UFO enthusi- to have been the Mothman and a second seventies book and the motion picture of ast attractions are a source of revenue for large Moth-like creature beating their gi- 2002 were titled The Mothman Prophe- festival promoters (some UFO experts ap- gantic wings in unison which caused the cies, and the book is considered by many pearing at the galas) and local businesses great Silver Bridge (built in 1928) span- a Fortean classic. catering to the crowds of sensation-seek- ning the Ohio River to collapse killing ing mythoholics. several dozen drivers, their passengers However, it is unclear how the Moth- and holiday shoppers. man conversed with the contactees, since early reports indicated he merely Although structural engineers attributed squeaked like a large mouse. However, the cause of the collapse to structural he may have sounded quite sophisticate fatigue, and pin-pointed the failure to a and charming over the telephone? It is specific steel component (called an eye- also believed the mere observation of bar) notably, increased traffic loads since the creature may have triggered the re- the span was constructed contributed to mote viewing capabilities of the people the disaster and perhaps, the main prob- who came into relatively close proximity lem existed in the fact many engineers with him. As you may recall such close- felt the span was poorly engineered from ness is considered to be a CE-III subtype Mothman of Point Pleasant: the start. However, there are those who of UFO evidence according to some UFO persistently proclaim it was the Moth- experts. Add to this, the fact there were “From ghoulies, ghosties, long-legged man and his accomplice which caused several UFO reports in the general vicin- beasties, and things to go bump in the the Silver Bridge disaster. ity of Point Pleasant around the time of night, Good Lord delivers us!” – Old Lit- the creatures appearance, and one can any But, the many fleeting observations and easily see why some folks assumed Moth- reported close encounters with the crea- man was a saucer pilot. Among the many urban legends to have ture do not appear to be similar to other firmly taken root in the United States dur- urban legend encounters. For just as there At the time of the creature’s appearances, ing the past half century, the legend of are those who say two winged monsters news papers, radio and TV news broad- the mysterious and seemingly prophetic caused the bridge to collapse, still others casts had aired the story of the encoun- Mothman of West Virginia stands alone. believe the creature somehow enabled ters at Point Pleasant nationwide. UFOlo- I believe the Flatwoods monster was people (often with glowing hypnotic re- gists, paranomalists and cryptozoologists briefly mentioned in several UFO books, flective eyes) to be psychically attuned all traveled to the region with the hopes numerous flying saucer periodicals and to the impending disaster. It is even said of resolving the numerous sightings. But, once featured in an illustrated comic Mothman had foretold of the attempted like the UFO enigma, the mystery persists book. assassination of Pope John Paul II. (the and an answer seems to be fading amidst reason why the Mothman should be the lingering controversy and rumor However, in the 2002 Hollywood motion concerned about the well-being of the mongering. However, bronze plaques picture, the Mothman’s fleeting images Roman Catholic Church leader was ap- memorializing the encounters have ap- and story of the creature’s prophesies parently not part of the sage prediction, peared at Point Pleasant, along with a life- (based on Mr. John Keel’s 1975 book) nor was the Pope’s much later proposed size aluminum statue of the beast which are unlike those of other reported urban canonization, or, many other momentous looks absolutely nothing like the original legends such as the dripping wet ghost news events which were not mentioned eyewitness descriptions of the creature. of Midnight Mary at Bucks County, Penn- (such as the complete collapse of the So- Entire family’s attend the annual festival, sylvania and the reported encounters viet Union which had been prayed for by visit the Mothman museum and dress in with splashing alligators in the sewer many of the Pope’s faithful followers for colorful monster costumes. Some folks 23 glimpse of the monster. This would not throughout the state of West Virginia.” Yet, be the deputy’s last trip out to the Ol’ mu- Mr. Cohen finds it a bit unusual the Moth- nitions and abandoned power plant sites man sightings have been speculatively in search of the creature. linked to UFOs, since no one actually re- ported seeing the monster entering (or, Interestingly, the initial reports described exiting) a flying saucer. Me. Cohen feels the creature as looking like a large bird. people probably just “assumed” Moth- But, a reporter covering the story dubbed man was somehow connected with the the creature “Mothman” because “Bat- UFO sightings because they happened man” happened to be a very popular TV to coincide (both geographically and show at the time…, somehow the name temporally.) Just as Crop Circle appear- stuck! ances and cattle mutilations also seem to coincide with some reported saucer Of course, there were some discrepancies activity… just as inordinate amounts of in the reports of the winged-beast. But, fast-food consumption is automatically its enormous reflective eyes, height, wing linked to over weight youngsters who span and coloration seemed to be consis- may actually be suffering from a glandu- even dress their pet dogs as the Moth- tent. Another encounter with Mothman lar disorder. In other words, jumping to man - Yes, there is a kind of Mothmania happened the following day (November conclusions about anything is not a part gripping visitors at Point Pleasant, West 16, 1966) when a group of people drove of a prudent scientific method. Virginia.