UFO History - November 23, 1953

 November 23, 1953 was an active day for those that follow Ufology. Not only did Guy B. Marquand, Jr., took a picture of what was originally described as a flying saucer, the USAF had an encounter with some type of craft off Lake Michigan. 

(Riverside UFO from National Archives)

Riverside, CA. 

Marquand originally claimed he took the picture along a mountain road, where he and two friends had watched a “flying saucer” fly by at a high rate of speed. Unfortunately, this sighting was later recanted and was an admitted hoax, although the investigation data from the time is a bit of a mess. 

The admitted hoax claimed that the object was a hubcap thrown in the air, yet, there are experts that have broke down the picture over time and claim that they don’t match the dimensions of the hubcap. 

Lake Superior, MI 

The headline reads “On Nov 23, 1953 A USAF Jet Disappears intercepting a UFO Sighting over Lake Michigan.”

Well not really, but that would be fitting. What is true is that on the evening of November 23, 1953 an Air Defense Command Ground Intercept radar controller at Truax AFB became alerted to an "unidentified target" over Soo Locks. A jet piloted by 1st Lieutenant Felix Moncla, Jr. was scrambled to intercept.

With ground control monitoring the situation and directing the pilot and his F-89 toward the object, the plane could not catch up. For roughly 30 minutes, Moncia followed over Lake Superior until the blips on the RADAR screen overlapped. Soon their biggest fears were realized when the blip disappeared and no targets remained on the scope. 

With no communications present and the last visual sighting being about seventy miles off Keweenaw Point in upper Michigan, a search and rescue team was dispatched. This came up empty as no trace of the plane or the pilot were ever found. No debris, no oil slick, nothing was ever found.

Officials at Norton Air Force Base Flying Safety Division issued a statement shrouded in speculation, that "the pilot probably suffered from vertigo and crashed into the lake." However, no evidence was presented to back this statement. 

The Air Force continued to speculate, first calling the unknown radar target at first as a Canadian DC-3, before changing it to a RCAF jet. Canadian officials threw water on this notion quickly claiming that there were no Canadian aircraft in the airspace over the lake at any time during the chase. 

Eventually, the Air Force finally changed the story; the F-89 had exploded at high altitude. A plausible explanation except for the lack of debris found by the initial search and rescue team. In fact, not much can be found about Moncia’s mission in official documents, with only brief mentions to Moncia and an unidentified target. 

Project Bluebook would eventually become involved, but in the end, even their files conclude that this tragedy was merely an accident. 

What do you think about these two classic UFO sightings? Accident, facts, fiction, hoaxes? Sound off and let us know.

The Magnetic Monster (1953)

This has been a couple of hot and humid days and unfortunately, it looks like I have to start my grass cutting odyssey all over. Man, that has been rough. But, after going to the Naro Cinema today to watch Jaws, I felt like watching a classic Sci-Fi flick.  So, I settled on the 1953 entry, the Magnetic Monster.

Plot: The Office of Scientific Investigation sends A-Men agents to investigate reports of unusual magnetic activity in various communities.

Having never watched this one before, I found this was one of the better low budget Sci-Fi  flicks of the era. This one featured some decent performances, an interesting (and intelligent) storyline, solid pacing, and a realistic approach to the subject matter. From director Ivan Tors (Science Fiction Theater), this one comes complete with an outstanding ending, making it one that should be seen. Yes,  the film did feel a little dated today, but for something that is pushing 70-years-old, it is well worth watching. CHECK IT OUT!

Invaders from Mars (1953)

I know, I know, I haven’t done one of these in what seems like forever (which is true). But, now, after having my batteries recharged, it is time to get back into the swing of things and start coming back into the blogosphere. Fortunately, I haven’t totally ignored my love of horror and Sci-Fi cinema over this absence, and now I have an extremely wide variety of films to choose from as I bring The Ringmaster’s Realm back to life. First up is a classic Sci-Fi tale, the 1953 entry Invaders from Mars.

Plot/ A young boy learns that space aliens are taking over the minds of earthlings.

Being one that had never experienced the original Invaders from Mars, I somewhat expected something close to the horrendous remake from my teens. Fortunately, what I found was something much better and entertaining. The atmosphere is perfect, the storytelling does a great job at capturing your attention form a child’s perspective, and the overarching theme of anti-Communism rings throughout in a way that plants the seed in your mind and conjures fears that today, many couldn’t fathom. Yes, there are some issues caused by the lower budget, but those are easy to overlook. The effects may not be great, the acting somewhat stiff, and there are quite a few holes that are hard to ignore, but overall, it is much better than it probably should have been. In the end, this movie is much more than the schlock classic that it is often referred to as. This is a well thought out and executed Sci-Fi flick from an era where the subtle meanings mattered more than the quality. If you have not seen it, find it and watch it. It runs circles around the sequel and is a must see for Sci-Fi fans.

House of Wax (1953)

While going through my Vincent Price collection this week, I have really taken a trip down memory lane. I grew up on his movies and they truly were my introduction into the horror genre. Looking back, I believe one of the first Price films that caught my imagination was House of Wax, a movie seemed to just stay with me and I could not wait to grab it when it came out on DVD.

Plot/ A sculptor of wax figures for a museum is horrified when his partner proposes setting fire to the unpopular museum in order to collect the insurance money. As the wax figures melt amid the blaze, the two men have a fight. The sculptor is knocked out in the scuffle and left to "perish" among the flames. He resurfaces many years later for the launch of his own wax museum. The opening coincides with the sudden disappearance of some dead bodies from the city morgue. His assistant begins to suspect his boss of foul play, especially after the deranged wizard of wax begins eyeing his assistant's lovely friend as a model for a waxed figure of Marie Antoinette.

House of Wax has a great and solid storyline, and is definitely one of the few 3D releases that does not have to rely on the special effects for it to be popular. While I do not believe this is Price’s greatest moment as an actor, it may be one of his most important and defining roles. This film started his path into horror history and is the foundation of his icon status (not to mention the influence left on the viewers). Complete with a very stylish and artistic feel, some creepy effects and some of the best early make-up, this movie is a classic and towers over the modern remake.