Before the Kecksburg UFO Crash

The October 1965 sighting area is indicated by the yellow box. The Keckburg crash site is indicated by the green box.

On December 9, 1965 an object landed in the tiny town of Kecksburg, PA. It was observed as a fireball in the sky across several U.S. states and Canada. Four witnesses provided independent, corroborated descriptions of the object and its location in the Kecksburg woods. Dozens of others describe the military presence at the crash site, the cordoning off of the area, and the retrieval of an object transported by an army truck.

A report was filed on 11/14/2005 in reference to another UFO sighting that took place approximately 2 months prior to and in an area that was 8 miles west of the Kecksburg incident:

Summary: "I saw this saucer shaped disc with a dome on top about 500 to 800 feet up in the sky in front of me. It was silver yellow in color and about 30 feet in diameter."

Date Reported: 11/14/2005 8:49:00 PM
Sighting Time: 7:00AM
Day/Night: Dawn
No. of Witnesses: 2
Duration: 1 or 2 seconds

Appearance / Description of Object(s):

About 30 feet across, color silver gold, saucer shaped, round bottom, dome on top

Distance to Object(s) & Altitude:

500 to 800 feet up in the sky.

Description of Area / Surroundings:

I was going east on Route 70 getting ready to go onto the Pennsylvania Turnspike.

Witness' drawing of the UFO

Full Description & Details:

I was driving east on route70 early morning going to Pennsylvania Turnpike. It was starting to get light. I saw this saucer shaped disc with a dome on top about 500 to 800 feet up in the sky in front of me. It was silver yellow in color and about 30 feet in diameter. It went vertical for about 1000 feet, then made a sharp angle and disappeared at a high rate of speed, 2 or 3 seconds, no noise. I had a corvett with the top down. It was a very clear day. I looked to the right to see if I could still see it. I saw nothing but a small white cloud. I wondered if it was hiding in it. It was a very small cloud and it was the only thing in the sky.

Can sighting be explained as any conventional man-made or natural object?

No never. There was nothing else in the sky.

Witness Background:

Retired CEO of a electronics corporation.

Views on UFOs, before and after sighting:

Nothing before other then the news. Now I believe in UFO and watch scientific TV channels.

Reported Sighting? Yes
Reported To: Stan
Name: Byron H. Ritchey
Location: Dana Point, CA., USA
Age: 77

Source: www.ufoevidence.org

NOTE: I assume this earlier incident was reported to Stan Gordan. His account of the Kecksburg UFO is posted below...Lon

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"The Kecksburg, PA UFO Crash Incident"
Stan Gordon

It was December 9,1965, that an event occurred about 40 miles from Pittsburgh in a rural area of western Pennsylvania, that even now remains controversial for some, and mysterious to others. At the time many people saw a brilliant object moving across the sky. The news media focused on a young boy, who while playing outside, said he saw an object fall from the sky into some nearby woods. The media pursued his story since there were numerous accounts from others, that an aerial object was seen over a large area including many reports from the greater Pittsburgh area. Besides the police authorities, various newspapers, and radio and tv stations around Pittsburgh, had their phone lines jammed with calls about the object in the sky. Coincidentally, author Frank Edwards, who had written some popular books on UFO's, was a guest on a KDKA radio talk show in Pittsburgh that evening, hosted by the late Mike Levine.

During my years of investigation into the matter, other witnesses who saw the object go down into the woods that day have been located. It has been stated that moments after the object fell, blue smoke rose up among the trees, but dissipated quickly. Many people say that the military, including members of the Army and Air Force, began to arrive in the area around the village of Keeksburg within a few hours after the reported landing. During the evening, reporters from numerous media sources went to Kecksburg to investigate the event. The area around the alleged impact site was cordoned off, and a search for the object was conducted in the woods. Neither civilians nor reporters were able to get near the spot where the object had reportedly fallen. Hundreds of spectators looked on from a narrow country road which circled around the area, unaware that the object appears to have fallen on the opposite side of the woods.

