Encounters: The UFO Phenomenon, Exposed!

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From: rutkows@ccu.umanitoba.ca (Chris Rutkowski) Newsgroups: alt.paranet.ufo Subject: Report on Falcon Lake Case Summary: A 1980 report on the Falcon Lake case is made available Keywords: ufo,Canada,medical,contact,burns Date: 15 Jul 93 19:25:06 GMT Organization: University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada Note: The following research paper was written in 1980 by Chris Rutkowski, as a review of the known facts of the Falcon Lake CE2 case which occurred on May 20, 1967. Because of the recent interest in the case as a result of a re-creation which was broadcast on NBC on the program Unsolved Mysteries in 1992 and 1993, this original report is being made available to interested researchers and net readers. Although largely unknown, the case may well be the most significant in North America because of the intense investigations by the USAF, RCAF, RCMP and civilian groups, and because of the amount of physical eveidence and physiological effects upon the witness. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- THE FALCON LAKE INCIDENT ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ By Chris Rutkowski Copyright 1980 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [Note: This reprint was rekeyed using standard ascii on July 9, 1993 by Robert McGeachy, sysop of HST BBS in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada ( * Origin: HST BBS: FidoNet,Odyssey,MufoNet,ParaNet(sm) 837-7227 (1:348/712), with permission from the original author.] ----------------------------------------------------------------- Acknowledgements ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Special thanks are due to Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Michalak, without whom this essay could not have been written. I also wish to thank the following individuals for their assistance and encouragement: Dr. Norm Davison; Ms. Bonnie Lindstrom; Dr. Berthold E. Schwarz; Dr. Sunil K. Sen and Mr. Vladimir Simosko. Finally, a word of thanks to my (original) typist, Ms. Charlotte Katz. ----------------------------------------------------------------- TABLE OF CONTENTS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PAGE Abstract ........................................... 1 Introduction ....................................... 1 Physical Effects: The Site ........................ 2 The Radiation ...................................... 5 The Metal .......................................... 8 The Physiological Effects .......................... 10 The Mayo Clinic .................................... 13 The Investigations ................................. 15 The Government Covers Up? .......................... 17 Psychological Effects .............................. 18 The Hoax? .......................................... 20 Conclusions ........................................ 23 Epilogue ........................................... 25 Footnotes and References ........................... 27 Newspaper Articles on Michalak: UFOROM Collection .. 30 A Falcon Lake Bibliography ......................... 31 Further References ................................. 34 [Note: Page numbers are included in text only to conform with the Table Of Contents. (Rob M.)] ----------------------------------------------------------------- ABSTRACT ~~~~~~~~ On May 20, 1967, Stephen Michalak claimed he was burned by a strange craft, just north of the town of Falcon Lake. Much literature has been published regarding the incident, and this essay attempts to evaluate the findings to date, as well as examine the evidence as it exists. INTRODUCTION ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Something happened to Steve Michalak on the Victoria Day long weekend. His amateur prospecting was cut short by an encounter with a landed UFO. To this day, no definite conclusions have been reached regarding his experience, and his story has started to get garbled in publication over the years. Was it a hoax? Was it exactly as reported, and true? The final proof is yet to be found, but there is an astonishing amount of evidence to show that something occurred on a rock outcropping near a swampy area of the forest near the resort. Michalak's account has appeared in several books and journals in various forms. For accuracy and the best detail, the reader is suggested to try to obtain Michalak's own long-out-of-print book. But barring that, any one of several UFO books carries the story in sufficient quality to understand the case to a good degree, for example, Lorenzen (1969, 1976), Condon (1969), Story (1980) or Bondarchuk (1979). This writer will not reiterate the case account for that reason, as this is a survey of the literature and the research. This article is as accurate as possible, the result of the re-opened investigation of the case by UFOROM (Ufology Research of Manitoba), involving some new evidence and research conducted over the past few years. There is still much to be done, and many unanswered questions exist which could effectively aid in the determination of truth. It is felt that the Michalak case is one of the most significant on record, and may hold the key for future research. 1 ----------------------------------------------------------------- PHYSICAL EFFECTS: THE SITE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Condon Report found cause for concern with Michalak's inability to find the site while in the presence of officials.(1) Michalak went on two expeditions before finding the site with Mr. G. A. Hart, a personal acquaintance. Indeed, Menzel and Taves cite this as a prime reason for labelling the case a hoax.