The subject of the so-called "Philadelphia Experiment" originally created quite a stir in the late 70s. At a time when the Bermuda Triangle, cattle mutilation, and Pyramid Power were attracting much attention, the Philadelphia Experiment carved out its own niche in the weird science field. Almost twenty years after its debut in the general public's awareness, however, little is currently available on the subject. A search of two major chain bookstores, and two decent libraries, turned up nothing on the shelves. Eventually a library was able to special order ONE book, published in 1979, from another branch. "The Philadelphia Experiment: Project Invisibility," Allende's main statements/writings can be summarized thusly:
1. Dr. Albert Einstein's Unified Field Theory was in fact completed in 1925-7, but Dr. Einstein withdrew it because he was allegedly "horrified" by the possible uses it might be put to by a mankind not yet ready for it. This, according to Allende, could be confirmed by "Dr. B. Russell."2. During World War II, the concepts of the Unified Field Theory were tested by the Navy, "with a view to any and every possible quick use of it, if feasible, in a very short time." Someone called Dr. Franklin Reno, a man Allende refers to as "my friend," allegedly had something to do with producing "results" at this stage of the game.3. The "results" thus produced were used to achieve "complete invisibility of a ship, destroyer type, and all of its crew, while at sea (October, 1943)" by means of some sort of energy or force field which had been created around the ship. The men on the ship were apparently able to see one another vaguely, but all that could be seen by anyone outside of the field was "the clearly defined shape of the ship's hull in the water." The effects of this invisibility-creating force field upon the men involved were, according to Allende, "disastrous." The experiment, he says, was a complete success, but the men were complete failures!4. There was a special berth for the experimental ship at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.5. A small item once appeared in a Philadelphia newspaper which would verify the tale. This supposedly described the "sailors" activities after their initial voyage" when they "raided" a local bar, allegedly the "Seamens Lounge," and where they presumably were either still exhibiting the effects of the field, or proceeded to discuss the experiment in such graphic terms that it terrified the waitresses. One is left to assume that the Shore Patrol was called and that some reporter picked up the story and wrote it up without quite believing it.6. Rear Admiral Rawson Bennett, Navy Chief of Research, could supposedly verify that the experiment had in fact occurred.7. The experimental ship also somehow mysteriously disappeared from its Philadelphia dock and showed up only minutes later in the Norfolk area. It then subsequently vanished again only to reappear at its Philadelphia dock. Total elapsed time a matter of minutes. Allende said he only heard about this phase of it, and that may have been as late as 1946 "after the experiments were discontinued.8. Allende indicated that the Office of Naval Research was under the direction of "the present (at the time of the letter--1956) boss of the Navy, Burke" at the time that the force-field experiments were conducted, and that it was because of his "curiosity and willingness and prompting that this experiment was enabled to be carried out." This Burke was described by Allende as a man who possessed a very positive attitude towards research.9.According to the Department of the Navy, in a document dated July 23, 1976, "As for the Philadelphia Experiment itself, ONR (Office of Naval Research) has never conducted any investigations on invisibility, either in 1943 or at any other time. In view of present scientific knowledge, our scientists do not believe that such an experiment could be possible except in the realm of science fiction, A scientific discovery of such import, if it had in fact occurred, could hardly remain secret for such a long time."
1. Dr. Albert Einstein's Unified Field Theory was in fact completed in 1925-7, but Dr. Einstein withdrew it because he was allegedly "horrified" by the possible uses it might be put to by a mankind not yet ready for it. This, according to Allende, could be confirmed by "Dr. B. Russell."2. During World War II, the concepts of the Unified Field Theory were tested by the Navy, "with a view to any and every possible quick use of it, if feasible, in a very short time." Someone called Dr. Franklin Reno, a man Allende refers to as "my friend," allegedly had something to do with producing "results" at this stage of the game.3. The "results" thus produced were used to achieve "complete invisibility of a ship, destroyer type, and all of its crew, while at sea (October, 1943)" by means of some sort of energy or force field which had been created around the ship. The men on the ship were apparently able to see one another vaguely, but all that could be seen by anyone outside of the field was "the clearly defined shape of the ship's hull in the water." The effects of this invisibility-creating force field upon the men involved were, according to Allende, "disastrous." The experiment, he says, was a complete success, but the men were complete failures!4. There was a special berth for the experimental ship at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.5. A small item once appeared in a Philadelphia newspaper which would verify the tale. This supposedly described the "sailors" activities after their initial voyage" when they "raided" a local bar, allegedly the "Seamens Lounge," and where they presumably were either still exhibiting the effects of the field, or proceeded to discuss the experiment in such graphic terms that it terrified the waitresses. One is left to assume that the Shore Patrol was called and that some reporter picked up the story and wrote it up without quite believing it.6. Rear Admiral Rawson Bennett, Navy Chief of Research, could supposedly verify that the experiment had in fact occurred.7. The experimental ship also somehow mysteriously disappeared from its Philadelphia dock and showed up only minutes later in the Norfolk area. It then subsequently vanished again only to reappear at its Philadelphia dock. Total elapsed time a matter of minutes. Allende said he only heard about this phase of it, and that may have been as late as 1946 "after the experiments were discontinued.8. Allende indicated that the Office of Naval Research was under the direction of "the present (at the time of the letter--1956) boss of the Navy, Burke" at the time that the force-field experiments were conducted, and that it was because of his "curiosity and willingness and prompting that this experiment was enabled to be carried out." This Burke was described by Allende as a man who possessed a very positive attitude towards research.9.According to the Department of the Navy, in a document dated July 23, 1976, "As for the Philadelphia Experiment itself, ONR (Office of Naval Research) has never conducted any investigations on invisibility, either in 1943 or at any other time. In view of present scientific knowledge, our scientists do not believe that such an experiment could be possible except in the realm of science fiction, A scientific discovery of such import, if it had in fact occurred, could hardly remain secret for such a long time."
