ACUFO:

'Flying Saucers' Invade Morristown;
4 Discs Photographed Near Airport

The mysterious "flying saucers" invaded the quiet community of Morristown yesterday morning when four of the shiny discs were photographed while reportedly soaring near the airport on the outskirts of the town, according to the Morristown Daily Record.

The photograph of the flying crockery was taken by John H. Janssen, airport columnist for the Record, about 10 a.m. yesterday as he was driving in Morristown airport, to take a flying lesson.

He described them as round, one a dull metallic color, the other three silvery.

10,000 Feet in Air

Janssen reported that when he first saw them he believed them to be airplanes but on close observation, saw they were "a formation of four of the mysterious flying discs, floating about 10,000 feet in the air."

He said he only had time to take one picture and as he was reloading his camera, "the first saucer veered towards New York, in a dazzling burst of speed; the others followed, and they all disappeared."

Janssen was the only person in and around Morristown to report seeing the saucers. It is expected that the Army will be notified.

[Photo:]

(Reprinted from yesterday's Late Edition)
Morristown Daily News Photo

ONLY TWO PICTURES exist of the celebrated "flying saucers". The first was taken out West. The second, shown above, was taken by an alert newspaper columnist of Morristown, where he saw the four discs flying, he reports, about 10,000 feet in the air. The picture bears on his observation that three of the saucers were silvery white while the fourth was a dull metallic color. He reported he saw the saucers disappeared towards New York.

On July 23, 1947, the editor of an American aviation journal, named John Janssen of Morristown, New Jersey reported a weird encounter. He was flying at 6,000 feet when, he says:

"While my eyes played over the horizon, I became aware of a shaft of light that seemed like that of a photographer's flash-bulb. It came from aloft, very high up. It was above that position which, over a plane's nose, fliers call 11 o'clock. I at first thought it was merely the reflected sun, bouncing off the sides of an exceedingly high-flying aircraft. I gave it no further thought. Now, the engine of my plane began to perform peculiarly. It coughed and sputtered spasmodically. I pulled on the carburetor heat and gave it full throttle. This was to blast out accumulated ice from the carburetor at that height. The engine emitted one final wheezing cough and then quit. Now, the nose of my plane, instead of dropping to a normal glide, remained... rigidly... fixed on the horizon, in its normal, level flight altitude. Abruptly, I became aware that my plane was now defying the basic law of gravity. I became frightened, and close to panic, at so weird a predicament. I saw the air speed indicator was at zero! There was now an odd prickling, electric-like sensation coursing through my body. I had an eerie sixth sense feeling that I was being watched and examined by something that minutely studied my features, my clothing, and my airplane... with tenacity. I flecked a cold bead of perspiration from my eyes. Then I saw it! Above, and slightly beyond my left wing tip, was a strange, wraith-like craft. One of the flying saucers! Its flanged and projecting rim was dotted on either side with steamer-like portholes. It seemed to radiate in a dull metallic hue that conveyed an impression of structural strength, and a super-intelligence not of this planet. It was motionless. Perhaps a quarter of a mile away... beyond, and slightly higher, I could see another disk, seemingly fixed in the sky. I assumed that the second strange craft was but waiting for the one nearest to me to complete its examination. Then I had the most unaccountable urge to reach up and snap on the magneto switch. I had turned it off when the engine quit. I switched both magnetos to the 'on' position. Slowly, the propeller began to turn... then the engine burst into its steady rhythmic roar. She nosed it to a stall, picked up air-speed and steadied under control."

That is Mr. Janssen's story. It must be believed or not!

If these craft are nothing more than weather balloons or mirages, how can one explain the extraordinary adventure that befell pilot John H. Janssen on July 23, 1947... whose airplane was stopped and immobilized in mid-air by a flying saucer?

On that July 23, 1947, Janssen, aboard his 65-HP Continental J. 3, was flying toward Morristown when he noticed, at a very high altitude, a dazzling light that was moving. Janssen took this light to be a jet aircraft reflecting the rays of the sun.