As time passed that evening, many people left disappointed that they couldn't see the object. A few curious folks tried to sneak down into the woods, and later told me that they were tuned back by the military. Late that night, others say they observed a military flatbed tractor-trailer truck, carrying a large tarpaulin covered object, leaving the area at a high rate of speed. Reporters are among the many witnesses who verify that they saw military personnel in the Kecksburg area that night. The front page of the Greensburg, PA Tribune-Review county edition dated December 10, 1965, ran the headlines "Unidentified Flying Object Falls Near Kecksburg" and "Army Ropes Off Area." The city edition of the same paper however, on the same day ran the headline "Searchers Fail To Find Object." Officially, no object was found in the woods by searchers. It was suggested that the most likely explanation was that the brilliant object in the sky was a meteor. But word that something was removed from the site by the military that night, quickly circulated around the county. The Kecksburg incident remained a topic for area radio talk shows for years as it does today. As the years passed, I would receive various accounts from sources who claimed knowledge of the event. Many of those involved with the incident even today, wish to remain anonymous. Others have gone public and stand by their accounts. Some have faced personal attacks and ridicule. Many important witnesses have passed away.

What we now know is that there are individuals who say that they went down into the woods that December day in 1965, before the military arrived, and came across upon a large metallic acorn shaped object partially buried in the ground. The device was large enough for a man to stand inside of it. The object was a bronze-gold color, and appeared to be one solid piece of metal, displaying no rivets or seams. At the back of the acorn shape was what witness Jim Romansky calls the bumper area.

Upon this area were unusual markings that Romansky says looked similar to ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. Romansky who has been a machinist for many years, says the object itself, looked as though it had been made from liquid metal and poured into a big mold. Since the object was impacted in the ground, the bottom portion was not visible, but what could be seen appeared well intact. The late John Murphy, was the new director of WHJB radio in Greensburg at the time, and is believed to have been the first reporter on the scene. His former wife says that she was in radio contact with him from the site that day, and that he told her that he went down into the woods and saw the object. Various informants have approached me with information. Some of these were people who had military or government affiliation and wish not to be identified at this time. Some information is expected to be revealed in the future, when these sources feel that they are safe to disclose what they know.

I have also received anonymous tips that pointed me in the right direction which helped to uncover other details. Before Unsolved Mysteries broadcast their story about Kecksburg in 1990, 1 was contacted by a former Air Force security policeman who told me that he was among the unit that guarded the object from PA, when it arrived in the early morning hours of December 10, 1965 at Lockbourne Air Force near Columbus, Ohio. He remembers extreme security measures at the time, and says that the object was only a the base for a short time, and then continued on to Wright-Patterson Air Force base near Dayton, Ohio.

We later learned that the object was allegedly sealed up inside a building at that base. After years of searching for government documents relating to this event, the only official record located was in the Air Force Project Blue Book files. Included in the report it was stated "A further call was made to the Oakdale Radar site in Pennsylvania. A three man team has been dispatched to Acme [Some residents not far from the site have an Acme mailing address] to investigate and pick up an object that started a fire." While the report shows a lot of interest from various agencies concerning the aerial object, the report also indicates that the search found nothing. I have learned a lot about the Kecksburg case over the years, yet there remain many unanswered questions. I surely don't have all of the answers.

Based on the accounts of multitudes of eyewitnesses which I have interviewed, I am convinced that an object did fall from the sky and apparently was removed by the military. Other witnesses say they saw NASA personnel at the scene that night also involved in the search. Many have asked me what I believe that the object was, and my reply still is "I don't know." As I have stated in the past, the two most likely possibilities are (1) a highly advanced man-made space probe with some reentry control capability (2) an extraterrestrial spacecraft. It has been confirmed that a faulty Soviet Venus probe identified as Kosmos 96, reentered in Canada on the same date, but at about 3:18 A.M. The sightings around Kecksburg occurred at about 4:47 P.M. many hours later. The Russian's have told me that Kosmos 96 was not the source of what fell that day.

