Documentos de Académico
Documentos de Profesional
Documentos de Cultura
by Regan Lee
Summer 2008
Vol. 1
Introduction
The Trent sighting has its place in UFO history mainly because it is
among the handful of cases that remain a mystery. The two
photographs Paul Trent took of the UFO on May 11 in 1950 have
been scrutinized by UFO researchers and skeptics alike. The
photos have made their way around the world, have been
published in mainstream publications like Look magazine and
Popular Mechanics. Those two images of a “typical” 1950s flying
saucer have become icons in UFO culture.
There’s much more to be said about this case, and I’m sure I’ll
write more about this interesting case in the future.
Regan Lee
Eugene, Oregon
2008
Still a Mystery, and a Big Question: The Trent Farm/McMinnville
Oregon Case
The "Trent farm" UFO event (May 11, 1950 McMinnville, Oregon) is a well
known case. Photos of the UFO witnesses Paul Trent and his wife saw that
day can be found all over the internet and in many UFO books. It's a
familiar case to anyone studying UFOs.
Living in Oregon, and just a little over an hour away from McMinnville
(McMinnville UFO Fest 2007 here I come!) I have an affection for this case,
as I do all Oregon UFO cases.
On May 11, 1950, at approximately 7:00 p.m., Mrs. Trent was outside
checking on her hens and rabbits. She saw a flying saucer; naturally
excited, she called for her husband, Paul, to come outside. Paul Trent
took two snapshots of the flying saucer.
But more than that, for myself, what makes me believe the case to be a
genuine UFO event are the witness, Paul and Evelyn Trent. Recently, I
watched a DVD about this case. Simply titled The Trent Photos,the DVD
is a blend of reenactments and interviews with Evelyn Trent along with the
newspapermen who wrote about the story at the time, and Dr. Bruce
Maccabee. I was impressed by the matter of fact way Mrs. Trent told what
happened that day decades ago. And while she was straightforward, a
glimmer of wonder, of quiet amazement, came through. I had the feeling
Mrs. Trent was still wondering, after all these years, just what it was that
flew over their farm that day. Dr. Bruce Maccabee,2 who interviewed the
Trents after his analysis of the two UFO photos, was convinced of their
honesty, as were other UFO researchers and journalist who interviewed
the Trents.
One thing that happened in the weeks following their sighting was the
visit of 'military' men to their home. Mrs. Trent's accounts of their visits
and their behaviors has a ring of truth to them. There wasn't any over the
top hysteria, but Mrs. Trent's feelings, after all these years, about these
thuggish men going through their possessions, making threats, and
demanding information, were clear: She didn't like it much. As reported in
Leonard Stringfield's , Situation Red Paul Trent was anxious about giving
his photos to anyone. 'I'm afraid I'll get in trouble with our government.' 3
(Paul Trent considered that what he saw might have been a classified
military object. In the DVD The Trent Photos, Mrs. Trent reiterates this
concern.)
There's something else about the Trent Farm UFO sighting: the date.
Western Oregon was experiencing a 'flap' of UFO sightings from roughly
1959 to about 1961. (Another subject but an interesting side note: there
were quite a number of UFO sightings seemingly in connection with
Bigfoot encounters in Oregon at during this time.) This flap was also
nation wide. 4
The Trents did not make any money off of this sighting. The images we're
familiar with are in the public domain; neither the Trents or the newspaper
made any legal claim on the images, and so no money changed hands.
Their lives were forever disrupted by visits from government agents, who
seemed to drop in whenever they felt like it, flying saucer investigators
and researchers, reporters, and the curious.
Even the magazine Popular Mechanics, which has published many an anti-
UFO article, considered the Trent Farm UFO event as a genuine UFO case.
5
Dr. Bruce Maccabee, physicist and UFO researcher, analyzed the two
photographs. Maccabee determined that the photos were genuine; not
hoaxes of any kind: "The bottom line, from my point of view, is that they
are real," he said. "Now, what do we do about it." 6
More than fifty years later, we're still asking that question. (But that's
another topic for another day.) UFOs are real. That's a fact. What they are ,
is a different question. In the Trent's case, they saw - and photographed -
- something real and solid, something that withstands analysis and
disproves any fakery. The fact of the thing exists, and yet, we are still left
with a mystery; what was it the Trents saw that day?
