Morris K. Jessup
Encyclopedia
Morris Ketchum Jessup had a Master of Science
Degree in astronomy and, though employed for most of his life as an automobile-parts salesman and a photographer, is probably best remembered for his pioneering ufological
writings and his role in "uncovering" the so-called "Philadelphia Experiment
".
, Jessup grew up with an interest in astronomy
. He earned a bachelor of science degree in astronomy from The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan
in 1925 and, while working at the Lamont-Hussey Observatory, received a master of science degree in 1926. Though he began work on his doctorate
in astrophysics
, he ended his dissertaton work in 1931 and never earned the higher degree. Nevertheless, he was sometimes referred to as "Dr. Jessup." He apparently dropped his career and studies in astronomy and worked for the rest of his life in a variety of jobs unrelated to science, although he is sometimes erroneously described as having been an instructor in astronomy and mathematics at the University of Michigan and Drake University
.
Mr. Jessup has been referred to in ufological circles as "probably the most original extraterrestrial hypothesis
er of the 1950s", and it has been said of him that he was "educated in astronomy
and archeology and had working experience in both." Actual evidence of an educational background in archaeology or archaeological field work is really absent from Jessup's resume, but Jerome Clark
reports that Jessup took part in archeological expeditions to the Yucatan
and Peru
in the 1920s.
Jessup achieved some notoriety with his 1955 book The Case for the UFO, in which he argued that unidentified flying object
s (UFOs) represented a mysterious subject worthy of further study. Jessup speculated that UFOs were "exploratory craft of "solid" and "nebulous" character." Jessup also "linked ancient monuments with prehistoric superscience," years before similar claims were made by Erich von Däniken
in Chariots of the Gods? and other books.
Jessup wrote three further flying-saucer books, UFOs and the Bible, The UFO Annual (both 1956), and The Expanding Case for the UFO (1957). The latter suggested that transient lunar phenomenon
were somehow related to UFOs in the earth's skies. Jessup's main flying-saucer scenario came to resemble that of the Shaver Hoax
perpetrated by the science-fiction magazine editor Raymond A. Palmer
—namely, that "good" and "bad" groups of space aliens were/are meddling with terrestrial affairs. Like most of the writers on flying saucers and the so-called contactees
that emerged during the 1950s, Jessup displayed familiarity with the alternative mythology
of human prehistory developed by Helena P. Blavatsky's cult of Theosophy
, which included the mythical lost continents of Atlantis
, Mu
, and Lemuria
.
". In The Case for the UFO, Jessup theorized about the means of propulsion that flying saucer-style UFOs might use. Jessup speculated that antigravity and/or electromagnetism
might have been responsible for the observed flight behavior of UFOs. He lamented, both in the book and in the publicity tour that followed, that space flight research was concentrated in the area of rocketry
and that little attention was paid to other, theoretical means of flight, which he felt would ultimately be more fruitful.
On January 13, 1955, Jessup received a letter from a man identifying himself as one "Carlos Miguel Allende". In the letter, Allende informed Jessup of the so-called "Philadelphia Experiment", alluding to poorly sourced contemporary newspaper articles as proof. Allende also said that he had personally witnessed a U.S. Navy warship named the USS Eldridge disappear and reappear while he was serving aboard a merchant marine ship in her vicinity, the SS Andrew Furuseth. He further named other crewmen with whom he served aboard the Andrew Furuseth and claimed to know the fates of some of the crew members of the Eldridge after the experiment, including one whom he supposedly witnessed disappearing during a chaotic fight in a bar. Jessup replied to Allende with a postcard, asking for further evidence and corroboration for the story, such as dates and specific details of his fantastic story. The reply came months later. However, this time the correspondent identified himself as "Carl M. Allen". Allen said that he could not provide the details for which Jessup was asking, but he implied that he might be able to recall by means of hypnosis. Jessup decided to discontinue the correspondence.
However, in the spring of 1957, Jessup was contacted by the Office of Naval Research
(ONR) in Washington, D.C.
, and asked to study the contents of a parcel that it had received. Upon arrival, the curious Jessup was astonished to find that a paperback copy of his book had been mailed to the ONR in a manila envelope marked "HAPPY EASTER". Furthermore, the book had been extensively annotated by hand in its margins, and an ONR officer asked Jessup if he had any idea as to who had done so.
The lengthy annotations were written in three different colors of ink and appeared to detail a correspondence between three individuals, only one of whom is given a name: "Jemi". The ONR labeled the other two "Mr. A." and "Mr. B." The annotators refer to each other as Gypsies and discuss two different types of "people" living in space. Their text contained nonstandard use of capitalization
and punctuation
and detailed a lengthy discussion of the merits of various suppositions that Jessup makes throughout his book, with oblique references to the "Philadelphia Experiment", in a way that suggested prior or superior knowledge. (For example, "Mr. B." reassures his fellow annotators, who have highlighted a certain theory of Jessup's, "HE HAS NO KNOWLEDGE, HE COULD NOT HAVE. ONLY GUESSING.[sic]").