Suddenly, the object stopped flying and, defying all the laws of gravitation, remained perfectly motionless. All at once, the airplane began to misfire, “coughed”... then became motionless!

The airspeed indicator showed zero! The Continental remained horizontal, without moving, itself defying the laws of weight and gravitation. Janssen felt throughout his body a strange sensation, a sort of tingling, like that produced by an electric current.

It was then that the astonished pilot distinctly perceived what had previously been only a light. Now, a shining metallic disk, fitted with portholes, was moving very slowly above the airplane, paralyzed in mid-sky. Very high above, another disk was visible, likewise motionless.

Janssen tried, but in vain, to operate his controls. They no longer responded!

A few moments later, the first flying saucer rose up, joined the second one hovering motionless at great altitude, and both moved away.

The tingling sensation Janssen had been experiencing ceased abruptly. His airplane, freed from the incredible immobilizing force, began to pitch and tilted into a nose dive. The pilot regained the controls - which this time responded - and the engine began running normally again.

For two years, Janssen, by formal order emanating from the “competent authorities,” was compelled to keep his strange adventure secret. In 1949, he was authorized to disclose it.

Admittedly, this is only a hypothesis, but it has the merit of being based on a precedent concerning the “anti-gravitational process” to which I have just alluded. Indeed, on July 23, 1947, pilot John E. Janssen’s Continental J.3 airplane was stopped and immobilized in mid-air by a flying saucer (1).

[... other cases ...]

(1) Read the details of this astonishing “incident” in the 9^th chapter of the documentary book "Flying Saucers Come from Another World". [jgu1]

On 23 July, 1947 John Janssen, of Morristown, New Jersey State, editor of an American aviation journal, reported a strange aerial encounter; he was flying his aircraft at 6,000 ft when, he says:

"While my eyes played over the horizon, I became aware of a shaft of light that seemed like that of a photographer's flash-bulb. It came from aloft, very high up. It was above that position which, over a plane's nose, fliers call 11 o'clock. I at first thought it was merely the reflected sun, bouncing off the sides of an exceedingly high-flying aircraft. I gave it no further thought. Now, the engine of my plane began to perform peculiarly. It coughed and sputtered spasmodically. I pulled on the carburettor heat and gave it full throttle. This was to blast out accumulated ice from the carburettor at that height. The engine emitted one final wheezing cough and then quit. Now, the nose of my plane, instead of drooping to a normal glide, remained... rigidly... fixed on the horizon, in its normal, level flight attitude. Abruptly, I became aware that my plane was now defying the basic law of gravity. I became frightened, and close to panic, at so weird a predicament. I saw the air speed indicator was at zero! There was now an odd prickling, electriclike sensation coursing through my body. I had an eerie sixth sense feeling that I was being watched and examined by something that minutely studied my features, my clothing, and my airplane... with tenacity. I flicked a cold bead of perspiration from my eyes. Then I saw it! Above, and slightly beyond my left wing-tip, was a strange wraithlike craft. It looked like a flying saucer. Its flanged and projecting rim was dotted on either side with steamer-like portholes. It seemed to radiate in a dull metallic hue that conveyed an impression of structural strength, and a super-intelligence not of this planet. It was motionless. Perhaps a quarter of a mile away... beyond, and slightly higher, I could see another disc, seemingly fixed in the sky. I assumed that the second strange craft was but waiting for the one nearest to me to complete its examination. Then I had the most unaccountable urge to reach up and snap on the magneto switch, which I had turned off when the engine quit. I switched on both magnetos to the 'on' position. Slowly the propeller began to turn... then the engine burst into its steady rhythmic roar. She nosed into a stall, picked up air-speed and steadied under control".