Other researchers have provided me with interesting but unverifiable information, that they have talked with former NASA sources who claimed to have examined the object which fell in PA, and determined it to be Soviet in origin. I have also talked with two former military men who are unknown to each other, that told me that during different years, and at different installations, they saw the recovery report on the Kecksburg object, and both said the report indicated that the object was extraterrestrial. From what the observers tell us, the object whatever it was, appeared to be slowing down a few miles before it impacted. During it's flight, it appears to have made some turns, and those who saw the object drop from the sky, say it was moving quite slowly as it moved towards the woods. This might account for the good condition of the object itself, and the little damage at the impact site, except for trees which were reportedly knocked down. One question we must ask is what was it that fell which was so important that it caused the military to act the way they did at the scene? Various witnesses have now gone public confirming that armed solders were around the village, and were preventing anyone from trespassing near the crash site. Jerry Betters, a popular jazz musician from Pittsburgh, has gone public and told his story that soldiers aimed rifles at him and his friends, ordering them from a back road, as an Army flat bed tractor-trailer with an acorn-shaped object on board, was making it's way up from a field. More recently, a prominent businessman contacted me and told me how he and his friends, then teenagers in 1965, tried to get near the site and were stopped my military personnel. He was frightened at the time of the experience, he thought the soldier was going to shoot him. Would armed soldiers respond to the scene of a meteorite crash? Who issued the orders for such an operation to take place?

Some of you are aware that earlier this year, I released a 92 minute video documentary on the incident called "Kecksburg The Untold Story" which I produced at my own expense. Many key witnesses are getting up in years, and some are not in good health. This was an opportunity for those involved to tell their own experiences about what occurred. For the first time some new and startling information is revealed about what allegedly occurred. Some of these people reveal details which strongly suggests a coverup. Also included in the video, are audio excerpts from the original 1965 WHJB radio broadcast "Object In The Woods." One man details his claim of seeing a partially covered body inside a building at Wright-Patterson, at the same time the Kecksburg object was being examined.

This case is much to involved to cover here in detail. One good source of information on the case can be found in Kevin Randle's book "A History of UFO Crashes." The Kecksburg mystery remains. Was the object a man made space device or did we receive a visitor from outside of our world? Recently while visiting an area business, a worker recognized me and asked about the Kecksburg case. He told me that he has had an interest in the incident for years since he had a relative who worked at the pentagon at the time, and this relative had made a special trip to this area to investigate that matter. When this person asked his relative about what had happened, he refused to give any details, but his words were remembered "There was more to it then you'll ever know." I have no doubt that there are other individuals who have important information on this case. It's time that the truth is revealed, regardless of what the source of the object was. It's been 33 years, it's time to break the silence. - Stan Gordon

NOTE: this general area has a very rich UFO and paranormal history. Of further note, the Flight 93 Crash Site / National Memorial is located 27 miles east of Kecksburg, PA...Lon

The Tully 'Saucer Nest' Investigation

The Tully "saucer nest" has a very special place in UFO lore. The famous Tully "UFO nest" affair of 1966 is one of the best known accounts of an apparent UFO landing report.

At about 9.00am on the clear sunny morning of Wednesday January 19 1966, George Pedly, a banana farmer at Euramo, near Tully (north Queensland), Australia was driving a tractor with conventional electrical ignition, across the property of a neighbouring cane farmer. The farm track along which he drove wound its way towards and thence alongside what is locally known as Horseshoe Lagoon. This contained an area of water about 6 feet deep and one hundred feet across at its widest point, a total area of a little more than an acre. The greater part of the water was covered with a thick growth of water reeds, the stems of these about half an inch in thickness that protruded above the water to an average height of two feet.

As George approached the lagoon, he thought he detected an occasional misfire in the tractor motor. He leaned forward in his seat to listen, and almost immediately heard a distinct hissing noise which he thought momentarily was a tyre leaking air. Then, to his astonishment, a large saucer shaped object rose from the lagoon, ascended slowly to the level of the tree tops, tilted a little to one side, and then, in a fantastic burst of speed vanished in a south-westerly direction. Mr Pedley thought the object was about 25 feet in diameter, about 9 foot thick at the centre, silver-grey in colour and made no sound apart from the original hissing noise. The total duration of the sighting was about 4 seconds.

Mr Pedley jumped from the tractor and ran across to the lagoon. As he pushed his way through the 6 or 7 foot tall sword grass along the waters edge, he immediately saw a large circular area of slowly rotating water that was completely devoid of reeds. He further saw near the edge of the still slowly swirling water a patch of giant water couch grass, about a square yard of which had been clipped short, and the clippings removed. After a few minutes he returned to his tractor, started the motor, and went on his way. When questioned later, Mr Pedley was certain about restarting the motor, but could not remember whether he switched it off, it stalled or simply cut out when he left it, both of which were considered highly unlikely. Later that morning he came back past the lagoon and on further inspection saw for the first time the floating mass of reeds that had obviously come to the surface since his absence. The reeds were radially distributed in a noticably anticlockwise manner, and he was emphatic that at that time the reeds in the nest, as it came to be called, were quite green, as were all the other reeds in the lagoon.

