Richard Lorenzen

Jim Lorenzen (full name James Lorenzen), an American ufologist, co-founded the Aerial Phenomena Research Organization (APRO) in January 1952 with his wife Coral Lorenzen in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, to scientifically investigate UFOs. They relocated APRO to Los Angeles (1954), Alamogordo, New Mexico (1954)—near Holloman Air Force Base, fostering ties with military personnel—and Tucson, Arizona (1960). APRO became a leading civilian UFO group, emphasizing field investigations with scientists like James E. McDonald and James Harder, who testified before Congress in 1968. Unlike NICAP, APRO avoided government conspiracy claims and studied humanoid encounters. Coral authored key books including 'UFOs: The Whole Story' (1969), 'Encounters with UFO Occupants' (1976), and 'Abducted!' (1977), often with Jim's assistance. Jim died in 1986; APRO disbanded after Coral's death in 1988.