Any good saucer fan--wild eyed or sober--will magnanimously
concede that a certain percentage of the UFO sightings are the
misidentification of known objects. They drag out the "unknowns"
as the "proof."
Technically speaking, an "unknown" report is one that has been made
by a reliable observer (not necessarily experienced). The report has
been exhaustively investigated and analyzed and there is no logical
explanation.
To this, the Air Force says: "The Air Force emphasizes the belief
that if more immediate detailed objective observational data could
have been obtained on the 'unknowns' these too could have been
satisfactorily explained."
I think the Case of the Lubbock Lights is an excellent example of
this. It is probably one of the most thoroughly investigated reports
in the UFO files and it contained the most precise observational data
we ever received. Scientists from far and near tried to solve it. It
remained an "unknown."
The men who made the original sightings stuck by the case and
furnished the "more detailed objective observational data" the Air
Force speaks of.
The mysterious fights appeared again and instead of looking for
something high in the air they looked for something low and found the
solution.
The world famous Lubbock Lights were night flying moths reflecting
the bluish-green light of a nearby row of mercury vapor street lights.
I will go a step further than the Air Force, however, and quote from
a letter from ex-Lieutenant Andy Flues, once an investigator for
Project Blue Book. Flues' statement sums up my beliefs and, I'm quite
sure, the beliefs of everyone who has ever worked on Projects Sign,
Grudge or Blue Book.
Flues wrote: "Even taking into consideration the highly qualified
backgrounds of some of the people who made sightings, there was not
one single case which, upon the closest analysis, could not be
logically explained in terms of some common object or phenomenon."
The only reason there are any "unknowns" in the UFO files is that an
effort is made to be scientific in making evaluations. And being
scientific doesn't allow for any educated assuming of missing data or
the passing of judgment on the character of the observer. However,
this is closely akin to being forced to follow the Marquis of
Queensbury rules in a fight with a hood. The investigation of any UFO
sighting is an inexact science at the very best. Any UFO
investigator, after a few months of being steeped in UFO lore and
allowed a few scientific rabbit punches, can make the best of the
"unknowns" look like a piece of well-holed Swiss cheese.
But regardless of what I say, or what the Air Force says, or what
anyone says, we are stuck with flying saucers. And as long as people
report unidentified objects in the air, it's the Air Force's
responsibility to explain them.
Project Blue Book will live on.
No responsible scientist will argue with the fact that other solar
systems may be inhabited and that some day we may meet those people.
But it hasn't happened yet and until that day comes we're stuck with
our Space Age Myth--the UFO.