The Falcon Lake UFO – Another Unsolved Mysteries Case

originally posted by: mirageman
a reply to: Ophiuchus1

There's also a very handy (300 page searchable) PDF over at Black Vault :

Canadian UFO Files FOI with lots of references to this case.

That way back machine website is always iffy for me, in terms of the page you link to and have previously linked to in the past

All I see is a piece of Black Vault homepage and no useful active linking to opening the pdf page you reference.



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a reply to: Ophiuchus1

I've got about 8,000 pages of Canadian FOIA UFO files here.
8000 Pages of Declassified Canadian UFO Documents

a reply to: Ophiuchus1

I am looking before and after May 20, 1967 (date of Stefan's encounter) and on page 268 of database of WaybackMachine an Apr. 19/67 sighting in Alberta is somewhat similar. The craft appearing to be many colors, then silver, then rotating.

But these archives are all government reports, I really wanted to read Mr. Thompson's APO Org. report from that time. Oh well.

a reply to: Ophiuchus1

It's a 30mb file so will take some time to fully open. Plus of course you need a PDF reader built into your browser to read it.

I prefer to use archives for reference, as web pages can be changed and files often go missing after a while.

Here's an alternative source of the pdf :Link

a reply to: quintessentone

There are some APRO Bulletins available online. But seem to add little information to what has been discussed...

This is from the May-June 1967 issue:

....Mr. James B. Thompson ol Winnipeg initiated the investigation on behalf of APRO, assisted by Edward Barker and Brian Cannon.Mr. Thompson did an exceptionally thorough documentation ol the incident, and forwarded Mr. Micha- lak's glove, with which he touched the UAO, and a piece of the burned shirt to APRO early in the investigation. The latter are undergoing tests to determine whether they contain any sort of residue which would support Michalak's claims. Mr. Thompson also worked closely with Dr. Craig of the University of Colorado's UFO committee during his investigation. Thompson has been to the general area of the landing at least twice, but Michalak had dif[iculty finding the exact location. It was finally found on about the 24th oI June, soil samples were taken and further information on this incident will be contained in a future issue...

These bulletins can be found in this web folder : Link

a reply to: mirageman


I also came across the APRO Bulletin archives but from a different source and selection format.

What I find interesting is the following…..


Look closely in the red boxes …….

Who’s name appears as the contact point for Stephan’s hardship donations and the sales of the booklet?

None other than J.B. Thompson!

This is compromising if J.B. Thompson either took advantage of Stephan…..or they were both in cahoots……

I suspect J.B. Thompson gave the idea for the booklet, as well as added content of his design…to make a story believable and sellable.

Just a thought….

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originally posted by: mirageman
a reply to: quintessentone

There are some APRO Bulletins available online. But seem to add little information to what has been discussed...

This is from the May-June 1967 issue:

....Mr. James B. Thompson ol Winnipeg initiated the investigation on behalf of APRO, assisted by Edward Barker and Brian Cannon.Mr. Thompson did an exceptionally thorough documentation ol the incident, and forwarded Mr. Micha- lak's glove, with which he touched the UAO, and a piece of the burned shirt to APRO early in the investigation. The latter are undergoing tests to determine whether they contain any sort of residue which would support Michalak's claims. Mr. Thompson also worked closely with Dr. Craig of the University of Colorado's UFO committee during his investigation. Thompson has been to the general area of the landing at least twice, but Michalak had dif[iculty finding the exact location. It was finally found on about the 24th oI June, soil samples were taken and further information on this incident will be contained in a future issue...

These bulletins can be found in this web folder : Link

Thank you Mirageman. Mr. Thompson appears to have been primarily interested in collecting physical evidence and describing the landing site, as in evidenced with another encounter on May 31, 1967 (your link: bottom right-hand side of page 2 ) at a woman's farm where he did the exact same investigation, describing the landing site and collecting physical samples. Again, the sighting starts with seeing a red light, then other colors (this is where the woman ran into the house so no other eyewitness account) with a burned semi-circular 30x50 yards landing site which was supposedly still smoldering up to June 15, 1967.

That's basically what I wanted to know, Mr. Thompson's investigative methodology.

