Something quite interesting occurred recently. I inadvertently confirmed for myself that the police interview information used in the Hickson/Parker National Enquirer article (7/28/74) was accurate to its source(s).

Quite a few months ago, Wendy Connors from Project 1947's "Sign Historical Group" sent me a CD she had put together containing the original Hickson and Parker interviews (Oct. 1973 Pascagoula, Mississippi case) made by the Pascagoula police. (i.e. Hickson and Parker's voices were on the tape along with the police.) I couldn't resist and put my musician's ears on it and dug out what I could from what she sent me. Some of it was pretty faint, as the original tape the CD was made from was very old. After spending at least a week or so on it, I came out with what I felt was a final draft of text and sent it to Wendy. I wasn't officially on Wendy's team but I thought it might help if they were working at pinning down what was on the original.

Having nothing to do with the above, I was recently rummaging through my archives and came upon the old Enquirer article on Hickson and Parker. The "police interview" quotes used in that article were taken from the Ralph and Judy Blum book; "Beyond Earth: Man's Contact with UFOs." As I was reading the Enquirer article, I realized that the quotes used therein matched those I had transcribed from Wendy's CD with some minor discrepancies. As a matter of fact, the "article" actually filled in the missing gaps of things I couldn't hear on Wendy's disk because the recording was so faded in spots.

Thoughts that popped into my mind after all this sank in:

 

1) This particular article from the National Enquirer was accurate back to its source. Question: How many other "Enquirer" UFO articles from back in the 1970's are likewise accurate?

2) The preceding "confirmation to source" likewise validates the verbatim Hickson and Parker police interview from the Blum book as being accurate to "its" source. (i.e. the Blum book, in this particular instance, was accurate too. That book is the source of the Enquirer quotes.)

3) Taking into account various historical reasons stated at my site, I feel there is a high probability that other UFO related articles written by Pratt for the Enquirer may likewise contain accurate source material within as well, and deserve to be reexamined in order to eventually have those deemed "accurate to source" added to the mix of detailed, verified materials ufologists have gathered over the years. (Mind you, we're talking about articles from a paper people, including myself, ordinarily laughed at all these years. Sounds ridiculous, but the accuracy of the Hickson and Parker police recording data found within this particular National Enquirer article is undeniable. You can prove it to yourself by ordering the recording from Wendy at her website or Wendy at Project Sign and going to your local library to check it against the National Enquirer (7/28/74) article.)

4) After giving much thought to various things Bob Pratt, ex-National Enquirer writer/investigator, has indicated to me in correspondence and additionally delineated on his web site, I firmly believe it is important we take a closer look at those UFO cases he brought back from his many investigative travels around the world. His determination to gather this information is no small feat and should certainly not be ignored.

Click here for Bob Pratt Web Site
(Now hosted at MUFON since his passing 11/19/2005.)

5) Dr. Hynek had stated that he believed there was a large number of high strangeness cases which were never reported to the Air Force due to USAF's flippant attitude toward witnesses and the UFO subject in general. One of the reasons he was part of the Blue Ribbon Panel in the 1970's was to attempt to gather some of these for study. It is possible some may be found within Bob Pratt's investigations. Here is a small sampling of same selected by this researcher.

6) All of the above apparently demonstrates I was most probably right in what I was thinking concerning Hynek's interaction with the National Enquirer "Blue Ribbon Panel" back in the early 1970's; that Hynek wouldn't have been there lending his name to it unless something legitimate was going on. He chose to be there even though his scientific reputation had to be damaged by this association. However, his own scientific curiosity demanded he take whatever positive steps were available to continue to analyze and resolve what he found to be one of the most puzzling enigmas of our time.

 

Page from the website of: CohenUFO.org