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'''John Olson Lear''' (December 3, 1942 - March 29,2022) was an influential conspiracy theorist, a record-breaking pilot, and a one-time candidate for State Senate.<ref name="Pioneer"/><ref name="Rider"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TQ3BBAAAQBAJ|title=Mirage Men: A Journey into Disinformation, Paranoia and UFOs.|first=Mark|last=Pilkington|date=July 29, 2010|publisher=Little, Brown Book Group|via=Google Books}}</ref>
'''John Olson Lear''' (December 3, 1942 - March 29,2022) was an influential conspiracy theorist, a record-breaking pilot, and a one-time candidate for State Senate.<ref name="Pioneer"/><ref name="Rider"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TQ3BBAAAQBAJ|title=Mirage Men: A Journey into Disinformation, Paranoia and UFOs.|first=Mark|last=Pilkington|date=July 29, 2010|publisher=Little, Brown Book Group|via=Google Books}}</ref>


Unlike previous UFO conspiracy theorists, Lear promoted a story of alien collusion with secret governmental forces.<ref name="Pioneer">{{Cite web|url=https://newrepublic.com/article/150922/pioneer-paranoia|title=A Pioneer of Paranoia|first=Colin|last=Dickey|date=August 28, 2018|via=The New Republic}}</ref> Lear's tale left a lasting influence on the UFO movement -- One author observed "in the early years [UFO writers] did not, by and large, embrace strong political positions. [Lear and his partner] were the tip of a spear asserting that the number one thing we had to fear was not little green men, but the government that colluded with them, appropriating their technology against us." <ref name="Pioneer"/><ref name="Rider"/><ref>https://books.google.com/books?id=UugAST0XW9gC</ref>
Unlike previous UFO conspiracy theorists, Lear promoted a story of alien collusion with secret governmental forces.<ref name="Pioneer">{{Cite web|url=https://newrepublic.com/article/150922/pioneer-paranoia|title=A Pioneer of Paranoia|first=Colin|last=Dickey|date=August 28, 2018|via=The New Republic}}</ref> Lear's tale left a lasting influence on the UFO movement -- One author observed "in the early years [UFO writers] did not, by and large, embrace strong political positions. [Lear and his partner] were the tip of a spear asserting that the number one thing we had to fear was not little green men, but the government that colluded with them, appropriating their technology against us." <ref name="Pioneer"/><ref name="Rider"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UugAST0XW9gC|title=Project Beta: The Story of Paul Bennewitz, National Security, and the Creation of a Modern UFO Myth|first=Greg|last=Bishop|date=February 8, 2005|publisher=Simon and Schuster|via=Google Books}}</ref>


==Early life==
==Early life==
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John Olson Lear was born on December 3, 1942 to industrialist and future [[Learjet]] founder [[Bill Lear]] and his wife [[Moya Lear|Moya Marie Olsen Lear]].<ref name="1943"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/391944501/|title=9 Dec 1942, 5 - The Dayton Herald at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com}}</ref> He was named after his maternal grandfather, famous comedian [[Olsen and Johnson|John Olsen]].<ref name="1943">{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/116888221/|title=5 May 1943, Page 10 - Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com}}</ref> His second and third birthday parties were covered in the "Society" page of an Ohio paper.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/45780916/|title=8 Dec 1944, Page 2 - The Piqua Daily Call at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/47035669/|title=5 Feb 1943, Page 2 - The Piqua Daily Call at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
John Olson Lear was born on December 3, 1942 to industrialist and future [[Learjet]] founder [[Bill Lear]] and his wife [[Moya Lear|Moya Marie Olsen Lear]].<ref name="1943"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/391944501/|title=9 Dec 1942, 5 - The Dayton Herald at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com}}</ref> He was named after his maternal grandfather, famous comedian [[Olsen and Johnson|John Olsen]].<ref name="1943">{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/116888221/|title=5 May 1943, Page 10 - Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com}}</ref> His second and third birthday parties were covered in the "Society" page of an Ohio paper.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/45780916/|title=8 Dec 1944, Page 2 - The Piqua Daily Call at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/47035669/|title=5 Feb 1943, Page 2 - The Piqua Daily Call at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com}}</ref>