(2) However, Michalak has stated that the locating of the site presented several difficulties. First, when the incident occurred, the trees and bushes were devoid of leaves. When returned to the area, Michalak said he was disoriented because the leaves were opened. This is a common complaint of individuals who hike in wooded areas, and _can_ be regarded as a logical reason for experiencing difficulty in finding the site. In addition, Michalak said that for the first expedition, he was transported to the area by helicopter, and was told to find the site from the anonymous location where they landed. The second expedition began from a point suggested to be Michalak's exit from the bush following his encounter. Again, it was unsuccessful, due to the leaves' thickening and also Michalak's unsettled state of mind and body. These explanations by Michalak can be accepted as reasonable, and are sufficiently sensible so as to eliminate a negative judgement on the case based _solely_ on the inability to locate the site with official investigators. Disorientation in the wilderness can definitely be a problem in the locating of specific sites. There is no question, however, that the site can be easily located when found by proper trailblazing. The usual method of finding the site is to head north from the Falcon Lake townsite and follow a creek around large rock outcroppings until the bare rockface is seen. The numerous beaver dams and claims markers in the area can be used as reference points. Also interesting is that the actual site is within direct view of a forest ranger tower. Craig reports that the forest ranger on duty at the time of the incident did not observe either the landing or flight of the UFO's, or the smoke which resulted from the ignition of grass by the landed UFO.(3) While this would seem to effectively flaw Michalak's story, one must remember that the individual in the tower would not be looking in the direction of the site constantly. However, the object was landed for at least 45 minutes, and if it gleamed in the sun or emitted an "intense purple light" (as it was said to have done), it is puzzling as to why the individual in the tower did not see it. Another problem that the Condon Report found was the reported direction that the object departed. This direction was 255 degrees, and it is immediately obvious that such a bearing would have the object fly away from most corroborating observers. It was noted, however, that the bearing would have the object pass within a mile of the local golf course.(4) No objects were seen by the golfers, though, again, if the speed of the UFO was great, this is not necessarily unusual. Condon also noted that the northward-opening gap in the trees was inconsistent with the 255 degree bearing. However, Michalak clearly stated that the object rose vertically before departing, so this argument is not valid. Barrie Thompson, an APRO investigator (and a CAPRO "liaison"), was one of the first to accompany Michalak to the site. He reported that location of the site was not that difficult, and that the early expeditions to the site were led astray by basic errors. Interestingly, both Thompson(5) and Michalak(6) reported a large amount of destroyed vegetation around the site. Thompson even described circular lesions on many leaves in the area (the leaves, he says, were all taken by the government before any civilian analysis could be done). 4 ----------------------------------------------------------------- THE RADIATION ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Much was made of the finding of radioactive debris at the site. This fact alone suggested to many people that Michalak was suffering from radiation poisoning. The radiation detected was from soil samples brought back to Winnipeg by Michalak and an associate, after they had finally located the site. They had placed Michalak's torn shirt and tape measure in plastic bags, and put these together with the soil samples in the same knapsack. When the items were given to officials for examination, the shirt and tape measure were naturally found to be radioactive as well.(7) Michalak mentions that Stewart Hunt of the Department of Health and Welfare informed him that the soil anaysis "showed radiation".(8) When Hunt went to the site and checked for radiation, he found: "One small area ... contaminated ... across the crown at the rock. There was a smear of contamination about 0.5 x 8.0 inches on one side of the crack. There was also some lichen and ground vegetation contaminated just beyond the smear. The whole contaminated area was no larger than 100 square inches."(9) The origin of this radiation is in some doubt. Whatever its cause, it was of sufficient quantity for the Radiation Protection Division to consider "restricting entry to the forest area."(10) Beyond the areas located by Hunt, there was no radiation above the normal background. But the soil analysis showed a "significant" level of radium 226, for which there was no explanation.(11) It was suggested that the radium had come from a luminous watch dial, the dial having been scraped onto the site. However, no evidence could be found to support this contention.(12) Analyses performed by the Whiteshell Nuclear Research Establishment showed that the radioactivity in the samples was that of "natural uranium ore". This included counts of both alpha and gamma particles. One 190 KeV photopeak was originally thought to be anomalous, and due to enrichment of uranium 235. While this would seem to indicate something other than natural uranium, the isotopes were found to actually be present within the expected normal ratios.(13) To check further on the soil radiation, in June of 1979, a re-analysis was carried out with a lithium-drifted germanium detector at the University of Manitoba. The results showed that all the energies detected could be adequately explained by the decay of natural uranium.