U* UFO DATABASE
Background Details
The U* UFO Database
Larry Hatch author of the U* Database
The U* UFO Database was originally an MS-DOS based program designed and sold by Larry Hatch in the 1990s. It was sourced from English language UFO literature during the 20th century. Hatch spent over 20 years programming and entering the results of this research. Larry also featured a handful of cases from the early 21st century and some from earlier in history. The *U* Database itself could perform queries based on key words, geographical location and various descriptions of sightings. Larry also constructed an impressive UFO mapping tool to display the locations of sightings. A truly amazing achievement considering the database was programmed for a DOS environment.
The U* Database contains over 18,000 UFO events, procured from hundreds of books, major journals, magazines, correspondence and other sources. Sadly, Larry Hatch suffered health problems in the mid 2000s and dropped out of the UFO field. Tragically, on August 3rd, 2018 Larry passed away from his continuing health problems.
His website has long since disappeared. But remains preserved via the Wayback Machine's Internet Archive: www.larryhatch.net [archived]
Since Larry was taken ill, various efforts have been made to save the project in one form or another. In 2010 a member the aboveopsecret.com forum created a simple web page to query the data here : https://rr0.org/udb/
Then in 2020 Adam Kehoe published the data in both JSON format and as a simple CSV file.
However, while these solutions have preserved the data. None of them were particularly user friendly from a layman's perspective.
This site has been constructed with the intention of rectifying that, providing a free and simple user interface combining Google sites, Google Apps Script and Datatables.
Above : Screenshot of the U* Database on this site
The data
Where necessary various fields from the original database have been combined or discarded altogether for simplicity. Leaving the following fields displayed:
Custom Search Builder - This will enable a more specific search and filtering process, search can be built up by selecting fields.
Search Box - Keywords can be entered to filter the records accordingly. To search a specific phrase just add "quote " marks around the words. For example "Man Lost". Note that the source data is excluded from the search function and boolean operators do not work. You should use the Custom Search Builder for complex searches
↑ ↓ Sort Filters - Click these to sort or reverse sort via each column.
Country - The flag of the nation (or an area of the planet) where the sighting occurred. Larry tended to group some nations together at times for this purpose. However wherever possible the correct nation is now displayed.
Location - The location data is preserved.
️Date - the original database included separate fields for each element of the date and time. Here they are combined as a single data/time field. Although many dates and time remain incomplete.
Location/Google Maps Link - Provides a link to Google Maps of the original sighting location (where given) based on the longitude and latitude fields in the original database.
Details - This is a combination of the title and details in the original database. Which were heavily abbreviated due to the storage limitations of the times. They have now been deciphered wherever possible. Although sometimes Larry's own abbreviations were inconsistent and some guesswork has been used.
Duration - The length of time of the sighting(s) in minutes.
Credibility - was a subjective factor judged by Larry Hatch and rated in hexadecimal from 0-F (0 to 16 in decimal). A rating of 5 or 6 would be his start point and then add or subtract points according to the events. Credibility would increase with added witnesses, especially well trained and 'reliable' observers. Whereas, in Larry's words, "Cult gurus fall directly to the opposite extreme". Here it is illustrated as a straight 0 (lowest) to 15 (highest).
Strangeness - (also subjective) - Another highly subjective factor rating the "weirdness" of the case. A structureless light in the night sky would be rated at 5 or less. With points then added for landings, occupants, missing time etc. The format here is the same as for credibility
**Some events like the Chernobyl nuclear accident and the moon landings were added for illustrative purposes.Locale - This is the type of environment in the locality of the sighting. Preserved as is with an added icon for illustrative purposes.
Notes- This is a combination of the large amount of flag/keyword fields. Noting type of object, occupants, effects etc.
Source - This is the original source used of the case details. Preserved as is here but excluded from the search function.
Please note the database is not user updateable and the statistical and mapping functions have not been recreated. However if you have the requisite skills then you can download the raw data (7MB approx) into a spreadsheet for such purposes.
Mnemonics and abbreviations
❔Most of the mnemonics and abbreviations used in the original database have been converted to full text now. Although some guesswork has been necessary as there were over 1,000 abbreviated words. Many of which were not consistent.
Search Hints
The below keywords can be used in the Quick Search Box or via the Customer Seaorch Builder to fliter on types of creature and craft.
Definitions are those provided in the original guidelines as below
The instruction manual for the MS-DOS version is archived here : ia802709.us.archive.org/16/items/u_full_version/hatch_manual_text.pdf