(UFOLogist Jim Moseley had out near the Ol’ TNT area to visit with the coined the word ‘Mothmania’ a number Ralph Thomas family. The group consist- Moreover, there were other sightings of of years ago.) ed of an adult male, two adult women the monster in 1966 and 1967. In one and a small child. As their car pulled up instance, the creature walked up to a What Happened!? in front of the Thomas residence, one parked auto and pecked on the window. woman reported seeing a big gray thing The terrified witnesses had not men- Let me tell you a bit about the onset of rise up from the ground near the car. (as tioned if they had the dome light on in the legend, the early reports, NOT the if it were lying in the grass.) It was larger their car at the time. In anther harrowing prophetic and oftentimes pathetic add- than a man she thought, and had huge auto pursuit, much to the relief of the ons which have embellished the Moth- red eyes. The group momentarily froze driver, Mothman landed and stopped man legend since the early seventies. in their tracks at the sight of the creature chasing the car in order to inspect some and one woman reportedly dropped the sort of road kill lying on the highway. Apparently, it all started innocently child she was holding in her arms, after enough when four people (two young hurriedly picking the child up again, the This led some skeptical investigators to married couples) drove out of the Point group raced inside the house and the speculate the creature may have actu- Pleasant city limits on the eve of No- Thomas Children who were home alone ally been a misidentified Sandbill crane. vember 15,1966 and observed the seven at the time quickly closed and locked the These birds often stand about six feet foot tall monster standing near an aban- door behind them. Then, police were hur- tall, are light gray in color and have pro- doned power plant (not very far from the riedly notified by telephone. nounced red patches around their eyes. long defunct ammunition dump called Had a Sandbill (which is not uncommon the Ol’ TNT area) by locals. The Monster According to the witnesses’ continuing to the North/Eastern United States and was ashen gray in color, had enormous accounts; Mothman ambled up on the certainly the state of West Virginia) es- wings and the witnesses were momen- porch and peered through a window at caped from a zoo or, its owner…( the bird tarily mesmerized by its larges glowing them. By the time local police arrived may have been a lost (or, abandoned) pet red eyes which one witness described as on the scene, Mothman had completely quite used to being around humans and looking like “bicycle reflectors.” The wit- vanished again. merely seeking food from the startled nesses sped away with the creature fly- witnesses?) The answer seemed unclear, ing in pursuit. It never seemed to flap its Artists Illustrations of the Mothman based but, the Sandbills’ also have two very ten foot wide wings as it and they raced upon initial eyewitness sketches and oral long and powerful legs, they often spring along at speeds approaching 100 miles descriptions, plus a depiction (Top) ap- into the air quite suddenly without beat- per hour! pearing within a1975 publication about ing their wings. When observed from the the menacing creature. rear, the bird at a distance might be mis- Fortunately, the monster broke off the taken for a man wearing a light-colored pursuit, the terrified group then, entered According to Mr. Daniel Cohen, author of coat. If it had unfurled its large wings, Mason County Court House and report- “Creatures from UFOs”, Simon and Schus- that too may have contributed to the ed their harrowing experience to Deputy ter New York, N.Y. 1975 “Prior to Novem- misidentification’s strangeness (?) Sheriff Millard Halstead. Not knowing ber 16th, 1966, a number of UFOs had quite what to make of the strange story, been observed in the Point Pleasant area. Indeed, some of the initial witnesses de- Halstead returned to the Ol’ TNT are with In fact, for years there had been a large scribed the monster as having a head the young folks, but, failed to catch a number of UFO observations reported with two large reflective eyes, while oth- 24 ers felt the eyes were situated within the ing a gray coat.” The descriptions were sure on the foot seemed to confirm my creature’s upper chest area, and it hadn’t not exceptionally detailed and no one suspicions as I tried to assure her the E.R. a head at all! Naturally, many rumors have was reportedly injured by the creature doctors would know exactly what to do sprung up about Mothman since the (nor counting the unfortunate motorists to help ease her pain. About three hours sightings of forty-four years ago. Some on the bridge?) and some folks thought later, I finally was able to persuade her to are obviously fabrications, while others the monster to have been a rather large leave our home. I really did not know ex- appear to be distortions of the