(14) It is speculated that confusion may have resulted from overlooking the fact that U238 decays eventually into radon, a gas. Radon, of course, decays further into other elements, but the observed energies indicated a lower abundance than what would be expected. The reason for this, though simple, may not have been immediately obvious: radon is a gas, and will dissipate. Therefore, abundances of elements later in the decay chain will be much less than if the previous elements were solids. Identification of the 190 KeV peak as "abnormally high" may have been an oversight. The theory of radium 226 was related to this peak. Assigning elements to each of the peaks is a trying job, and often, two elements will give nearly the same peak, often at the same intensity. This process is much like a jigsaw puzzle, and is somewhat open to interpretation, as it depends on variables such as the resolution, the efficiency and the capability of the analyser used. However, while the 190 KeV photopeak is not necessarily unusual, there are two very strong x-rays which are hard to identify. These appear at about 80 and 84 KeV. They may be caused by some radionuclide decay in the U238 chain (possibly by the emitted alpha particle affecting an electron). This, too, depends on abundance and the specific energies involved. Despite this, there is little evidence to indicate that the site was "seeded" with radium from an old watch dial. The observed radioactivity can be considered as due to natural uranium decay. This, of course, raises the question of why the Department of Health and Welfare would consider closing off the area from such radioactivity. The early tests by individuals at the University of Manitoba are trying to be located. These would be helpful, since it is possible that at that time (in 1967), there may have been different peaks detected from elements with short half- lives. It will be noted, though, that the Whiteshell results, done in 1968, showed nothing other than the 1979 run, so this may suggest that the early analysis yielded the same results. Again, however, there exists disagreement. A CAPRO investigator claims that Hunt's check of the site showed a much higher level of radiation than was reported.(15) It was suggested that the bulk of the radioactive material was in a rock fissure across the site, this being either missed or ignored by official investigators. This is most relevant to a review of the metal analysis. 7 ----------------------------------------------------------------- THE METAL ~~~~~~~~~ The metal is quite curious. A year after his encounter, Michalak returned to the landing site with an associate. With a geiger counter, they found two "W-shaped" silver bars, four and a half inches in length, and several other smaller chunks of the same material. All this was found two inches under some lichen in a crack in the rock, over which the UFO was said to hover. Analysis showed that the silver was of "high purity", and contained low amounts of copper and cadmium. Craig commented that the composition was "similar to that found in commercially available sterling silver or sheet silver."(16) Cannon contradicted this, saying the silver concentration was "much higher than would normally be found in native silver or commercially produced silver such as sterling or coinage."(17) The reported percentage of copper, however, at one or two per cent, is agreeable with that of commercial silver, though is indeed less than many specimens. The metal showed signs of heating and bending, and it was speculated that it was "molded" into its present shape. Support for the heating theory also comes from the fine quartz crystals which were found to be imbedded in the outer layer of the silver. The sand was similar to typical foundry sand, covering all of one bar and half of the other. But the _very_ odd thing about the silver bars was their radioactivity. The bars were also covered with small crystals of a uranium silicate mineral and pitchblende, as well as feldspar and hematite. These particles are held to the silver by a sticky "moist" substance, and could be removed by washing with ethanol and brushing with a soft camel hair brush.(18) Again, the two theories of Ra226 and U238 contrasted each other. But the same arguments apply. Since radium 226 is a by- product of U238 decay, it is even possible that both theories are correct, though traceable to U238. The problem, however, is not the actual radioactive mechanism on the silver, but why it was missed earlier by other individuals. The Department of Health and Welfare went to the site on more than one occasion, and checked the site thoroughly. Why was the silver not located? 9 ----------------------------------------------------------------- THE PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The most noted elements of the incident are the many severe physiological effects Mickalak experienced. When the object took off, Michalak was burned by a blast of heat or heated gas which came from a grill-like opening in front of him. His shirt and undershirt caught fire, burning his upper chest. He tore off these items and stamped them out, not wanting to cause a forest fire. Walking back to where the object had been, he felt nauseated, and had a strong headache. He broke out in a cold sweat, and began vomiting. Red marks began to appear on his chest and abdomen, burning and irritating. He logically set out for Falcon Lake in search of medical aid, wearing no shirt or jacket. He eventually made it back to Winnipeg, where he was examined at the Misericordia Hospital. He did not tell the examining physician what had happened, only that he had been burned by "exhaust coming out of an aeroplane". This was on May 20th. On the 22nd, Michalak's family physician examined him, and said that the first-degree burns on his abdomen were not very serious. He prescribed 292's for the pain and sea-sickness tablets for the nausea. Michalak went to a radiologist on the 23rd, who found no evidence of radiation trauma. A whole-body count taken a week later at the Whiteshell Nuclear Research Establishment also showed no radiation above normal background. The burns on Michalak's abdomen were diagnosed as thermal in origin. The curious geometric pattern of the burns led some skeptics to speculate that Michalak had fallen onto a "hot barbeque grill".