According to the bloggers of the UFO Iconoclast (s) blog, they have in
their possession a third, "lost" Trent photo. In 1950, Paul Trent took two
photos of a UFO over his property in McMinnville, Oregon. Many UFO
investigators have determined the photos to be genuine; or at least, no
evidence of fakery has been found. There are skeptics who to this day
insist the photos are fake of course. Either way, all these years, the case’s
authenticity fell on the two photographs, along with the genuine nature of
the Trents themselves.
The photograph is close to the ground, which causes the writers of the
blog to ask if this means that “the object (or model?) nearer to the ground,
and at an angle precluding a bona fide aerodynamic craft?”
They promise us “more to come” on this subject. The blog entry has
numerous comments, including comments to the comments by the blog
writers, who attempt clear up some of the obvious questions.
There is no proof this is a third, “lost,” photo. Why would someone wait
fifty years to come forward? Other questions: who is this “SMC,” where did
the photo come from, where is the negative, has it been analyzed, (if so,
by who and what are the results?) and so on.
If this photo turns out to be exactly what they say it is -- a “lost” third
Trent photo taken by Paul Trent -- then what? Does it prove the Trent’s
were lying and made up the whole thing? How can any of this be proved at
all?
Like other so-called exposes and revelations of UFO hoaxes, a lot of care
needs to be taken before accepting anything new as true.
But in recent days, thanks to a blog that writes consistently against UFOs
and all things UFO-ish (often in ponderous pedantic outmoded verbiage)
they wrote about a third, lost photo that was on the roll of film Trent used
that day. This photo came to them by way of someone named SMC out of
Arizona. The blog's comment section was full of opinions about this.
Questions were raised, such as: who is this SMC person, why now, photo
analysis, etc. (See my previous article: A Lost Trent Farm Photo Surfaces?)
Regan,
Please take a look at the analysis of the so-called lost Trent photo by
Denver Page (not an RRRGroup member) at the blog --
It seems it was all a tempest in a teapot. For it's been revealed that the
photo reputing to be a third, "lost" Trent photo is nothing of the kind, but
My initial, intuitive response to the first blog post that this was a
previously unknown Trent photo was that the thing was a hoax. Either
from the person who sent the photo to the blog (and why them? they are
of the chronic skeptic school) or that the entire thing was a hoax, set up
by the bloggers.
I admit I'm a bit more paranoid -- though I prefer the word cautious--
when it comes to things like this. But it doesn't matter, as I wrote in the
previous piece here on UFO Digest, hoaxing of all degrees is an inherent
part of UFOlogy and Forteana. You can't have one without the other.
And this all has shown everyone the need to consider the source when
pursuing UFO stories.
Recently, the UFO Iconoclast (s) bloggers posted an entry that revealed
they had in their possession a “third, lost” Trent photo.
And after all this time, more than fifty years later, the UFO Iconoclast (s)
bloggers receive an alleged “third, lost” Trent photo. One of the first
questions that I had when coming across this was why them? That blog is
“anti” UFO. They’re known for hyperbole, debunking, mocking, and all the
rest. Their basic philosophy seems to be: whatever UFOs are, and we
admit they are, who cares anyway? Anyone who does is a pathetic
mentally deluded moron.”
No surprise the whole thing turned out to be a mini-hoax. The photo was
no lost, third Trent photo. I don’t know if there was ever really an
individual in Arizona who sent them the photo, or if they made the whole
thing up. My intuition tells me they made the entire thing up.
And the photo? Turned out to be taken from the UFO Casebook website.
It’s a photo of a UFO taken in Germany in March of 1977 by witness
Walter Schilling.
The chronic skeptics and the like see this as a criminal waste of time, and
almost clinically insane, especially when people, like myself, admit we’re
never going to get to the truth or find the Big Answer.
Some of us are more process oriented, I suppose, and find the mystery
and journey exciting . We do get little glimpses here and there, and that’s
enough to keep us going.