original snowy owl well-south of its migratory actly how doctors might handle the situ- reports. Additionally, pecking at an auto’s range. A local farmer had shot and killed ation at the hospital. But, I attempted to window and interest in road kill might be such a bird. Other explanations were assure Tina it would be as painless as pos- behaviors typical of a hungry bird (?) But, voiced as well, and it seems some even sible. (I am uncertain if I was attempting to then again, who knows what odd things felt the creature might be a large mutant convince her or, myself) as we started our a Mothman might find to be of interest? bird which had ingested chemicals care- trek toward the hospital which I thought lessly left behind at the abandoned mu- to be about six or seven miles away. The monster has even been speculatively nitions site. linked to other legends of Point Pleasant. It was an increasingly foggy night, and a Such as the tale about a Shawnee Indian Mothman in South Eastern light misty rain coated the windshield as chief’s 1774 dying curse on the white set- Pennsylvania ? we cautiously motored along. We drove tlers of the region after he had been lured along Woodland Avenue leaving the city to his death by a fork-tongued (Crown Unlike the Jersey Devil which is said to be limits of Philadelphia heading into Darby, loyalist) governor of the colony. Since Satan or, his offspring born to an all-to- Pa. We did not encounter too much traffic then, fires and floods at Point Pleasant human 1700’s New Jersey woman named as we cautiously made our way. The misty were thought (by some) to be manifes- Shroud of Leeds Point,N.J., she reportedly drizzle continued as I slowly entered Dar- tations of Chief Cornstalk’s curse. Now, cursed the news of being pregnant with by with its slippery cobble stoned street Mothman is believed (by the supersti- her twelfth child and vowed the next one and trolley tracks. The fog seemed a bit tious) to be that curse incarnate! would be the devil himself! But, there are thicker and visibility was extremely lim- other sad stories related to the creature’s ited, causing traffic lights to suddenly ap- origin, and a woman named Deborah pear from out of nowhere. Leeds (1734) was said to be the creature’s mother and a witch… I will now tell you There were few other lights to be seen as of my personal observation of a Moth- most businesses had closed for the eve- man-like monster. Of course, I cannot be ning with the exception of taverns with certain it was from West Virginia or, if a their neon window signs ablaze. Only necklace of mothballs might have spared the red neon seemed to penetrate the my daughter and I from harm during our fog. Also seen were the dim white cones brief encounter (?) But, here is the chilling of overhead street lamps which glided story for those of you who are not partic- silently by like buoys in a foggy harbor. ularly camphor-phobic to ponder. Suddenly, in the light of one cone, I saw the movement of a strange figure cast On a rainy night in August of 1973, my in gray silhouette and perhaps upon the daughter Tina (thirteen years old at the rain-soaked pavement (?) It was large, time) was preparing to go to bed when looked like it had long arms and claw- she steeped on a sewing needle which like hands which almost dragged on the had been unwittingly dropped on shag ground. It moved as if lumbering slug- carpeting in her sister’s room. The needle gishy along, and appeared to be excep- was deeply imbedded in her foot, and tionally tall. It also had huge translucent although I was able to remove most of wings which unfurled, and for an instant, it, a piece of the end and pointed tip re- I thought it might actually take flight. mained. But, most startling was the fact, it hadn’t Two More sightings of Moth- a head! That’s when its chest-level eyes man: I wanted to carry her out to the car and suddenly glowed! drive straightaway to Darby, Pa where Thomas Ury and Colleen Carpenter were the Mercy Fitzgerald hospital is located, We were stopped for a red traffic signal pursued by the monster as they drove and I realized I had to drive with care as near the tavern as the monster slipped their automobiles. They both said the a heavy fog and misty rain had made vis- into the fog across the street from us, monster was tall, gray and had gigantic ibility very poor, it was quite late as well. suddenly reappearing closer to our car wings. Carpenter described the creature’s as it entered the cone of another light on face as being “horrible, like something At first, Tina seemed uncertain a piece of our side of the street. Tina slid across the straight out of a science fiction movie.” the needle remained in her foot and she seat, grabbed my arm tightly and fearfully Whereas, Ury said he thought “The mon- thought her pain was the result of her asked “Daddy, what is it?” I did not know, ster looked something like a man wear- wound. But, putting the slightest pres- but, as I hit the gas, our V-8’s engine raced 25 UFOlogy? Why have the major UFO orga- nizations permitted this to happen and embraced use of hypnotic regression… (a very inaccurate technique which is not permissible in any U.S. court of law, let alone a scientific study because of its well-known and clinically proven fal- libility?) It’s all an illusion, a grand tour- de-farce masquerading as truth! It is the monster within that is the danger, NOT one assumed to be from outer space.