(19) Over the next few days, Michalak reported that he lost 22 pounds from his normal weight of 180. However, his physician could not verify this weight loss, since he had not seen him for over a year. Yet, judging from the fact that Michalak reported an inability to hold food down, in one week, his weight loss could have been considerable. Also reported was a drop in his blood lymphocyte count from 25 to 16 percent, returning to normal after a period of four weeks. These two counts were six days apart, but were associated with normal platelet counts on both occasions. This contributes to the argument against the theory of radiation exposure. A CAPRO investigator claims that the actual drop was from 25 to 6 percent, although this is not supported by medical evidence.(20) There is some evidence to indicate that the red "welts" or burns went through periods of fading and recurrence, a most unusual medical situation. Because of the suggestion of radiation at the site, it was quickly suggested that the welts were radiation burns. This, however, is quite incorrect. Radiation was also blamed for the "awful stench" which seemed to "come from within" Michalak's body. It was suggested that a quick dose of gamma rays may have deteriorated the food he had just eaten, giving him a vile odor and causing him to vomit "green bile".(21) Individuals consulted on this, however, say that such a strong burst of gammas would have deteriorated _Michalak_, not just his digested food! Another physiological effect was the "insect bites" rash which appeared on Michalak's upper torso. Craig reported that the rash was "the result of insect bites and was not connected with the alleged UFO experience."(22) An RCAF Corporal, Davis, reported that he had been bitten by black flies when he was with Michalak searching for the site. Medical reports show that Michalak had "skin infections", "having hive-like areas with impetiginous centers". Later he had "generalized urticaria" (hives) and felt weak, dizzy and nauseated on several occasions. Several times, he was examined for "numbness" and swelling of the joints. A hematologist's report showed that Michalak's blood had "no abnormal physical findings", but had "some atypical lymphoid cells in the marrow plus a moderate increase in the number of plasma cells." This is in some contradiction to several sources (e.g. Naud, 1978) which claim that there were "impurities" in Michalak's blood. It is obvious that the reported irregularities in his blood would not in themselves be the cause for his condition. The swelling of his body, however, strongly suggests an allergic reaction of some sort. After an apparent reoccurrence of his swelling at work on Sept. 21, 1967, Michalak reported that doctors diagnosed his affliction as "the result of some allergy". The events leading up to this diagnosis had Michalak feel "a burning sensation" around his neck and chest. Then, there was a "burning" in his throat and his body "turned violet". His hands swelled "like a balloon", his vision failed and he lapsed into unconciousness.(23) Later, he described how sometimes his wrists swelled so much that they filled his shirt cuffs.(24) What sort of allergy did Michalak have? 12 THE MAYO CLINIC ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In August of 1968, Michalak went to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. The purpose of his visit was to undergo tests to determine exactly what was ailing him, as the doctors in Winnipeg appeared to be unhelpful. It is worthy of note that Michalak paid for the Mayo tests entirely on his own, as Canadian Medicare would not cover such a trip. He went and stayed at a hotel near the hospital, walking across each day and entering as an outpatient. He reported that he was given a thorough physical and psychological examination by various doctors, then sent home. But, the problems began. Michalak has bills from the Clinic made out to "Mr. S. Michalak", and also his registration card. He waited for several weeks, but received no word on his results. CAPRO investigators appealed to APRO for help, and a medical consultant sent a letter to the Mayo Clinic, asking for the medical reports. In reply, he was sent the now-famous "letter of denial", which bluntly said that Michalak had _never been registered_ there, and that they didn't "know anything about him."(25) This immediately spurred the shouts of "cover-up!" from individuals who learned of the letter, and rightly so, as this appeared to be a deliberate attempt to mislead the investigation. Was this a cover-up, or just a matter of incompetence? It perhaps was neither. Medical ethics is a very serious concern, and few realize the "red tape" which has been set up for both the protection of the doctor and the patient. There is a very great danger in releasing confidential files to unauthorized personnel (and this applies, obviously, to other fields as well, including ufology). Another letter to the Mayo Clinic was sent, this time accompanied by a release form signed by Michalak. The reports came immediately. Michalak had been found to be in good health but with neurodematitis and simple syncope (fainting spells due to sudden cerebral blood pressure losses).(26) The syncope was suggested as having to do with hyperventilation or impaired cardiac output. This is interesting, as Michalak has indeed had heart problems within the past few years. The psychiatric report showed that despite the usual generalizations normally assigned to individuals giving a detailed UFO encounter story, there was no other evidence of delusions, hallucinations or other emotional disorders. It seems that there was nothing wrong with Michalak. He had no ailment _directly_ related to an encounter with a UFO. 14 --------------------------------------------------------------- THE INVESTIGATIONS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Michalak called the Winnipeg Tribune late Saturday afternoon of the holiday long weekend. It was not surprising that no one would help him then. But, the next evening (May 21), Heather Chisvin, a Tribune reporter, interviewed Michalak for the first time. She was the first one to talk to him about the experience, and her article must be considered as the first account uninfluenced by later documentation.