by Michael D. Wynne
In last month’s article, this writer gave several representative, but fascinating local eye-witness accounts of UFO sightings (now called UAPs- Unidentified Aerial Phenomenas) of the hundreds that were recorded occurring here in central Louisiana, as was recorded by the Air Force’s Project Blue Book at their office at the then-called England Air Force Base. These civilian reports were the talk of Alexandria and could not be hushed up. So front page articles started appeared in the Town Talk newspaper about an eminent invasion by aliens. Here is just a couple front page articles, the first from July 6, 1949:
FLYING SAUCER SEEN HERE
The flying saucers were back in the skies over Alexandria last night, and two persons who saw them said today they couldn’t be anything but just that — flying saucers.
Mrs. Edward Wolf, 412 1-2 Madison, and her sister, Mrs. V. Dardeau, of Ville Platte, said they were sitting on the lawn when they saw one of the saucers zooming overhead at 9:30 p.m.
It was the size and shape of a large plate, Mrs. Wolf said, “the contour was very plain.”
No, she said, it wasn’t a shooting star, not even a falling star.
The saucer was moving in a northerly direction, she said, at a speed somewhat less that that of an airplane, and at a lower altitude.
Mrs. Wolf said she had read a number of descriptions of flying saucers, and the one she and her sister saw last night “fitted those descriptions perfectly” …
Articles like the above one appeared all over the nation in other newspapers. Because of the high publicity of the Alexandria sightings, a UFO convention was planned for Alexandria!
FRONT PAGE, July 8, 1949-
Plan Convention of Flying Saucer Witnesses Here
A national convention of all persons who have seen flying saucers was beingplanned for Alexandria today by the Young Men’s Business Club.
Flying discs were reported seen over Alexandria twice this week. Seven persons who said they saw them. would be eligible as delegates to the national convention.
YMBC officials said that all persons who have seen the mysterious flying objects would be invited to gather here to discuss their impressions.
“Alexandria has long enjoyed the reputation as a convention city,” club officials said. “This week it also became the ‘flying saucer’ city of America. We thought we ought to combine the two distinctions and get all flying saucer witnesses together for a unique
convention.”
Scientists, science writers, government investigators and other specialists interested in flying discs presumably would attend, club officials said.
July 9, 1949 FRONT PAGE edition – Alexandria Is Capitol
Club For Flying Saucer Witnesses Is Proposed
A national association of flying saucer witnesses may be organized in Alexandria in August.
A spokesman for the Young Men's Business Club said today that the club would act next Wednesday night on a proposal to hold a convention here of all persons who have seen mysterious objects in the sky.
Alexandria this week became the Flying Saucer Capitol of the Country with seven persons qualifying as eligible delegates to the ‘I-have-seen-a-flying-saucer’ conclave. Two persons reported viewing the heavenly bodies floating around one night and five declared they had the same opportunity last night.
Government investigators have shown an interest in the reports and government men, scientists and science writers were expected to attend the August session if the YMBC issues invitations.
Mrs. G. S. Hart, who made the discovery last night, said she had no idea how big it was. She said she and four others watched it almost 5 minutes.
“At first I thought it was a falling star,” she said. “It was all lit up. Then it stopped or changed its course and drifted towards the east, then it moved towards the west and changed its course once more and disappeared in the east.”