At about mid-afternoon, he returned to the lagoon with Mr Albert Pennisi, the owner of the lagoon and surrounding property. Mr Pennisi waded out to the floating mass of reeds, and found that it was possible to swim beneath the mass, the water being quite clear and free from obstruction. But its most incredible feature, and one easily seen in photographs taken during the next 48 hours, was the amazingly clear impression of the UFO left on the surface of the nest. The outer perimeter was sharply down-thrusting, as if by a huge inverted saucer, with a perfectly circular central protruberance about 6 or 8 feet in diameter and possibly 18 inches deep.

An inspection of the surrounding area disclosed in the loose ploughed surface of an adjoining field some rather strange imprints. They led from the direction of the nest and extended a short distance into the ploughed field. They were described as being shaped like a tear drop, about 3 or 4 inches long and about 2 inches across at the widest point. They were spaced at 12 inch intervals in a direct line, one immediately behind the other. No plaster casts were taken, and no claim was made that these prints were somehow associated with the nest. Mr Pennisi made it quite clear that the prints were obliterated a few days later by the scores of people who tramped across the area on their way to view the nest. Mr Pennisi and his family were ridiculed however, due to what had happened on his farm. He was adamant that if such a thing ever happened again on his property, no-one would ever hear about it. This is the reason why the media were never informed of subsequent happenings.

On Saturday February 8, 1969, at 5.30am, a UFO monitoring device in the Pennisi home was triggered. The youngest son turned the instrument off, and then forgot about the incident. His father had left the house in the early hours of the morning, and upon returning noticed that the detector was off. When he was told why, he immediately drove to the lagoon and found, about 20 feet from the bank on the southern end, a new nest. This one measured 29 feet 6 inches and was perfectly circular.. The reeds had been extracted complete with roots from the floor of the lagoon, and they were floating in a very noticable clockwise distribution. Another nest was found at the extreme northern end of the lagoon, closer to the bank and much smaller but with all the characteristics of the larger one. Inspection of the area directly below the nests revealed it to be absolutely free of rubble or reed roots, almost as if it had been vacuumed. There were no signs of insect or algae life, and the water was remarkably clear and clean, with no particles in suspension. The floor of the lagoon was not muddy but appeared to be composed of a thick compressed mat of vegetation that was quite firm, if a little spongy, to walk on. About 25 feet away from the smaller nest was the protruding branch of a tree, which had an area of leaves about 6 feet long by 2 feet deep that were scorched or showed signs of browning. Other leaves on the same branch were quite green and healthy. The area below the leaves was thick with green healthy weeds and grass. In conclusion, and in the estimation of a botanist, there seems little likelihood of there being a natural/botanical explanation for the development of the nests in the Tully swamp. - UFO Research Queensland - B. Denton / C.A. Phillips

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Summary: The classic UFO landing at Horseshoe Lagoon near Tully, far north Queensland, and witnessed by farmer George Pedley, entered the term UFO "nest" into popular UFO parlance.

1966 was again a major year for UFO activity in Australia. The classic UFO landing at Horseshoe Lagoon near Tully, far north Queensland, and witnessed by farmer George Pedley, entered the term UFO "nest" into popular UFO parlance. The locality was the centre of an extended UFO milieu that continued for many years, particularly in 1969, 1972 and 1975. The area was also the site of controversial and fascinating experiments in UFO detection through remote sensing and filming.

Farmer, George Pedley's sighting at Horseshoe Lagoon and the physical evidence found there caused a media sensation. The Tully "UFO nest" affair of 1966 is one of the best known accounts of an apparent UFO landing report. It has been mentioned extensively in the UFO literature over the years,and yet surprisingly many inaccuracies and misconceptions have developed. These problems became more critical when the famous Tully incident of January 19, 1966, once again became the focus of attention, this time due to the English "crop circle" controversy. The prominent schools of thought on the crop circle formations adopted the 1966 Tully incident as a classic example of their percieved explanations for the circle complexes. Their claims about the relevance of the Tully incident as an example of the currently perceived crop circle phenomenon were flawed and generally unfounded.

