Ancillary Mercy полностью

Albert Bender dropped out of the UFO scene after this. Ten years later, he wrote a book that told a different story. In the late summer of 1953, wrote Bender, he was visited by three men. But these were not government agents; rather, they were aliens. They gave him an unusual piece of metal, similar to a coin, to help him communicate with them. He soon contacted the three beings again and was transported to a large room, perhaps a flying saucer. A being told him telepathically that their race would be here only briefly, in order to take “a valuable chemical from your seas.” He told Bender they had infiltrated “numerous places about your planet.” The being had initially appeared human to Bender but later showed its true hideous appearance. It warned Bender against “continued experimentation with radioactive material,” which

will undoubtedly have effects upon future generations. This could even lead to loss of reproductive capabilities, which could eventually leave your planet devoid of human life. These things are ahead of you and you must face them and solve these problems if you can. To us, your progress is of academic interest, but little more.

Bender soon found himself alone, lying on his bed. He was met with disbelief from a friend on the IFSB executive committee, and realized that he could not tell his story. He decided to tell the committee “part of the truth”: (1) that certain individuals had warned him against further investigation of UFOs; (2) they had impressive credentials; (3) they had revealed the secret of the saucers; (4) the saucer mystery was approaching a solution. After this fantastic statement, Albert Bender once again dropped out of sight, this time for good.²⁹

Perhaps Coral Lorenzen was right all along. Still, it is true that from late 1953 through early 1955, several UFO enthusiasts in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand left the field amid rumors they were silenced by MIBs.³⁰

SILENCING THE UFO

Whatever it was that silenced Albert Bender—aliens, government agents, lack of funds, or his own dementia—certain groups worked toward silencing the UFO problem. During the latter part of 1953, as the 4602nd AISS assumed greater responsibility for investigating UFO reports, the Pentagon and intelligence community continued to monitor the situation for leaks and to take additional measures to tighten the secrecy. Very little appeared to be as it seemed outwardly. For example, Harvard astronomer and professional UFO debunker Donald Menzel was in close touch with air force intelligence regarding UFOs. On October 16, Menzel wrote to Air Force Director of Intelligence Gen. John Samford that he was

planning to be in Washington on government business ... October 22 and 23 [1953] ... From various reports I judge that some of my explanations of flying saucers have been misinterpreted or misunderstood.... I should be delighted to meet with as many members of ATIC as find it convenient to come.³¹

On October 22, Menzel met at the Pentagon with representatives of the Air Force Headquarters and ATIC. The details of his meeting are not known. Of course, Keyhoe would undoubtedly have loved to know that Menzel was secretly corresponding with Samford and meeting with air force intelligence.

Two months later, the Air Force Headquarters representative from the meeting with Menzel wrote to the ADC deputy for intelligence regarding the new responsibilities of ADC. It was understood that the 4602nd would do the “leg work” of UFO investigations and provide ATIC with its findings. The letter also clearly stated how to handle truly unidentified sightings:

... As you realize, there is a 10 to 20 percent area of unexplained objects in this program ... we would like to offer you guidance in the publicity angle as it pertains to your activity ... if they can verify the object as a balloon, aircraft, helicopter, etc., go ahead and inform interested parties. However, for those times where the object is not explainable, it would be well to advise your people to say something on this order, “The information on this sighting will be analyzed by the Air Technical Intelligence Center at Dayton, Ohio,” and leave it go at that. If your people get into analyzing the 10 to 20 percent area to the public, every news media across the country will pick up the story.³²

This was a basic restatement of AFR 200-2, which ordered that no UFO information of value reach the public.