Walter Cronkite's amazing UFO story.

reply to post by icculus


Sometimes there's smoke and mirrors and sometimes there's smoke and fire. I would never have tried to dig up those old CBS News reports were it not for this thread but move along . . . . nothing happening here . . . . .

Originally posted by Visiting ESB
... comes from a respected journalist...

I grew up with WC also, but- I just have to ask... what the heck is a respected ( TV ) journalist ?

IMHO, talking heads talk because they know or think people want to listen to them.

Remember that Cronkite's alleged presence at the secret test is a textbook example of an ' embedded ' reporter.Suspect, therefore - to say the least.

Evenin' 2012DragonSlayer,

Originally posted by 2012DragonSlayer
reply to post by Frank Warren

 

can you link me to the article by Richard W. Heiden?
I cant seem to find it anywhere..

I'll post it tomorrow as I'm hitting the hay . . .

Cheers,
Frank

The Heiden article can be found here. Mr Cronkite's response to the fictional claims...

Dear Mr. Heiden:

The Enquirer article to which you refer was entirely fictitious. No such interview ever took place. I did not then and do not now give any credence whatever to the existence of UFOs. I cannot in any instance recall such a story as is claimed I told to Bill Knell regarding a missile test on a remote island. I am sure that if I had witnessed such an incident I would have at some point reported it -- most certainly in my book A Reporter's Life.

Sincerely,

Walter Cronkite

In looking, I came across an article by Salla where he refuses to retract the Cronkite story and continues to link to Knell's website. His credibility was minimal, now it's sub-zero. He distances himself from any criticism of Knell.

I know Mr Warren is big and ugly enough to take a compliment without balking. For every Frank Warren in Ufology, there's a dozen Michael Sallas and dozens of Bill Knells. There's maybe a dozen reputable Ufologists out there...the rest just draw ridicule and fools to the subject.

Hello Frank, due some searching regarding this thread I stumbled on this.

It’s written by Terry Hansen.

In my book, The Missing Times, I reported on new evidence that CBS TV was among the CIA's “media assets” that participated in this covert UFO-debunking program. In 1966, CBS broadcast UFOs: Friend, Foe or Fantasy, narrated by Walter Cronkite, as part of its “CBS Reports” documentary series. Cronkite assured his viewers, using false and misleading information, that all UFO reports were due to mistaken perceptions.

In short, there was nothing for the public to worry about, he said. A hand-written letter by Robertson Panel member Dr. Thornton Page, discovered in the Smithsonian's archives by Prof. Michael Swords confirms the CIA's long-suspected role in the program. In a 1966 letter, Page related to a CIA associate that he “helped organize the CBS TV show around the Robertson Panel's conclusions.”

Was this the only such case? How likely is it that the Robertson Panel waited 13 years before calling upon one of its media assets to debunk UFOs, only did this once, and somehow managed to get caught red-handed the first and only time? It is far more likely that the CBS program was just one of many such covert propaganda initiatives carried out over the years since the Robertson Panel made its recommendations.

www.theblackvault.com...(by_Terry_Hansen,_02-24-2009)

I wonder why that link doesn't work.

Do you know something about this?
Then, suppose that what Terry Hansen said there is true, that CBS TV was among the CIA's “media assets” that participated in a covert UFO-debunking program, could that not explain why Walter Cronkite denied everything he said to Bill Knell regarding his encounter back then?
Because you think twice in my opinion, before you mess around with the CIA.
Just a thought.

I did not then and do not now give any credence whatever to the
existence of UFOs.

I cannot in any instance recall such a story as is claimed I
told to Bill Knell regarding a missile test on a remote island.
I am sure that if I had witnessed such an incident I would have
at some point reported it -- most certainly in my book A
Reporter=92s Life.

Here's a recent note from Robert Hastings, no CIA tool, about this on-going controversy:

On Jul 18, 2009, at 6:17 PM, Robert Hastings wrote:


Dr. Salla,

Classic! Precisely what I would expect from you. The Cronkite story was discredited years ago. Bill Knell?! You are actually citing Bill Knell as a credible source of information?! Why don't you do your homework before you publish or blurt out this kind of nonsense.

As I told you once before, my well-grounded research on the UFO-Nukes Connection can only be harmed by your mentioning it in your incompetently-researched articles. In my view, your public utterances have set back legitimate UFO research by decades.

Ever hear of Richard Hall? He died yesterday. You and your ilk would benefit from reading what credible persons--research giants such as Hall--have published over the years. IMHO, the corrosive effect of your influence is every bit as damaging to the UFO-disclosure process as the disingenuous UFO-debunking articles regularly offered-up by CSICOP/CSI.

I cringe every time I hear someone associate my work with what you publish. Please don't do me any more favors.

Robert Hastings
ufohastings.com

Originally posted by spacevisitor
Hello Frank, due some searching regarding this thread I stumbled on this.

