Capítulo 1: Etapa prehispánica
1.5. La realidad indígena
the West Coast.
2:10 THE SAUCER BUG 2:10 THE SAUCER BUG
had planned to remain in the Los Angeles area for only had planned to remain in the Los Angeles area for only a week, to gain a
a week, to gain a general overview ofgeneral overview of
the UFO situation there. Already I had been there fifteen the UFO situation there. Already I had been there fifteen days, yet I decided to check out some of the claims I had days, yet I decided to check out some of the claims I had heard—particularly those of Adamski, who seemed to be heard—particularly those of Adamski, who seemed to be the most important, or at least the most controversial figure the most important, or at least the most controversial figure I had met.
I had met.
A good lead might be G.L. Bloom, one of the two men A good lead might be G.L. Bloom, one of the two men from the Point Loma Navy Electronics Laboratory who, from the Point Loma Navy Electronics Laboratory who, Adamski said, visited him and created his interest in Adamski said, visited him and created his interest in photographing
photographing the the saucers. saucers. In In the the course course of of theirtheir conversation with him they had also, Adamski alleged, conversation with him they had also, Adamski alleged, confirmed the landing of a flying saucer in Mexico City.
confirmed the landing of a flying saucer in Mexico City.
A telephone call to Bloom brought a very quick denial A telephone call to Bloom brought a very quick denial about part of Adamski's story. He claimed to have no about part of Adamski's story. He claimed to have no knowledge whatsoever of a Mexico City landing incident.
knowledge whatsoever of a Mexico City landing incident.
Strangely enough, he would not be specific in confirming Strangely enough, he would not be specific in confirming or denying that he and the other man had encouraged or denying that he and the other man had encouraged Adamski. His only positive statement was that "I
Adamski. His only positive statement was that "I have beenhave been grossly misquoted in
grossly misquoted in Flying Saucers Have Landed.Flying Saucers Have Landed.
Apparently he had seen an advance copy.
Apparently he had seen an advance copy.
Although Bloom's brief testimony certainly did not deny Although Bloom's brief testimony certainly did not deny the meeting, the fact that Adamski might embellish the the meeting, the fact that Adamski might embellish the conversation with the Mexico City incident certainly did conversation with the Mexico City incident certainly did not put him in favorable light in terms of his total
not put him in favorable light in terms of his total veracity.veracity.
I was unable to reach the other man, who Adamski said I was unable to reach the other man, who Adamski said was J.P. Maxwell.
was J.P. Maxwell.
Another point that troubled my mind was Adamski's Another point that troubled my mind was Adamski's remark that if his pictures of saucers were really photos of remark that if his pictures of saucers were really photos of U.S. secret military aircraft, the Air Force would not have U.S. secret military aircraft, the Air Force would not have allowed him to distribute them. He said he had sent a allowed him to distribute them. He said he had sent a complete set to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, in complete set to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, in Dayton, Ohio, scene of the Project Bluebook saucer Dayton, Ohio, scene of the Project Bluebook saucer investigation, and that no interest was taken in
investigation, and that no interest was taken in
them. Had the photos been genuine space ships, I reflected, them. Had the photos been genuine space ships, I reflected, surely the Air Force would have been even more surely the Air Force would have been even more interested—and would have requested the negatives for interested—and would have requested the negatives for evaluation.
evaluation.
The fact that Adamski had witnesses to his desert The fact that Adamski had witnesses to his desert contact had been a point which almost clinched my total contact had been a point which almost clinched my total belief;
belief; however this however this began to began to slowly fall slowly fall apart apart as as my visitmy visit ran into its third week.
ran into its third week.
Although at least two of the witnesses were close Although at least two of the witnesses were close personal
personal friends friends and and might might not not be be completely completely impartialimpartial (one was the owner of the property where he lived, and the (one was the owner of the property where he lived, and the other his secretary); at first glance the other four seemed to other his secretary); at first glance the other four seemed to be free from prejudices toward
be free from prejudices toward spaceship reality.spaceship reality.