Sources:

‘Creatures from UFOs’ Daniel Cohen, Si- mon and Schuster, 1975

‘Visitors from space…the Mothman Prophesies’ John Keel, ‘Panther Publica- tions, 1975

‘Mothman myth or monster?’ M. J. Grae- ber, Magonia Supplement No. 46, 2003 with tires squealing, the creature seemed of the last century. Generally speaking startled by all the sudden noise. Only the creatures were not the monsters of then did I see the monster clearly for a today, kinaopping and experimenting split second. upon helpless victims, taking their eggs, sperm and fetuses, etc. The darkness and It was a hiker with his bedroll affixed atop fear of the modern-day saucer monster his backpack. He wore a baseball cap, had stories are not created within the human white reflectors on the tie-down straps of hopes and anticipations of the observ- his gear, and he was normal sized in com- ers and those who believe in the reality parison to the large thing we first saw in of the UFO phenomenon. Rather, some the mist. He also had a transparent plas- women fear to drive and walk alone at tic wrap over his gear and covering his night, while others dread to pass through body protecting him from the rain. Light areas where saucers have been report- gusts of wind made it appear to flutter edly sighted. I know this to be the case as like huge wings or, a cape. I once appeared on a Philadelphia radio talk-show as freighted women phoned in As we drove off, I saw him slip into the fog expressing their concerns again in my rearview mirror, and laugh- ingly told Tina the hiker was nothing to Ahh yes, the fear is real enough and it fear. We finally reached the hospital and is the assumed saucers that may not the needle tip was removed after an x-ray be! However, the fear is the byproduct had located it. of modern-day UFO writers who would exploit the ignorance and expectations Closing thoughts: of others who trust in their objectivity and expertise. Indeed, the monster may As one can see, the UFO monsters have lurk within these personalities, NOT in come in a variety of shapes and sizes the skies above us! How cavalier is it to throughout the many phases of modern- inform unsuspecting folks they will be day UFOlogy. Speculation about UFO repeatedly kidnapped, medically experi- creatures being present during the 40’s, mented upon and used like lab rats for 50’s, 60’s , biblical days and pre-history alien genetic purposes - as will their chil- have also been voiced - From ancient dren whom they cannot possibly hope to astronauts to the nightly abduction of protect from such abuse? What has hap- earthlings - From little men seen in the pened to responsible UFO researching? New Mexico desert of 1948, to little men Why is it that morbid science fiction sto- piloting mysterious airships at the turn ries like these are part of contemporary 26 More night vision follies

Joe Capp presented us with some more stated on UFO digest, that he consulted It may also have been a bit too far west. night vision videos taken during the re- with Iridium flare/satellite experts and Eventually, I found that Cosmos 2233 cent UFO conference in Laughlin, Nevada. they stated there were none scheduled made a pass in the same area of the sky Ed Grimsley was there and Capp brought that evening. A quick check verified this as Cosmos 2058 at 2016. The track was his night vision scope with video camera. to be correct. So I began to look at the not exactly right but neither was Cos- He linked a few video clips of the UFOs recording to see if it was a satellite that mos 2058. This probably has to do with they recorded. I wasn’t impressed. had caught the sun just right. I had a can- not using the exact location from which Havican was recording. Had he given us a The first traveled northward throuch Cas- didate at 1939, which was Cosmos 1577. time, we might have been able to isolate siopea was faint and then flared brightly While the path was very similiar, it was this one for sure. It looked and behaved just like an iridium satellite flare. Not not exactly the same. The endpoint was like a satellite so there was no reason to surprisingly, no time or date was listed right but the pass near the belt of Orion suggest it was something extraordinary. preventing identification. However, the and Rigel were a little farther west. It is The Cosmos 2233 explanation seems rea- videographer was thanking the “UFO” for possible that this may have been due to sonable at this point. flashing and called it “brother”. Maybe a slightly different location than the one he should have flashed a high-powered I selected since I did not know his exact As I stated last issue, times and dates spotlight at it. location. would really help in weeding out the sat- ellites. Until such data is properly record- Then we see more dots of light that look I then discovered that Mr. Havican had a ed, these recordings are little more than like satellites during a Grimsley viewing longer recording of the night in question a joke. These are not scientific efforts to session. Ed Grimsley states one is a “craft” at http://vimeo.com/9862716. He states observe/record UFOs and there seems to of some kind even though all you can the recording occurred between 7 and be no interest in really identifying these see is a point of light. At least the camera 8PM. However, this recording starts with objects. It is just a promotional gimic to was in focus and stable. I could recognize a satellite pass that I was able to identify sell DVDs or justify their belief that UFOs the star patterns. One was Adromeda as as Cosmos 