My research of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) files uncovered the original police report on the incident. As these are the earliest documented sources they will be quoted in detail:

At about 9.00 a.m. on 19th January, 1966, Mr. G.A. Pedley, a banana grower of Tully, Qld, observed a light grey non reflecting dull object, reported to be about 25 feet long and 8 feet deep, rise vertically then climb on an angle of 450 from a height of about 30 feet above marshland which was situated about 25 yards away from his position. There was an associated hissing noise which descreased as the 'object' rose. The apparent shape was described as 'two saucers, face to face', but no structural detail was observed. The duration of the observation was approximately 15 seconds and it disappeared in mid-air whilst receding into the distance (not assessed).

A clearly defined near circular depression remained in evidence in swamp grass at the point from which the object was seen rising, and measured about 32 feet long by 25 feet wide. The grass was flattened in clockwise curves to water level within the circle and the reeds had been uprooted from the mud. There was no scorching of grass or surrounding trees and the observer stated that there was no smell of combustion..."

My research of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) files uncovered the original police report on the incident. As these are the earliest documented sources extracts of it are included here of details not included in the above statement made in 1973 in response to an enquiry from the "Australian" newspaper.

George Pedley reported his experience to Tully Police at 7.30 pm, on January 19th. At 7 am, January 20th George Pedley and Sgt. A.V. Moylan went to the site of the incident. Sgt. Moylan, then contacted Townsville RAAF Base by telephone, on the morning of January 20th. Flt. Lt. Wallace advised Sgt. Moylan that he would forward a proforma questionaire for completion by George Pedley. On Friday, January 21st, Flt. Lt. Wallace confirmed despatch of two copies of the sighting proforma by mail that same day and also requested Sgt. Moylan obtain "a sample of the grass from the scorched area." At 3.30 pm, on the same day, Moylan returned to the site and took a sample "of the grass from the depression in the swamp grass at the site. The proforma was filled out by Moylan based on his interviews with George Pedley and was dated 26/1/66. Sgt. Moylan despatched the report and the sample on 26/1/66.

The following details are extracted from the RAAF "REPORT ON AERIAL OBJECT OBSERVED:

Name of Observer: George Alfred PEDLEY aged 28 years.
Occupation of Observer: Banana grower
Date and Time of Observation: 19/1/66 at about 0900 hours
Period of Observation: About 15 seconds

Manner of Observation: Travelling on a tractor about 1/2 mile from farm house of Albert PENNISI, Rockingham Road, Euramo. Attention attracted by hissing noise, clearly heard over noise of tractor-similar to air escaping from tyre; checked tyres and was looking about for source of noise when he saw object about 25 yards ahead. No optical instruments used in sighting.

Where was object first observed: Object about 25 yards ahead at height of about 30 feet rising vertically.

What first attracted observer's attention: Loud hissing noise.

Did object appear as a light or a definite object: Definite object, no light visible. One object (only seen)

What was the colour of the object: Light grey; dull-non-reflecting.

What was its apparent shape: Two saucers -- face to face.

Was any detail of the structure observable: Object about 25 feet long and 8' to (9') deep. No structural detail observed.

Was any method of propulsion obvious: No.

Was there any sound: Loud hissing noise which seemed to diminish as object rose.

Height or angle of elevation: First seen at treetop height 30'. Rose vertically to about twice that height, then departed, climbing at about 45 degrees.

Speed, or angular velocity: Extremely fast; No estimate of speed, but much faster than an aeroplane. It was near treetops and these gave observer a good basis for estimating height.

Direction of flight with reference to landmarks or points of the compass:Rose vertically to about 60 feet and departed south west climbing at about 45 degrees; appeared to be rotating for full time observed. (object appeared to remain on) straight climbing path.

Was any trail of exhaust, vapour or light seen: No

Where did object disappear: Mid air; receded into distance.

Existence of any physical evidence:

Clearly defined near circular depression in swamp grass at point from which object seen rising, about 32' long and 25' wide. Grass flattened to surface of 4' of water lying in xxxx-clockwise curves.

[Sgt. Moylan, in his report, had typed in anti-clockwise initially and then corrected it to clockwise, by overtyping 'anti' with 'xxxx'. The direction of the swirl at the site of the 19 January 1966 incident was to become a matter of ongoing confusion. The correct direction was clockwise - B.C.]

