The following is my review of Operation Trojan Horse by John A. Keel. Thank you to Dr. Joseph Burkes for recommending it as a UFO “must read.”
Printed Citation:
Operation Trojan Horse, John A. Keel, Putnam Books, 1970 and 1996 with minor additions. Original edition: 349 pages, ISBN: 978-0962653469
Operation Trojan Horse, John A. Keel, Anomalist Books, May 15, 2013, Second edition: 356 pages, ISBN: 978-1938398032
Digital Citation:
Keel, John A. Operation Trojan Horse. N.p.: Standard Copyright License, 26 Sept. 2011. PDF. 285 Pages, 3.69 MB
Operation Trojan Horse is the culmination of author John Keel’s arduous and successful attempt to quantify the data that constitutes the “UFO phenomenon.” Keel’s unusual and thorough approach to the study of UFO sightings produces objective, empirical data proving that there are significant patterns in the UFO phenomenon. Study of these patterns allowed Keel to dismiss the superficial aspects of UFO sightings which are often the focus of UFO investigations. Ultimately, without the gross of misinterpreted information to deter his focus, Keel was able to recognize important insights and make connections which lead him to assert that UFO’s and their surrounding phenomenon are the result of a “Paraphysical” intelligence that has existed on Earth since time immemorial.
OTH outlines over four years of Keel’s personal investigations which commenced in 1966 when he began subscribing to a number of various newspaper clipping services. As the initial reports started to come in he was surprised to find he was receiving as many as 150 reports of UFO sightings per day.
Although Keel was careful to dismiss the discrepant aspects of UFO Sightings which he considered irrelevant, there were reoccurring details in the reports which he considered important and helped to convince him of the reliability of the information. These obscure details were included in a myriad of sporadic reports which came from a wide variety of people, locations and time-frames. Keel realized that nobody, including UFO organizations or other ufologists were cross-referencing these reports. Many of the articles were being published in small town newspapers and the likelihood of cross-contaminated information explaining the similarity of those certain details was negligible.
Although Keel was ardent in documenting any and all of the reported UFO incidents, he was especially interested in the occurrence of UFO “flaps” (numerous sightings occurring simultaneously in many widely scattered areas.) It was through Keel’s study of thousands of newspaper reports, and by traveling to flap areas in order to interview witnesses personally that he began to see patterns in the phenomenon. Accordingly, he began to classify the seemingly random reports and interviews into statistical information.
Keel classified the UFO Sightings into two types: Low flying, physical-looking or “hard” objects were labeled as Type I; High altitude objects performing in a controlled manner which were distinct from known conventional aircraft were labeled Type II or “soft” objects. Soft objects are reported far more frequently than hard objects and comprise the majority of UFO sightings.
Keel then organized sightings by date which led him to deduce that the sightings were more likely to occur on certain days of the week, specifically Wednesdays and Thursdays. These sightings typically occurred during the hours of 8p.m. to 11p.m. By plotting the geographical locations of sightings he was next able to determine the puzzling fact that UFO flaps tend to occur within the geographical boundaries of state lines.
According to Keel’s research, the peak “Wednesday phenomenon” of UFO sightings and their odd adherence to geographical boundaries proved to hold up throughout his research and was even found to be consistent in other countries. These peculiar trends displayed by the UFOs illustrate a “performance-like” quality which would require an intelligent agent with great control over its “staged” exhibitions. Keel writes:
“Does this sound like the work of Martians or extraterrestrial strangers? Or does it sound like the work of someone who is using our maps and our calendars, and may therefore, know a great deal more about us, even though we know little about “them”?”
Keel next continued to examine and outline the history of UFO flap phenomenon beginning in the late 1890’s through the 1960’s. He pointed out that the first instances of what we know as the UFO phenomenon in the late 1800’s were explained as being “airships” (Zeppelin type craft) that were supposedly being tested and piloted across the country by terrestrial folk.
Each new wave of flaps that occurred throughout the subsequent years would change in composition, including witnesses who detailed accounts that reconciled the passing of time and historical events, took into account technological updates, new human innovations and growing social sophistication. The theme of the flaps would change according to the times and it was not until relatively recently that the idea that UFOs are vehicles used for travel by non-terrestrial entities (space aliens) was even considered.
After Keel came to the realization that the connection between alien beings and UFOs was only the most contemporary addition to the plethora of evolving themes connected to the phenomenon, he proceeded to further research the similarities between paranormal activity and UFO sightings. One example he detailed were the many cases of people who experienced tingling sensations and burns from contact with UFOs. There is a well documented precedent of supernatural phenomenon causing the same exact symptoms on affected individuals, such as ghost hunters who are assaulted by unseen assailants and inexplicably exhibit “scratches” which they complain of as a burning sensation.
Keel explains that in both cases the burns are caused by Ultraviolet rays, emphasizing that both UFOs and paranormal entities take advantage of the electromagnetic spectrum of waves in order to manifest themselves in different ways. He elaborates on this possibility by pointing out that the tendency for UFOs to display a variety of colored lights could readily be explained as the UFO fluctuating between frequencies or utilizing various ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum to illuminate.
Through comparative analysis of his statistical data, historical accounts of the UFO flap phenomenon and the similarities to known Paraphysical phenomenon, Keel was able to present a convincing argument that the theme of “alien invaders” is likely just another variation on the multitude of themes that the phenomenon presents itself as, and more closely resembles the equally mysterious, but autochthonous paranormal activity that has been produced on our planet throughout history.
Although, in my opinion no single theory or book can sum up the UFO phenomenon as a whole, I must admit that my own personal experiences with both the paranormal and UFOs fit well within Keel’s postulations. I recommend Operation Trojan Horse to anyone interested in the mystery of UFOs, especially those who steadfastly believe that UFOs are physical vehicles for extraterrestrial travel, as OTH might impart a new perspective to ponder.