2058 that had made the same represent something truly extraordinary. I could see the galaxy. The object was track around 8:09PM. The UFO recording moving eastward as one would expect happened after this pass. This means from a satellite. The other area was near that the Cosmos 1577 was probably not Perseus and the double cluster. Since the source and the event recorded must these are nearly circumpolar, it is hard to have been shortly after the 8:09PM time say if it was moving north or northwest. frame. Based on the comments by the videogra- Finding a satellite that fit this path was pher, it was probably north, which is also not very easy and I went through sev- consistent with a satellite (this is the one eral programs to potentially identify the Grimsley called a craft). None of the vid- source. I thought Iridium 45 might work eos indicated to me they were anything since it made a pass about the same time other than satellites. Capp seemed to as Cosmos 2058. However, it did not flare agree although he felt one was not. He and I had diifficulty at finding some good did not state which but my guess it was elements for the time period in question. the one that Grimsley was excited about. Another individual that appears to be us- ing a night vision device coupled with a camcorder is Jamie Havican in Florida. He posted a video on the web of what he calls a UFO. It is a UFO in that it is “un- identified”. Like Capp’s video, it is hard to tell what his video shows because we are missing specific times. However, I think I have a good candidate. Havican states it was shot on the 28th of February from Englewood, Florida. It starts out as a faint object just west of the belt of Orion and heading south. It then brightens dramatically as it entered Lepus. These were all the characterisitcs Cosmos 2058 and 2233 passes on 28 February 2010 from Englewood, Florida. Courtesy of Heaven’s above of an iridium flare. However, Havican website. 27 I realize that this is going to be old hat for some but I keep seeing a lot of repeats IFO University: when it comes to people reporting UFOs. As a result, I wanted to start a column Satellites describing various indentifiable objects that are often reported as UFOs. It is my Orbits and angular speed desire that those reading this article may go a little farther into researching their Satellites travel in different orbits and, as satellite UFOs before filing an actual re- a result, their angular speeds are going to port. be different. The higher the satellite, the slower it will move across the sky. Most A commonly reported UFO are satel- people are familiar with the Internation- lites. They come in various sizes and ap- al Space Station (ISS) or Space shuttle. pearances. One can go to the “Heaven’s However, some satellites in even lower I have seen satellite and shuttle flybys but these looked too large and trav- above” website and obtain data for any earth orbit practically race across the sky. eled too slowly. My girlfriend was genuinely terrified by what she saw and location in an easy to read format. The These are usually short lived satellites I had to calm her down, which took a while. (MUFON UFO report from Rhode Island on 9/9/2009). They actually saw a shuttle and ISS pass. website only reports satellites that will and rocket boosters. Satellites in higher The same pass imaged from NH on 9/09/2009. Two 30 second expo- be bright enough to be seen. Sometimes orbits practically crawl across the sky at a sures taken 30 seconds apart were merged for this image. satellites catch the sun just right and are very leisurely pace. I recall observing one much brighter than they are predicted to polar satellite around second magnitude Iridium Flares be. If you have a specific satellite you are that took 15-30 minutes to make it across interested in, you have to look it up. This the sky. Most often, these satellites are The Iridium Satellite constellation consists is a bit more difficult. NASA has J-Pass but not very bright and at the limit of naked of 66 satellites operating in polar orbits. that has a more difficult system to work eye visibility. Their Main Mission Antennae (MMA) can with. If Heaven’s above does not include catch the sun’s rays and cause a spectacu- your satellite, J-Pass will (assuming you Last May, an amateur astronomer and lar flash. This produces an “Iridium Flare”. select “ALL” in the options). A final site a few others reported a low earth orbit Normally, the satellite is not visible and is Calsky, which is quite good in listing all (about 125 km altitude) rocket body (See hovers around magnitude +6. However, the satellites making a pass for an eve- SUNlite 1-2 p.16). This was the rocket when the sun strikes them correctly, they ning. that had launched the TMA capsule that can peak at a brilliance as high as -8th had docked with the International Space magnitude, which is much brighter than Station (ISS). They assumed that because the planet Venus. Some people report it was moving faster than the ISS (which seeing these flares during the daytime. was in the sky at the time), it must have Even at -8, a daytime flare is a challenge. been a UFO pursuing/following it. Unfa- Iridium flares are brief but the satellite miliarity with the concept of orbits and can be seen a few seconds before and angular speeds misled the observers into after in a good sky. Some UFO reports thinking they had seen something exotic might refer to them as meteor-like but rather than a mundane object under un- “too slow” to be a meteor. usual circumstances.