ETA: On the Jul/Aug '67 issue, page 5 (bottom left - updated on Stefan's case) - they have a Physics Professor, Univ. of Southern Mississippi and APO member diagnosing Stefan's low lymphocyte count as a radiation dose with no input from a medical doctor nor data from Stefan's medical history. Wow. Then on top of page 6 more another sighting in Winnipeg.

a reply to: Ophiuchus1

It is hard to know if Mr. Thompson was just trying to help him out considering Stefan's health was very bad. Maybe it was just a kind gesture, at least I'd like to think so.

a reply to: Ophiuchus1

Nice sleuthing. I can't say what Thompson's motives were. But from what I gather the initial run of booklets sold out with Michalak not making any money from it.

I suspect J.B. Thompson gave the idea for the booklet, as well as added content of his design…to make a story believable and sellable. Just a thought….

Possibly.There was also another individual Gerald Hart who seemed to be influencing Michalak. But it's not yet clear to me how.

originally posted by: quintessentone
a reply to: Ophiuchus1

It is hard to know if Mr. Thompson was just trying to help him out considering Stefan's health was very bad. Maybe it was just a kind gesture, at least I'd like to think so.

Yeah….ya know…that kind of crossed my mind as well.

But see….I’m a pessimistic from the east coast….I’m always looking at things from a “am I being scammed” perspective. I find it hard to trust.

So anyway…..I read this in the 2nd report



Why wouldn’t J.B.T. stick around while Stephan was being interviewed by the RCMP? It doesn’t seem like he was asked to leave by the RCMP. If anything…the RCMP might have welcomed J.B.T.’s expertise and experience in such matters.

He may have been even a corroborating witness with whatever Stephan told him to add to the conversation with the RCMP. Instead after a “brief” time…… J.B. T. left….probably after courtesy introductions with the RCMP.

If I were an A.P.R.O. investigator like J.B.T., I would have stuck around just to see if Stephan told the same story to the RCMP as he told me……it’s basic!

Nah…something went on between J.B.T. and Stephan….imo…..to where J.B.T. said to himself….I’m outta here.

Highly suspicious….

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a reply to: Ophiuchus1

Yeah, that is suspicious, you are right.

originally posted by: quintessentone
a reply to: Ophiuchus1

Yeah, that is suspicious, you are right.

To parse it even further……the RCMP, says this…



This sentence …imo…is said and written by the RCMP, in a tense where it was after the interview, after the fact, did the RCMP find out what A.P.R.O. stood for and what they do.

In other words….J.B.T. may have introduced himself or by Stephan with the RCMP, but not to the detail of what J.B.T. actually does.

Why didn’t J.B.T. while he was in the presence of the RCMP, go as far as to reveal, in full, his organization and what he did for it? Both J.B.T and RCMP where there for the subject of UFO’s.

It doesn’t make sense not to talk about what they were both there to investigate. Even in small talk chit chat.

J.B.T. May have had a shady side to himself….imo.

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Objectively speaking, there’s no overt proof of a hoax. We must go by our feelings and impressions and some of the holes in his story.

Sometimes in this kind of case, there is corroborating evidence, like another person saw some ufos at around the same time. Or, in our famous cases such as Roswell and others, we have peripheral witnesses claiming seeing aliens dead or alive at some point in its reporting.

This is a one-witness case without any such corroboration, so it all depends on him.

I wonder whether he took a lie detector test.

As for the three beers supposedly guzzled down. I don't think that would make anyone hallucinate a ufo contact.

Unless there was something else in those beers.

I don't bank much on that since I know that people lie or make mistakes in these kinds of witness cases( through my experience in legal matters), and I can believe the guy over the bartender.

a reply to: peaceinoutz

As for the three beers supposedly guzzled down. I don't think that would make anyone hallucinate a ufo contact.

Unless there was something else in those beers.

Well it was high times in 1967 and I expect there was not much to do in the wilds of Winnipeg, so maybe?

a reply to: Ophiuchus1

On second thought, how do we know whether Thompson already did a thorough interview with Stefan? But if it were me investigating, I'd ask to sit in with the RCMP investigator just in case new information arose. So, yeah, you are probably right, something is fishy there.

a reply to: Ophiuchus1

I think the answer is contained here about Thompson. Although the RCMP were initially advised to liaise with him. They decided against it, given the lack of co-ordination within APRO and the tendency to monetize any UFO story.