Weather conditions experienced at time of observation:

Clear sky; Hot sunshine.

Location of any air traffic in the vicinity at the time of sighting: Unknown but checked by RAAF Garbut.

[Flt. Lt. Wallace of Townsville RAAF base in a covering minute paper confirmed that "there were no service or Civil aircraft operating in the area... at the time of the sighting..." - B.C.]

Observer reported this matter to Tully Police at 7.30pm on 19/1/66 and at 7am, 20/1/66 went with me to the site of the depression in the swamp. His version then included the information that the object rose vertically, appeared to dip slightly and then went off in straight climbing path. He then said...further that there was no smell of combustion and no scorching of grass or trees visible; that the the flattened grass or rushes was quite green when he first saw the depression; on his return that afternoon the grass had turned brown.

Sgt. Moylan further added: In this matter I formed the opinion that the depressed area in the swamp grass had been caused by a small helicopter and that the observer, in the early morning bright sunlight shining on the rotor may have mistaken the shape. His description of the takeofflent some strength to my opinion. However there was cleared land to the east for about 200 yards where such an aircraft could have more safely landed instead of the position indicated by the observer, close to trees. Later I was informed by Wallace Evans of ...Tully, an electrician that he has seen similar markings in a swamp at Kurrumine Beach and is quite certain that it was caused by a whirlwind, sucking up water into a waterspout, uprooting the grass and laying it out in a similar pattern. At 3.30pm, 21/1/66 I took a sample of the grass at the site and have forwarded it under seperate cover on even date.

Flt. Lt. T.D. Wright, for Air Officer Commanding, Headquarters Operational Command, RAAF, Penrith, New South Wales (NSW), on-forwarded police Sgt. Moylan's report on George Pedley's UFO sighting and Flt. Lt. Wallace's covering minute paper, to the Department of Air, Russell Offices, Canberra. His communication classified RESTRICTED, which was channelled to the Directorate of Air Force Intelligence (DAFI), also indicated, "This headquarters believes that the depressions of the swamp grass were caused by small isolated waterspouts."

In response to an enquiry, dated 2nd February, 1966, from the Commonwealth Aerial Phenomena Investigation Organisation (CAPIO), the Secretary, Department of Air, Mr. A.B. McFarlane, wrote on 11th February, 1966:

"Investigations of the area surrounding the reported "Nests", testing of samples taken from around them and interrogation of persons involved in the report failed to reveal anything of significance.

"However, during enquiries a number of local residents stated that the reported "nests" are fairly common during the onset of the "wet". Furthermore, the University of Queensland stated that there was nothing unnatural in the samples submitted and assessed that the "nests" could have been the result of severe turbulance, which normally accompany line squalls and thunderstorms prevalent in NORTH QUEENSLAND at the time of the year.

"There is no explanation for the visible phenomena reported but it could have been associated with or the result of "down draughts", "willy willies" or "water spouts" that are known to occur in the area.

".. for information ....in January of this year from an airfield in the tropics (a number of photographs taken give) a fine example of the type and growth of a cloud formation occuring with a severe "down draught"

This whirling mass of tropical air associated with thunderstorm activity, on reaching the earth's surface may dissipate and subside or persist giving rise to dust eddies, water spouts, etc, and leaving a telltale circular pattern on the ground.

Should it occur over a swampy reed bed the effect would be to flatten the reeds with a circular pattern. resultant photographs and investigations of the "nests" seem to fit in with this theory and is accepted as a possible cause of the phenomena."

It is fascinating to note how Secretary McFarlane's cursory explanatory exposition, no doubt inspired by "the tornado-like metereological phenomena" infested skies over Willow Grove, Victoria and Vaucluse Beach, NSW, anticipated by almost 2 decades Dr. Terence Meaden's early theoretical attempts to explain the English "crop circles" of the 1980s. Dr. Meaden would mistakingly assume that George Pedley saw his "vortex" at 9 pm, not 9 am, which is a fatal flaw in the mechanism he put forth to explain the report.

The only other significant official statement on the Tully sighting I found in the RAAF files was included in a letter by Mr. G.J. Odgers, Director of Public Relations, Department of Defence (Air Office), dated 17th December, 1973, directed to Charles Wright, a journalist working on a article for the national newspaper, The Australian.

