Kusche, Lawrence David (1940-)

Author of an important critical work on the Bermuda Triangle mystery. His carefully researched book, The Bermuda Triangle Mystery—Solved (1975), examines popular theories of time warps, black holes, UFOs, and so on and opts for a rational view that there is no single overall mysterious explanation, but rather a mystery built up from inaccurate research, exaggeration, omission of important facts, and the spread of rumors. Kusche has had considerable experience as a flight instructor and also as a research librarian. In commenting on his approach to such matters as the Bermuda Triangle question, he has stated:

"I might be called a skeptic. It's not that I disbelieve anything and everything, but I especially question much of the present day written and televised information that passes for 'fact.' Much of it is nothing more than a half-fact attempt to earn as much money as possible with as little regard for truth as possible."

Kusche followed his initial book with The Disappearance of Flight 19 (1980), which discusses the disappearance on December 5, 1945, of five navy TBM Avenger torpedo bombers, carrying 14 men, after leaving Fort Lauderdale Naval Air Station on a routine flight. This event has often been cited as a basic example of the Bermuda Triangle mystery. Kusche spent seven years in careful research of all aspects of the event, including many interviews, and retraced the Flight 19 route. He provides a basically rational explanation of the tragedy, which he believes was the lack of experience of the pilots.

Sources:

Kusche, Lawrence David. The Bermuda Triangle Mystery— Solved. New York: Harper & Row, 1975.

——. The Disappearance of Flight 19. New York: Harper & Row, 1980.