e¡¡fire¡¡but¡¡it¡¡was¡¡burned¡¡out£»¡¡as¡¡if¡¡it¡¡had¡¡been¡¡struck¡¡by¡¡lightning¡£¡¡So¡¡in¡¡the¡¡critical¡¡days¡¡that¡¡followed£»¡¡the¡¡sheriffs¡¡department¡¡was¡¡without¡¡its¡¡main¡¡transmitter¡£
¡¡¡¡
¡¡¡¡I¡¡was¡¡disenchanted¡¡with¡¡the¡¡TNT¡¡area¡¡because¡¡of¡¡the¡¡crowds¡¡that¡¡were¡¡now¡¡streaming¡¡back¡¡there¡¡nightly¡¡to¡¡watch¡¡for¡¡the¡¡newest¡¡sensation¡flying¡¡saucers¡£¡¡I¡¡started¡¡searching¡¡for¡¡a¡¡private¡¡place¡¡where¡¡I¡¡could¡¡carry¡¡out¡¡my¡¡observations¡¡quietly¡£¡¡Don£»¡¡Dan£»¡¡Mary£»¡¡and¡¡myself¡¡had¡¡interviewed¡¡a¡¡number¡¡of¡¡people¡¡in¡¡the¡¡little¡¡munity¡¡of¡¡Gallipolis¡¡Ferry£»¡¡a¡¡couple¡¡of¡¡miles¡¡south¡¡of¡¡Point¡¡Pleasant¡¡on¡¡Route¡¡2£»¡¡and¡¡I¡¡had¡¡been¡¡impressed¡¡by¡¡their¡¡testimony¡£¡¡House¡¡lights¡¡frequently¡¡dimmed¡¡there¡¡and¡¡television¡¡sets¡¡often¡¡acted¡¡up¡¡late¡¡at¡¡night¡£¡¡Great¡¡blobs¡¡of¡¡light¡¡had¡¡been¡¡seen¡¡on¡¡top¡¡of¡¡the¡¡wooded¡¡hills¡¡in¡¡the¡¡sparsely¡¡settled¡¡animal¡¡preserve¡¡called¡¡the¡¡Chief¡¡Cornstalk¡¡Hunting¡¡Grounds¡¡just¡¡south¡¡of¡¡the¡¡village¡£¡¡One¡¡resident¡¡was¡¡having¡¡trouble¡¡with¡¡poltergeist¡¡phenomenon¡¡¡£¡£¡£¡¡lights¡¡moving¡¡through¡¡his¡¡house£»¡¡rappings¡¡on¡¡the¡¡doors¡¡and¡¡windows£»¡¡the¡¡sounds¡¡of¡¡babies¡¡crying¡¡and¡¡¡¨women¡¡screaming£»¡¨¡¡telephones¡¡malfunctioning¡the¡¡works¡£¡¡Rolfe¡¡Lee£»¡¡a¡¡farmer¡¡with¡¡a¡¡big¡¡spread¡¡in¡¡the¡¡area£»¡¡confessed¡¡that¡¡he¡¡had¡¡seen¡¡so¡¡many¡¡UFOs¡¡over¡¡his¡¡land¡¡that¡¡he¡¡didn't¡¡pay¡¡attention¡¡to¡¡them¡¡anymore¡£
¡¡¡¡
¡¡¡¡Officer¡¡Harold¡¡Harmon¡¡and¡¡I¡¡slipped¡¡away¡¡to¡¡Gallipolis¡¡Ferry¡¡on¡¡the¡¡night¡¡of¡¡March¡¡31¡¡while¡¡nearly¡¡everyone¡¡else¡¡headed¡¡for¡¡the¡¡TNT¡¡area¡£¡¡We¡¡soon¡¡saw¡¡a¡¡number¡¡of¡¡bright¡¡starlike¡¡objects¡¡which¡¡flitted¡¡about¡¡the¡¡sky¡¡with¡¡rapid¡¡zigzag¡¡movements¡£¡¡Two¡¡local¡¡teen¡agers¡¡were¡¡sitting¡¡on¡¡a¡¡nearby¡¡hilltop¡¡next¡¡to¡¡a¡¡roaring¡¡bonfire£»¡¡hoping¡¡to¡¡lure¡¡the¡¡UFOs¡¡down¡£¡¡I¡¡called¡¡up¡¡to¡¡them¡¡and¡¡asked¡¡them¡¡to¡¡put¡¡the¡¡fire¡¡out£»¡¡knowing¡¡that¡¡bright¡¡lights¡¡tended¡¡to¡¡repel¡¡rather¡¡than¡¡attract¡¡the¡¡objects¡£