It’s written by Terry Hansen.

In my book, The Missing Times, I reported on new evidence that CBS TV was among the CIA's “media assets” that participated in this covert UFO-debunking program. In 1966, CBS broadcast UFOs: Friend, Foe or Fantasy, narrated by Walter Cronkite, as part of its “CBS Reports” documentary series. Cronkite assured his viewers, using false and misleading information, that all UFO reports were due to mistaken perceptions.

In short, there was nothing for the public to worry about, he said. A hand-written letter by Robertson Panel member Dr. Thornton Page, discovered in the Smithsonian's archives by Prof. Michael Swords confirms the CIA's long-suspected role in the program. In a 1966 letter, Page related to a CIA associate that he “helped organize the CBS TV show around the Robertson Panel's conclusions.”....

I wonder who this 'CIA Associate' Page refers to was supposed to be? Page was an eminent astrophysicist, concentrating on the origin of galaxies, who was also interested in why people believed in UFOs. He co-authored a book with Carl Sagan, "UFOs - A Scientific Debate'. As far as I could tell from my 20+ years professional and personal association with him here at the NASA Johnson Space Center, where he was a 'visiting scientist', he followed nobody's agenda on UFOs. There is no evidence his advice to the CBS program, based on his book with Sagan, had any imprimatur of the CIA, nor did it need any. This is more madness.

Originally posted by JimOberg
Here's a recent note from Robert Hastings, no CIA tool, about this on-going controversy:

On Jul 18, 2009, at 6:17 PM, Robert Hastings wrote:


Dr. Salla,

Classic! Precisely what I would expect from you. The Cronkite story was discredited years ago. Bill Knell?! You are actually citing Bill Knell as a credible source of information?! Why don't you do your homework before you publish or blurt out this kind of nonsense.

As I told you once before, my well-grounded research on the UFO-Nukes Connection can only be harmed by your mentioning it in your incompetently-researched articles. In my view, your public utterances have set back legitimate UFO research by decades.

Ever hear of Richard Hall? He died yesterday. You and your ilk would benefit from reading what credible persons--research giants such as Hall--have published over the years. IMHO, the corrosive effect of your influence is every bit as damaging to the UFO-disclosure process as the disingenuous UFO-debunking articles regularly offered-up by CSICOP/CSI.

I cringe every time I hear someone associate my work with what you publish. Please don't do me any more favors.

Robert Hastings
ufohastings.com

Thanks, but I did read that already in the discussion here.

www.examiner.com...

News was in black and white in 73? I thought surely it was color by that time?!?

Originally posted by JimOberg

Originally posted by spacevisitor
Hello Frank, due some searching regarding this thread I stumbled on this.

It’s written by Terry Hansen.

In my book, The Missing Times, I reported on new evidence that CBS TV was among the CIA's “media assets” that participated in this covert UFO-debunking program. In 1966, CBS broadcast UFOs: Friend, Foe or Fantasy, narrated by Walter Cronkite, as part of its “CBS Reports” documentary series. Cronkite assured his viewers, using false and misleading information, that all UFO reports were due to mistaken perceptions.

In short, there was nothing for the public to worry about, he said. A hand-written letter by Robertson Panel member Dr. Thornton Page, discovered in the Smithsonian's archives by Prof. Michael Swords confirms the CIA's long-suspected role in the program. In a 1966 letter, Page related to a CIA associate that he “helped organize the CBS TV show around the Robertson Panel's conclusions.”....

I wonder who this 'CIA Associate' Page refers to was supposed to be? Page was an eminent astrophysicist, concentrating on the origin of galaxies, who was also interested in why people believed in UFOs. He co-authored a book with Carl Sagan, "UFOs - A Scientific Debate'. As far as I could tell from my 20+ years professional and personal association with him here at the NASA Johnson Space Center, where he was a 'visiting scientist', he followed nobody's agenda on UFOs. There is no evidence his advice to the CBS program, based on his book with Sagan, had any imprimatur of the CIA, nor did it need any. This is more madness.

Here is what I consider madness, watch this video.

Originally posted by fls13
This is terrific stuff!

It’s one of those CBS broadcasts: Friend, Foe or Fantasy UFO shows, narrated by Walter Cronkite.

See and listen how the by the Air Force send “chief scientific consultant on UFO’s”, Prof. J Allen Hynek explains ?????? the earlier in the program reported by many witnessed sightings at 4:20

Then, if that is not enough madness, see and listen to what the before congressional committee called Air Force secretary Harold Brown said about the phenomenon at 6:20

Originally posted by spacevisitor
It’s written by Terry Hansen.

