The FBI File of Flying-Saucer Photos and Eyewitness Accounts

Truman Bethurum claimed encounters with space explorers led by 'a ravishing woman commandant' in Nevada desert; allegedly aboard flying saucers on eleven occasions

Witnesses

Truman Bethurum

The object

Flying saucers / craft of space explorers

Outcome

Bethurum lectured publicly; FBI/Eickhoff investigation triggered

Mrs. Frances Swan reported receiving telepathic messages from 'AFFA' (M-4, planet Uranus) and 'PONNAR' (L-11, planet Hatann) describing protection of Earth from atomic/hydrogen-bomb damage to the magnetic field and 'fault lines' in the Pacific. Swan, husband Guy, and daughter Dawlyn reportedly heard a left-ear buzzing tone signaling contact; messages received on schedule (8am, 12pm, 6pm).

Witnesses

Frances Swan · Adm. Herbert B. Knowles · John Hutson · Wilbur B. Smith

Sensors

thought transmission · left-ear buzzing

The object

Two ships M-4 and L-11 said to be 150 mi wide, 200 mi long, 100 mi deep; ~5,000 mother ships ~150-200 ft long

Outcome

Knowles wrote ONI, Sec. Def., President, Sen. Margaret Chase Smith. ONI/BuAer took no action; Hoover referred to OSI / G-2 / ONI

F-94-C Starfire on 'active air defense intercept mission' for unidentified aircraft; cockpit became 'unbearably hot'; pilot ordered radar observer to bail out; jet crashed into auto and two buildings, killing four. Separately, residents reported a silvery balloon-like object over Utica; >1000 calls to Utica Press switchboard.

Witnesses

Ed Wilkenson (radio listener) · Mohawk Airlines pilot

Sensors

radar

The object

'Plastic balloon about 40 ft long, partially deflated' per Col. Summerfelt; UFO per broadcast

Outcome

4 deaths; Air Force re-explained as off-flight-plan plane

Violent explosion / crater 16 ft wide, 6 ft deep, 'looking like a bomb crater'; 500 phone calls to Logan PD; houses shaken, TV reception disturbed. Hill AFB and SLC reported no planes in area. La Paz/Williams/Hardy concluded crater was NOT produced by 'a conventional meteorite fall' and discontinued investigation.

Witnesses

Lincoln La Paz · J. Stewart Williams · Clyde T. Hardy

The object

Streak of light, ground explosion, crater

Outcome

Investigation discontinued without explanation

Shower of white-hot metal pellets (size of dime to 50-cent piece) over 70x250 ft of pavement, melting holes ~1/4 inch deep into blacktop; resident heard explosion ~4:15 PM; Woodside Fire Chief 'completely mystified'; Sheriff Benassini said scraps appeared to come from a 'cylindrical object'.

Witnesses

Ignacio Miramontes · John Volpaino (Fire Chief) · Robert Benassini (Deputy Sheriff)

The object

Metallic pellets, possibly from cylindrical object

Outcome

AF jet exhaust theory ruled out (no jets in bay area); unexplained

Cigar-shaped / 'half-cigar' / 'clipped cone' object plummeted >1000 ft, then rose at tremendous speed; 'parked' in mid-air for several minutes; radar at Ciampino registered for 3 minutes. INS eyewitness Michael Chinigo described thunder/staccato explosions sound.

Witnesses

Michael Chinigo

Sensors

radar

The object

Cigar / clipped-cone / inverted sawed-off cone; could 'park' in mid-air

Astronomers Bartkus and McColm observed via 6-inch cassegrain telescope a spherical object ascending from Mare Humboldtianum area of moon between 10:35 and 11:15 PM; estimated diameter 12,500 ft (McColm's calculus). Object travelled >29' 30" of arc in 40 minutes; 'definitely in space, and in the same field as the moon'.

Witnesses

Peter Bartkus · Theodore McColm

Sensors

6-inch cassegrain reflector telescope

The object

Spherical, ~12,500 ft in diameter; non-orbital trajectory

Senator Richard B. Russell observed greenish-yellow glowing ball rising rapidly from window of train; called other party members; second object observed minutes later. Col. Hathaway saw shadowy object with light at top center and rotating lights at base; testified object did not resemble any aircraft, rocket or missile he had ever seen. Soviet train guard pulled down shades 5-10 minutes after sighting.