¡¡¡¡
¡¡¡¡Harmon¡¡fiddled¡¡vainly¡¡with¡¡his¡¡police¡¡radio¡£¡¡He¡¡could¡¡get¡¡nothing¡¡but¡¡static¡£¡¡Later¡¡I¡¡learned¡¡that¡¡all¡¡the¡¡police¡¡forces¡¡for¡¡miles¡¡in¡¡both¡¡directions¡¡had¡¡constant¡¡trouble¡¡with¡¡their¡¡radios¡¡that¡¡week¡£¡¡Heavy¡¡magnetic¡¡interference¡¡totally¡¡disrupted¡¡munications¡¡among¡¡law¡¡authorities¡¡while¡¡the¡¡UFOs¡¡carried¡¡out¡¡their¡¡mysterious¡¡missions¡£¡¡The¡¡destruction¡¡of¡¡Sheriff¡¡Johnson's¡¡transmitter¡¡was¡¡just¡¡one¡¡small¡¡part¡¡of¡¡the¡¡scenario¡£¡¡Telephones£»¡¡too£»¡¡went¡¡bonkers¡¡that¡¡week¡£¡¡It¡¡seemed¡¡as¡¡if¡¡half¡¡the¡¡phones¡¡in¡¡the¡¡valley¡¡were¡¡either¡¡out¡¡of¡¡order¡¡altogether£»¡¡or¡¡were¡¡dogged¡¡with¡¡crazy¡¡beeps¡¡and¡¡buzzes¡£
¡¡¡¡
¡¡¡¡Acpanied¡¡by¡¡the¡¡two¡¡teen¡agers£»¡¡I¡¡left¡¡Harmon¡¡and¡¡hiked¡¡into¡¡the¡¡nearby¡¡hills¡¡in¡¡the¡¡total¡¡blackness¡£¡¡As¡¡my¡¡eyes¡¡became¡¡acclimated¡¡to¡¡the¡¡night¡¡I¡¡began¡¡to¡¡distinguish¡¡a¡¡number¡¡of¡¡vague¡¡purple¡¡shapes¡¡hovering¡¡over¡¡a¡¡woods¡¡on¡¡Rolfe¡¡Lee's¡¡property¡£¡¡At¡¡first¡¡I¡¡thought¡¡they¡¡might¡¡be¡¡stars¡¡low¡¡in¡¡the¡¡sky£»¡¡gleaming¡¡through¡¡the¡¡natural¡¡haze¡£¡¡But¡¡when¡¡I¡¡flashed¡¡my¡¡six¡celled¡¡light¡¡at¡¡one¡¡of¡¡these¡¡purple¡¡blobs¡¡it¡¡suddenly¡¡and¡¡jerkily¡¡moved¡¡to¡¡one¡¡side£»¡¡as¡¡if¡¡it¡¡were¡¡jumping¡¡out¡¡of¡¡my¡¡light¡¡beam¡£¡¡Fascinated£»¡¡I¡¡repeated¡¡the¡¡experiment¡¡several¡¡times¡£¡¡Then¡¡I¡¡tried¡¡flashing¡¡the¡¡light¡¡at¡¡obvious¡¡stars¡¡to¡¡see¡¡if¡¡this¡¡wasn't¡¡just¡¡some¡¡trick¡¡of¡¡my¡¡eyesight¡£¡¡The¡¡stars¡¡didn't¡¡move£»¡¡naturally¡£
¡¡¡¡
¡¡¡¡We¡¡sat¡¡on¡¡the¡¡hilltop¡¡studying¡¡the¡¡purple¡¡blobs¡¡for¡¡several¡¡minutes¡¡when¡¡suddenly¡¡the¡¡whole¡¡forest¡¡in¡¡the¡¡valley¡¡below¡¡lit¡¡up¡¡and¡¡glowed¡¡with¡¡a¡¡bright£»¡¡eerie¡¡purple¡¡light¡£¡¡There¡¡were¡¡no¡¡houses¡¡or¡¡roads¡¡down¡¡there¡£¡¡It¡¡would¡¡have¡¡been¡¡a¡¡long¡¡hike¡¡in¡¡the¡¡dark¡¡and¡¡the¡¡boys¡¡were¡¡reluctant¡¡to¡¡join¡¡me£»¡¡so¡¡we¡¡just¡¡sat¡¡and¡¡stared¡¡at¡¡the¡¡glowing¡¡forest¡¡until¡¡the¡¡light¡¡faded¡£
