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User:Feofer/John Olsen Lear

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John Olson Lear (December 3, 1942 - ) is an influential conspiracy theorist, a record-breaking pilot, and a one-time candidate for State Senate. Lear has promoted the "Dark Hypothesis", a story of alien collusion with secret governmental forces.[1] Lear 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]

Early life

John Olson Lear was born on December 3, 1942 to industrialist and future Learjet founder Bill Lear and his wife Moya Marie.Cite error: The <ref> tag name cannot be a simple integer (see the help page).[2] 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 was covered in the "Society" page of an Ohio paper.[3][4]

Lear graduated from the Institut Le Rosey boarding school in Switzerland and attended Wichita State University.[5][6] Lear claimed that in 1959 he had become the youngest American to ever climb Switzerland's Matterhorn.[7]

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.[8]

Between May 23 and 26, 1966, Lear and crewmmate flew a record-breaking flight around the world in a LearJet that covered 22,000 miles in 50 hours and 39 minutes.[9]

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.[10] The track, titled "2-4-2 Foxtrot (The Lear Jet Song)", samples Lear's voice as he speaks over the radio.[11][12]


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.[13]

Lear claimed to fly "secret missions for the CIA" between 1967 and 1983.[14][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?"[15] Despite initial objections from MUFON founder Walt Andrus, Lear was able to submit a slate of speakers after he threatened to split the symposium. [15] 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. [15] Lear's speakers were slated to provide allegedly-independent verification of the Bennewitz claims. [15] One of those speakers, Bill Cooper, would later break with Lear after accusing him of being an intelligence agent.[16]

Personal life

In 1970, Lear married Marilee Higginbotham, the owner of a California fashion modelling agency, at a ceremony in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b https://newrepublic.com/article/150922/pioneer-paranoia
  2. ^ https://www.newspapers.com/image/391944501
  3. ^ https://www.newspapers.com/image/45780916/
  4. ^ https://www.newspapers.com/image/47035669
  5. ^ a b https://www.newspapers.com/image/384761900
  6. ^ https://www.newspapers.com/image/148040498
  7. ^ ART BELL INTERVIEW OF JOHN LEAR 11-2/3-03
  8. ^ https://www.newspapers.com/image/694531330
  9. ^ https://www.si.edu/object/lear-jet-23%3Anasm_A19780122000
  10. ^ https://www.newspapers.com/image/695745835
  11. ^ https://www.newspapers.com/image/695745835
  12. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EitHMUG69eI
  13. ^ https://www.newspapers.com/image/41570448/
  14. ^ https://www.wanttoknow.nl/wp-content/uploads/911-lear-affidavit.pdf
  15. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference Rider was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  16. ^ https://newrepublic.com/article/150922/pioneer-paranoia
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