I had read the Janssen case years ago when it was first published and, in the course of preparing this present chapter, decided to do some investigation into a possible relationship with the R field theory ["Repulsion field" theory by the author]. But I was convinced that Mr Janssen had seen only one disc. In developing the analysis, however, it soon became obvious that it would be difficult to correlate the case with either the R field or the G field hypothesis. About to give up, I came to the conclusion that it could be explained by the R field, provided there was a second ship, according to my calculations, beyond the first and higher up. 'Perhaps out of Mr Janssen's sight', I thought, but this would be begging the question and of little factual use and, disappointed, I put the case aside. Later the Janssen sighting did come to light and even before re-reading it I was convinced there had been only one saucer. I was of course delighted to find that there had been, in fact, two. The theory required two ships, Mr Janssen had seen them! The pictorial representation in Fig 83 is drawn to scale, the distance from the aircraft to the first disc.

Case 790 -- July 9, Morristown, New Jersey: In a11 account published in the Morristown Daily Record (7/10) there is a description of a sighting that presumably took place on the preceding morning.

The witness was John H. Janssen, of Morristown, identified as "Airport Columnist" on the Record. He reported that he was on his way to the airport at mid-morning when he "caught a glint in the sky and, looking up, saw what he first took to be a group of airplanes. Closer examination revealed a formation of four disc-like objects floating in the air at about 10,000 feet. Janssen said he "quickly fitted a filter to his camera lens" and took the photograph printed with his story. "I had only time for this one picture. While I was turning the film for the next exposure the lead disc suddenly shot upward and toward New York City in a dazzling burst of speed. The other three followed and all were out of sight in a twinkling of the eye. In my brief glimpse of the discs I did notice that the lead one was of a dull metallic color and the others appeared to be of a silvery hue.

"From where I stood on the top of my car watching the strange craft," he said, "I guessed them to be anywhere from 100 to 300 feet in diameter. The circumference was the thinnest part of the ships and widened toward the middle where possibly they could be ten to twenty feet high - enough to provide living and operating quarters."

The photograph shows four bright objects, three of which are distinct ovals against the clear sky in a slightly curved line, while the fourth, at the top of the line, is less distinct. In the lower part of the picture is part of a cloud formation. Janssen was the second of two UFO witnesses in the 1947 wave to publicly express belief that the objects were space ships, "I really believe these craft to be operated by an intelligence far beyond that developed by we earth-bound mortals and in the light of subsequent claims by Mr. Janssen, including a story purportedly taking place several weeks later and describing how his plane was stopped in mid-air for a number of minutes while being scrutinized by a pair of discs hovering nearby, the original sighting report and photograph must be viewed with a certain amount of suspicion. As the original photograph is no longer available, a drawing of the reproduction in the Daily Record is included.

Janssen, John H. My encounter with the flying discs. Fate, v. 2, Sept. 1949: 12-16.

An aircraft at 6,000 ft. altitude reportedly encounters a flying saucer on July 23, 1947, over Morristown, N. J.; the engine stops but the aircraft remains in normal level-flight attitude although motionless.

1947, July 23

USA, Morristown (New Jersey)

(cf. July 10, 1947) The "Continental J. 3" aircraft of pilot John E. Janssen was stopped and immobilized in mid-air by a flying saucer. (Jimmy GUIEU: "Blackout on Flying Saucers" – Fleuve Noir 1956 – p. 68) OTHER VERSION: The pilot experienced unpleasant electrical tingling throughout his body. The aircraft’s circuits were cut off. The aviator saw above him the presence of two superimposed metal discs, one clearly flying higher than the other. After a while the aircraft nosed downward, the tingling disappeared, and Janssen was able to restart the engine and level the plane. (J. G. DOHMEN: "To Identify and the Adamski Case" – Guy Dohmen publishing, Biarritz 1972, pp. 51–52)

July 10, 1947; Morristown, New Jersey

Cat 8. Six daylight discs observed from aircraft.

1947, Pilot Spots Six UFOs over Morristown, New Jersey Morristown, NJ

07-10-1947 USA, New Jersey, Morristown. On the morning of July 10, 1947, Mr. John H. Janssen, editor of the Daily Record (an American aviation journal) was flying his own plane from Morristown Airport in New Jersey.