Notes
Regan Lee:
Still a Mystery, and a Big Question: The Trent Farm/McMinnville Oregon
Case, on-line at UFO Digest: http://
UFO Casebook
Paul and his wife Evelyn saw a UFO above their farm in McMinnville,
Oregon; Paul ran inside their house, took two snapshots of the craft
before it zoomed off. Despite efforts of persistent debunkers, the photos
stand up to this day as appearing legitimate. Adding support to the
possibility what the TRents saw was a “true UFO” (either military or from
outer space) is that there was a UFO flap in 1950 that was not just
national, but global. At the time, the story made both national and
international news; Life, Look and Popular Mechanics did pieces on the
event, and the Trents appeared on the television program. The Trents
never received money from their story and had their home searched by FBI
and Air Force personnel on more than one occasion.
Anyway, it turned out that this so-called third, lost “Trent” photo was not
taken by the Trents, or anyone else in McMinnville or Oregon. Nor was it
taken in 1950. The photograph was taken in 1977 in Hamburg, Germany
by Walter Schilling.
When I wrote the articles on the Trents, and this attempt at hoaxing, I
noted the source of the third photo -- to a point. A comment left on the
UFO Iconoclast blog led readers to the UFO Evidence website, where one
can view the photo. End of story. But in going over my notes, I realized i
hadn't looked deeply enough.
hoax attempt:
The news surrounding this gets even more interesting, as well as tragic:
(Source: http://www.euroufo.net/content.asp?contentid=521M)
Nice try.
Trickster reminds us here that it’s good to dig a little and not take things
so seriously. Despite the intentions of the pranksters.
Notes:
UFO Digest: http://www.ufodigest.com/news/0308/hoaxing2.html
This event made news around the world. Popular Mechanics determined
the photos appeared genuine, as did the local newspaper, the Telephone
Register's Bill Powell, who did his own analysis of the photos. Years later,
Dr. Bruce Maccabee, well known in the UFO field as an investigator who
analyzes photos and images of UFOs, has also determined the event to be
genuine.
More than fifty years after this UFO event, the Trents stick to their story,
despite the usual efforts by the skeptics to disprove or debunk the
photos. There is a good DVD about this case. It's entitled, simply, The
Trent Photos, and includes interviews with Mrs. Trent. It is clear that
Evelyn Trent saw something unusual that day, and the memory of that
event has stayed with her all these years.
The Trents, naturally enough, have been accused of hoaxing. But there
were witnesses to UFOs with a similar description in the area at the time
Trent took the photos. which are in the public domain, and neither one of
them wrote a book about the experience. In fact, their lives were
We can be sure that the Trents saw and photographed something unusual
that day. That is not in question. As Dr. Bruce Maccabee says "The bottom
line, from my point of view, is that they are real. . . now, what do we do
about it."
Whatever it was was interesting enough to get the attention of the U.S.
government. Classified military craft, as Paul Trent once suspected, or
something other worldly? Either way, the Trent UFO case remains one of
Oregon's mysteries.
Notes:
Regan Lee; Associated Content: UFO Oregon: The Trent Case
(December 10, 2007)
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/472810/ufo_oregon_the_trent
_case.html?cat=8
In my previous article for ACI wrote about the Trent UFO case in
McMinnville, Oregon. (1950, Paul and Evelyn Trent saw, and took two
photos, of a UFO or "flying saucer' above their small farm.) The photos
made global news. Popular Mechanics and Life magazine featured their
photos and their story. Newspapers everywhere picked it up. It was the
topic of discussion for some time, making the mainstream news, and it's
a case that is still alive among those crazy enough to delve into UFOlogy
in any serious way. (That includes me.)
Only two photos were taken of the craft that day. These photos have
become iconic in the world of UFOs. Certainly there's been endless debate
about them, and whether or not they're of a real UFO or something like a
hubcap suspended from a string. So far, no one's been able to
successfully prove that the photos have been hoaxed.
So here we, more than 50 years after the famous photos were taken, and -
- gasp! -- a scoop! A revelation! There is a third Trent photo! Who knew?
According to a blog calling itself the UFO Iconoclasts, (who I've always
suspected of being a combination of trollish and Dadaist UFO
performance artists;, but mostly trollish) they said they had been
contacted by someone with a "third, lost" Trent photo.