(27) The first investigator on the scene, however, was Barrie Thompson, who had read the account in the newspaper, and immediately contacted Michalak. Thompson's investigation, on behalf of APRO, began the series of civilian UFO investigations. Michalak notes that "after hearing my story, he stated his belief that the craft was not an earthly creation." Michalak praised Thompson on several occasions, as "he was the first person who took my story seriously."(28) Soon, the Michlak household was in turmoil. Calls came in at all hours of the day and night, people dropped in at any time, and letters poured in. The CAPRO investigations included taking Michalak to get a body radiation count, and encouraging him to take other tests. One misleading bit of information said that Michalak had been to a clinical hypnotist and that he had been hypnotically regressed. While both statements are true, the clinical hypnotist had in fact only interviewed Michalak and not put him under. A tape of Michalak's hypnosis is in existance, however, but the session was conducted, apparently, by an amateur, who was a reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press at the time. (This issue is not fully resolved, as others insist that a clinical hypnotist was involved. Until the original hypnosis tape and/or transcript is published or given voluntarily to present-day researchers, the case still has gaps that need filling.) The RCAF investigations were under the direction of Sqd. Ld. P. Bissky, who came to the personal conclusion that the case was a hoax.(29) He told researchers that the RCAF conclusions were all available in Ottawa for perusal. Indeed, some documents are contained in the DND files, and have been obtained by several ufologists. A rather carefully-worded statement is in the National Research Council's Non-Meteoric Sightings File, DND 222, saying, "Neither the DND, nor the RCMP investigation teams were able to provide evidence which could dispute Mr. Michalak's story."(30) RCMP analysis by its forensic lab were "unable to reach any conclusion as to what may have caused the burn damage" to Michalak's clothing.(31) A theory came out, suggesting that the radiation at the site might have been caused by radium paint, possibly from someone scraping a watch dial around the site.(32) This is interesting. Was this just a candid comment, or did it suggest that there was a truly abnormal level of Ra226 at the site at the time? If so, why was it not detected in later soil analyses? 16 ---------------------------------------------------------------- THE GOVERNMENT COVERS UP? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Apart from the Mayo Clinic "cover-up", the Canadian Government seemed to refuse access to information on the incident in 1967. On June 29th, 1967, it was reported that Mr. Edward Schreyer, then an MP, asked about UFO investigations in the Commons.(33) The Speaker of the House "cut off the subject without government reply." On November 6th, 1967, Defence Minister, Leo Cadieux, stated that "it is not the intention of the Department of National Defence to make public the report of the alleged sighting."(34) This was in response to requests by several cabinet members to obtain information on the incident. On 11 Nov. 1967, it was reported that Mr. Schreyer formally placed a written question on the Commons order paper seeking information on UFO's.(35) The closed-mouth attitude of the government was not ignored by the press, which prompted several comments about it. About the case, one editor noted: "The attempt to keep it concealed can have only one effect - it will give the UFO legend another boost."(36) Of course, he was precisely correct. On 14 October 1968, House Leader Donald MacDonald again refused an MP, this time Mr. Barry Mather, access to reports on the Michalak case.(37) However, on 6 Feb. 1969, Mather was given permission by a member of the Privy Council to examine their file on UFO's "from which a few pages have simply been removed." It was reported that outright release of the file "would not be in the public interest," and create a dangerous precedent that would not contribute to the good administration of the country's business."(38) Bondarchuk (1979) reports that "portions of the complete government report are available for public scrutiny" at the NRC in Ottawa. However, "noticeably missing are the RCMP study of the burned items, as well as the government's final conclusion, if indeed one exists."(39) 17 --------------------------------------------------------------- PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mention of the psychological aspects of the Michalak case must be made. Why, for example, did Michalak call a newspaper office for assistance? This one piece of evidence alone has served to convince some individuals that the case was a hoax and that Michalak was only looking for publicity. By the time Michalak made it back to his motel, he was exhausted. In his own words: "I did not go inside the motel for fear of contaminating people around me ... I felt detached from the rest of the world ... The pain was unbearable ... the odour seemed to come from within me, and I could not escape it ... I was afraid that I had ruined my health and visualized the resulting hell should I have become disabled ... my mind centered on the possible consequences ... "...there had to be some way of getting medical attention ... I thought of the press. Things that happened to me were definitely news, if nothing else ... I did not want to alarm my wife, or cause a panic in the family. I phoned her as a last resort, telling her that I had been in an accident ..."