¡¡¡¡
¡¡¡¡III
¡¡¡¡
¡¡¡¡The¡¡next¡¡night£»¡¡Saturday£»¡¡April¡¡1£»¡¡Mary¡¡Hyre¡¡and¡¡I¡¡drove¡¡up¡¡Five¡¡Mile¡¡Creek¡¡Road¡¡below¡¡Gallipolis¡¡Ferry¡¡until¡¡we¡¡reached¡¡a¡¡hilltop¡¡which¡¡manded¡¡a¡¡view¡¡of¡¡the¡¡hills¡¡and¡¡valleys¡¡I¡¡had¡¡visited¡¡the¡¡night¡¡before¡£¡¡There¡¡was¡¡a¡¡single¡¡farmhouse¡¡on¡¡the¡¡hill¡¡and¡¡the¡¡people¡¡who¡¡lived¡¡there¡¡went¡¡to¡¡bed¡¡at¡¡9£º30¡¡each¡¡night£»¡¡being¡¡early¡¡risers¡£¡¡So¡¡the¡¡whole¡¡area¡¡was¡¡silent£»¡¡deserted£»¡¡and¡¡without¡¡lights¡¡throughout¡¡the¡¡night¡£
¡¡¡¡
¡¡¡¡A¡¡few¡¡minutes¡¡after¡¡we¡¡arrived£»¡¡Mary¡¡pointed¡¡out¡¡a¡¡small¡¡reddish¡¡light¡¡low¡¡on¡¡a¡¡steep¡¡wooded¡¡hill¡¡south¡¡of¡¡our¡¡position¡£¡¡It¡¡appeared¡¡to¡¡be¡¡blinking¡¡on¡¡and¡¡off£»¡¡and¡¡bobbing¡¡up¡¡and¡¡down¡¡in¡¡a¡¡manner¡¡quite¡¡different¡¡from¡¡any¡¡of¡¡the¡¡stars¡¡on¡¡the¡¡horizon¡£¡¡While¡¡we¡¡watched¡¡breathlessly£»¡¡barely¡¡speaking£»¡¡it¡¡slowly¡¡circled¡¡the¡¡distant¡¡fields¡¡and¡¡woods¡¡and¡¡crossed¡¡in¡¡front¡¡of¡¡us£»¡¡edging¡¡closer¡¡and¡¡closer¡£¡¡The¡¡farmhouse¡¡was¡¡about¡¡seventy¡five¡¡feet¡¡in¡¡front¡¡of¡¡us¡£¡¡The¡¡object¡¡now¡¡appeared¡¡to¡¡be¡¡square¡¡or¡¡rectangular¡£¡¡It¡¡could¡¡not¡¡be¡¡mistaken¡¡for¡¡a¡¡star¡£¡¡It¡¡vanished¡¡momentarily¡¡behind¡¡some¡¡trees¡¡north¡¡of¡¡the¡¡farmhouse¡¡and¡¡when¡¡it¡¡reappeared¡¡it¡¡was¡¡much¡¡closer¡£¡¡Now¡¡we¡¡could¡¡make¡¡out¡¡a¡¡dark¡¡form¡£¡¡The¡¡red¡¡glow¡¡seemed¡¡to¡¡be¡¡a¡¡window¡£¡¡It¡¡hovered¡¡about¡¡fifty¡¡feet¡¡off¡¡the¡¡ground¡£¡¡I¡¡thought¡¡I¡¡could¡¡see¡¡a¡¡shadowy¡¡human¡¡figure¡¡in¡¡the¡¡¡¨window¡¨¡¡but¡¡Mary¡¡thought¡¡it¡¡was¡¡some¡¡kind¡¡of¡¡partition¡£¡¡This¡¡was¡¡the¡¡only¡¡point¡¡on¡¡which¡¡we¡¡disagreed¡£
¡¡¡¡
¡¡¡¡We¡¡sat¡¡transfixed¡¡for¡¡several¡¡minutes£»¡¡fully¡¡expecting¡¡the¡¡object¡¡to¡¡land¡¡directly¡¡in¡¡front¡¡of¡¡us¡¡and¡¡ask¡¡to¡¡be¡¡taken¡¡to¡¡our¡¡leader¡£¡¡I¡¡finally¡¡got¡¡out¡¡of¡¡the¡¡car¡¡and¡¡flashed¡¡my¡¡powerful¡¡beam¡¡directly¡¡at¡¡the¡¡object¡£¡¡It¡¡responded¡¡instantly£»¡¡quickly¡¡shooting¡¡straight¡¡up¡¡into¡¡the¡¡sky£»¡¡the¡¡red¡¡light¡¡going¡¡out¡¡pletely¡£