The ISS and Space Shuttle

The most well known of the satellites is the ISS. It is often very bright and rivals Venus in brilliance. When the shuttle is not docked and nearby, the two can put on quite a show for the casual observer.

Last September, the two put on quite a show (See SUNlite 1-4 p. 7). Despite observers having plenty of information about the pairing of the shuttle and ISS, people still reported them as UFOs. It did not help that the shuttle was dumping waste water at the time. In one instance, Two satellites in different orbits photographed with the same lens. At the the observer’s companion became hys- top is USA 144 (arrow) which was listed at an altitude of 3150 km. The exposure time was 30 seconds long and barely recorded the satellite’s terical about the UFOs and he had to progress. The bottom image is a Chinese rocket body with an altitude of 800 km. Exposure time was 10 seconds long. The lower orbit had the calm her down! An Iridium flare and the milky way from my astronomy club’s dark greater angular speed. sky site in NH 28 NOSS not stars is they do not move the way the The lesson here is that just because no stars do due to the Earth’s rotation. satellite pass is listed does not necessarily The NOSS (Navy Ocean Surveillance mean that it is not a satellite. If you need System) triplet is a group of three satel- I have seen several Geostationary satel- help, there are plenty of resources on the lites that operate in a triangular group- lites flare up over the years during my web and satellite observing groups like ing. They often are not very bright and astronomy outings. Sometimes they are SEESAT are always willing to lend a hand. it takes a keen eye to see them or they visible for several minutes and then fade have to catch the sun just right. People, away. I remember one event during the Venting rockets/spaceships who report these usually have dark skies. Winter Star Party in 1997, that was visible However, some have seen them flare up for a significant period of time and fluctu- One other item that occassionally pops to as bright as Venus, which must have ated between magnitude +2 and +3. up in UFO reports are satellite/rocket/ been an alarming sight. Imagine three spaceship events that involve venting fuel bright objects moving across the sky in The Ogre and Satellite Glints or exploding in orbit. These can be quite triangular formation. I am sure such an spectacular as the satellite/rocket can be- event created some UFO reports. Over Back in the mid-1980s, I read in Sky and come a large glowing object that takes the past few years the “triplets” have Telescope about something referred to as on a unique shape that confuses observ- lost their configuration and they are no the “Aries/Perseus Flasher” or “OGRE (Op- ers. A good example occured on August longer in the triad formation they once tical Gamma Ray Emitter)” . It had been 31, 2004. It was widely visible on the east were. They now lag behind each other reported by veteran meteor observers coast of the US at a time of night that fa- and make similar tracks across the sky a associated with a Canadian astronomy vored a large number of observers. Some minute or two apart. group. They had observed a bright flash reported an angel-shaped cloud, while of light near the Pleiades star cluster and- others gave different shapes depending The third generation NOSS satellites now began to monitor this area of the sky for on their interpretation of what tehy saw. are launched as pairs. I had observed several months. After reporting they had One report in the NUFORC database that NOSS 3-1 A and C back in July of 2002. seen it several times, Sky and Telescope caught my eye was a “college professor” They varied between second and fourth encouraged observers to monitor/pho- in Gulf Breeze, Florida, who was also an magnitude and it took a request from tograph the sky. I recall taking images “amateur astronomer”. People, who use the SEESAT bulletin board to get an ID. At of the area several times especially when the label of “amateur astronomer” and the time they were called USA 160 A and the group managed to photograph the file UFO reports without a bit of research B. It was quite eerie as the two satellites object. The reports of the OGRE caught do not really qualify as amateur astrono- passed across the sky. It gave the impres- the attention of quite a few astronomers. mers. I refer to them as sky watchers or sion of one satellite chasing the other! novice astronomers. In my opinion, an Many observers attempted to see the experienced amateur should attempt Satellites that don’t move OGRE but were unsuccessful. However, to identify his observation before filing it was noted that flashes of light did not a UFO report. Space.com identified this Geosynchronous and Geostationary just happen in the region noted and ob- the following day on their website. Ap- satellites are similar but not quite the servers had been reporting light flashes parently, this “sky watcher” was more same. Geostationary are satellites orbit- in other parts of the sky. Work by Paul intersted in filing his UFO report than ing above the Earth’s equator at a speed Maley identified the source of the light seeing if it was something that could be equal to the Earth’s rotation. Geosyn- in the photograph as being a “glint” from explained. chronous are located in an orbit not quite Cosmos 1400. Maley also determined above they equator. However, they can that Molniya-orbit