(40) Michalak felt that it was his "duty" to report the incident, and was initially unafraid of ridicule. However, since then, he and his family have become somewhat defensive about the incident, and get irritated to hear of skeptical accounts in print. Indeed, it is this writer's personal impression that Michalak is a very sincere individual. Also, psychiatrists could not find any evidence of emotional or mental illness in the man. 19 --------------------------------------------------------------- THE HOAX? ~~~~~~~~~ Would Michalak have gone to so much trouble to perpetrate a hoax? There is no question that he bcame seriously ill, and even today displays some effects. If we can assume that Michalak burned himself while concocting his hoax, would he have then repeatedly pursued medical assistance and gone to the Mayo Clinic to make it look good? One physics professor at the University of Manitoba, now deceased, believed that Michalak was experimenting with toy rockets, which exploded due to mishandling. He also suggested that he was amateurishly trying to hit two chunks of uranium together to make a homemade bomb(!). The grid-like pattern on his body was caused by the grill he was using as a support. This totally unfounded theory ignored most of the known facts of the case. An RCAF spokesman was convinced that Michalak was drunk and had fallen on a hot barbeque grill. One immediate objection to this is that such an act would give exactly the _reverse_ impression of burns actually found on Michalak's body. Menzel's impression has already been related, claiming the case to be a hoax because Michalak could not find the site when with the Condon investigators. Ray Craig, the Condon Committee's investigator, concluded that: "If (Michalak's) reported experience were physically real, it would show the existence of alien flying vehicles in our environment."(41) He noted "inconsistencies and incongruities", and said that even with some of the other evidence associated with the case, he would have to stick to his "initial conclusion", namely that "this case does not offer probative information regarding inconventional (sic) craft."(42) Despite this apparently negative conclusion, the index of the report lists the case as an _unexplained sighting_. Craig found reason to question that the metal samples found by Michalak would have been missed by early investigators at the site. Stewart Hunt of the Department of Health and Welfare described his examination of the area as "a thorough survey", using three different radiation counters. It is definitely odd that the metal chunks were not found until a visit to the site a year later. Thompson remarked that the samples were deeply buried inside the crack in the rock, and that some effort was expended in getting them out. He also remarked that most of the radiation detected was inside the fissure.(43) Bondarchuk mentions that a close scrutiny of early soil samples showed that small silver particles were present, citing this as a reason to eliminate the theory that someone "planted" the silver bars.(44) However, this is not conclusive as native silver particles occur naturally in the area in small amounts, and their presence in the soil samples does not eliminate the possibility of "planting". Cannon also mentions this information, and that radium 226 was present in both the soil and metal covering. This apparently was considered as a prime reason to negate the watch dial theory.(45) Attempts to obtain the CAPRO analyses have not been successful. There is no doubt, though, that the metal samples are very suspicious. They even had an obvious "seam" which tended to suggest fabrication, as if someone moulded the silver in a definite shape. Did Michalak produce these himself? Or, did someone _else_ produce them, and plant them at the site? If so, why? Even without the metal samples, the case was a significant one, needing no support. In fact, the samples tend only to confuse the case. But an amateur UFO "buff" would probably not have realized this, and thought only that the samples would enhance the case. Since the case attracted many such individuals, it would be difficult to determine whom this might have been. Another theory would involve the "cover-up" scenario, and have the government fabricate the samples themselves. However, evidence for this idea would be difficult to obtain and essentially impossible to prove. If true, this would raise the question of why the government would deliberately enhance the case and then create an aura of secrecy, lending themselves to suspicion. Other hoax theories can be postulated, but all need the necessary proof, including a motive for their devices. 22 --------------------------------------------------------------- CONCLUSIONS ~~~~~~~~~~~ There is no question that something very unusual occurred on May 20th, 1967, north of Falcon Lake. There is no question that Stephen Michalak came back from his prospecting trip badly burned and seriously ill, claiming that he had encountered a strange craft. But is the account true? Can this case be effectively proved beyond a shadow of a doubt? The evidence includes the following: 1. An eyewitness account of a vehicle behaving in ways not attributable to conventional craft. 2. Physiological damage to the witness, the mechanism of which is not immediately obvious. 3. A visible "landing site", consisting of a ring of loose soil, containing a bare patch of rock. Does this prove that an alien craft landed near Falcon Lake? Unfortunately not. Major problems include the metal samples found at the site and the radium detected (was it in evidence in different samples?). Clearly, the investigations at the time were varied but at the same time were confused, and several bits of information are lacking. All of the CAPRO investigators agreed that Michalak was a very sincere individual, and detected no effort on his part to fabricate the account. This writer found this to be true from his own interviews with Michalak, and found no reason to doubt his veracity. If we assume that Michalak's story is truthful (and we have no reason immediately obvious to suppose otherwise), then we have a solid report of a landed UFO, complete with physical and physiological effects. What could it have been? Keel (1975) suggested that Michalak was a victim of a "game" played by ultraterrestrials, wanting to confuse him in his attempt to locate the site.