Lear graduated from the [[Institut Le Rosey]] boarding school in Switzerland and attended [[Wichita State University]].<ref name="marriage"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/148040498/|title=24 Jun 1971, Page 16 - Reno Gazette-Journal at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Lear claimed that in 1959 he had become the youngest American to ever climb Switzerland's Matterhorn.<ref>https://www.coasttocoastam.com/show/2003-11-02-show/</ref>
Lear graduated from the [[Institut Le Rosey]] boarding school in Switzerland and attended [[Wichita State University]].<ref name="marriage"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/148040498/|title=24 Jun 1971, Page 16 - Reno Gazette-Journal at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Lear claimed that in 1959 he had become the youngest American to ever climb Switzerland's Matterhorn.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.coasttocoastam.com/show/2003-11-02-show/|title=Aerial Revelations|website=Coast to Coast AM}}</ref>


==Career==
==Career==
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}}</ref> Despite initial objections from MUFON founder Walt Andrus, Lear was able to submit a slate of speakers after he threatened to split the symposium. <ref name="Rider"/> At that same symposium, Roswell author [[Bill Moore]] tearfully confessed to having intentionally spread disinformation to UFO researcher [[Paul Bennewitz]] on behalf of purported counter-intelligence agent [[Richard Doty]]. <ref name="Rider"/> Lear's speakers were slated to provide allegedly-independent verification of the Bennewitz claims. <ref name="Rider"/> One of those speakers, [[Milton William Cooper|Bill Cooper]], would later break with Lear after accusing him of being an intelligence agent.<ref name="Pioneer"/>
}}</ref> Despite initial objections from MUFON founder Walt Andrus, Lear was able to submit a slate of speakers after he threatened to split the symposium. <ref name="Rider"/> At that same symposium, Roswell author [[Bill Moore]] tearfully confessed to having intentionally spread disinformation to UFO researcher [[Paul Bennewitz]] on behalf of purported counter-intelligence agent [[Richard Doty]]. <ref name="Rider"/> Lear's speakers were slated to provide allegedly-independent verification of the Bennewitz claims. <ref name="Rider"/> One of those speakers, [[Milton William Cooper|Bill Cooper]], would later break with Lear after accusing him of being an intelligence agent.<ref name="Pioneer"/>


Lear made multiple appearances on fringe TV shows, including [[Ancient Aliens]] and [[The Unexplained Files]]. <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3385553/|title=John Lear|website=IMDb}}</ref> From 2003 to 2015, Lear was a regular guest on [[Coast to Coast AM]].<ref>https://www.coasttocoastam.com/guest/lear-john-6252/</ref>
Lear made multiple appearances on fringe TV shows, including [[Ancient Aliens]] and [[The Unexplained Files]]. <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3385553/|title=John Lear|website=IMDb}}</ref> From 2003 to 2015, Lear was a regular guest on [[Coast to Coast AM]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.coasttocoastam.com/guest/lear-john-6252/|title=John Lear|website=Coast to Coast AM}}</ref>


==Personal life and death==
==Personal life and death==

Revision as of 02:41, 31 March 2022

John Olson Lear (December 3, 1942 - March 29,2022) was an influential conspiracy theorist, a record-breaking pilot, and a one-time candidate for State Senate.[1][2][3]

Unlike previous UFO conspiracy theorists, Lear promoted a story of alien collusion with secret governmental forces.[1] Lear's tale left a lasting influence on the UFO movement -- One author observed "in the early years [UFO writers] did not, by and large, embrace strong political positions. [Lear and his partner] were the tip of a spear asserting that the number one thing we had to fear was not little green men, but the government that colluded with them, appropriating their technology against us." [1][2][4]

Early life

John Olson Lear was born on December 3, 1942 to industrialist and future Learjet founder Bill Lear and his wife Moya Marie Olsen Lear.Cite error: The <ref> tag name cannot be a simple integer (see the help page).[5] He was named after his maternal grandfather, famous comedian John Olsen.Cite error: The <ref> tag name cannot be a simple integer (see the help page). His second and third birthday parties were covered in the "Society" page of an Ohio paper.[6][7]

