Background
The account is listed in the National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC) database under case number #49620. It describes an event in 1936 in Alma, Michigan, involving unknown beings and a shiny, disc-shaped vehicle. The report was submitted by a 72-year-old man recalling an experience from his childhood. This article focuses on his account and makes no claims about the existence of aliens.
The Encounter
The witness says that when he was four or five, a loud noise disturbed the night in his room. Three beings came through the wall. He calls them “creatures” but offers no further description of their appearance. He then saw a vehicle that looked to him like “polished aluminum.” It gleamed, with a flat top and a curved underside, like an upside-down hemisphere. The vehicle was illuminated, and its light seemed especially bright compared with ordinary cars of the time.
According to the witness, the beings tried to persuade him to get into the vehicle. He says he is unsure whether he actually boarded it, but believes the beings made several more attempts to return and involve him in the encounter. He describes the fear as “hysteria” that stayed with him for about two years, until the appearances stopped.
Years later, as a teenager, he experienced a severe nosebleed. He says a small object, about half an inch to an inch long, came out of his nose and fell to the ground. He associates it with the first encounter but does not know exactly what it was.
Why Is This Interesting?
The story contains several familiar elements in reports of unexplained sightings:
- Childhood memory – Experiences from an early age can be shaped by imagination, but may also reflect real events.
- Disc-shaped vehicle – The vehicle’s disc shape, unusual shine, and inverted form match common patterns in UFO sightings.
- Lack of documentation – The event took place before the age of photography, leaving no physical evidence beyond the memory.
- Physical details – The object that came out of the witness’s nose adds a physical dimension to the experience, though it has not been verified.
The account highlights how difficult it can be to distinguish a real memory from fantasy. It also reminds us that most UFO sightings remain unverified, yet continue to fascinate those studying culture and the psychology of the unexplained.
Summary
The witness’s account of 1936 describes a frightening nighttime experience involving unknown beings and a gleaming disc-shaped vehicle. Though the report cannot be verified, it serves as a reminder of the importance of accurate documentation and understanding the cultural context of unexplained sightings.