He spotted six, luminous spherical craft with hazy rings around them flying in a trail high in the sky above him. He grabbed his camera and shot a picture. He was only able to get four of the six objects in the image frame.

Two weeks later, on July 23rd, he had another encounter of what looked to him like the same or very similar aircraft. He was again flying his airplane out of Morristown and was at 6,000ft.

"While my eyes played over the horizon, I became aware of a shaft of light that seemed like that of a photographer's flash bulb. It came from aloft, very high up. It was above that position over my plane's nose that flier's call 11 O'clock.

At first I thought it was merely the reflected sun bouncing off the sides of an exceedingly high flying aircraft. I gave it no more thought. But then the engine of my own plane began to perform peculiarly. It coughed and sputtered spasmodically.

So I pulled on the carburetor heat and gave it full throttle hoping to thaw any ice that might be accumulating in the carburetor. The engine emitted one final wheezing cough and then quit. Now, the nose of my plane, instead of dropping to a normal glide, remained... rigid... fixed on the horizon, in its normal level flight attitude.

Abruptly, I became aware that my plane was now defying the basic law of gravity. I became frightened and close to panic at so weird a predicament. I saw that the airspeed indicator was at zero! There was now an odd prickling, electric-like sensation coursing through my body.

I had an eerie feeling that I was being watched and examined by something that minutely studied my features, my clothing, and my airplane... I flicked a cold bead of perspiration from my eye. Then I saw it! Above and slightly beyond my left wing tip was a strange wraith-like craft, one of the flying objects!

Its flanged and protecting rim was dotted on either side with steamer-like portholes.

It seemed to radiate a dull metallic hue that conveyed an impression of natural strength, and a super-intelligence not of this planet. It was motionless. Perhaps a quarter of a mile away... beyond, and slightly higher, I could see another (similar) object, seemingly fixed in the sky.

I assumed that the second strange ship was but waiting for the one nearest me to complete its examination. Then I had the most unaccountable urge to reach up and snap on the magneto switch. I had turned it off when the engine quit. I switched both magnetos to the on position.

Slowly the propeller began to turn... then the engine burst into a steady rhythmic roar. The plane nosed up into a stall, dropped off, picked up airspeed and steadied under control," recalled Mr. Janssen.

source: http://www.nicap.dabsol.co.uk/morristown.htm

July 23 [1947] - Day. John H. Janssen, aviation editor of the Morristown Daily Record, is flying his Piper J-3 Cub at 6,000 feet near the Morristown Airport in New Jersey. He sees a flash of light, the engine gives out, and the plane seems to be motionless. Then he sees two UFOs (this time with portholes) and manages to get the propeller going again. This is one of the first cases of "vehicle interference" UFO cases involving an airplane. (NICAP, "07-10-1947 USA, New Jersey, Morristown"; John H. Janssen, "My Encounter with Flying Disks," Fate 2, no. 3 (September 1949): 12–16)

Morristown (NJ) Daily Record, July 10, 1947

From Ted Bloecher’s "Report on the UFO Wave of 1947",

Case 790 -- July 9, Morristown, New Jersey: In an account published in the Morristown Daily Record (7/10) there is a description of a sighting that presumably took place on the preceding morning. The witness was John H. Janssen, of Morristown, identified as "Airport Columnist" on the Record. He reported that he was on his way to the airport at mid-morning when he "caught a glint in the sky and, looking up, saw what he first took to be a group of airplanes. Closer examination revealed a formation of four disc-like objects floating in the air at about 10,000 feet. Janssen said he "quickly fitted a filter to his camera lens" and took the photograph printed with his story. "I had only time for this one picture. While I was turning the film for the next exposure the lead disc suddenly shot upward and toward New York City in a dazzling burst of speed. The other three followed and all were out of sight in a twinkling of the eye. In my brief glimpse of the discs I did notice that the lead one was of a dull metallic color and the others appeared to be of a silvery hue.

