CHARLES FORT, THE FORTEAN SOCIETY & UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS : JORDAN MAXWELL FILES

«...
Your mind is like a parachute; it doesn't work unless it's open ...»

― Jordan Maxwell
Loren Gross' final publication of the A History series, marking the culmination of a thirty-year effort to chronicle the modern history of the UFO phenomenon. Nearly 11,000 pages were published in more than 100 monographs that were distributed amongst a limited group of colleagues.
Loren began research in the 1960s poring over newspaper collections at the Bancroft Library in Berkeley, which provided a cache of early airship reports from central California, resulting in The UFO Wave of 1896 (1974). His first acquisition was a unique collection of newspaper clippings from Fortean author Vincent H. Gaddis, documenting the 1946 Swedish ghost rockets and the beginning of the modern UFO era. Over time, the project burgeoned into a wholesale effort to assemble UFO-related material from around the world to include the earliest records of the USAF investigations (Project Sign); the news clipping collection of the National Investigation Committee for Aerial Phenomenon; the collection of the 1952 UFO clipping service contracted by the USAF; and the holdings of several private individuals. Most notably, the contributions of Dr. Leon Davidson now archived at Columbia University; Robert Gribble's collection and source notes for the years 1800-1996; as well as materials from the extensive personal archives of Barry Greenwood and Jordan Maxwell Research Society.

Loren elaborates

I checked every frame of the USAF Project Blue Book microfilms for the years 1947-1963. There are many Information Only cases in the records, but also, I might add, there are news clippings, magazine articles, and items from civilian UFO publications. Over the years I was able to compare the PBB records with many other sources including, APRO, CUFOS, NICAP, Dr. James McDonald's papers, Ruppelt, various newspaper clipping collections such as Gribble's, and every UFO book available, etc. Remarkably, there is very little overlap aside from well-known incidents. The Air Force explanations are a joke and I paid little attention to them. Having reviewed tens of thousands of sighting reports I did not use every case while compiling the UFO histories—only the ones I thought were the best.
Loren's approach to the raw material forgoes explanation for the myriad reports; rather, similar to 19th century natural history studies, the primary focus is on observational descriptions—what the witnesses reported seeing. The result is a day by day chronology of the UFO controversy, even at times detailing minute-by-minute accounts, while including the actions and attitudes of official and military agencies, various scientific organizations, and moreover, the corresponding reactions within popular culture to the mystery of the unidentified flying objects.
The series also chronicles pranks, hoaxes, and the often circus-like atmosphere that arose during times of increased UFO sightings. On the fringe, otherworldly belief systems and conspiracy theories spawned alongside the vacillations of official and academic interest, while the less-than-rigorous investigation of reports invited a wide variety of opinions and beliefs.
After so many years and with the author's support we are pleased to present the entire series to a wider audience. A History will undoubtably endure as reliable source documentation, and basis for future historical studies of the early days of the modern UFO phenomenon. This is indeed what Loren had hoped to accomplish, while acknowledging the contributions of many individuals over the years who have shared in the history.