¡¡¡¡
¡¡¡¡¡¨I¡¡guess¡¡I¡¡blew¡¡it£»¡¨¡¡I¡¡groaned¡£¡¡But¡¡there¡¡would¡¡be¡¡other¡¡nights¡¡and¡¡more¡¡funny¡¡lights¡£
¡¡¡¡
¡¡¡¡The¡¡following¡¡night¡¡we¡¡returned¡¡to¡¡the¡¡same¡¡hilltop¡£¡¡The¡¡brilliant¡¡night¡¡sky¡¡was¡¡filled¡¡with¡¡stars¡¡¡£¡£¡£¡¡and¡¡things¡¡not¡¡on¡¡my¡¡star¡¡map¡£¡¡We¡¡could¡¡easily¡¡recognize¡¡the¡¡UFOs¡¡because¡¡they¡¡were¡¡brighter¡¡and¡¡more¡¡brilliantly¡¡colored¡¡than¡¡normal¡¡stars¡£¡¡Some¡¡were¡¡red¡¡flashers£»¡¡some¡¡were¡¡cold¡¡purple¡¡blobs£»¡¡and¡¡some¡¡were¡¡multi¡colored¡£¡¡Mrs¡£¡¡Hyre¡¡confirmed¡¡that¡¡they¡¡jumped¡¡out¡¡of¡¡the¡¡way¡¡of¡¡my¡¡flashlight¡£¡¡I¡¡picked¡¡out¡¡an¡¡especially¡¡large¡¡object¡¡and¡¡flashed£º¡¡¡¡£¡£/¡£/¡£¡£¡£/¡¡£¡¡£/¡£/¡¡£/¡¡£¡£¡¡£¨¡¨descend¡¨£©¡£¡¡Mary¡¡gasped¡¡as¡¡it¡¡began¡¡to¡¡lose¡¡altitude¡£
¡¡¡¡
¡¡¡¡¡¨It¡¡looks¡¡like¡¡it's¡¡going¡¡down¡¡a¡¡flight¡¡of¡¡stairs£»¡¨¡¡she¡¡noted¡£¡¡We¡¡were¡¡watching¡¡the¡¡famous¡¡¡¨falling¡¡leaf¡¡motion¡¡which¡¡has¡¡been¡¡described¡¡by¡¡many¡¡UFO¡¡witnesses¡£
¡¡¡¡
¡¡¡¡About¡¡12£º30¡¡A¡£M¡£¡¡Mrs¡£¡¡Hyre¡¡decided¡¡to¡¡call¡¡it¡¡a¡¡night¡£¡¡She¡¡drove¡¡off¡¡leaving¡¡me¡¡alone¡¡in¡¡my¡¡car¡¡sitting£»¡¡like¡¡an¡¡idiot£»¡¡waiting¡¡for¡¡something¡¡to¡¡happen¡£¡¡And¡¡it¡¡did¡£¡¡One¡¡hour¡¡later£»¡¡at¡¡1£º35¡¡A¡£M¡£¡¡on¡¡April¡¡3£»¡¡1967£»¡¡I¡¡had¡¡my¡¡best¡¡sighting¡£¡¡A¡¡clearly¡¡defined¡¡circular¡¡object¡¡suddenly¡¡zipped¡¡down¡¡from¡¡the¡¡sky¡¡and¡¡passed¡¡parallel¡¡to¡¡my¡¡car¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡so¡¡colorful¡¡that¡¡it¡¡is¡¡burned¡¡into¡¡my¡¡memory¡£¡¡The¡¡greenish¡¡upper¡¡surface¡¡was¡¡topped¡¡by¡¡a¡¡bright¡¡red¡¡light¡£¡¡There¡¡were¡¡reddish¡¡¡¨portholes¡¨¡¡or¡¡circular¡¡lights¡¡around¡¡the¡¡rim¡£¡¡The¡¡colors¡¡were¡¡so¡¡brilliant¡¡they¡¡were¡¡almost¡¡unearthly¡£¡¡It¡¡disappeared¡¡behind¡¡some¡¡trees¡¡to¡¡my¡¡left¡£¡¡I¡¡felt¡¡it¡¡was¡¡very¡¡close¡¡¡£¡£¡£¡¡perhaps¡¡only¡¡a¡¡few¡¡hundred¡¡feet¡¡from¡¡my¡¡car¡£¡¡Although¡¡it¡¡had¡¡been¡¡in¡¡full¡¡view¡¡for¡¡several¡¡seconds¡¡I¡¡never¡¡even¡¡thought¡¡of¡¡picking¡¡up¡¡the¡¡movie¡¡camera¡¡on¡¡the¡¡seat¡¡beside¡¡me¡£