satellites were the Be thorough in your search maintain position over a certain area of likely source of several of the observa- the globe because of the nature of their tions of the OGRE. Normally, they were The one thing I have learned about UFO orbit. These kinds of satellites are often very faint objects (below 9th magnitude) reports that turn out to be an object in too faint to be seen. However, when they but, under the right conditions, they orbit is that you have to be diligent in catch the sun’s light just right they can ap- could create a bright flash to an observer your search. I once was surprised to see pear as a second or third magnitude star. on the ground. Eventually, Maley posi- a second magnitude satellite make a The only way you can determine they are tively identified six of the observations as pass even though it had not been listed satellite glints. The results of this exten- on Heaven’s above! Their database had sive investigation was published in the no magnitude listed for it and, as a result, September 1st, 1987 edition of the Astro- they do not list it in their satellite passes physical Journal. The OGRE had become for the night. The general rule of thumb identified as something mundane. is that if it looks and acts like a satellite, it probably is. Just make sure you take Satellite glints and satellites that tumble your time to check all the resources and are not uncommon. When the sun hits don’t be afraid to ask for help from expe- A Geostationary Satellite I imaged in 2008 using a 200mm lens. The them just right, they can flare up to a rienced satellite observers. They can help stars are trailing due to the Earth’s rotation but the satellite remained fixed in position. This particualr satellite was visible for several min- brightness that makes them noticable. turn your UFO into an IFO. utes at around second magniutde. 29 So you want to be the next Mr. Ed?

I was surprised to see that the Pensacola Independent news had instructions on how to build a Gulf Breeze UFO model. Fascinated, I obtained the supplies and began my little project. It was not that difficult and the results were fair. I was never an art student and I skimped on some of the materials. I also took about 10- 15 minutes to create the model. The beauty is not the important thing and I am sure a more able individual would have done better. Clearly, if you I were trying to fool people, I would have taken several days to create a reasonable model that had no flaws. I could have gone the hard way and do some double ex- posures with my 35mm camera but I decided to cheat and not waste the film. I also wanted to see the results the same way “Mr. Ed” was able to see them with his polaroid. So, I used my digital SLR to take two images and then overlay them using photoshop using a layer- ing technique that mimics double exposures. It is not the exact same model that Ed used in his cha- rade but it is a reasonable facsimile. With a little more trial and error, I think my results would have been bet- ter but I did not want to waste a lot of time on it. Maybe another reader can do better?

30 It must have been a slow news period an F-16 he could have proclaimed the because, for some unknown reason, a military was investigating UFOs with gentleman from Euclid, Ohio suddenly Is Euclid, Ohio a their aircraft. This is a common theme began to appear on national TV. What in all UFO cases. Luckily, Wertman hap- was his claim to fame? He stated he was UFO “hotspot”? pened to be nearby and stated it was just seeing UFOs regularly every night. a private jet. Clearly, the witness wanted to see things that were not there. Usually, when somebody says they are seeing lights on a regular basis, I start Looking back to 2007, we discover anoth- to think the person is seeing something er witness had recorded the same types astronomical in nature. This was my first of lights from nearby Eastlake, Ohio. His thought but the stories in the media video made it on to Youtube and in the were lacking in details. No directions or media as well. Originally, it was consid- times were given, so it was hard to say ered by some as lights of police cars what was being seen. across the lake or aircraft on approach. Based on Wertman’s description of the Some skeptics opined that the witness lights he saw that were aircraft, the video was probably seeing Venus. I always dis- is a very close match. At one point in the like using an explanation without first video, the lights can be seen heading in Screen captures of “flight aware” on the 13th of March at 1920 and understanding the event in question. 1926 local time. Note the approach of the aircraft from Chicago the direction of the Cleveland airport! The (KORD) into Cleveland in relation to Euclid, Ohio. The azimuth from Venus had set by 1940 local time and the Euclid to the 1920 position is about 292 degrees, which is consistent cameraman quickly panned away from witnesses were describing the lights as with the bearings reported by Wertman. those lights to the more distant ones out being visible as late as 9PM. So, the knee- over the lake. jerk Venus answer did not sit well with me to monitor “Flight aware” for the times based on the little information that was in question. Between 7:15 and 8:00 PM This 2007 case appeared on “UFO Hunt- available. Even Dr. Plait, the bad astrono- on the 13th, two planes from Chicago ers” (Alien Contact episode) and also in- mer, felt Venus was the culprit. However, and