Why us?

[Observer]

Adrian

I do think the RFI was caused a UFO, but robotic in nature and not necessarily from outer space. I think 'Man' had a hand in it some where.
Obs

[David Bryant]

Optical phenomena and optical illusions near lighthouses - C. Floor
http://www.keesfloor.nl/artikelen/diversen/lighthouse.pdf

The key word being 'near'. In the diagram, the observer is standing with his back to the lighthouse, compared with Halt et al: 5 miles away!

[webplodder]

Penninston and Burroughs went to investigate the UFO together and Penninston claimed he performed a 45 minutes inspection of it on the ground. John Burroughs contradicts this, stating that after seeing the object "we all hit the ground, and it went up into the trees". How can this be?

In the Halt tape an unidentified airman calls out "There it is again ... there it is" with an interval of 5 seconds, the same frequency at which the Orford Ness lighthouse flashes. Just coincidence?

[Shearwater]

These astronauts say you can see stars in space or from the Moon: Aldrin, Bean, Scott, Cooper, Lovell
These say you definitely can't: Duke, Schmitt, Armstrong, Stafford, Borman, Cernan

Does this (I would've thought fundamental) dichotomy prove no-one's been to the Moon? Or does it mean that people's perceptions of any event may differ?

[webplodder]

These astronauts say you can see stars in space or from the Moon: Aldrin, Bean, Scott, Cooper, Lovell
These say you definitely can't: Duke, Schmitt, Armstrong, Stafford, Borman, Cernan

Does this (I would've thought fundamental) dichotomy prove no-one's been to the Moon? Or does it mean that people's perceptions of any event may differ?

Well, to the extent that one man says he spent 45 minutes examining a strange craft and the other says something completely different, no. I think such a traumatic experience would have been firmly fixed in the memory, don't you? If we excuse people making conflicting claims on the basis of different perceptions we allow anything to pass, don't you think?

[Shearwater]

So which one are you calling a liar? Burroughs? Penniston? Or, since their accounts also differ fundamentally, Halt, Warren or Nevels?
Or do you think they're all lying? If so, just come out and say it plain & simple!

[Observer]

I'm not too sure any of them are 'lying'. They have all told us what they experienced and its quite understandable that their stories will be slightly different because of the perspective. However, there are a couple of rather bigger discrepancies in what JP reported and JB said about the object in the forest. Its up to us to try and sort that out because our main witnesses now seem unable [or don't want to] to clarify this any more.

This whole incident and how it has been relayed to us is a bit of a mish mash because different people have contributed different parts of the story at different times. Some have simply missidentified, others have been totaly bewildered and some have been a tad over enthusiastic with their descriptions of events [human nature]. The bottom line here is, its not going to be that easy to correlate all their evidence because of all the conflicting testimony.
This is one reason why I advocate only looking at their first statements/stories and treat subsequant 'Add Ons' with care.
Obs

[Shearwater]

Right!
I'm with you 100% on that!
First thoughts are best thoughts!

[Observer]

Its very difficult to move this research forward and its been a bit of a stalemate for a couple of years now.

The premise I work to is as follows. An unlikely series of multiple events which may or may not be of much significance individually and more importantly may not be related but collectivly [rightly or wrongly] have contributed to this story.
Hope that makes sense.
Obs

[Frank]

Its very difficult to move this research forward and its been a bit of a stalemate for a couple of years now.

Obs, I fully agree that we should use the earliest available data of a case. In this case it even includes a live tape recording.

If you consider this data the story is consistent and crystal clear. So it’s not the data that’s the problem here.

Sorry, but the main obstacle in moving this case forward is people who constantly push their personal theories in total disregard of the available data.

The hard and early data of this case simply refutes their theories about secret aircraft, military accidents, lighthouses/farmhouses & stars, 45 minute encounters with time travelers, magical EM abilities of the Russians, a film crew and 30+ men surrounding a landed object, secret pacts with aliens, or pranksters in police vehicles.