Lear graduated from the Institut Le Rosey boarding school in Switzerland and attended Wichita State University.[8][9] Lear claimed that in 1959 he had become the youngest American to ever climb Switzerland's Matterhorn.[10]

Career

In 1965, Lear was employed by the Paul Kelly Flying Service when its founder was killed while piloting a LearJet. Lear testified at the Civil Aeronautics Board investigation into the crash.[11]

Between May 23 and 26, 1966, Lear and a crewmmate flew a record-breaking flight around the world in a LearJet that covered 22,000 miles in 50 hours and 39 minutes.[12]

In August 1966, Lear was featured in the Wichita Press after he piloted a LearJet carrying the rock band The Byrds and the trip inspired them to write a song about the plane.[13] The track, titled "2-4-2 Foxtrot (The Lear Jet Song)", samples Lear's voice as he speaks over the radio.[13][14]

In 1968, Air Force personnel from Hamilton Air Force Base launched a rescue effort to help Lear land after heavy San Francisco fog interfered with landing. Traffic was cleared from the Golden Gate Bridge in anticipation of a forced landing. After a helicopter pilot established visual contact, Lear was able to successfully land at the base.[15]

Lear claimed to fly "secret missions for the CIA" between 1967 and 1983.[16][better source needed]

UFO claims

In 1989, Lear served as "State Director" for MUFON, hosting the 1989 symposium "The UFO Cover-Up: A Government Conspiracy?"[2] Despite initial objections from MUFON founder Walt Andrus, Lear was able to submit a slate of speakers after he threatened to split the symposium. [2] At that same symposium, Roswell author Bill Moore tearfully confessed to having intentionally spread disinformation to UFO researcher Paul Bennewitz on behalf of purported counter-intelligence agent Richard Doty. [2] Lear's speakers were slated to provide allegedly-independent verification of the Bennewitz claims. [2] One of those speakers, Bill Cooper, would later break with Lear after accusing him of being an intelligence agent.[1]

Lear made multiple appearances on fringe TV shows, including Ancient Aliens and The Unexplained Files. [17] From 2003 to 2015, Lear was a regular guest on Coast to Coast AM.[18]

Personal life and death

In 1970, Lear married Marilee Higginbotham, the owner of a California fashion modelling agency, at a ceremony in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles.[8]

Lear died on March 29,2022.[19]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Dickey, Colin (August 28, 2018). "A Pioneer of Paranoia" – via The New Republic.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Jacobson, Mark (2018). Pale Horse Rider: William Cooper, the Rise of Conspiracy, and the Fall of Trust in America. Blue Rider Press. ISBN 978-0399169953.
  3. ^ Pilkington, Mark (July 29, 2010). "Mirage Men: A Journey into Disinformation, Paranoia and UFOs". Little, Brown Book Group – via Google Books.
  4. ^ Bishop, Greg (February 8, 2005). "Project Beta: The Story of Paul Bennewitz, National Security, and the Creation of a Modern UFO Myth". Simon and Schuster – via Google Books.
  5. ^ "9 Dec 1942, 5 - The Dayton Herald at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "8 Dec 1944, Page 2 - The Piqua Daily Call at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "5 Feb 1943, Page 2 - The Piqua Daily Call at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ a b "14 Sep 1970, 42 - The Los Angeles Times at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "24 Jun 1971, Page 16 - Reno Gazette-Journal at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Aerial Revelations". Coast to Coast AM.
  11. ^ "2 Mar 1966, 10 - The Wichita Beacon at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Lear Jet 23". Smithsonian Institution.
  13. ^ a b "28 Aug 1966, 63 - The Wichita Eagle at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "2-4-2 Fox Trot (The Lear Jet Song)" – via www.youtube.com.
  15. ^ "23 Oct 1968, Page 24 - News Record at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ Affadaviit by John Lear
  17. ^ "John Lear". IMDb.
  18. ^ "John Lear". Coast to Coast AM.
  19. ^ Statement from journalist George Knapp
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