◆ SpookStack

aa ane UR Tate eee oo eee ad Stree tele tRs a a da el Me Be a RR Ny HAA te ste PG eS Anan Tn aN eR LW Ma OR MARTIAN? Statements conflict, as usual. I first reported these two mys ‘terious ¢arth aatellites in my April Newsletter... then again, following Lt. * Gol. O'Mara's admission to me, June 8, that a govt. project was tracking the objecta but that the evidence was conflicting. oe z Y heard nothing more until Aug. 3 when Edward W. Hermann, special agent for . McGraw-Hill Publications, told me Dave Anderton, Engineering Editor of Aviation Week, had received a report from Dr. Lincoin La Paz regarding the satellites, and, that it would “appear in detailin a coming issue." In that a correspondent friend, Ted Bloecher of New York, tells me he tried dozens of newstands for the magazine, but to no avail { indicating a sudden scarcity) I will quote the August 23,1954 issue of Aviation Week: *Fentagon scare over the observance of two previously unobserved satellites orbiting the earth had dissipated with the identification of the objects as na-_ tural, not artificial satellites. Dr. Lincoln LaPaz... headed the identificatic project. One satellite is orbiting about 460 miles out while the other track {s 600 miles fram the earth. Pentagon thought the Russians had beaten the U.S. ta space operations." ~ 8 Ca oo won os Now, the rest of the story, thanks to Ted Bloecher. Says Ted: “Being of a nature that is naturally suspicious of anything printed, I wrote Dr. La Pas and requested that he verify this release. I received an answer yesterday. (Sept. | in hia letter, Dr. La Paz regrets ‘that Aviation Week's misleading satellite story has received such widesoread and uncritical publicity.' Enclosed alsa was the letter he (La Paz) had written toA.R. Strangely enovgh, the papers were content with carrying the false report, for I've seen no mention of Dr. io Pac's correction on this report.” Following is copy of letter, in part, by Dr. La Paz, tothe Associated Press: "Scientifically and militarily, the search for nearby satellites of the earth is one of the most important on which mankind has ever embarked. Bt is there- fore unfortunate, although not surprising, that false rumors are bound te be circulated in regard to the nature and results of this search. - “As regards the Aviation Week story on the satellite search, summarized in the A.P. release shown me, if is false in every particular insofar as referenci tome is concerned.... No one representing Aviation Week has questioned me concerning any possible connection may have with the satellite search prograi and no one whatever has been authorized to credit me with the activities attrib. uted to me in the Aviation Week story." oe (Signed) Lincoln La Pax Director Institute of Meteoritics Your letters and clippings are greatly appreciated; each is carefully read and filed. Since the April Newsletier, more than 8006 letters have crossed my desk -+ a tremendous load for just two people. My wife, Dell, handles all ad- ministrative details, subscriptions, mailing, etc. ,while I direct the research _ and prepare the Newsletter. We are both grateful for your kind letters and your enduring patience. KEEP THE MAIL COMING, but we're afraid to commit our- #elves on a ceply. The Newsletter is published firat Friday of the month. Sub- scription $2.00 a year, atarting with June 1954 issue. Six month subscriptions starting in April terminate with Oct. issue. Mark RENEWAL clearly with remit- tance. Back copies of,April, May, June issues available at 25¢ each, Foreign eubsecriptions (except Canada) are $2.60 regular firet class mail. Air Mail add 50¢ extra per issue ef Newsletter.