Lee Speigel’s “Dorito” UFO in Lumberton, NC

Prologue by Martin Willis: Charles Lear suggested that I repost this blog in honor of the loss of dear friend, and iconic UFO researcher, Lee Speigel last week. I titled it according to what Lee told me his response was to J. Allen Hynek’s request. Hynek asked him to travel to North Carolina to meet with police officers experiencing a repeating encounter with a triangle UFO. Lee’s response was; “You want me to go to North Carolina to check out a flying Dorito? Of course I will, I am in!”

by Charles Lear (re-post)

Illustration by Dale Hendrickson

It is often the case with UFO investigators that once they get to an area where a UFO has been reported, the UFO is long gone, and all they can do is interview witnesses. This is important as a means of creating a record of the case that can be referred to by future investigators and researchers. But, occasionally an investigator gets the chance to be a witness and actually observe what had been reported. This happened to investigator Lee Speigel who was looking into a series of sightings by as many as thirty police officers and 50 civilians in Lumberton, North Carolina in 1975. Spiegel submitted a report on the case to the director of the Center for UFO Studies and former Project Blue Book scientific consultant, J. Allen Hynek. The case file resides in the archives housed by David Marler in New Mexico.

Lee Speigel

Along with Speigel’s report and contemporary newspaper clippings, there is also a series of paper slips in the file folder containing call information, presumably filled out at a CUFOS UFO call center. (If anyone can confirm this, please comment.) According to Speigel’s report, a violent thunderstorm in the area ended at 1:35 a.m. on April 3, 1975. A “call slip” in the case file has the information that at 1:45 a.m., Sheriff Ronn Thompson was monitoring the radio while working as the dispatcher at the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office in Lumberton when the first report of a strange object came in. It was seen by Robeson County Officer Phil Stanton and then by two officers from St. Paul. All three described the object as v-shaped with red, blue, and clear lights. A slip with 5:15 a.m., filled in for the time has the information that two Sampson County officers saw a similar object that put a spotlight on them as it moved off. One of the officers “clocked it” at 200 mph. It appears that there was a full fledge flap after 10:00 p.m. that night because a slip with 10:15-10:30 p.m. filled in for the time has information on the back that officers from four different police departments and 50 “citizens” reported seeing something.

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Wonderful Friend and UFO Icon, Lee Speigel, August 15, 2023

It greaves me to announce, a wonderful friend, and one of the true icons of the UFO world, Lee Speigel passed away from a short-term illness on August 15.

*NEW Help Send Lee Speigel’s ashes into space! https://rb.gy/ym1ns

Lee Speigel has presented credible, compelling stories about UFOs, Science and the Paranormal since 1975, when he produced and wrote a documentary record album, “UFOs: The Credibility Factor,” for CBS Inc. This marked the first time that a major recording company offered a UFO-related product to the public via a prime time TV infomercial. During production of his UFO album, Speigel and numerous law enforcement officers were involved in a historic UFO encounter in Lumberton, No. Carolina — the first well-documented, multiple witness, triangular-shaped UFO incident in America, highlighted in David Marler’s 2013 book, “Triangular UFOs: An Estimate of the Situation.” In 1978, Speigel’s second attempt at UFO disclosure took place on a world stage when he became the only person in history to produce a milestone presentation on UFOs at the United Nations. Under the sponsorship of Grenada, he brought together leading military and scientific experts (including astronomers J. Allen Hynek and Jacques Vallee), who urged world leaders to establish an international UFO study committee. Read more

Show #570 Notes: James Fox & Dean Alioto

Simulcast on KGRA Radio, YouTube, Facebook & Twitch – Tuesday, August 15, @ 7:00 PM EDT (-4GMT)

 

JAMES FOX BIO: For 27 years, James Fox traveled across the world in pursuit of the truth regarding UFOs. He directed and produced five films on the subject, “Out of the Blue, (2003); “I Know What I Saw” & Director’s Cut Edition, (2009); “The Phenomenon”, (2020) and “Moment of Contact”, (2022)“. In 2007 orchestrated an event, with help from journalist Leslie Kean (Coalition for Freedom of Information), which to this day is hailed as the most credible civilian effort of disclosure on UFOs in history. His last film The Phenomenon was a worldwide hit and became a hot news story event due to former minority senate leader, Harry Reid, who stated in Fox’s documentary that “Most of it (UFO evidence) hasn’t seen the light of day.” For his latest film, Moment of Contact, Fox goes where’s he’ never gone before in the phenomenon — reporting on recovered aliens. Taking place in Varginha Brazil in 1996, Fox uncovers new witnesses and reveals information on a cover up that has not seen the light on day for 26 years.