Based on the handwriting style and subject matter, and in comparison to the earlier letters that he had received, Jessup identified "Mr. A." as Carlos Allende/Carl Allen. Others have suggested that the three annotations are actually from the same person using three pens. Later the ONR contacted Jessup, claiming that the return address on Allende's letter to Jessup was an abandoned farmhouse. They also informed Jessup that the Varo Corporation, a research firm, was preparing a print copy of the annotated version of The Case for the UFO, complete with both letters he had received. Numbers vary, but it appears that around one hundred copies of the Varo Edition were printed and distributed within the U.S. Navy. Jessup was also sent three copies for his own use.
. After returning to Florida
, he was involved in a serious car accident and was slow to recover, apparently increasing his despondency. On April 19, 1959, Jessup contacted Doctor Manson Valentine and arranged to meet with him the next day, claiming to have made a breakthrough regarding an event known as the Philadelphia Experiment
. However, on April 20, 1959, Jessup was found dead in a Dade County, Florida, with a hose between the exhaust pipe and a rear window of the vehicle, filling the car with toxic exhaust fumes. The death was ruled a suicide
. Some people believed that "The circumstances of Jessup's apparent suicide remain mysterious" and conspiracy
theorists contended that it was connected to his knowledge of the "Philadelphia Experiment". Although some friends claimed that he possibly had been driven to suicide by the "Allende Case," other friends said that an extremely depressed Jessup had been discussing suicide with his friends for several months before his act.
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
Degree in astronomy and, though employed for most of his life as an automobile-parts salesman and a photographer, is probably best remembered for his pioneering ufological
Ufology
Ufology is a neologism coined to describe the collective efforts of those who study reports and associated evidence of unidentified flying objects . UFOs have been subject to various investigations over the years by governments, independent groups, and scientists...
writings and his role in "uncovering" the so-called "Philadelphia Experiment
Philadelphia Experiment
The Philadelphia Experiment is the name of an alleged naval military experiment said to have been carried out at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA sometime around October 28, 1943. It is alleged that the U.S. Navy destroyer escort USS Eldridge was to be rendered...
".
Life and career
Born near Rockville, IndianaRockville, Indiana
Rockville is a town in Adams Township, Parke County, Indiana, United States. The population was 2,607 at the 2010 census. The town is the county seat of Parke County. It is known as "The Covered Bridge Capital of the World".-Geography:...
, Jessup grew up with an interest in astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
. He earned a bachelor of science degree in astronomy from The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
in 1925 and, while working at the Lamont-Hussey Observatory, received a master of science degree in 1926. Though he began work on his doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in astrophysics
Astrophysics
Astrophysics is the branch of astronomy that deals with the physics of the universe, including the physical properties of celestial objects, as well as their interactions and behavior...
, he ended his dissertaton work in 1931 and never earned the higher degree. Nevertheless, he was sometimes referred to as "Dr. Jessup." He apparently dropped his career and studies in astronomy and worked for the rest of his life in a variety of jobs unrelated to science, although he is sometimes erroneously described as having been an instructor in astronomy and mathematics at the University of Michigan and Drake University
Drake University
Drake University is a private, co-educational university located in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. The institution offers a number of undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as professional programs in law and pharmacy. Today, Drake is one of the twenty-five oldest law schools in the country....
.
Mr. Jessup has been referred to in ufological circles as "probably the most original extraterrestrial hypothesis
Extraterrestrial hypothesis
The extraterrestrial hypothesis is the hypothesis that some unidentified flying objects are best explained as being extraterrestrial life or non-human aliens from other planets occupying physical spacecraft visiting Earth.-Etymology:...
er of the 1950s", and it has been said of him that he was "educated in astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
and archeology and had working experience in both." Actual evidence of an educational background in archaeology or archaeological field work is really absent from Jessup's resume, but Jerome Clark
Jerome Clark
Jerome Clark is an American researcher and writer, specializing in unidentified flying objects and other anomalous phenomena; he is also a songwriter of some note....
reports that Jessup took part in archeological expeditions to the Yucatan
Yucatán
Yucatán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Yucatán is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 106 municipalities and its capital city is Mérida....
and Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
in the 1920s.