This was big news! Or so you'd think, but it really didn't go anywhere, to
my surprise.
Regan,
Please take a look at the analysis of the so-called lost Trent photo
by Denver Page (not an RRRGroup member) at the blog --
A question I had immediately when reading this about the "lost" photo,
was why wait 50 years to reveal this? We can only assume it was truly lost
and only recently discovered. But the bloggers had no further information.
Why was SMC from Arizona being so cloak and daggerish about the whole
thing? And who is this Denver Page; is he/she the secretive SMC?
I smelled a rat.
Well, as it turned out, shortly after the item about the "lost" photo
appeared, came the news it wasn't a third lost Trent photo. (surprise!) It
was a photo of a UFO taken in Germany in 1977!
Whether or not this was a stunt by the UFO Iconoclast, or a stunt by the
mysterious SMC (or Denver Page) from Arizona, who knows. But this kind
of thing is typical in the fields of esoterica and UFOlogy. And, a bit of the
Trickster effect as well, as a reminder to not take ourselves too seriously
all the time.
Notes
UFO Iconoclast (s): The lost Trent/McMinnville Photo?
http://ufocon.blogspot.com/2007/03/lost-trentmcminnville-photo.html
Regan Lee:
Trickster's Realm of Binnall of America: The Trent Trickster Three
Associated Content:
If the UFO the Trents saw that day was not either a military craft,
or something from outer space, then why would the military be
interested? Obviously they had a reason for being there. If they
thought the whole thing was a hoax, they wouldn’t have
bothered.
ufowatchdog.com: And are the reports true that you though this was
a secret government weapon…
Mrs. Trent: I think so, too. I still do. I think it's a secret thing for the
government.
Trent UFO Story in the News
The Trent sighting made international news. Local papers were the first to
pick up on the story of course before the event became world famous.
Here are some quotes from an article that appeared in McMinnville’s
Telephone-Register June 8, 1950.
Size? Speed? Distance? Neither Trent nor his wife would hazard a
guess. "It was moving awfully fast is all I know," said Trent. Both
photos clearly indicate a super-structure and the photo at right
resembles the "flying submarine" seen by an airlines pilot over the
Cascade mountains nearly a year ago.
Note what Paul Trent said he thought the UFO was when asked by the
reporter. From the beginning, Paul Trent thought the craft he
photographed belonged to us:
What are they? "Well, I think they're ours," said Trent.
Back in Eugene from McMinnville, Oregon, where Jim and I (Jim is "George"
who's finally let me use his real name on-line) spent the weekend at the
UFO Festival there. This year's festival was much better than last year's. I
had a fine time last year, but it was also short and stressed; the speakers
were interesting but not particularly engaging, the venue was cramped
and hot, the constant clanging of the ancient cash register was irritating,
etc.
This year, Jim and I had the whole weekend to enjoy ourselves, we
remembered our camera, the lectures were held in the community center
which was larger and much cooler than the space last year; much
improved. And last but not least: the speakers Robert Nicol, who made
the crop circle film Star Dreams, and Richard Dolan were excellent!
The title of Dolan's presentation was The Challenge of Full Disclosure. I'll
be writing more on what he had to say in a future article. One thing he
said that I want to share here, for now, is about the evidence; the
documents (for there are documents!) "beg to be understood and
analyzed" and he encourages others to work in this area of UFO research.
As he said, he doesn't want to be the "only one" doing this stuff.
One other point about Dolan's presentation: he offered his opinions, but
he also had no problem in presenting ideas and questions as well, and
saying he didn't know or have answers. He also encouraged us to
question and to just . . . think on these theories and directions. That's one
thing in particular I appreciated about his talk; he didn't tell us what the
"Great Big Truth" was, because he doesn't know anymore than you or I do.
He has interesting ideas about where it's all taking us, but that's different
than telling us it's "The Truth."
Jim and I sat in the front row, and had made plans to meet up with the
Dolans when they arrived. It was great to meet Karyn in person. (Karyn
Dolan has her own radio program on the Paranormal Radio Network, and
contributes to Women Of Esoterica.) Their children came with them; who
are also both very nice and obviously smart young people. (And what a
great life; traveling around the country with two parents who are into all
this stuff!) Anyway, it was a fun, interesting evening, even though I
completely forgot to introduce Jim! The poor man is standing there; I felt
like a jerk, Fortunately, he forgave me. And then I turned around and did
the same thing the next day at lunch, when Richard joined us!