George Odgers' Air Office public relations department had clearly gleaned from the 1966 DAFI files details of an explanation of what George Pedley seen that the original RAAF officers and Department officers back in 1966 had not determined:

"Although a conclusive determination could not be made, the most probable explanation was that the sighting was of a 'willy willy' or circular wind phenomenon which flattened the reeds and sucked up debris to a height of about 30 feet, thus forming what appeared to be a 'flying saucer', before moving off and dissipating. Hissing noises are known to be associated with 'willy willies' and the theory is also substantiated by the clockwise configuration of the depression.

Mr. Odgers further added, more generally,

"All to often unusual occurrences are reported in sensational terms with little or no attempt made at rational assessment. The general subject is 'newsworthy' and lends itself to sensationalism and guesswork, but in most cases logical explanations follow from careful investigation. You will appreciate that there is nothing to be gained from reopening old cases." - Bill Chalker - "A Catalogue of Australian Physical Trace Cases"

NOTE: Here is another very informative link for this case - Tully "UFO nest" affair of 1966 as well as a site that focuses on Australian Crop Circles and the light anomalies associated with this phenomena. Could there be a connection with the radar anomalies over Australia from March 2010 as referenced in UFOs, Radar Crop Circles, Aerial Anomalies or Computer Hack?...Lon

Breaking News: Major UFO Event - Beijing, China

Breaking News: I received the following information from my associate and friend Sunny Williams at Lights in the Texas Sky:

Hundreds of UFOs Witnessed in Beijing, China!

On the evening of May 15, 2011, I received a call from a friend, who is living and working in Beijing, China. She reported to me that she witnessed something which struck her with awe, fear and amazement.

I asked my friend if she would write up a report and send it to me, as I could not find anything in the news, or on the internet about this event.

I received her emailed report, photos and video, then shortly thereafter she emailed me again with another video, also telling me that some of the same object had returned on the evening of May 16, 2011.

As far as I know at this point, this is the only report, photos and video of these events, to come out of China. You are seeing it here first, on LITS!

Beijing Invaded by UFOs - Report

Last night, May 15, 2011, around 8 PM I witnessed an awesome UFO event over the city of Beijing, China. I am an American living and working here and I live on the 4th floor of an apartment complex, in the old embassy district of town. My location is just southeast of Ritan Park, next door to the Silk Market.

I was in my study for an hour or so, had finished an email, logged off and turned out the light to go into another room. As I was walking out I glanced out of the window in my study, which faces north, and saw an unusual light low in the sky. It was perhaps at 10,000 feet (maybe a bit less) and not moving. 

I grabbed a pair of binoculars from another room, to get a better look and immediately knew that this was no conventional craft. It was clearly disc-shaped, was spinning and slightly swaying and flashing red, blue, green, and white. Every minute or so the red color would freeze, and a round red bulb of light would bulge from the middle of the craft and hold for a couple of seconds. Then it would draw back in and continue blinking the other colors.

Within 10 minutes of watching this event, 3 other smaller craft appeared out of nowhere, also flashing the same colors. I would guess the first craft was at least 100 ft. diameter, the smaller ones maybe half that. These craft were much more active and dropped lower than the first.

Then more craft showed up, each flashing a brilliant blue. These were small, perhaps 5 ft. in diameter and very active.

At this point I was beside myself, and started calling coworkers, finally reaching one. He came up to my apartment with his girlfriend and for a good 30 minutes, we all took turns watching with binoculars. By this time there were at least 20 craft in sight and counting.

My friends finally went back home and I continued watching.  I contacted a coworker across town and Northeast of my location. He could not see the ones I was watching (buildings blocking his view) but watched another group to the East of his apartment (which I could not see from my location).

I did my best to video this with my little Panasonic but was only able to capture a few seconds. I just could not seem to keep it in the viewfinder, so I finally gave up.

I decided to go to the 7th floor stairwell, to get a better view. This was about an hour into the sighting. What I saw was mind-blowing! There was a oval-shaped string of flashing blue small lights, streaming from the height of the largest craft, all the way down to the ground and back up. This appeared to be over the Northwestern corner of Ritan Park.

