'UFO Sightings of Illinois'

BY ROBERT ANDERSON
The Daily Review Atlas
12-27-05

     An Indiana man has published his own magazine entitled "UFO Sightings of Illinois" and is offering it for sale.

     In a telephone interview last week, Phillip Dean said he has sent a copy of the 24-page, 8 1/2 by 11-inch magazine to every newspaper editor in the state.

     "I've had a few answers back and I'll be starting on similar magazine covering Indiana, and from there I'll begin magazines focusing on UFOs in Kansas, New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, Florida, New York and the nation's capital, Washington D.C."

     Dean said his fascination with unexplained flying objects started 45 years ago, when he saw an article in the Paris Beacon News.

     "It was about something that happened out West - a sighting of some objects - and that started me collecting articles," Dean said. "A friend and I talked about UFOs for years, but I never took them seriously, though I always took it for granted that they existed.

     "Of course, that led to ordering books and magazines from all over the country," he added. "As years go by, the material becomes almost like an addiction. My magazine came out this year. Getting started is the hard part, as anyone in this business can tell you. You got to first pay your dues. I've had some responses from newspaper editors south of here and north of here and in East St. Louis."

     Dean said he has sold about 15 copies of his magazine so far. He said most of the articles reprinted in his magazine are from magazines and books printed 15 to 30 years ago.

     Among the articles that interest him the most, one regards a sighting west of Paris, Ill., in which a jet plane is reportedly taken by bell-shaped object.

     "The person that saw it was a down-to-earth person. His son was on the police force," Dean said. "It happened right on his farm and not all that far away. Then two Air Force men showed up and admitted they had lost a jet in that area but saw to it that nothing about it showed up in the newspapers. The same thing happened on south edge of Paris too, over an area called 'the Y' when a bell-shaped object took a small private plane right there."

     Both of these incidents occurred in the late 1950s, Dean said.

     He conducts almost all his own research by mail, Dean said, adding that he has also talked with several "actual eye witnesses."

     The following are excerpts from the magazine:

     Aledo, Illinois, July 24, 1978

     "Mary and Robert Berglund and their 12-year-old granddaughter were driving home from Rock Island when they saw a big ball of fire in the western sky. Mrs. Berglund said that it kept getting bigger and redder. They said it appeared to land and seemed to be on fire."

     Franklin Park, Illinois

     June 17, 1979

     "Fear of being ridiculed made the campers hesitate to immediately reveal the terrifying incident.

     On May 28th, 24-year-old Camp Delaware counselor Ira Leifer led 13 boys on a hike up Blueberry Hill. The boys averaged in age from 13 to 15.

     At 3:45, the group reached the top of the hill. Few trees obscured the sky. The day was sunny and hot.

     Suddenly, a high-pitched whine was heard coming from above.

     Startled, the campers looked up. A pulsating, metallic saucer, about 20 feet in diameter, was hovering 50 to 60 feet above the ground.

     The UFO had a flat, shiny, reflective bottom, and its half-dome shape was topped by a smaller dome giving off a reddish glow.

     The entire saucer was surrounded by a purplish mist, and the glowing red dome was revolving.

     The total observation time was about 30 seconds. During this time, the saucer was completely silent. The campers stood in awe.

     When the high-pitched sound was heard again, the saucer began to move. The boys screamed and ran for their lives, realizing the UFO was after them!

     Then, just as it was about to grab them, it suddenly took off straight up.

     Ira found it impossible to control the panic-stricken group. They all raced to the safety of the camp.

     Afraid of being called crazy and irresponsible, the campers decided to keep the close encounter a secret. But after being assured by friends that UFO sightings should be reported to aid in their study, the campers bravely stepped forward and told the startling truth."

     Moline, Illinois, March 9, 1967

     "William Fisher, a patrolman of Moline police force, sighted and filmed a UFO, about 1:30 p.m. On the film it shows a glowing oval against a dark background."

     Elmwood Park, Illinois Nov. 4, 1957

     "Patrolman Joseph Lusasek, Patrolman Clifford Scahu and Fireman Robert Volt at 3:12 a.m. spotted an object about 250 feet in the air. They turned on the spotlight of their squad car on the object that was over Elmwood Cemetery and radioed Officer Daniel DeGiovanni who was on duty at Elmwood Park police station.

     "The object was a bright red-orange color and appeared to be folding into itself. It shot up about 200 feet when the spotlight hit it. Also when the spotlight hit it the object puffed out. The object took off and was last seen at 3:22 a.m. DeGiovanni saw it before it disappeared. Before sight of it was lost, it appeared to fold inward from the bottom."

     Near Havana, Ill. March 14, 1946

     "Paul Cummings Jr. was driving from Canton to Lincoln, Illinois and was about 10 miles east of Havana when he saw a bright ball of orange in color. It appeared in the middle of the road about 1 mile ahead. Douglas Gowdy was with him. The object came toward them about one foot above pavement. It occupied the whole roadbed. Paul drove off the road and both men jumped out. No sound of heat."

     Crop Circle

     MILAN, Ill. (UPI) - Farmer James Lawson doesn't know what made the perfect 40 to 50 -foot circle in his cornfield and he isn't ready to accept it was a UFO.

     "I was just making my first trip (on a combine) through the field," Lawson said. "The first thing I thought of was a UFO.

     "I thought 'holy smokes, what is this?' "The corn stalks are flattened in neat rows and clockwise swirl, hidden from the nearest intersection but visible from inside the field.

     "It feels weird. There's no road coming in, " said Lawson, 70. "It could've been here quite a while but the ears are still on the stalks. Maybe it's been a month or so."

     Since 1980, more than 600 similar circles have been reported in Britain with 250 recorded in 1989. Crop circle reports have also come in from the Soviet Union, Japan and New England..."

     Carbondale, Illinois Southern Illinoisan October 18, 1973

     "It didn't make any noise," Downs said.

     Interested persons may reach Dean by mail at Phil's Catalogue, P.O. Box 177 West Terre Haute, IN 47885.

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