But many people refuse to give up, cherry-pick the data that suits their needs, simply ignore the data that falsifies their theories and keep on going on and on and on and on and on ...

My conclusion: People will probably try to spin this case for another 30 years but it will simply remain one of the many unknowns in UFO history.

I can only hope more data will become available in due time but until then the case is straightforward and simple:

The first night is a consistent story of a short encounter:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=981&start=20#p9289

The object seen that night is consistently drawn and described by the witnesses:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1007#p9401

1. It had a triangular/conical shape.
2. It had a red light on top.
3. It had a horizontal arrangement of blue lights in the mid section.
4. The lights were perceived as flashing/blinking/strobing.
5. A blue/white glow was emanating from the bottom.
6. As the men approached it, it moved back to the field and disappeared.
7. Jim was closest to it and reported on the spot that it was definitely mechanical.

Conclusion: UNKNOWN GLOWING CONE-SHAPED OBJECT THAT WAS ABLE TO MANOEUVRE BACK AND LEAVE THE AREA / DISSAPEAR

For Halt’s night we don’t even need to rely on (early) witness testimony.
We have a live tape-recording!
This recording proves:

1. They investigated a ‘suspected impact point’ that they assume is a landing site.
2. There they found indentations in a triangular pattern.
3. There was an opening in the trees directly above the site and freshly broken tree branches were lying on the forest floor.
4. Trees facing the site were damaged.
5. They found a blasted or scuffed up area in the center of the three indentations.
6. Radioactivity measurements peaked in this center area and seemed slightly higher on the trees facing it.
7. Residual heat was measured in this center area and on the trees facing it.

Conclusion: A CONSISTENT PATTERN OF PHYSICAL TRACES LEFT BY A SOLID OBJECT THAT CAME AND LEFT THROUGH THE AIR

Later that night:

1. First one, then two moving lights were seen, one in front of the men and one to their left. Pieces seemed to be falling/shooting off now and then.
2. One light moved off to the right; the other one came to the left. It was red, moving from side to side, and was flashing like a winking eye with a dark pupil.
3. Later, half-moon shaped objects with colored lights on them were seen that turned into full circles.
4. These objects moved surprisingly fast to the USAF personnel witnessing the events.
5. One object came towards the men and shone a beam down to the ground – this caused great agitation among them.
6. They were unable to identify the objects.

Conclusion: UNKNOWN FLYING OBJECTS ABLE TO MOVE AT HIGH SPEEDS THAT SENT DOWN BEAMS TO THE GROUND

For completeness: The relevant bits of Halt's tape recording:

