Captured! The Betty and Barney Hill UFO Experience: The Project Blue Book Report Chapter (Part 1)

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The True Story of the Worlds First Documented Alien Abduction: The Project Blue Book Report Chapter

Betty phoned the 100th Bomb Wing at Pease Air Force Base in neigh- boring Newington, New Hampshire, to report an unidentified flying object on September 21, 1961, the day after the sighting. She and Barney gave the interviewing officer a general description of the craft they had observed. Barney omitted his observation of the humanoid figures that communicated with him through a double row of windows, fearing that he might be thought a “crackpot.” Later that day, Major Paul W. Henderson phoned the Hills and questioned both of them extensively. According to Betty, he seemed very interested in the wing-like structures that tele- scoped out from each side of the pancake-shaped craft, and the red lights on their tips. Betty wrote, “Major Henderson asked to speak with Barney, who was hesitating about taking the phone. But, once he was on the phone, he was giving more information than I had. Later, Barney said he had done this, for Major Henderson did not seem to express any surprise or disbelief. Later, Major Henderson called back and asked if we would be willing to be put through to somewhere else, and have our call monitored. We agreed to this. One call was transferred to another place and today we do not know with whom we were talking.”1 The next day, Major Henderson phoned to inform the Hills that he had been up all night working on their report and that he needed a few more details. It was Betty’s contention that he took their report very seriously, making it quite clear that the Air Force was aware of the existence of unidentified flying objects.

Major Henderson, on Air Force Form 112, No. 100-1-61, officially reported to Project Blue Book that “on the night of 19–20 Sept between 20/0001 and 20/0100 Mr. and Mrs. Hill were traveling south on Route 3 near Lincoln, New Hampshire, when they observed, through the windshield of their car, a strange object in the sky. They noticed it because of its shape and the intensity of its lighting as compared to the stars in the sky. The weather and the sky were clear at the time.”

In a supplement to Form 112, Major Henderson transcribed the following information:

A. Description of Object

  1. Continuous band of lights—cigar-shaped at all times despite change in direction.
  2. Size: When first observed it appeared to be about the size of a nickel at arm’s length. Later when it seemed to be a matter of hundreds of feet above the automobile it would be about the size of a dinner plate held at arm’s length.
  3. Color: Only color evident was that of the band of light, which was comparable to the intensity and color of a filament of an incandescent lamp. (See reference to “wing tip” lights.)
  4. Number: One
  5. Formation: None
  6. Feature or details: See 1 above. During periods of observation wings seemed to appear from the main body. Described as V-shaped with red lights on tips.
    Later, wings appeared to extend further.
  7. Tail, trail or exhaust: None observed.
  8. Sound: None except as described in item E.

B. Description of Course of Object

  1. First observed through windshield of car. Size and brightness of object compared to visible stars attracted observers’ attention.
  2. Angle of elevation, first observed: About 45 degrees.
  3. Angle of elevation at disappearance: Not determinable because of inability to observe its departure from the auto.
  4. Flight path and maneuvers: See item E. 5. How the object disappeared: See item E.
  5. Length of observation: Approx. 30 mins.

C. Manner of Observation

  1. Ground-visual.
  2. Binoculars used at times.
  3. Sighting made from inside auto while moving and stopped. Observed from within and outside auto.

[D is missing]

E. Location and Details

On the night of 19–20 September between 20/0001 and 20/0100 the observers were traveling by car in a southerly direction on Route 3 south of Lincoln, N.H., when they noticed a brightly lighted object ahead of their car at an angle of elevation of approximately 45 degrees. It appeared strange to them be- cause of its shape and the intensity of its lights compared to the stars in the sky. Weather and sky were clear. They continued to observe the moving object from their moving car for a few minutes, then stopped. After stopping the car they used binoculars at times.

They report that the object was traveling north very fast. They report it changed directions rather abruptly and then headed south. Shortly thereafter, it stopped and hovered in the air. There was no sound evident up to this time. Both observers used the binoculars at this point. While hovering, objects began to appear from the body of the “object,” which they describe as looking like wings, which made a V-shape when extended. The “wings” had red lights on the tips. At this point they observed it to appear to swoop down in the general direction of their auto. The object continued to descend until it appeared to be only a matter of “hundreds of feet” above their car.

At this point they decided to get out of that area, and fast. Mr. Hill was driving, and Mrs. Hill watched the object by sticking her head out the window. It departed in a generally northwesterly direction, but Mrs. Hill was prevented from observing its full departure by her position in the car.