one from San Francisco took this ap- dicated he had been contacted by aliens. he also suggested they might be aircraft proach into Cleveland. The show proclaimed the lights could not instead. So, he did not commit himself to be aircraft because of the nearby nuclear one explanation although I am sure pro- Wertman’s first report on Robert Marsh’s power plant had a “no-fly” zone around it. ponents will state he did. Clearly, more site had me concerned. He seemed Of course, it was never mentioned that information was needed at this point to puzzled by the lights and I was curious if the aircraft could have been very distant determine the source of the lights. he had even researched the basic flight (see image above) and out of the “no- patterns of aircraft before he arrived. It fly” zone. Is it possible the witness in the After a few days of this, somebody in appeared that Wertman had come to a most recent case saw this episode of UFO Ohio’s MUFON group decided there was gunfight armed only with a knife. Now I hunters and was convinced by that farce a need for an investigation evne though can happily admit that I was wrong. Wert- they could not be aircraft? the witness never filed a report with their man came more prepared the next time organization. MUFON investigator, Tom and set up a two station system that de- The response of those reading that the Wertman, went to the area to see if he termined the lights were due to aircraft case had been “closed”, was most inter- could spot some of these UFOs. He was approaching the Cleveland airport. Even esting. Apparently, some people felt MU- partially successful in that he saw a few more interesting is he used “flight track- FON was out to “debunk” UFOs! Isn’t that lights over Lake Erie on the night of the ing” web sites to determine they were the kind of thing usually leveled at the 12th of March. They would come from aircraft. I guess Wertman was carrying USAF by MUFON? Oh, the irony. The re- the north or northwest and then pro- a gun after all. So, he deserves credit sponses reminded me of the comments ceed towards the southwest. They would for getting it right and calling this “case made by the NOVA program, UFOs: Are disappear around a bearing of 290 de- closed”. we alone: grees azimuth. Wertman reported that the original witness indicated these were Of course, one has to wonder about the Some people when confronted with un- the lights he was seeing. Poor weather witness. An avid proponent of UFOs stat- familiar lights in the sky like this feel the would shut down Wertman’s work for the ed on the JREF that the witness could not need to find an unusual explanation. For next few days but there was enough in- mistake aircraft for UFOs because of his them, science has taken much of the mys- formation to take a look at what he might response to the events. Additionally, the tery out of life and by concluding that the have been seeing. witness could not mistake aircraft every answer can be found in beings from other night. It just seemed unlikely. Well, it ap- worlds, they return an element of mystery Call me skeptical but after reading Wert- pears that it is likely especially when the to our own world. man’s description, it sounded just like witness gets to appear on TV and seems a landing light on an aircraft that was to have an active imagination. Wertman Based on those responses, one can sug- turning from a southeast track towards noted that the witness had stated an F-16 gest that, for some, UFOlogy is a religion Cleveland airport in the south. I decided had passed over his house. By reporting and not science. 31 UFOs on the tube Book Reviews Buy it! (No UFO library should do without it) The war of words - Craig Myers Mr. Myers offers an outsiders view of the Gulf Breeze saga. Most intriguing is his search for the evidence, which eventu- ally unearthed the infamous model in the Walters attic. Written many years af- ter the fact, Myers reveals the sequence of events that week and Walters reaction when the model was revealed to him. Mr. Ed still has a following but it was the model, which broke the camel’s back for many. If you believe Ed, don’t bother. If you are interested in the Gulf Breeze saga, it is well worth the money to buy this book. Borrow it. (Worth checking out of library or borrowing from a friend) The Gulf Breeze Sightings - Ed and Frances Walters. After you read Myer’s book, read Walters version of events. TWalters tells a wild story. I suggest you borrow this book so you can see some of the pictures. I broke out laughing watching Ed shake his fists at what looked like a cheap model. It just did not look real to me but I am biased. The rest of the photographs are unim- pressive. Photo #19 was a critical piece of evidence and led some investigators to conclude these were all double expo- sures. Bin it! (Not worth the paper it is written upon - send to recycle bin) UFO abductions in Gulf Breeze - Ed and Frances Walters

This book starts off where the first book left off and produces more wild claims. Ed produced a few more photographs that he never revealed in his original book. Because the copy I had was a paperback, it is hard to see the photographs clearly. They don’t look like much. As expected, Walters likes to hurl the word “debunker” about often. UFOlogy taught him the quickest way to get people on your side is to call all the skeptics and detractors, “debunkers”. This book is not worth the few dollars I paid in a used book store. 32