DEAN ALIOTO BIO: Dean Alioto has a premium 3-part limited science series coming out next year that looks at the UFO/alien phenomenon from an entirely new point of view. It features top Harvard, Oxford, and NASA scientist and features several new theories and experiencer evidence. In addition, Dean has a feature film documentary also coming out next year featuring new alien experiencers and well known experts in the field of alien abductions. Dean’s previous work includes the enigmatic alien abduction movie The McPherson tape, as well as the Paramount TV remake, Alien Abduction: Incident in Lake County. He has appeared on Paramount +, Fox, and on the BBC. Dean also consulted on the James Fox feature doc The Phenomenon.

 

Transcript 

0:44

I love the guy’s energy he’s the hardest uh I would say hands down he’s the

0:50

hardest working person in the UFO world uh that’s focused on the UFO topic I

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A Possible 1978 UFO Abduction Case From British Columbia, Canada

by Charles Lear, author of “The Flying Saucer Investigators.”

In the November 1978 Vol. 24, No. 3, Flying Saucer Review, there is an article (page 9 of pdf) by W. K. Allan headlined, “The Fort St. James Sightings,” that details Allan’s investigation of a case in British Columbia, Canada, along with the editor of the Canadian UFO Report, John Magor. Allan describes becoming interested in the case upon seeing a report (page 2 of pdf) headlined, “Possible Canadian Abduction,” in the March 1977 APRO Bulletin. According to Allan, he and Magor travelled, along with their wives, to Fort St. James to interview the witness, who identifies himself as Kirk Alore in the transcription of his story as told on tape. His account includes what seems to be a period of missing time, and this is likely what led the APRO investigator, Michael Sinclair, to consider that Alore might have been abducted. As they looked into the case further, they encountered some problems with Alore’s story but got corroboration from his parents. Read more

Show #569 Notes: Bob Spearing

Simulcast on KGRA Radio, YouTube, Facebook, Rumble & Twitch – Tuesday, August 08, @ 7:00 PM EDT (-4GMT)

 

BIO: Bob Spearing graduated from Fordham University with a B.A. in Communications with Journalism, Advertising, Public Opinion, Propaganda, and Film Production as major concentrations.

Bob recently retired from the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey after 34 years. His many duties included being an FRA licensed Rail Traffic Controller and Locomotive Engineer. While in management, he was a Safety Investigator, Contract Administrator, prepared multi-million-dollar budgets, managed logistics for public relations such as concerts and cultural festivals, and curated historical railroad exhibitions at a major regional transportation hub.

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A 1970 UFO and Humanoid Report From Spain

by Charles Lear, author of “The Flying Saucer Investigators.”

In October 1970, the publishers of the British magazine Flying Saucer Review put out the first issue of FSR Case Histories. Editor Charles Bowen explains at the beginning of that issue that readers had “suggested that FSR should be a monthly journal.” According to Bowen, the FSR staff worked in their spare time to put out the magazine, and while putting it out monthly wasn’t possible, it was possible to put out a supplemental journal in between the main issues. Other reasons Bowen gives for putting out a supplement are: to provide space for cases that might otherwise go unrecorded, to translate stories from foreign journals, to encourage readers to become part-time investigators, and to have “a vehicle to carry important re-investigations of old cases.” The February 1974 FSR Case Histories, Supplement 18, was the final issue and Bowen and Assistant Editor Eileen Buckle explain in that issue that this is due to “lukewarm support and the shocking rise of costs and postage.” A case from that issue that caught this writer’s interest is an example of a case that was translated from a foreign magazine, in this instance, from the December 1972 issue of the Spanish magazine, Stendak. Read more

Show #568 Notes: Chris Bledsoe

Simulcast on KGRA Radio, YouTube, Facebook, Rumble & Twitch – Tuesday, August 01, @ 7:00 PM EDT (-4GMT)

BIO: Chris Bledsoe is a UFO experiencer and a strong believer in God. His life, now that his children are grown, is centered around telling his story and understanding why his experiences are increasing. He is passionate about keeping an open mind and engaging those who question who we are and why we are here. Most importantly he’s working to understand the consciousness connection with UFOs and how it impacts his faith. Like most of us, he is driven to know the answer to the age-old question, “Are we alone?” Chris lives in North Carolina with his wife, Yvonne, and their two dogs.

