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UFO UpDates Mailing List

From: "Jerry Cohen" <rjcohen@li.net>
Date: Sun, 19 Jan 1997 22:17:40 -0500
Fwd Date: Mon, 20 Jan 1997 00:45:51 -0500
Subject: Re: Philosophy of Science and UFOs

John,
No apologies necessary, except perhaps mine to John, and I hope it's O.K.
that I'm posting this to the list because I'd like other people to see it.
I'm sure some of them probably had the same question.

You wrote:

>Hi Jerry.

>I haven't been keeping up with the mail on Errol's list and I think the
>original question about the Catalina film 'UFO' analysis has got lost in
>all the quote attributes.

>Are you and John Powell are referring to the UFO film that after computer
>analysis was shown to be a Cessna aircraft?  If so, this was documented in
>a program made for the first series of the "Arthur C. Clarke Mysterious
>World" series.

>If this isn't the Catalina UFO film you're discussing, apologies.

>Thanks,
>        John

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JC:   Errol's list has grown by leaps and bounds and a lot of the material
coming in is excellent. Questions and answers like this one are partly the
reason. (Errol is the other part.)

Looking at your question, I just realized that John and I may not have been
talking about the same thing and it is my fault. I got Catalina and
Trindade Island confused and it wasn't "motion picture film," it was
"photos" of which I was thinking. (With a mistake like this, I should
probably should take a two-week vacation to the first of those two
places..to clarify the location, of course. <grin> )

The case to which I was referring was one that happened on or about January
16, 1958. A Brazilian IGY Navy Survey ship, the Almirante Saldanha, was "on
station on an assignment to observe and track weather balloons launched
from Trindade, a six mile square mountainous island... .  The ship carried
both military and civilian personnel." 1   A UFO was claimed to have flown
over the island and witnessed by crew members and personnel. A set of
pictures, showing a "Saturn-like" object, was taken by a Navy photographer
while the ship was cruising off the island. The ship was full of scientists
who had absolutely nothing to gain by hoaxing a flying saucer story except
perhaps, permanently ruined scientific reputations.

Dr. Hynek presented the Blue Book version of the case ("The Hynek UFO
Report" . paperback pp 246-251) He also displayed two of the photos
therein. 2

However, after reviewing the above today, Blue Book indicated that the
photos were taken by an individual who was known for "trick photography"
(which he admitted) and therefore would cast a great deal of suspicion on
the credibility of those photos even though the case was allegedly
witnessed by crew members and personnel.  Although other factors were
described which would lend credulity to the event, this researcher could
discern no possible definitive conclusion, unless there is other concrete
information in existence of which I am presently not aware. Those wishing
to review the Blue Book version for themselves will find useful information
located in footnotes.

Coincidentally, most likely because they were taking the many cases that
occurred in 1957/58 seriously (probably including this one), the Air Force
revised its "Regulation No. 200-2" the following month telling intelligence
officers and airline pilots to make full reports of UFO sightings. 3

"AF Regulation No. 200-2, first issued in August 1953, outlined the
responsibilities and procedures for preparing and submitting UFO reports at
Air Force bases, as well as releasing information to the public. This
latest revision continued the practice of having the officers of the Air
Intelligence Service Squadron (Air Defense Command) conduct all field
investigations into sightings, while Aerospace Technical Intelligence
Center (ATIC) performed the final analyses and evaluations."

Captain Gregory, then head of Project Blue Book, "wanted some changes made,
including emphasis placed upon 'prompt reporting' and 'strict compliance
with this regulation by all commanders.' "  He also hoped to engender a new
attitude among investigating personnel. "The attitude of all personnel,"
the regulation read in part, "should at all times, reflect courtesy,
seriousness, and consideration..."

Respectfully,
Jerry Cohen

E-mail:  rjcohen@li.net


Footnotes:

1)      Look Magazine Special . FLYING SAUCERS . pub. by Editors of United
Press International and Cowles Communications, Inc., Belleville, Lance .
UPI Rio de Janeiro "Ola o disco!" : also, Hynek, Allen J.: "The Hynek UFO
Report" . New York . Dell Publishing Co., Inc. 1977 . chapter 10 "The
Brazilian UFO Photos"

2)       Ibid. Hynek, Allen J.: "The Hynek UFO Report" : also see...
Newsday, Long Island newspaper . February 26, 1958 : also, National
Enquirer . May 25, 1969 . "Hundreds of Saucer Sightings in Brazil Force
Govt. Probe"

3)      International UFO Reporter (IUR) . Jan/Feb 1993 . p 4 . Webb,
Walter N. "Allen Hynek as I Knew Him"