¡¡¡¡
¡¡¡¡I¡¡had¡¡three¡¡interesting¡¡physical¡¡reactions¡¡to¡¡this¡¡sighting¡£¡¡First¡¡of¡¡all£»¡¡although¡¡I¡¡am¡¡used¡¡to¡¡prowling¡¡graveyards¡¡and¡¡TNT¡¡areas¡¡alone¡¡late¡¡at¡¡night£»¡¡I¡¡was¡¡scared¡¡to¡¡death¡£¡¡My¡¡first¡¡thought¡¡was¡¡to¡¡start¡¡the¡¡car¡¡and¡¡get¡¡the¡¡hell¡¡out¡¡of¡¡there¡£¡¡But¡¡I¡¡managed¡¡to¡¡brace¡¡myself¡£¡¡I¡¡did¡¡lock¡¡the¡¡car¡¡doors¡£¡¡Second£»¡¡while¡¡I¡¡was¡¡watching¡¡the¡¡object¡¡I¡¡thought¡¡I¡¡heard¡¡a¡¡sizzling¡¡or¡¡hissing¡¡sound¡£¡¡Later¡¡I¡¡realized¡¡I¡¡couldn't¡¡be¡¡sure¡¡if¡¡the¡¡sound¡¡had¡¡been¡¡real¡£¡¡Third£»¡¡the¡¡next¡¡morning¡¡my¡¡eyes¡¡were¡¡sore¡¡and¡¡reddened¡£¡¡They¡¡felt¡¡like¡¡they¡¡were¡¡full¡¡of¡¡sand¡£¡¡I¡¡had¡¡a¡¡mild¡¡case¡¡of¡¡conjunctivitis¡¡and¡¡it¡¡persisted¡¡for¡¡several¡¡days¡£
¡¡¡¡
¡¡¡¡In¡¡my¡¡notebook¡¡I¡¡scribbled£»¡¡¡¨2¡¡A¡£M¡££»¡¡drove¡¡to¡¡turnaround¡¡point¡¡£§a¡¡driveway¡¡by¡¡a¡¡barn¡¡down¡¡the¡¡road£§£»¡¡turned¡¡and¡¡returned¡¡to¡¡original¡¡parking¡¡position¡¡¡£¡£¡£¡¡unable¡¡to¡¡see¡¡anything¡¡in¡¡ravine¡¡¡£¡£¡£¡¡no¡¡lights¡¡or¡¡signs¡¡of¡¡activity¡¡¡£¡£¡£¡¡still¡¡scared¡£¡£¡£¡¡not¡¡anxious¡¡to¡¡get¡¡out¡¡of¡¡car¡£¡£¡£¡¨
¡¡¡¡
¡¡¡¡Another¡¡note¡¡reads£»¡¡¡¨No¡¡sign¡¡of¡¡moon¡¡which¡¡was¡¡supposed¡¡to¡¡rise¡¡at¡¡1£º59¡¡A¡£M¡£¡¨¡¡This¡¡referred¡¡to¡¡something¡¡that¡¡had¡¡happened¡¡the¡¡night¡¡before¡£¡¡After¡¡the¡¡object¡¡with¡¡the¡¡reddish¡¡¡¨window¡¨¡¡had¡¡disappeared£»¡¡Mary¡¡and¡¡I¡¡sat¡¡in¡¡the¡¡darkness¡¡for¡¡a¡¡long¡¡time¡¡when¡¡suddenly¡¡a¡¡great¡¡glowing¡¡object¡¡appeared¡¡behind¡¡some¡¡trees¡¡on¡¡a¡¡distant¡¡hill¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡red¡¡and¡¡large¡¡and¡¡we¡¡both¡¡thought¡¡we¡¡could¡¡see¡¡a¡¡human¡¡figure¡¡moving¡¡about¡¡on¡¡the¡¡hill¡£¡¡We¡¡really¡¡thought¡¡something¡¡had¡¡landed¡¡there¡£¡¡After¡¡a¡¡few¡¡minutes¡¡the¡¡object¡¡slowly¡¡rose¡¡upward¡¡and¡¡to¡¡our¡¡mutual¡¡embarrassment¡¡we¡¡saw¡¡that¡¡it¡¡was¡¡the¡¡moon¡£¡¡I¡¡had¡¡never¡¡seen¡¡a¡¡