Jessup achieved some notoriety with his 1955 book The Case for the UFO, in which he argued that unidentified flying object
Unidentified flying object
A term originally coined by the military, an unidentified flying object is an unusual apparent anomaly in the sky that is not readily identifiable to the observer as any known object...
s (UFOs) represented a mysterious subject worthy of further study. Jessup speculated that UFOs were "exploratory craft of "solid" and "nebulous" character." Jessup also "linked ancient monuments with prehistoric superscience," years before similar claims were made by Erich von Däniken
Erich von Däniken
Erich Anton Paul von Däniken is a Swiss author best known for his controversial claims about extraterrestrial influences on early human culture, in books such as Chariots of the Gods?, published in 1968...
in Chariots of the Gods? and other books.
Jessup wrote three further flying-saucer books, UFOs and the Bible, The UFO Annual (both 1956), and The Expanding Case for the UFO (1957). The latter suggested that transient lunar phenomenon
Transient lunar phenomenon
A transient lunar phenomenon , or lunar transient phenomenon , is a short-lived light, color, or change in appearance on the lunar surface....
were somehow related to UFOs in the earth's skies. Jessup's main flying-saucer scenario came to resemble that of the Shaver Hoax
Richard Sharpe Shaver
Richard Sharpe Shaver was an American writer and artist.He achieved notoriety in the years following World War II as the author of controversial stories which were printed in science fiction magazines , in which he claimed that he had personal experience of a sinister, ancient...
perpetrated by the science-fiction magazine editor Raymond A. Palmer
Raymond A. Palmer
Raymond Arthur Palmer was the influential editor of Amazing Stories from 1938 through 1949, when he left publisher Ziff-Davis to publish and edit Fate Magazine, and eventually many other magazines and books through his own publishing houses, including Amherst Press and Palmer Publications...
—namely, that "good" and "bad" groups of space aliens were/are meddling with terrestrial affairs. Like most of the writers on flying saucers and the so-called contactees
Contactees
Contactees are persons who claim to have experienced contact with extraterrestrials. Contactees have typically reported that they were given messages or profound wisdom by extraterrestrial beings...
that emerged during the 1950s, Jessup displayed familiarity with the alternative mythology
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
of human prehistory developed by Helena P. Blavatsky's cult of Theosophy
Theosophy
Theosophy, in its modern presentation, is a spiritual philosophy developed since the late 19th century. Its major themes were originally described mainly by Helena Blavatsky , co-founder of the Theosophical Society...
, which included the mythical lost continents of Atlantis
Atlantis
Atlantis is a legendary island first mentioned in Plato's dialogues Timaeus and Critias, written about 360 BC....
, Mu
Mu (lost continent)
Mu is the name of a hypothetical continent that allegedly existed in one of Earth's oceans, but disappeared at the dawn of human history.The concept and the name were proposed by 19th century traveler and writer Augustus Le Plongeon, who claimed that several ancient civilizations, such as those of...
, and Lemuria
Lemuria (continent)
Lemuria is the name of a hypothetical "lost land" variously located in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The concept's 19th century origins lie in attempts to account for discontinuities in biogeography; however, the concept of Lemuria has been rendered obsolete by modern theories of plate tectonics...
.
His Role in the "Philadelphia Experiment"
Jessup also played a key role in the so-called "Philadelphia ExperimentPhiladelphia Experiment
The Philadelphia Experiment is the name of an alleged naval military experiment said to have been carried out at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA sometime around October 28, 1943. It is alleged that the U.S. Navy destroyer escort USS Eldridge was to be rendered...
". In The Case for the UFO, Jessup theorized about the means of propulsion that flying saucer-style UFOs might use. Jessup speculated that antigravity and/or electromagnetism
Electromagnetism
Electromagnetism is one of the four fundamental interactions in nature. The other three are the strong interaction, the weak interaction and gravitation...
might have been responsible for the observed flight behavior of UFOs. He lamented, both in the book and in the publicity tour that followed, that space flight research was concentrated in the area of rocketry
Rocket
A rocket is a missile, spacecraft, aircraft or other vehicle which obtains thrust from a rocket engine. In all rockets, the exhaust is formed entirely from propellants carried within the rocket before use. Rocket engines work by action and reaction...
and that little attention was paid to other, theoretical means of flight, which he felt would ultimately be more fruitful.
On January 13, 1955, Jessup received a letter from a man identifying himself as one "Carlos Miguel Allende". In the letter, Allende informed Jessup of the so-called "Philadelphia Experiment", alluding to poorly sourced contemporary newspaper articles as proof. Allende also said that he had personally witnessed a U.S. Navy warship named the USS Eldridge disappear and reappear while he was serving aboard a merchant marine ship in her vicinity, the SS Andrew Furuseth. He further named other crewmen with whom he served aboard the Andrew Furuseth and claimed to know the fates of some of the crew members of the Eldridge after the experiment, including one whom he supposedly witnessed disappearing during a chaotic fight in a bar. Jessup replied to Allende with a postcard, asking for further evidence and corroboration for the story, such as dates and specific details of his fantastic story. The reply came months later. However, this time the correspondent identified himself as "Carl M. Allen". Allen said that he could not provide the details for which Jessup was asking, but he implied that he might be able to recall by means of hypnosis. Jessup decided to discontinue the correspondence.