(46) Bondarchuk (1979), a proponent of the ETH, describes his analysis by saying that Michalak was burned by "an intelligently guided craft of unconventional structure and of unknown origin." He, too, finds evidence of government intervention in the case. He also observes that the publication of Michalak's book, which to some suggests a hoaxer's methods, was financially not a successful venture, and the experience proved to be more costly to Michalak than a boon.(47) This writer is hesitant to give a final evaluation to the case. Personal interviews with the Michalak's have shown them to be sincere people, and not prone to irrational acts. They are intelligent, level-headed individuals, and well-read on many subjects. Their annoyance at their notoriety is apparent, and their defensiveness at further proddings show that they have been subjected to severe ridicule and criticism since the incident first hit the media in 1967. Investigations are continuing. If officials were convinced Michalak was a hoaxer, why was he not prosecuted for public mischief? Was there no definite evidence towards this end? It certainly would have been an interesting court case, arguing about the existance of UFO's. I think Michalak would have won. 24 --------------------------------------------------------------- EPILOGUE ~~~~~~~~ Today, over thirteen years after his experience, Michalak remains convinced he had encountered something he wasn't supposed to see. His convictions are firmly entrenched. He has read several books about UFO's since 1967, and is still frustrated by not knowing what happened to him. He has been to Carman, Manitoba, where "Charlie Redstar" was a nightly spectre over that town for many months, and heard stories from witnesses of their own experiences. In this writer's experience with UFO investigation, he has found that many UFO witnesses see more than one in a lifetime. That is, if a person sees one UFO, he or she will probably see another at a later time in their life. This is the "repeater" phenomenon which is considered to be an indication of insincerity in witnesses by several ufologists. This author is in disagreement with that belief, as the UFO phenomenon suggests a close link with the individual witness' psyche, possibly involving an "awareness threshold." While this may not be empirically proven or testable, theoretical ufology can only draw on apparent relationships, and there exists some evidence to indicate an association between a witness and the "perceived" UFO. In this regard, it is interesting to note that Michalak has reported another UFO sighting. It occurred in northwestern Ontario several years ago, while standing near a lake. He said that he observed "the same thing" as he had seen at Falcon Lake, though at a much greater distance from him, flying through the sky. Are "they" keeping an eye on him? Or is Michalak simply one of those people who is now encouraged to look skyward for unusual things? The mystery continues. 26 ---------------------------------------------------------------- FOOTNOTES AND REFERENCES ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (1) Gillmor, Daniel S., ed. _Scientific Study of Unidentified Flying Objects_. Bantam Books, New York, 1969. p. 319 (2) Menzel, Donald H. and Ernest H. Taves. _The UFO Enigma_. New York: Doubleday & Company, 1977, p. 104 (3) Gillmor, _op_. _cit_. (4) Gillmor, p. 320. (5) personal Communication to author, 1980. (6) Michalak, Stephen. _My Encounter With the UFO_. Osnova Publications, 1967, p. 36. (7) Gillmor, p. 322. (8) Michalak, p. 32. (9) Gillmor, p. 322. (10) Gillmor, p. 321 (11) Bondarchuk, Yurko. _UFO Sightings, Landings and Abductions_. Methuen, Toronto, 1979, p. 41. (12) _ibid_. p. 42. (13) Letter from R.F.S. Robertson to J. K. Fondren, dated 14 August, 1968. (14) Analysis was supported by Ufology Research of Manitoba. (15) Personal communication to author, 1980. (16) Gillmor, p. 323. (17) Cannon, Brian C. _Strange Case of Falcon Lake_. Part 3. Canadian UFO Report, Volume 1, Number 4, July-Aug, 1969, p.26. (18) Letter from R. J. Traill to S. C. Robertson, dated 13 June, 1968. (19) Personal communication from Dr. Sunil K. Sen to author, 1977. (20) Personal communication to author, 1980. (21) Unnamed doctor, in Michalak, p. 38. (22) Gillmor, p. 320. (23) Michalak, p. 35. (24) _Winnipeg Free Press_. Jan. 17, 1968. (25) Letter on record from Mayo Clinic, dated 1 April, 1969. (26) Letter on record from Mayo Clinic, dated 13 Jan., 1970. (27) _Winnipeg Tribune_. May 22, 1967. "'I was Burned by UFO' - City Man" (28) Michalak, p. 25 (29) This statement is curious, as Cannon records Bissky as saying: "there are certain facts, such as Michalak's illness and burns and the very evident circle remaining at the site, which are unexplainable." in _Canadian UFO Report_ V.1, #4 July-Aug., 1969, p. 26. (30) National research Council, _Non-Meteoric Sightings_ File, DND 222. (31) _ibid_. (32) _CAPRO Bulletin_. V.2 #2 Jan.-Feb., 1969, p. 5. (33) _Winnipeg Tribune_. 29 June, 1967. (34) Michalak, p. 3. (35) _Winnipeg Tribune_. 11 Nov., 1967. (36) Undated clipping in UFOROM files. (37) _Winnipeg Tribune_, 14 Oct., 1968. (38) _House of Commons Debates_, 6 Feb., 1969, Ottawa, The Queen's Printer, p. 5236. (39) Bondarchuk, p. 44. (40) Michalak, pp. 20-21. (41) Gillmor, p. 323. (42) _ibid_., p. 324. (43) Personal communication to author, 1980. (44) Bondarchuk, p. 43. (45) Cannon, p. 24. (46) Keel, John A. _The Mothman Prophecies_ Saturday Review Press, NY., 1975, p. 169. (47) Bondarchuk, pp. 44-45. 