...Janssen was the second of two UFO witnesses in the 1947 wave to publicly express belief that the objects were space ships. "I really believe these craft to be operated by an intelligence far beyond that developed by we earth-bound mortals and (I) am inclined to agree with the theory that they are space craft from another planet." He went on to theorize on possible magnetic and antigravity methods of propulsion to explain the acceleration of the objects. "In all probability these are reconnaissance craft and as they have been seen all over the world and not only in this country, are probably making a thorough study of us and our terrain and atmosphere before making any overtures.

07-10-1947 USA, New Jersey, Morristown.

On the morning of July 10, 1947, Mr. John H. Janssen, editor of the Daily Record (an American aviation journal) was flying his own plane from Morristown Airport in New Jersey. He spotted six, luminous spherical craft with hazy rings around them flying in a trail high in the sky above him. He grabbed his camera and shot a picture. He was only able to get four of the six objects in the image frame.

Two weeks later, on July 23rd, he had another encounter of what looked to him like the same or very similar aircraft. He was again flying his airplane out of Morristown and was at 6,000ft.

"While my eyes played over the horizon, I became aware of a shaft of light that seemed like that of a photographer's flash bulb. It came from aloft, very high up. It was above that position over my plane's nose that flier's call 11 o'clock. At first I thought it was merely the reflected sun bouncing off the sides of an exceedingly high flying aircraft. I gave it no more thought. But then the engine of my own plane began to perform peculiarly. It coughed and sputtered spasmodically. So I pulled on the carburetor heat and gave it full throttle hoping to thaw any ice that might be accumulating in the carburetor. The engine emitted one final wheezing cough and then quit. Now, the nose of my plane, instead of dropping to a normal glide, remained... rigid... fixed on the horizon, in its normal level flight attitude.

Abruptly, I became aware that my plane was now defying the basic law of gravity. I became frightened and close to panic at so weird a predicament. I saw that the airspeed indicator was at zero! There was now an odd prickling, electric-like sensation coursing through my body. I had an eerie feeling that I was being watched and examined by something that minutely studied my features, my clothing, and my airplane... I flicked a cold bead of perspiration from my eye. Then I saw it! Above and slightly beyond my left wing tip was a strange wraith-like craft. One of the flying objects! Its flanged and protecting rim was dotted on either side with steamer-like portholes. It seemed to radiate a dull metallic hue that conveyed an impression of natural strength, and a super-intelligence not of this planet. It was motionless. Perhaps a quarter of a mile away... beyond, and slightly higher, I could see another (similar) object, seemingly fixed in the sky. I assumed that the second strange ship was but waiting for the one nearest me to complete its examination. Then I had the most unaccountable urge to reach up and snap on the magneto switch. I had turned it off when the engine quit. I switched both magnetos to the on position. Slowly the propeller began to turn... then the engine burst into a steady rhythmic roar. The plane nosed up into a stall, dropped off, picked up airspeed and steadied under control," recalled Mr. Janssen.

On the other side of the country, in Morristown, New Jersey, a pilot named John H. Janssen observed four discs overhead. Janssen, who wrote an occasional airport column for local newspapers, took a photo - one of the first-ever published UFO images. The case was my introduction to the complexity of ufology. Although the image is striking, and Janssen initially appeared to be a credible witness, researcher Ted Bloecher notes that Janssen was prone to conjecture. “I really believe these craft to be operated by an intelligence far beyond that developed by we earth-bound mortals,” Janssen said, and thought “these are reconnaissance craft” that “are probably making a thorough study of us and our terrain and atmosphere before making any overtures.” Janssen soon claimed another, more dramatic encounter: “his plane was stopped in mid-air for a number of minutes while being scrutinized by a pair of discs hovering nearby.”

Date: July 10, 1947

Location: Morristown, New Jersey

Time: 10:30 AM

Summary: Multiple witnesses, including local police officers, reported seeing six silver, daylight discs flying in a tight formation over the Morristown area. The objects were described as circular and highly reflective, maneuvering at speeds far exceeding conventional propeller aircraft of the era before suddenly disappearing into the clouds.

Source: The New York Times / Project Blue Book (Case File #825)