However, in the spring of 1957, Jessup was contacted by the Office of Naval Research
Office of Naval Research
The Office of Naval Research , headquartered in Arlington, Virginia , is the office within the United States Department of the Navy that coordinates, executes, and promotes the science and technology programs of the U.S...
(ONR) in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, and asked to study the contents of a parcel that it had received. Upon arrival, the curious Jessup was astonished to find that a paperback copy of his book had been mailed to the ONR in a manila envelope marked "HAPPY EASTER". Furthermore, the book had been extensively annotated by hand in its margins, and an ONR officer asked Jessup if he had any idea as to who had done so.
The lengthy annotations were written in three different colors of ink and appeared to detail a correspondence between three individuals, only one of whom is given a name: "Jemi". The ONR labeled the other two "Mr. A." and "Mr. B." The annotators refer to each other as Gypsies and discuss two different types of "people" living in space. Their text contained nonstandard use of capitalization
Capitalization
Capitalization is writing a word with its first letter as a majuscule and the remaining letters in minuscules . This of course only applies to those writing systems which have a case distinction...
and punctuation
Punctuation
Punctuation marks are symbols that indicate the structure and organization of written language, as well as intonation and pauses to be observed when reading aloud.In written English, punctuation is vital to disambiguate the meaning of sentences...
and detailed a lengthy discussion of the merits of various suppositions that Jessup makes throughout his book, with oblique references to the "Philadelphia Experiment", in a way that suggested prior or superior knowledge. (For example, "Mr. B." reassures his fellow annotators, who have highlighted a certain theory of Jessup's, "HE HAS NO KNOWLEDGE, HE COULD NOT HAVE. ONLY GUESSING.[sic]").
Based on the handwriting style and subject matter, and in comparison to the earlier letters that he had received, Jessup identified "Mr. A." as Carlos Allende/Carl Allen. Others have suggested that the three annotations are actually from the same person using three pens. Later the ONR contacted Jessup, claiming that the return address on Allende's letter to Jessup was an abandoned farmhouse. They also informed Jessup that the Varo Corporation, a research firm, was preparing a print copy of the annotated version of The Case for the UFO, complete with both letters he had received. Numbers vary, but it appears that around one hundred copies of the Varo Edition were printed and distributed within the U.S. Navy. Jessup was also sent three copies for his own use.
His death
Jessup attempted to make a living writing on the subject of UFOs, but his followup books did not sell well and his publisher rejected several other manuscripts. In 1958 his wife left him, and his friends described him as being somewhat unstable when he traveled to New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. After returning to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, he was involved in a serious car accident and was slow to recover, apparently increasing his despondency. On April 19, 1959, Jessup contacted Doctor Manson Valentine and arranged to meet with him the next day, claiming to have made a breakthrough regarding an event known as the Philadelphia Experiment
Philadelphia Experiment
The Philadelphia Experiment is the name of an alleged naval military experiment said to have been carried out at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA sometime around October 28, 1943. It is alleged that the U.S. Navy destroyer escort USS Eldridge was to be rendered...
. However, on April 20, 1959, Jessup was found dead in a Dade County, Florida, with a hose between the exhaust pipe and a rear window of the vehicle, filling the car with toxic exhaust fumes. The death was ruled a suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
. Some people believed that "The circumstances of Jessup's apparent suicide remain mysterious" and conspiracy
Conspiracy theory
A conspiracy theory explains an event as being the result of an alleged plot by a covert group or organization or, more broadly, the idea that important political, social or economic events are the products of secret plots that are largely unknown to the general public.-Usage:The term "conspiracy...
theorists contended that it was connected to his knowledge of the "Philadelphia Experiment". Although some friends claimed that he possibly had been driven to suicide by the "Allende Case," other friends said that an extremely depressed Jessup had been discussing suicide with his friends for several months before his act.
See also
- The Philadelphia Experiment
- UFO
- Ancient AstronautsAncient astronautsSome writers have proposed that intelligent extraterrestrial beings have visited Earth in antiquity or prehistory and made contact with humans. Such visitors are called ancient astronauts or ancient aliens. Proponents suggest that this contact influenced the development of human cultures,...
- Erich von DänikenErich von DänikenErich Anton Paul von Däniken is a Swiss author best known for his controversial claims about extraterrestrial influences on early human culture, in books such as Chariots of the Gods?, published in 1968...