LT COLONEL HALT: A hundred and fifty feet or more from the initial, I should. . .say suspected impact point.
(…)
LT ENGLUND: This looks like an area here possibly that could be a blast. It's in the center of the triangle. .
(…)
LT ENGLUND: It just jumped up towards seven tenths there.
LT COLONEL HALT: Seven tenths, right there in the center?
LT ENGLUND: Uh ha.
LT COLONEL HALT: We found a small blast what looks like a blasted or scrubbed up area here. We're getting very positive readings.
(…)
LT ENGLUND: Each one of these trees that face into the blast, what we assume is a landing site, all have an abrasion facing in the same direction towards the center.
(…)
LT COLONEL HALT: We're getting'...Getting a definite heat reflection off the tree, about three or four feet off the ground?
LT ENGLUND: Yes the same side as it.
LT COLONEL HALT: The same place where the spot is, we're getting a heat. .
SGT BALL: There's a spot on the tree directly behind us I picked up the same thing, the one off to your right.
LT COLONEL HALT: Three trees in the area immediately adjacent to the site within ten feet of the suspected landing site; we're picking up heat reflection off the trees.
(…)
LT ENGLUND: That's on the center spot, there is an after effect.
SGT NEVILLES: What does that mean?
LT ENGLUND: It means that when the lights are turned off, once we all focused in, allow time for the eyes to adjust, we are getting an indication of a heat source coming out of that center spot... as err... which will show up on the ...
LT COLONEL HALT: Heat or some form of energy, it's hardly heat at this stage of the game.
LT ENGLUND: But it is still heat...
LT COLONEL HALT: Looking directly overhead, one can see an opening in the trees, plus some freshly a broken pine branches on the ground underneath. Looks like some of them came off about fifteen to twenty feet up. Some smaller branches about inch or less in diameter.
(…)
LT COLONEL HALT: There is no doubt about it, there's some kind of strange flashing red light ahead.
LT ENGLUND: Yeah, It's yellow.
LT COLONEL HALT: I saw a yellow tinge in it too. Weird. It it appears to be making a little bit this way?
SGT NEVILLES: Yes sir.
LT COLONEL HALT: It's brighter than it has been
LT COLONEL HALT: It's coming this way.
LT COLONAL HALT: It is definitely coming this way.
SGT BALL: Pieces are shooting off.
LT COLONEL HALT: Pieces of it are shooting off.
SGT BALL: At eleven o' clock (directional reference)
LT COLONEL HALT: There is no doubt about it; this is weird.
SGT BALL: Look to the left!
SGT NEVILLES: Yeah, definitely moving. There's two...two lights. One light in front and one light to the left.
(…)
LT COLONEL HALT: Pieces are falling off it again.
SGT BALL: It just moved to the right... went off to the right.
LT COLONEL HALT: Yeah ... strange, Auh.
LT COLONEL HALT: The other one came to the left. Let's let's approach the edge of the woods up there. Can we do without lights? Let's do it carefully, come on..
LT COLONEL HALT: OK we're looking at the thing, we're probably about two to three hundred yards away. It looks like an eye winking at you, it's still moving from side to side and when you put the starscope on it, it, it's sort of a hollow center right, a d-dark center, it's...it's...
LT ENGLUND: It's like a pupil...
LT COLONEL HALT: Bit like a pupil of an eye lookin' at you, winking. And the flash is so bright to the starscope, that err... it almost burns your eye.
(…)
LT COLONEL HALT: Three-o-five : At about err... 10 degrees horizon err directly north, we've got two strange objects, err ...half moon shape, dancing about with colored lights on 'em.
LT COLONEL HALT: The half moons have now turned into full circles as though there was an elip, eclipse or something there for a minute or two.
LT COLONEL HALT: Three-a.m.-fifteen: Now we've got an object about ten degrees directly south...
LT COLONEL HALT: Ten degrees off the horizon, and the ones to the north are moving, one's moving away from us.
SGT BALL: Movin forward!
SGT NEVILLES: It's moving out fast!
LT COLONEL HALT: They're moving out fast.
SGT BALL: This one on the right's heading away too.
LT COLONEL HALT: Yeah, they're both heading north. Ok hey, here he comes from the south, he's coming in toward us now.
SGT BALL: Holy shit!
LT COLONEL HALT: Now were observing what appears to be a beam coming down to the ground.
SGT BALL: Look at the colours... shit
LT COLONEL HALT: This is unreal

[webplodder]

It makes sense but it's difficult to accept that Penniston 'imagined' he saw a structured craft with hieroglyphics on it and which might have been some kind of optical illusion. He actually copied the object's markings in his notebook so how far can we push the idea that it was all just the lighthouse light, or police car, tractor, Apollo capsule, etc., etc? He is either making the whole thing up or there WAS some kind of solid structure out there which MAY have been of an ET origin. But given the latter, how could Burrows have had a completely different experience of the same event. You remember everything detail about something like that, probably forever, so it seems very pertinent to me to ask why the two men differ so much in their accounts. What should have happened, if it didn't, is that each man should have been questioned separately about the event and see how much their accounts corresponded. Was this ever done?