Richard Dolan, me, Jim, and Karyn Dolan at Hotel Oregon in McMinnville.
After the parade, where Richard as Grand Marshall and Karyn and children
led the way (we sat by a large window, sipping cold ale, a nice way to
enjoy things!) they joined us for lunch in the McMenamins Hotel Oregon
(where we also stayed) which sponsors the UFO Festival. McMenamins is
known for restoring old buildings and turning them into hotels, pubs, etc.
and putting on all kinds of music, film and other festivals in Oregon and
Washington. One of the very cool things they do is hire artists to paint
paintings on trim, moldings, the walls, the doors, everywhere. The place
is full of surreal, enchanting art, vintage photographs and antiques.
Both Richard and Karyn said the McMinnville UFO Festival (not conference;
there's a difference, Richard said) was probably the most enjoyable, just
for being fun and informal, as well as friendly.
I asked Richard and Karyn what makes a UFO conference a good one for
the speaker. Richard said it was a combination of things; the
organization, the types of speakers, and the location. Karyn and Richard
both said many times how much they enjoyed this conference and the
area in general. McMinnville is a small college town, with an old town
atmosphere. (Except for the sprawl on the outskirts of the town, which is
ugly as it is anywhere.) It's in wine country, and very pretty. The
McMinnville area is quirky and fun and low key and the setting is perfect
for a UFO Festival.
Richard said big city conferences are more "serious," some conferences,
like the International UFO Congress in Laughlin where Richard spoke in
February, are surrounded by casinos which brings a different vibe and
type of people. Karyn said that having down time is welcome before
having to speak. Sometimes they get into town, and have to get to the
presentation right away which makes things hectic.
The X-Conference in March was one that they enjoyed very much, but it
was also much different than McMinnville: more speakers, much larger.
Another point about conferences, Karyn mentioned, was that there's often
so much going on you can't get to it all, particularly if you're presenting.
We had a great conversation about all kinds of things, from crop circles to
Bigfoot to ... you name it. About UFO conferences, Richard
commented,"there's a difference between a UFO 'festival' and
'conferences.'" Conference are generally more serious, or straight forward
-- not to say McMinnville isn't -- conferences aren't as laid back and
informal. After all, the McMinnville UFO Festival includes a UFO Parade,
alien costume ball, live music, and old time radio reenactments.
Karyn said the McMinnville Festival reminded her of Roswell, just not as
hot, although, lately, it seemed to her there's an undercurrent of
"desperation" with the Roswell Festival, a push to be fiscally successful.
Also, according to both Richard and Karyn, it's hot, hot, hot there. It was
in the high 80's in McMinnville, a bit unusual for the time of year -- last
year it rained -- but it was tolerable. Lots of great McMenamins micro
brews helped with that though!
Next year's McMinnville UFO Festival's main speaker will be Linda Moulton
Howe. And yes, we're already booked!
Notes:
For information on the McMinnville UFO festival, visit UFOFest.com:
Through the Keyhole with Karyn Dolan:
First appeared on Tim Binnall’s Binnall of America site, for my Trickster’s Realm column, May
19, 2008.
Sources:
Richard Dolan: UFOs and the National Security State
Chronology of a Cover-Up, Hampton Roads Publishing, 2002)
Forgey, Pat: Interview with Dr. Bruce Maccabee: News-Register, McMinnville, Oregon, USA on
May 13, 2000
Daniel Fry.com
http://danielfry.com/
Richard Hall:Signals, Noise, and UFO Waves The International UFO Reporter, Winter, 1999,
Lee, Regan:
Trickster Northwest
http://tricksternorthwest.blogspot.com
UFO Digest:
http://www.ufodigest.com
Vintage UFO:
http:vintageufo.blogspot.com
Royce Meyers,
Meyers, Royce: Trent Interview May 24 1995
http://www.ufowatchdog.com/trent_interview.html
Spignesi, Stephen J.: The UFO Book of Lists, Citadel Press 2000 p32