Appearance / Description of Object(s)

The object was cigar shaped. It had no color to it. It had one row of 7 to 10 oval windows (lights) on its side and these appeared to be pulsating. Here in 2006, some 38 years later, the object I saw on the ground would remind you of the solar lights that people outline their houses with today.

Size of Object(s)

The object I saw in the sky above the tree line was about 3 inches long. What I saw on the ground on the other side of the bridge was about 70 -75 feet long.

Description of Area / Surroundings

This was in a rural area. There is an airport at the University about 4 miles away, but this was not any type of aircraft that would have been flying from there.

Full Description & Details

I was traveling eastbound on IL. Rt. 149. The weather was clear with scattered clouds at about 1500 feet. There was a harvest moon. I was driving my 1951 ford v-8. A deer jumped in front of my car followed shortly by 2 coyotes. I slowed down in case there was any more large animals in the area. I noticed to my right above the tree line a dark cigar shaped object. It appeared to be large and it had lights along the side like ships portals. There was flashing lights on either end. I could not tell how close it was because it was up in the air, but it was probably as big as the fuselage of a DC-3. I let my foot off the gas while I watched this thing . There were no visible wings or tail. It travelled above the trees for a few seconds and then seemed to arc down behind them. As I strarted to give my car the gas, I noticed that the radio was very statticity and the headlights and panel instruments were going crazy. I went thru an ess curve about 1/3 mile from the Little Muddy River Bridge and then on up a hill and curve on the other side of the river. My car was still acting up. As I approached the top of the hill, something told me to look to my right, because in this area on the south east side of the bridge stood an old barn and there was about a 10 acre field butted back against the tree line and the farmer who owned the property kept about 15 to 10 head of cattle there. There about 300 yds away next to the trees was this object on the ground. It had about 7 to 10 windows (portals ) on the side and they seemed to be pulsating. There was some haze coming off the vegetation and there appeared to be some sort of reddish glow under this thing. Being familiar with this area, I would say that this object would have been about 70 feet long and about 10 feet in height. There were no other bllister or bubbles like a cockpit on it. My car had been acting up and as I topped this hill, it started running better so I floored it and drove the last mile and a half to my town's city limits in excess of the speed limit. When I went into my house, I must have looke scared, because my wife told me that I looked like I had seen a ghost. I have not told this outside of my family and I have always wanted to get a geiger counter and go back to this area and see if it had any higher than normal radiation readings.

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

no. It would have to be an exceptionally large helicopter and I don't recall seeing any rotor tower.

Witness Background

I completed my junior year of college, then began working for the Illinois Department of Transportation, starting as a technician and ending up as a technical manager investigating accidents and claims. I worked as an investigator for 32 years, retiring in 1999.

Views on UFOs, before and after sighting

I have seen strange lights before, but nothing like this. I do not believe we are alone in this universe. I don't think any ET's would be too different from our physicology. I have had two other experiences prior to this. I have read and listened to various authors about this subject. especially the Roswell incident because I had a boss ( since passed on ) who was stationed at this area during this time and he always alluded to a coverup.

Other Comments

I will briefly relate my two other experiences with UFO's.

1. IIn 1950, I was 6 years old my family was southbound on the Blairsville-Colp road in Williamson County. We were going to a drive in movie at Herrin. It was before dusk, the sun had not set. As we drove past No. 12 Mine Lake an orange ball of flame came from the north and passed directly in front of us. It passed slowly enough that we could see a green tail and a greenish halo over the orange. It arched at about 20 degrees above the horizon and traveled from the north to the south. It was about the size of a full moon - it was not a shooting star or a flash like a meteorite. It appeared to be in our atmosphere the entire time.

2. In November 1960, about 8 p.m. my junior class was practicing for a play upstairs in the northeast corner of the auditorium. We noticed in the northeast, about 45 degrees, a stationary light that was brighter than any normal star. The light did not move for at least 30 minutes, but changed colors from white to red to green. Then it seemed like the light was agitated and it started to quiver and the colors changed faster, then it just went out. I never saw anything like it again until Han Solo warped into light speed in Star Wars.

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