Dr. George H. Williamson, who had been accompanied Dr. George H. Williamson, who had been accompanied by
by his his wife, wife, was was impressive—until impressive—until I I remembered remembered that that hehe had been the person involved with Karl Hunrath and had had been the person involved with Karl Hunrath and had lived at Adamski's place during the incident of the "black lived at Adamski's place during the incident of the "black box." He
box." He had also had also engaged in engaged in telapathic reception telapathic reception of spaceof space messages while there, and possibly connected with the messages while there, and possibly connected with the Hunrath-Wilkinson disappearance. An anonymous Los Hunrath-Wilkinson disappearance. An anonymous Los Angeles source told me that Dr. Williamson had no doctor's Angeles source told me that Dr. Williamson had no doctor's degree; that indeed he had never received a diploma from degree; that indeed he had never received a diploma from an undergraduate college, and had in fact been expelled an undergraduate college, and had in fact been expelled because
because of of poor poor scholarship.scholarship. (This evidence was later(This evidence was later formally
formally confirmed confirmed in in a a letter letter from from The The University University ofof Arizona,
Arizona, formally formally signed signed by by a a responsible responsible official official of of thethe University
University.).)
A personal visit to Al Bailey, who with Mrs. Bailey, A personal visit to Al Bailey, who with Mrs. Bailey, comprised the other two witnesses, convinced me that he comprised the other two witnesses, convinced me that he had been an ardent believer long before the desert incident.
had been an ardent believer long before the desert incident.
Further, he did
Further, he did notnot see the space man with whom Adamskisee the space man with whom Adamski allegedly talked, nor did he see the scout ship which allegedly talked, nor did he see the scout ship which Adamski said landed. He did, however, see a Adamski said landed. He did, however, see a dirigible-shaped mother ship, and some flashes of
shaped mother ship, and some flashes of 34
34
II
light in the direction where Adamski was supposed to be any more than he did! Furthermore, a drawing, supposedly any more than he did! Furthermore, a drawing, supposedly made by Alice K. Wells while watching Adamski and his made by Alice K. Wells while watching Adamski and his visitor through binoculars, could not in his opinion have visitor through binoculars, could not in his opinion have been made from th
been made from that distance—about a mat distance—about a mile away.ile away.
Nevertheless,
Nevertheless, despite despite this this negative negative evidence, evidence, BaileyBailey believed
believed that the contact may actually have taken place,that the contact may actually have taken place, though he personally could not vouch for
though he personally could not vouch for it.it.
According to another West Coast informant, it would According to another West Coast informant, it would have been almost impossible for the space man (unless of have been almost impossible for the space man (unless of tremendous weight) to have made such sharp imprints in tremendous weight) to have made such sharp imprints in the sand. There had been no rain for several
the sand. There had been no rain for several months and themonths and the loose sand would not have received such a definite Venus, how he had been able to defy all scientific evidence Venus, how he had been able to defy all scientific evidence by
by existing existing so so easily easily and and comfortably comfortably in in Earth'sEarth's atmosphere, since it is an established fact (confirmed, later, atmosphere, since it is an established fact (confirmed, later, by the Mariner space probes) that
by the Mariner space probes) that the Venusian atmospherethe Venusian atmosphere is much different from ours. How, also, did the spaceman is much different from ours. How, also, did the spaceman defy the laws of probability by looking so much like an further reappraisal; in fact, almost everything I had seen on further reappraisal; in fact, almost everything I had seen on the Coast did also.
the Coast did also.
Probably Gray Barker could fill me in on many of these Probably Gray Barker could fill me in on many of these things, I thought, if I were able to see him on my way back things, I thought, if I were able to see him on my way back home. Barker had put me off when I had called him earlier, home. Barker had put me off when I had called him earlier, with the excuse that he was departing on a three-week trip with the excuse that he was departing on a three-week trip to the southern part of West Virginia to act as a consultant to the southern part of West Virginia to act as a consultant for a school system which was making a film. I suspected for a school system which was making a film. I suspected that he simply did not want to see me. On the phone he that he simply did not want to see me. On the phone he seemed somewhat nervous speaking to me.
seemed somewhat nervous speaking to me.