In my book, The Missing Times, I reported on new evidence that CBS TV was among the CIA's “media assets” that participated in this covert UFO-debunking program. In 1966, CBS broadcast UFOs: Friend, Foe or Fantasy, narrated by Walter Cronkite, as part of its “CBS Reports” documentary series. Cronkite assured his viewers, using false and misleading information, that all UFO reports were due to mistaken perceptions.

It’s one of those CBS broadcasts: Friend, Foe or Fantasy UFO shows, narrated by Walter Cronkite.

See and listen how the by the Air Force send “chief scientific consultant on UFO’s”, Prof. J Allen Hynek explains ?????? the earlier in the program reported by many witnessed sightings at 4:20

Then, if that is not enough madness, see and listen to what the before congressional committee called Air Force secretary Harold Brown said about the phenomenon at 6:20

I thought the CBS documentary was pretty even handed. I think Hansen's analysis is off, Cronkite says in his summation to keep an open mind on UFOs.

There's some marvelous history captured in the doc. The Michigan sightings reported on were the ones that led to Hynek's infamous Swamp Gas theory and to Gerald Ford calling for the Congressional investigation. Hynek comes off as open minded and we now know he became shortly after the most famous "defector" in Ufology.

The appearance of a very young Carl Sagan, more than a decade before Cosmos, with the same anti-people/anti-religion/science is God rap he maintained until he died was a sight to see.

There was too much time spent with contactees, and a lot of time spent on radar/NORAD. Of course the NORAD material was all a blatant lie. Any one with a passing knowledge of UFOs knows there have been many radar hits over the years.

The gentleman named Frank from Michigan was a compelling witness/interview subject. All in all, I think the documentary is a must see.

A Top Secret craft being witnessed by reporters.
Not likely.
The UFO craft, Tesla, ET or otherwise, is hidden from the Air Force.
Freezing motors and causing electrical radiation harm to people and
cattle are all the known UFO craft effects.

Said events posturing from the Tesla UFO people seems unlikely.

A good example of what not to place your hat on.

Oh, belief in aliens is being supported here so its fictitious.
He happily reported all the Moon landings as shown on a TV spot
that aired this morning, from the man most trusted in America.

Originally posted by fls13
I thought the CBS documentary was pretty even handed. I think Hansen's analysis is off, Cronkite says in his summation to keep an open mind on UFOs.

There's some marvelous history captured in the doc. The Michigan sightings reported on were the ones that led to Hynek's infamous Swamp Gas theory and to Gerald Ford calling for the Congressional investigation. Hynek comes off as open minded and we now know he became shortly after the most famous "defector" in Ufology.

Don’t understand me wrong, I agree that there is indeed some marvellous history captured in that doc.
But see how that doc in reality unfolds itself back then.
First, you get the impression that they let on a serious looking manner some average decent people like as you said gentleman Frank from Michigan telling there experiences of the sightings/encounter they had.
However, right after that, in the same show, they, the Air Force debunk it all away, humiliate thereby those people and make them look like fools (what is exactly the intention) to the entire show-watching crowd of which amazingly enough most believed what the Air Force said about the UFO phenomenon then and obviously still do.
And see how frank was treated after he had come forward.

That is what I meant regarding madness.
Therefore, it would not surprise me at all that Terry Hansen’s claim that CBS TV was among the CIA's “media assets” that participated in this covert UFO-debunking program could be right, although I gladly would see his evidence for that.

Originally posted by TeslaandLyne
A Top Secret craft being witnessed by reporters.
Not likely.

As said in the article, the reporters where not invited there to see the test of A Top Secret craft, they where invited there to see the test of a new Air Force missile.

Originally posted by spacevisitor
Don’t understand me wrong, I agree that there is indeed some marvellous history captured in that doc.
But see how that doc in reality unfolds itself back then.
First, you get the impression that they let on a serious looking manner some average decent people like as you said gentleman Frank from Michigan telling there experiences of the sightings/encounter they had.
However, right after that, in the same show, they, the Air Force debunk it all away, humiliate thereby those people and make them look like fools (what is exactly the intention) to the entire show-watching crowd of which amazingly enough most believed what the Air Force said about the UFO phenomenon then and obviously still do.
And see how frank was treated after he had come forward.

That is what I meant regarding madness.
Therefore, it would not surprise me at all that Terry Hansen’s claim that CBS TV was among the CIA's “media assets” that participated in this covert UFO-debunking program could be right, although I gladly would see his evidence for that.

CBS did come up short in terms of presenting solid witness accounts/evidence that was already available in 1966. The only witnesses they really talked to were the Michigan people and contactees, which is unfortunate. They did feature Keyhoe and his credentials which were solid. The USAF lies in the show were pretty blatant. Keyhoe was proved right.

When Cronkite spoke, people where influenced in those days and he maintained an open mind throughout and suggested the audience do the same about the phenomenon. It is a documentary worthy of watching, a genuine piece of UFO history and thanks again for starting this thread because I wouldn't have found it otherwise.