Witnesses

Sen. Richard B. Russell · Col. E. U. Hathaway · Mr. Efron · Mr. Gros

The object

Greenish-yellow rotating ball, then second object with rotating exhaust-like lights at base; rising along steep trajectory

Outcome

CIA debriefed via Dr. Francis Clauser; IAC (Dulles) consensus matter 'should be kept quiet to avoid concern on the part of the Russians'; CIA assessed evidence 'does not appear sufficiently firm to warrant conclusion that Soviets have developed a radically new type aircraft'

FBI employee Sylvia Richards (GS-5, Name Check Unit) and her fiance Joseph Morris Jr. (NSA), driving at ~5 AM, startled by oval-shaped low-flying object (<25 ft above ground) approaching driver's side, light blue, with zig-zag pattern of lights, spinning; 'at least as wide as the highway' and 2-4 ft thick; passed over car, accelerated, veered off out of sight. Began raining ~30 min later.

Witnesses

Sylvia L. Richards · Joseph L. Morris Jr.

The object

Oval, light blue, spinning, lights in zig-zag pattern, ~highway-wide, 2-4 ft thick

Outcome

Referred to OSI by FBI

Thomas Gamble (later true name Billy Thomas Gambill) called FBI at 11:35 PM reporting bright yellow light at ~2,000 ft altitude moving toward Baltimore; outpaced his 80 mph car. Two friends (Cecil Pew, Raymond Dixon) also saw it. Made no sound.

Witnesses

Billy Thomas Gambill · Cecil Pew · Raymond Dixon

The object

Solid bright yellow light, twice as bright/twice as big as auto headlight

Outcome

OSI Capt. E. C. Brown advised; no further action by FBI

Tod Kittredge reported a spherical vehicle landed in his backyard on 7/16/56 splitting a large tree in two; on 7/30/56 vehicle returned and 'little green men' invited him to ride for ~20 minutes. Reported on a CBS television newscast showing the split tree.

Witnesses

Tod Kittredge

The object

Spherical vehicle; little green men

Outcome

Lt. Sauter (4602nd AISS) called it 'utterly ridiculous' but inquired discreetly; FBI declined to investigate

Object between size of golf ball and fist fell into Mrs. Donald Blevins's yard; described as metallic ash, bright and hot when fell. Found by son.

Witnesses

Mrs. Donald Blevins's son

The object

Metallic-ash object, golf-ball to fist size, hot and bright

Outcome

OSI Ellington AFB investigated; concluded object was 'part of an ordinary flare' and of no significance

Illinois State Police officers Calvin Showers and John Matulis sighted bright white light ~9 PM moving SW from Danville; pursued by car for 20 miles; light shifted bright-white/amber/orange. For a few seconds it 'seemed to affect both the receiver and transmitter of their FM two-way radio.'

Witnesses

Calvin Showers · John Matulis

Sensors

FM two-way radio (transient interference)

The object

Bright white/amber/orange light

Several residents and member of Old Brookville PD reported sighting two red lights hovering, evenly spaced and appearing joined; at one time lights 'lit up and seemed to cast a red dust or fog in surrounding air'.

Witnesses

James Colyer (PD)

The object

Two joined red lights; emitted red dust/fog

Outcome

Reported to Mitchell AFB and Roselyn Airfield (numerous reports); aircraft investigating; broadcast on WINS

Carl R. Keyser and wife observed 'silver circular or spherical shape' SE of residence at ~2:0 PM, ~45 degrees above horizon

Witnesses

Carl R. Keyser · Mrs. Keyser

The object

Silver circular or spherical shape

Albert Allgeyer's bright yellow house trim turned 'washed-out brown, almost black'; Howard May (neighbor) and house across street similarly affected (both yellow trim). Kettering Lab attributed to hydrogen sulphide attacking lead in paints from Millcreek Valley emissions; Allgeyer 5 days later complained of extreme swelling of hands and eyelids.

Witnesses

Albert Allgeyer · Howard May

The object

'Splotched paint' anomaly

Movie projectionist Franz Hoge (42) told DPA news agency he saw a flying saucer land in a field; cigar-shaped craft hovered ~6 ft above ground giving off blinding blue radiance; four creatures ~3.5 ft tall with thick-set bodies, oversized heads, delicate legs, in rubber-like clothing emerged.

Witnesses

Franz Hoge

The object

Cigar-shaped craft, blue radiance; four humanoids ~3.5 ft tall