I remembered, however, that Dominick Lucchesi and I remembered, however, that Dominick Lucchesi and August C. Roberts had been suspicious of me when I Augie and Dom had ended, they had probably been on the Augie and Dom had ended, they had probably been on the phone
phone to to Barker Barker giving giving him him a a report report on on me. me. Since Since therethere must have been some contact since then, Barker probably must have been some contact since then, Barker probably now knew that misfortunes which I found so many saucer enthusiasts misfortunes which I found so many saucer enthusiasts expected would soon happen to them.
expected would soon happen to them.
This time, my phone call to Barker drew a much more This time, my phone call to Barker drew a much more favorable response. He invited me to stop at his apartment favorable response. He invited me to stop at his apartment and invited me to stay overnight. I declined, but made an and invited me to stay overnight. I declined, but made an appointment to see him for an hour or so.
appointment to see him for an hour or so.
I was reminded of the story of the missing film when I I was reminded of the story of the missing film when I saw how the drive-in theatre industry had apparently made saw how the drive-in theatre industry had apparently made Barker most affluent.
Barker most affluent.
In his letters he had just moved from a rooming house to In his letters he had just moved from a rooming house to a beautiful apartment which he had just furnished, and now a beautiful apartment which he had just furnished, and now had his own private office.
had his own private office.
At his apartment Barker spent an hour subjecting me to At his apartment Barker spent an hour subjecting me to demonstrations of his high-fidelity record player and color demonstrations of his high-fidelity record player and color television sets, two items which, at that date, were quite television sets, two items which, at that date, were quite novel.
novel.
Whenever our talk finally settled down to UFOs Barker Whenever our talk finally settled down to UFOs Barker became
became noticeably noticeably nervous nervous and and fidgety. fidgety. He He pulled pulled out out aa large file of letters, reports and correspondence—from and large file of letters, reports and correspondence—from and regarding the International Flying Saucer Bureau—most of regarding the International Flying Saucer Bureau—most of which were letters to and from the director, Albert K. FBI before Bender's hush-up, and he believed that the visit FBI before Bender's hush-up, and he believed that the visit had something to do with
had something to do with the Bender mystery.the Bender mystery.
A man from out of town, being treated in a local A man from out of town, being treated in a local hospital, had in his possession a business card issued by the hospital, had in his possession a business card issued by the IFSB, and having heard of Barker's interest in saucers had IFSB, and having heard of Barker's interest in saucers had come to get
come to get information from him.information from him.
Barker did not know how the man could have got hold Barker did not know how the man could have got hold of the card, since he had just received his package of cards of the card, since he had just received his package of cards a few days before. "Did the FBI investigators discourage organization, and if I knew this chap, and that's all. I guess organization, and if I knew this chap, and that's all. I guess I must have got overly frightened for I should have asked I must have got overly frightened for I should have asked them
them some questions. But I had never before been visitedsome questions. But I had never before been visited by the FBI and was
by the FBI and was very nervous."very nervous."
Barker had pulled out all of his files on the IFSB and Barker had pulled out all of his files on the IFSB and was trying to search out the possible "answer" that Bender was trying to search out the possible "answer" that Bender had come up with before being visited by the
had come up with before being visited by the men who hadmen who had confirmed the information
confirmed the information
35 35
One of the classic UFO photos of all time was this one taken by August C. Roberts, from a Ground Observer's platform in New Jersey during 1952.
One of the classic UFO photos of all time was this one taken by August C. Roberts, from a Ground Observer's platform in New Jersey during 1952.
Roberts opened the shutter to reproduce the movements of the strange object. The object was witnessed by hundreds of people in the area. (Photo Roberts opened the shutter to reproduce the movements of the strange object. The object was witnessed by hundreds of people in the area. (Photo courtesy August C. Roberts)
courtesy August C. Roberts)