What about the airmen that accompanied Col. Halt when he had his experience? Have they been tracked down and asked if they can corroborate Col. Halt's account? Where are all the witnesses?

[Observer]

This is eaxactly what the RFI needs is fresh witnesses. Halt claims that there were many people out in the forest searching [ he never ever said what for ],so why haven't any of these guys come forward to say their piece. I think I know the answer to this but its best left un said.
There are gaping holes in Halt's story, for example, he ordered the light alls out into the forest but that part of his story just fizzled out because he never mentioned them again. Where were they placed, what were they illuminating etc etc.
Halt needs to tell us.

Obs

[webplodder]

Well, I have to say that Col. Halt comes over as a very convincing witness that is simply telling it as he experienced it but this is really a value judgement on my part and not really of any scientific value. I have seen Halt give his account on a number of occasions and questioned about his experience and again he seems to have no trouble in providing what seems to be honest replies. Either Halt is an remarkable actor or he is actually telling the world what he went through, whether mistaken or not.

Of course, we have to concede that if we are really talking about an advanced technological culture the things they would be capable of would seem indistinguishable from magic to us so that Halt's story could be true but it still leaves one wondering. I do think we have to recognize that our science, regardless of its very impressive achievements to date, is a very recent development in terms of the age of human civilisation and, therefore, we should apply a little humility in considering what heights the much admired scientific method might have achieved by non-human intelligences. This is why I am always prepared to retain an open mind in cases like the RFI but remain guarded of simple hoaxes. Col. Halt, to me at least, seems the most compelling reason why I do not wholly dismis the incident. Perhaps I am just gullible. I just think it is all too easy to be egocentric about the universe and dismiss the idea that we are not the only thinking beings in creation. We used to think we were at the centre of the universe, just like a baby thinks it is the only important thing existing, but we all have to grow up and perhaps face the idea that our concepts of space and time are really very limited.

[Vortex]

Frank - I'm 100% on the same page as you with regards to this case. The original data (witness testomies, tape recording etc.) speaks for itself.

Halt needs to tell us.

Obs - I totally agree. I'm certain that Halt knows so much more about this case then he's ever made public (for whatever reason).

[Observer]

Vortex
Of course there was that rather 'loaded' remark Halt made in a recent interview, where he said, "I know things that will be my insurance for the future". Whatever the heck that means, your guess is as good as mine, but the phrase by its very nature suggests he knows lots more than he is telling or is he just playing us around?

Halt's tape I suppose adds some credence to this mystery although there are a few people who question its validity.
The tape was analysed in depth on this forum some 2 years ago and there was no definitive conclusion drawn.

I have said this numerous times over the years, look at what went on eslewhere and around the perifery of this incident rather than the incident its self. I also maintain there is a simpler explanation than all the high tech ones we humans love to think up. Now that does not mean I am discounting the possibility that we have had a visit from another dimension or galaxy or what ever you want to call it, but to date there is not the slightest bit of evidence to say they have.
Obs

[John Burroughs]

Guys enjoy your trip around the sun. Your never going to solve this. Good luck...http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id= ... 0619120297

[webplodder]

John, you can't solve something that never happened. John, come clean and admit you are exploiting this incident for celebrity status and we will all respect you that much more for being honest. John, when did you and Jim and Col. Halt decide to make a name for yourselves?

[Vortex]

Guys enjoy your trip around the sun. Your never going to solve this. Good luck...http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id= ... 0619120297

That's a very strange attitude John? I would have thought that somebody in your position would appreciate other people putting in some effort to try and help figure out what happened to you guys? Very confusing...

[Observer]

May be there is nothing to solve!

Obs

[John Burroughs]

Guys believe what ever you want. You should not be driven by what I believe or what others think. Here is a interesting piece at least he went out there and is truley trying to put this all together. http://www.chilling-tales.com/page59.html I have to go into town my limo is waiting Halt Penniston and I have work to do..