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Richard Hall:
While driving through the Piney Woods of East
Texas, about 40 miles northeast of Houston, Betty Cash
and her two passengers noticed a bright light ahead.
With Betty were Vickie Landrum and her grandson,
Colby. As they drew within about 130 feet (40 meters),
they were confronted by a fiery diamond-shaped object,
emitting flames down toward the road. (The object also
could be described as cone-, spindle-, or top-shaped;
see sketch above.) Betty stopped the car to avoid the
flames, but the car interior became hot, and they were
forced outside, where the heat from the object burned
their skin.
Betty Cash
Though intensely bright, the object was silvery and
metallic-appearing, and small blue lights were visible
around the center. Periodically, flames flared out of
the bottom with a "whooshing" sound; each time the
object rose a few feet, only to settle back toward the
road when the flames ceased. The witnesses, who could
feel a burning sensation on their faces, were
terrified. Though it was a chilly evening, the car was
too hot to touch.
After several minutes, just as the object ascended
slowly into the sky, a number of helicopters
(approximately 12 of them were determined later to be
CH-47 Chinooks) showed up and appeared to be trying to
force the object to land. Instead, it flew away with
more than 20 helicopters in pursuit. They finally were
able to resume driving; and Betty dropped the Landrums
off at their house and proceeded home. She immediately
became ill, experiencing headache, nausea, vomiting,
diarrhea, red and blistered skin, and swollen eyes.
Vicki & Colby Landrum
Meanwhile, the Landrums were experiencing similar
symptoms, but less severe. They had upset stomachs and
badly "sunburned" skin. Betty, however, was admitted
to the hospital on January 3, 1981, after losing large
patches of skin and clumps of hair and lapsing into
semi-consciousness. She had severe medical problems
for a long time afterward. Radiologist Peter Rank
later concluded, after examining their medical
records, that the trio had been exposed to ionizing
radiation, possibly combined with some infrared or
ultraviolet light, as well.
The case was investigated by aerospace engineer
John Schuessler and some of his MUFON colleagues, who
interviewed many other witnesses who had seen the UFO,
the helicopters, or both. An investigation by Allan
Hendry failed to determine the source of the
helicopters; no civilian or military airport would
admit to any knowledge of them. Chinooks are used by
both the Army and the Marine Corps.
Legal attempts to get answers from government
agencies met with failure because it could not be
proven that the UFO or the helicopters were U.S.
Government property. A judge dismissed the case,
citing expert testimony that no such craft as the
reported UFO existed in the military arsenal. Early in
1982 the Air Force stated that none of its helicopters
was involved.
The Department of the Army Inspector General's
Office, directed Lt. Col. George Sarran to conduct an
investigation. John Schuessler received a call from
Sarran on March 19, 1982, and provided complete
cooperation and guidance. Sarran found the witnesses
credible, but was unable to trace the helicopters to
any Army, National Guard, or Army Reserve unit. The
implied scope of the hypothetical Army "exercise"
during the normal year-end holiday season "stand-down"
period would have required extraordinary logistical
support, yet no record could be found that such an
operation actually occurred. Sarran seems to have
conducted a thorough and objective investigation.
Although well witnessed and including strong
physical evidence, the case remains totally baffling.
It has been speculated that the "UFO" was a
super-secret, U.S. atomic-powered aircraft that was
experiencing engine problems. However, the site is
very close to a major metropolitan area and far
removed from the spacious military reservations in the
deserts of New Mexico, California, Nevada, and Utah,
where tests of revolutionary aircraft ordinarily
occur. In these highly secure areas, Top Secret
experiments can be kept far away from prying eyes. Why
risk exposure of the secret, an accident, and
potentially disastrous consequences by exposing
residents of a metropolitan area to experimental test
flights?
Source: Vol. II, The UFO Evidence, Richard Hall,
pages 226-229
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