They report that while the object was above them after it had “swooped down” they heard a series of short, loud “buzzes,” which they described as sounding like someone had
dropped a tuning fork. They report that they could feel these buzzing sounds in their auto. No further visual observation was made of this object. They continued on their trip and when they arrived in the vicinity of Ashland, N.H., about 30 miles from Lincoln, they again heard the “buzzing” sound of the “object”; however, they did not see it at this time.
Mrs. Hill reported the flight pattern of the “object” to be erratic; [it] changed directions rapidly, [and] during its flight it ascended and descended numerous times very rapidly. Its flight was described as jerky and not smooth.

Mr. Hill is a civil service employee in the Boston Post Office and doesn’t possess any technical or scientific training. Neither does his wife. During a later conversation with Mr. Hill, he volunteered the observation that he did not originally intend to report the incident but in as much as he and his wife did in fact see this occurrence he decided to report it. He says that on looking back he feels that the whole thing is incredible and he feels somewhat foolish—he just cannot believe that such a thing could or did happen. He says, on the other hand, that they both saw what they reported, and this fact gives it some degree of reality.

Information contained herein was collected by means of telephone conversation between the observers and the preparing individual. The reliability of the observer cannot be judged, and while his apparent honesty and seriousness appears to be valid, it cannot be judged at this time.

As an “additional item,” Major Henderson included the following information on the front page of his intelligence report:

During a casual conversation on 22 Sept 61 between Major Gardiner D. Reynolds, 100th BW DCOI and Captain Robert O. Daughaday, Commander 1917-2 AACS DIT, Pease AFB, NH it was revealed that a strange incident occurred at 0214 local on 20 Sept. No importance was attached to the incident at that time. Subsequent interrogation failed to bring out any information in addition to the extract of the “Daily Report of the Controller.” It is not possible to determine any relationship between these two observations, as the radar observation provides no description.

Time and distance between the events could hint of a possible relationship. [Note: emphasis by author.] Signed Paul W. Henderson Major USAF Chief Combat Intelligence.

The Project Blue Book 10073 Project Record Card regarding the New Hampshire sighting reads as follows:

  1. Date: 20 Sep 61
  2. Location: Lincoln, NH
  3. Date-Time Group: Local 0001-0100 GMT: 20 0401-05002
  4. Type of Observation: Ground-visual, Air-Intercept radar
  5. Photos: No
  6. Source: Civilian
  7. Length of Observation: 30 min.
  8. No. of Objects: 1
  9. Course: N
  10. Brief Summary of Sighting: Continuous band of lights. Cigar- shaped at all times despite changes of direction. Wings seemed to appear from main body. Described as V-shaped and red lights on tips; later wings appeared to extend further. Appeared about 45 degrees. Varied direction abruptly and disappeared to the north.
  11. Comments: Both radar and visual sightings are probably due to conditions resulting from strong inversion which prevailed in area on morning of sighting. Actual source of light viewed is not known but it has all the characteristics of an advertising searchlight. Radar probably was looking at some ground target due to strong inversion. No evidence indicating objects were due to other than natural causes.
  12. Conclusions: Optical condition. [Later changed to “Inversion.” Later changed to “insufficient data.” All crossed out and written in longhand on the original card.] Aircraft, Balloons, Airships, etc. [blank]
  13. Other: Observation due to unusual optical condition resulting from atmospheric conditions. [Written in longhand on card.]
  14. Evaluation of Source Reliability: Probably good.
  15. Analysis and Conclusions: Both the radar and visual sightings are probably due to conditions resulting from the strong inversion which prevailed in the Lincoln, N.H. area on the morning of the sighting. The actual source of light viewed by the witnesses who reported the visual sighting is not known but it has all of the characteristics of an advertising search light. The radar probably was looking at some ground target due to the strong inversion. There is not evidence which would indicate that the objects in these sightings were due to other than natural causes. [Written in longhand.]

The original Project 10073 Record Card for the sighting lists the “Type of Observation” as Ground-Visual and Air-Intercept Radar—not Ground- Radar as later reported (see Appendix). However, this page was removed from later reports. Betty has always contended that she was told that jet interceptors were scrambled to chase the unidentified flying object. This page seems to give supporting evidence that Betty was indeed accurate in her statement.

It is interesting to note that Project Blue Book commented that the object that the Hills observed had the characteristics of an advertising searchlight. Advertising searchlights are used to attract attention to all types of events, including grand openings and movie premiers. The search- light is generally mounted on a ground mobile unit and it sends spikes of light miles into the air to attract crowds. An advertising searchlight at 11 p.m. during the off-season in a sparsely populated area? Hardly. This is incongruent with the Hills’ description of a brightly lighted, structured object only hundreds of feet above their car, that projected V-shaped wings with red lights on their tips and an unconventional lighting pattern. Section 11 seems to ignore the information contained within Section 10.