29 ---------------------------------------------------------------- NEWSPAPER ARTICLES ON MICHALAK IN THE UFOROM COLLECTION ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Winnipeg Tribune 22 May 1967 'I was Burned by UFO'-City Man Winnipeg Free Press 23 May 1967 2 Support Local man's Report Winnipeg Tribune 23 May 1967 Experts May Probe Man's UFO Claim Winnipeg Free Press 24 May 1967 UFO Case "of Greatest Scientific Interest" Winnipeg Tribune 24 May 1967 Expert Doubts UFO Sighting Winnipeg Tribune 26 May 1967 U.S. Team to Check UFO Winnipeg Free Press 27 May 1967 A New UFO Report Winnipeg Tribune 30 May 1967 UFO Man Still Away From Work Winnipeg Free Press 2 Jun 1967 UFO Man at Scene Fails to Find Site Winnipeg Tribune 2 Jun 1967 RCMP Conducts UFO Search Winnipeg Free Press 5 Jun 1967 U.S. UFO Expert in Winnipeg Winnipeg Tribune 5 Jun 1967 UFO Expert Arrives Winnipeg Tribune 6 Jun 1967 No trace of UFO Located Winnipeg Tribune 7 Jun 1967 UFO Expert Leaves City Winnipeg Free Press 29 Jun 1967 20 UFO Reports Winnipeg Tribune 29 Jun 1967 Schreyer Queries UFO Reports Winnipeg Tribune 3 Jul 1967 'UFO Burns' Heal Winnipeg Tribune 11 Nov 1967 UFO Probe Sought Winnipeg Free Press 17 Jan 1968 Burns Back, Says Michalak Winnipeg Free Press 18 Mar 1968 'Victim' of UFO Ill Again Winnipeg Free Press (Leisure Magazine) 6 Apr 1968 UFO Sighting in Manitoba Winnipeg Free Press 21 May 1968 Find Made at UFO Site Winnipeg Tribune 14 Oct 1968 Ottawa Refuses to Reveal Reports Winnipeg Tribune 15 Nov 1968 Ottawa Mum on 'UFO Sighting' Brandon Sun 17 Nov 1968 Says Government Fears Panic Winnipeg Free Press 22 Apr 1978 "Answers" (query re Michalak) 30 ---------------------------------------------------------------- A FALCON LAKE BIBLIOGRAPHY ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Aggen, Erich A. Jr. Further Aspects of the Hostility Theory. _Flying Saucers_ #67. Dec. 1969, pp 14-15. Bondarchuk, Yurko. _UFO Sightings, Landings and Abductions_. Methuen, Toronto, 1967, pp. 37-45. Bucek, Steve. The Michalak Case. _APIC Bulletin_ #1, 1968, pp. 14-15. Bucek, Steve. Michalak Report, Hoax or Reality. _APIC Notice_, undated. Cannon, Brian C. UFO's - Mania or Mystery? _Canadian UFO Report_ V. 1 #1, Jan-Feb., 1969, pp. 14-15. Cannon, Brian C. Strange Case of Falcon Lake, Part 1. _Canadian UFO Report_, V. 1 #2, Mar-Apr., 1969, pp. 10-12. Cannon, Brian C. Strange Case of Falcon Lake, Part 2. _Canadian UFO Report_, V. 1 #3, May-June., 1969, pp. 11-12. Cannon, Brian C. Strange Case of Falcon Lake, Part 3. _Canadian UFO Report_, V. 1 #4, July-Aug., 1969, pp. 24-26. Crain, T. Scott, Jr. Flying Saucer Casualties. _Flying Saucers_, #73, June, 1971, pp. 7-9. Farish, Lou and Dale Titler. UFO's - Touching is Believing. _Saga's UFO Annual_. V. 1 #1, 1975, pp. 30+ Gillmor, Daniel S., ed. _Scientific Study of Unidentified Flying Objects_. Bantam, New York, 1969. "Case 22", pp. 316-324. Holzer, Hans. _The Ufonauts_. Fawcett, Greenwich, Conneticut, 1976, pp. 37-39. _House of Commons Debates_. 6 Nov., 1967, Ottawa, Canada. The Queen's Printer, p. 3919. _House of Commons Debates_. 6 Feb., 1969, Ottawa, Canada. The Queen's Printer, pp. 5234-6. Kanon, Gregory M. UFO's and the Canadian Government, Part 2._Canadian UFO Report_, V. 3 #7, Spring, 1976, pp. 17-18 Keel, John A. _The Mothman Prophecies_. Saturday Review Press, New York, 1975, p. 169 Lorenzen, Carol and Jim Lorenzen. _UFO's Over the Americas_. Signet, New York, 1968, pp. 27, 29, 38-41. Lorenzen, Carol and Jim Lorenzen. _UFO's: The Whole Story_. Signet, Toronto, 1969, pp. 195-8. Lorenzen, Carol and Jim Lorenzen. _Encounters With UFO Occupants_. Berkley, New York, 1976, pp. 11-12. Magor, John. Editorial: Ottawa's Useless Report. _Canadian UFO Report_. V. 1 #3, May-June, 1969, p.1. Menzel, Donald H. and Ernest H. Taves. _The UFO Enigma_. Doubleday & Co., New York, 1977, p. 104, "Case 22". Michalak, Stephen. _My Encounter With the UFO_. Osnova Publications, Winnipeg, 1967. Naud, Yves. _UFO's and Extraterrestrials in History_. Ferni Publishers, Geneva, 1978, V. 3, Part 1, Chapter 6, pp. 147-156. Rutkowski, Chris. The Michalak Case _Proteus_. #4. October, 1977, pp. 10-21. Schwarz, Berthold Eric. Psychiatric and Parapsychiatric Dimensions of UFO's. _In_ Haines, Richard F., ed. _UFO Phenomena and the Behavioral Scientist_. Scarecrow Press, Metuchen, NJ, 1979, Part 2, Chapter 6, pp. 113-134. Sifakis, Carl. _Official Guide to UFO Sightings_. Drake, New York, 1979, p. 121. Smith, Susy. _Strangers From Space_. Manor Books, New York, 1977, pp. 139-40. Steiger, Brad and Joan Whritenour. _New UFO Breakthrough_. Award Books, New York, 1968, pp. 47-8. Story, Ronald D., ed. _The Encyclopedia of UFO's_. Doubleday & Co., New York, 1980, pp. 230-1. Tokarz, Harry. Are UFO's Boon or Curse to Medicine? _Canadian UFO Report_, V. 4 #7. Summer, 1978, pp. 8-11. Vallee, Jacques. _Passport to Magonia_. Regnery, Chicago, 1969. Appendix, Case #844, p. 345. Vezina, A. K. Canada, 1967 - A big Year for UFO Research. _Flying Saucers_, #58, June, 1968, pp. 8-10. 33 ---------------------------------------------------------------- FURTHER REFERENCES ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The UFOROM library collection does not contain all the references available on the Michalak case. The following list is a selection of references not held at the time of this writing. They are included for completeness and may be incorrectly cited. Other references, of course, may exist, and readers are encouraged to write the author, who would be greatly interested in further citations for inclusion in the bibliography. Flying Saucers, Feb., 1968, p. 29. Flying Saucers, Sept., 1972, p. 34. NICAP: Strange Effects from UFO's, 1969, p. 72. Flying Saucer Review, Jan., 1970, p. 12. NICAP UFO Investigator, June, 1967, p. 7. NICAP UFO Investigator, May, 1967, p. 23. Brad Sparks' Computer Catalog of Type 9 Cases, #106. UFO Nachtrichten, May, 1968. Luis Shoenherr's Computer Catalog, #2078. Early CAPRO Bulletins printed in Winnipeg, 1967+ ------------------------------------------------------------------- * END * Note: as the case is still open to further investigation, if you have any questions, comments or further information about the incident, please contact: Chris Rutkowski Box 1918 Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada R3C 3R2 or email: rutkows@ccu.umanitoba.ca or FIDONET: HST BBS, Winnipeg, Manitoba, (204) 837-7227 node 1:348/712 -- Chris Rutkowski - rutkows@ccu.umanitoba.ca University of Manitoba - Winnipeg, Canada