He is also the author of UFO of God. He has taken hundreds of photos and videos and has been studied extensively by researchers.

UFOs in Congress in the 1960s

by Charles Lear, author of “The Flying Saucer Investigators.”

In 1966, there was a series of UFO sightings in Michigan that got the attention of the press and the Air Force. There was a great deal of excitement and Project Blue Book (the code name for the Air Force’s UFO study) scientific consultant, Dr. J. Allen Hynek, was sent in to help calm things down. At a press conference, he offered some possible explanations. Due to sightings over a marsh, he speculated that people there had seen ignited balls of swamp gas, some going out and others igniting, and that this created the illusion of movement. The swamp gas explanation made the headlines and outraged many Michigan residents, including Michigan Representative and House Minority Leader Gerald Ford. He sent a letter dated March 28, 1966, to the chairmen of the Science and Astronautics Committee and the Armed Services Committee, suggesting that one of them schedule “hearings on the subject of UFO’s”.  He mentioned Hynek’s explanations in the letter and, in a press release that same day, it is noted that he described Hynek’s swamp gas explanation as “flippant.”  Documents relating to Ford’s efforts and the resultant open hearing are housed at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum. Read more

On Location, Washington, DC w/ Chris Lehto UAP Hearing Episodes & Clips

YouTube Episodes & Clips From The UAP Hearing

CHRIS LEHTO’S Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ChrisLehtoF16

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Leonard Stringfield’s Status Report at the 1978 MUFON Symposium

by Charles Lear, author of “The Flying Saucer Investigators.”

Leonard Stringfield

Just before Stanton Friedman got Roswell fever, one of the earliest saucer researchers, Leonard Stringfield, was hard at work researching and investigating reports that involved military recovery of crashed flying saucers and alien bodies. He presented the results of his work in the form of a paper titled “Retrievals of the Third Kind” at the July 28, 1978 MUFON Symposium. A three-part series by Stringfield based on that paper was published under the same title in Volume 25, numbers 4, 5, and 6, in the British magazine, Flying Saucer Review, starting with the July-August 1979 issue.

Stringfield begins his paper by presenting the “facts” that the “world public at large” and the scientific community do not believe in UFOs. He then expresses the frustration of those in the UFO community who have “no doubt that a real interloper from somewhere exists.” Read more

Show #566 Notes: Paul Ascough

Simulcast on KGRA Radio, YouTube, Facebook, Rumble & Twitch – Tuesday, July 18, @ 7:00 PM EDT (-4GMT)

BIO: Paul Ascough has spent over 50 years involved in UFO research and investigation. He has had his own UFO sightings and was a member of the British UFO Research Association. Employed in the medical field all of his career, before retirement Paul Ascough was a qualified nurse, occupational health nurse and qualified paramedic, spending 13 years with both the regular and territorial British Army around the world, gaining perspectives in people and places that would stand him in good stead for his ideas and experiences that contribute to this amazing work. He has proved very popular on podcasts and podcast panels, sharing his views which can be found on many YouTube videos. Paul has also featured in two documentaries by EM Productions which were released last year and was well received when he appeared as a guest speaker at the Outer Limits Magazine annual conference. PICS CLICK MORE >

 

 

John Keel Investigates a Landing and Creature Report in Erie, Pennsylvania

by Charles Lear, author of “The Flying Saucer Investigators.”

In 1966, John Keel, longtime fortean and author of several books on UFOs, including his most famous book published in 1975, The Mothman Prophecies, was just beginning to focus on the UFO phenomenon. At this time in his life, he was writing articles for the British publication, Flying Saucer Review and sharing his research with Jim and Coral Lorenzen of the Aerial Phenomena Research Organization. He wrote an article (page 6 of pdf) about one case he looked into that year, headlined “New Landing and Creature Reports” that was published in the November-December 1966 Flying Saucer Review. The article’s main focus is on one incident that took place on July 31, 1966. Keel shared the details of the case with APRO, and they published their take on it (page 3 of pdf) headlined, “The Presque Isle Landing,” in the July-August 1966 APRO Bulletin.

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