JESSUP, Morris K.

American astronomer, radio engineer, and UFO researcher who played a pivotal role in documenting and investigating early flying saucer reports. Jessup earned a Ph.D. in astronomy from the University of Michigan in 1926 and worked on infrared photography and stellar spectrography before shifting his attention to unexplained aerial phenomena and ancient archaeological mysteries.

Jessup gained prominence with his 1955 book “The Case for the UFO,” which argued that ancient megalithic structures and biblical accounts of flying objects provided evidence for extraterrestrial visitation throughout human history. He proposed that advanced civilizations had influenced ancient cultures, pointing to architectural achievements like the Egyptian pyramids and Easter Island statues as evidence beyond conventional historical explanation.

His most significant contribution to UFO lore emerged through the “Varo Edition” incident. In 1957, Jessup received a copy of his book annotated with extensive handwritten comments allegedly from Carl Allen (Carlos Allende), who claimed personal knowledge of secret Navy experiments involving electromagnetic field manipulation and ship invisibility. These annotations became central to the Philadelphia Experiment legend, linking Jessup’s work to claims of military antigravity research.

Jessup died in 1959 in Florida under circumstances that some conspiracy theorists consider suspicious, though official records indicate suicide. His work bridged the gap between early UFO research and ancient astronaut theories, influencing later writers like Erich von Däniken and establishing connections between archaeological anomalies and extraterrestrial hypothesis that remain popular in alternative history circles.