The lights were flashing very fast, were stationary but were also vibrating rapidly. The air in the center of the circle was distorted and vibrating, like a heat wave in the desert. It looked like Christmas lights and almost looked like a hologram. I started looking around to see if this could have been projected from somewhere nearby.

Then one craft drifted out of formation and casually flew about, down to the ground, then back up, and over toward a high rise, then back into line. Then another did the same. This went on for several minutes.

In the meantime, two of the 50 ft. craft were buzzing around this formation, as if herding the small craft and orchestrating their actions. The large craft at this point, had dropped in altitude to about 1000 ft. I looked through my binoculars at this craft, and to my amazement (and horror) saw the the upper atmosphere and beyond was filled with twinkling lights! There were hundreds of them, probably far more.

You have to realize that in Beijing, it is rare to see more than a few stars due to the light pollution (and air pollution), and that is only on perfectly clear nights. These were not stars. And yes, they were moving and zipping about as well.

I have to admit I panicked a little and dashed back to my apartment, made some phone calls, threw a few things in a backpack, and was ready to scamper just in case. Afterwards, maybe 20 minutes had passed, I went back to my study window and watched as these things drifted further northward. The blue lights were gone from view, the higher lights were gone, and only the big craft and 2 smaller ones were in sight. They were approximately 6-7 miles from my location, moving up and down in height at no higher than 1000 feet, occasionally dropping below the tree line and back up.

I walked away for maybe 10 minutes, came back and only the large craft was in sight. Less than a minute later, a white light came up from below the tree line and took position under the big craft. A few seconds after that, a green one. And after that, a bright blue one.

A few minutes went by, then all dropped again below tree height and that was the last I saw of them. The time was 10:15 PM.

Never during this display did I (or my coworker across town) see any military aircraft. We never heard a siren, nor did we see anyone reacting to this event. There is obviously a media blackout concerning this (it's China, so no big  surprise), because there has been nothing on the news, in the papers, or on the net. Nobody I know, other than my two coworkers and their respective girlfriends, saw anything. However, I've only talked to 10 other people about it and there are a few hundred at my workplace, so who knows.

Since Beijing never sleeps and has a population in the millions, I hope someone out there got good footage and can get it out soon. This was huge, way bigger than the Phoenix lights event or anything else I've ever seen or heard about.

For anyone wondering when the invasion will happen, it just has.

For the record, the sky at the time was mostly clear, the temperature was in the low 60's, and there was only a light occasional breeze.


Click for video - 1


Click for video - 2


Click for video - 3

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NOTE: All photos and video of this post (the Beijing UFO Event-May 15-16, 2011), are the property of the author and Lights In The Texas Sky.

If anyone should use these photos, videos and/or report, please give credit to Lights In The Texas Sky.

Thank you,
Sunny Williams- SW/LITS

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UPDATE TO THIS REPORT

Sunny,

I'm also totally amazed that they came back. This time another coworker watched them. He was so upset that he missed the BIG party on Sunday, so the minute I spotted the bastards I called him.

These things got all the way down to ground level, like they were buzzing something. The bigger ones were a lot more active as well. For awhile, some blue ones were in a slanted H formation (they did this at one point on Sunday also).

If nobody over that way saw these, then they must all have been unconscious! I estimate they (the objects) were just this side of the Olympic Park.

The jet I heard was just an airliner. I never saw it but assume. My coworker on that side of town said airline traffic was coming and going as usual. The air space here is extremely restricted, and I've only ever seen planes go from the northeast (airport), to directly south. Yesterday around 5-ish, I did see what I believe was a fighter or some other small jet hauling ass, flying from east to west and to my north. In other words, cutting across the sky where these things have been doing their thing.

Didn't see any other aircraft during the activity (which I watched from 8:30-9:30). Did not see them after that and was too tired to care right at that moment. Slept only a couple hours on Sunday, fully clothed and with my boots on (so I could hit the ground running in case something happened).

This morning I saw 2 contrails in the sky . One going south, per usual. And one cutting east to west. It's slightly overcast so I don't see anything else out there, but who knows. And you are right, this isn't over. If there isn't some announcement this week, I'd be totally stunned.

Thanks for working on this Sunny and let me know if you discover anything. I'll keep my eyeballs peeled again tonight.

(Name withheld by SW/LITS)

NOTE: I will attempt to post updates if further information becomes available...Lon