Source : RCMP Report 26th June 1967

a reply to: peaceinoutz

Sometimes in this kind of case, there is corroborating evidence, like another person saw some ufos at around the same time. Or, in our famous cases such as Roswell and others, we have peripheral witnesses claiming seeing aliens dead or alive at some point in its reporting....

True, but sometimes this makes a case even more complicated. Look at Rendlesham as a prime example.

As for the three beers supposedly guzzled down. I don't think that would make anyone hallucinate a ufo contact. Unless there was something else in those beers.

We have a bartender's report about the beers. Any effect of that should have worn off by morning.

But we don't know if Michalak had his own supply of alcohol (or other substance) with him when he arrived in Falcon Lake. The RCMP Report of 26th May 1967 says the officer that Michalak flagged down (Constable Solotki) thought he appeared drunk and hungover. His eyes were red and he was acting irrationally. Michalak kept backing away from him too and refused a ride to seek medical assistance. Despite his burns.

One could speculate from that what Michalak might have been up to. But we have no proof.

a reply to: mirageman



I remember when I was in my late teens…..and still living at home with my parents. I would go out with friends to do some drinking….I’d come home with a reeking smell of alcohol. But since I sometimes had to face either or both parents (figures of authority) …I would try to keep at a distance so they wouldn’t smell the alcohol ….it never worked. They would know I was drinking…my smells and erratic demeanor would surely give me away…..”Busted”. That all happened indoors.

So, here you have a person of authority (law enforcement) from the RCMP confronting Stephan. Stephan could in fact be a functioning alcoholic……and making attempts to avoid coming close to the RCMP so as the RCMP cannot detect the smell of alcohol.

With whatever breezes or winds we’re outdoors with them both…Stephan could have continue to positioned himself in downwind postures away from the RCMP. Emphasis on the word ‘Anytime’ in the report.

In essence, Stephan possibly used “something to hide’ tactics…

Btw….when a person is a functioning alcoholic….this is an alcoholic that drinks covertly and moderately throughout the day and night. They also spend time avoiding detection. It’s not the same as a once in a while drinking outing episode at the local pub.

A functioning alcoholic will burn (pardon the pun) through personal and family finances.

It’s known by the APRO Bulletin that Stephan is in dire financial hardship and accepting donations.

So then…conceivably ..J.B. Thompson uses Stephan’s alcoholism and state of mind, to his financial gain….and…whatever proceeds there are from J.B.T. ‘handling’ the donations and booklet sales funds, J.B.T. let’s Stephan have a pittance portion of the funds…..which in turn Stephan uses towards his alcoholism and continues to live financially stressed.

It’s no wonder then that Stephan never made and kept any appreciable proceeds from the booklet sales that could be put in a savings or checking accounts…….because he spent whatever there was on Flammable ‘Burning’ Booze.

I suspect prospectors would carry a batch of spirits with them out into the field……on cool days it kept them warm on the inside…..on days they don’t find anything….the disappointment sorrow is drowned in drinking….etc. It could even be used as lighter fluid for a fire…depending on the alcohol content percentages.

Seems like a likely scenario…..imo

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Interestingly, one might wonder, what was the US sticking its big nose in this case for?

They have distorted many ufo cases, so one might wonder, what gives with them intruding in this Canadian affair?

And why so much interest by the Canadians?

Do Canadian authorities usually press these cases so much?

And again, why was the US so interested? Did they have a similar interest in other Canadian cases?

I ask because the fact of the strong interest in this particular case might signify they( the respective governments here) knew something about it.

That is if this is how Canadians usually handle ufo claims. I don’t know.
If it isn’t, then there may be some government secrets here.

a reply to: peaceinoutz

So the American interest may be because of shared airspace for defence purposes. I suppose the RCMP had to do their jobs when someone called in any sighting.

On 1 August 1957, the Canadian and American governments announced the two countries would integrate their air-defence forces under a joint command at Colorado Springs, Colorado. The Cold War between the Soviet Union and Western nations was well underway. Both Canada and the US feared long-range Soviet attack. (Canadian Encyclopedia)