1 00:00:16,399 --> 00:00:23,849 good afternoon my name is Charles I halt 2 00:00:20,100 --> 00:00:26,699 I retired from the US Air Force in 1991 3 00:00:23,850 --> 00:00:28,289 as a colonel during my military career I 4 00:00:26,699 --> 00:00:30,929 was base commander of two large 5 00:00:28,289 --> 00:00:33,149 installations and the time of my 6 00:00:30,928 --> 00:00:34,949 retirement I was in the Department of 7 00:00:33,149 --> 00:00:36,600 fence Inspector General's Office with 8 00:00:34,950 --> 00:00:40,590 total inspection oversight of all 9 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:42,450 services on all service agencies in 1980 10 00:00:40,590 --> 00:00:44,250 I was reassigned from the Pentagon to 11 00:00:42,450 --> 00:00:47,430 RAF Bentwaters it's a deputy base 12 00:00:44,250 --> 00:00:48,899 commander at that time Bentwaters is one 13 00:00:47,429 --> 00:00:51,299 of the largest Tactical Fighter Wing's 14 00:00:48,899 --> 00:00:53,340 in the world with the two base complex 15 00:00:51,299 --> 00:00:55,349 Woodbridge and Bentwaters in England and 16 00:00:53,340 --> 00:00:58,710 for fo ELLs in Germany and two 17 00:00:55,350 --> 00:01:01,590 additional standby bases in December 18 00:00:58,710 --> 00:01:03,270 1980 and early in the morning so where 19 00:01:01,590 --> 00:01:05,579 our security policeman discovered 20 00:01:03,270 --> 00:01:07,829 strange lights in the forest in East 21 00:01:05,579 --> 00:01:10,798 Anglia just outside the back gate of RAF 22 00:01:07,829 --> 00:01:13,048 Woodbridge three patrolmen sergeant 23 00:01:10,799 --> 00:01:15,960 Penniston Airmen Burroughs and airman 24 00:01:13,049 --> 00:01:17,939 Cabana sack actually were dispatched 25 00:01:15,959 --> 00:01:20,599 into the forest and approached to craft 26 00:01:17,938 --> 00:01:22,879 they reported it being triangular 27 00:01:20,599 --> 00:01:25,919 approximately three meters on a side 28 00:01:22,879 --> 00:01:28,828 dark metallic and appearance with 29 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:31,200 strange markings they were observed at 30 00:01:28,828 --> 00:01:35,029 first period of time in it very quickly 31 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:37,200 and silently vanished at high speed 32 00:01:35,030 --> 00:01:38,909 initially I was not aware of all the 33 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:40,590 details I was only told of strange 34 00:01:38,909 --> 00:01:42,380 lights and I was sure there was a 35 00:01:40,590 --> 00:01:45,030 logical explanation 36 00:01:42,379 --> 00:01:48,000 two nights later at the family Christmas 37 00:01:45,030 --> 00:01:49,769 party we were interrupted the on-duty 38 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:52,049 flight commander for the security police 39 00:01:49,769 --> 00:01:53,548 squadron Lieutenant Bruce England came 40 00:01:52,049 --> 00:01:56,310 and approached the base commander and I 41 00:01:53,549 --> 00:01:59,659 he was white as a sheet he said it's 42 00:01:56,310 --> 00:02:02,310 back he said what's back he said the UFO 43 00:01:59,659 --> 00:02:05,100 well we still were I should say 44 00:02:02,310 --> 00:02:07,579 nonbelievers at that point since my boss 45 00:02:05,099 --> 00:02:10,679 had to do the presentations I was tasked 46 00:02:07,579 --> 00:02:12,900 unfortunately to investigate so I went 47 00:02:10,679 --> 00:02:13,680 home and change clothes I really 48 00:02:12,900 --> 00:02:16,769 expected to find 49 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:19,260 logical explanation I took several 50 00:02:16,769 --> 00:02:22,319 security policemen with me a disaster 51 00:02:19,259 --> 00:02:25,139 preparedness NCO who took a APN 27 a 52 00:02:22,318 --> 00:02:27,030 Geiger counter and a camera I also had 53 00:02:25,139 --> 00:02:30,298 my small cassette recorder I carried 54 00:02:27,030 --> 00:02:32,989 everywhere when I was on duty I was 55 00:02:30,299 --> 00:02:35,099 taken to the supposed site we find 56 00:02:32,989 --> 00:02:38,009 indentations approximately an inch and a 57 00:02:35,098 --> 00:02:41,068 half deep approximately six to eight 58 00:02:38,009 --> 00:02:43,019 feet on a side and radiation of eight to 59 00:02:41,068 --> 00:02:45,179 nine times normal background radiation 60 00:02:43,019 --> 00:02:48,180 not enough to be dangerous to somebody 61 00:02:45,180 --> 00:02:50,819 but significant we also find broken 62 00:02:48,180 --> 00:02:52,919 branches on the trees well we were 63 00:02:50,818 --> 00:02:55,108 milling Iran trying to make sense of the 64 00:02:52,919 --> 00:02:57,120 whole thing one of the individuals with 65 00:02:55,109 --> 00:02:59,760 me suddenly spotted something all 66 00:02:57,120 --> 00:03:02,819 through the forest with a bright glowing 67 00:02:59,759 --> 00:03:05,188 object the best way I can describe that 68 00:03:02,818 --> 00:03:07,438 it looked like an eye with bright red 69 00:03:05,188 --> 00:03:10,318 with a dark Center it appeared to be 70 00:03:07,438 --> 00:03:12,060 winking it would sort of it was shedding 71 00:03:10,318 --> 00:03:14,699 something like molten metal and was 72 00:03:12,060 --> 00:03:16,829 dripping off it it silently moved 73 00:03:14,699 --> 00:03:19,018 through the trees avoiding any contact 74 00:03:16,829 --> 00:03:21,599 it bobbed up and down and at one point 75 00:03:19,019 --> 00:03:24,120 it actually approached us we tried to 76 00:03:21,598 --> 00:03:27,238 get closer it receded out into the field 77 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:31,199 beyond the forest and silently exploded 78 00:03:27,239 --> 00:03:32,400 into five white objects gone so we went 79 00:03:31,199 --> 00:03:33,569 out into the field looking for any 80 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:35,609 evidence because something had 81 00:03:33,568 --> 00:03:37,078 apparently been falling off it and we 82 00:03:35,609 --> 00:03:39,299 definitely find nothing but while we 83 00:03:37,079 --> 00:03:40,650 were searching around in the field one 84 00:03:39,299 --> 00:03:42,750 of the people with me noticed some 85 00:03:40,650 --> 00:03:45,000 objects in the sky to the north there 86 00:03:42,750 --> 00:03:47,340 were three or four objects in the North 87 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:49,799 brightly colored changing from 88 00:03:47,340 --> 00:03:52,408 elliptical to round and moving at very 89 00:03:49,799 --> 00:03:53,900 high speed and sharp angular movements 90 00:03:52,408 --> 00:03:56,638 as though they were doing a grid search 91 00:03:53,900 --> 00:03:58,199 while we were watching them somebody 92 00:03:56,639 --> 00:04:01,430 else noticed to the South there were two 93 00:03:58,199 --> 00:04:03,930 objects just sort of hovering in the sky 94 00:04:01,430 --> 00:04:06,359 one object approached us at very high 95 00:04:03,930 --> 00:04:07,500 speed best guess is three to five 96 00:04:06,359 --> 00:04:09,569 thousand feet somewhere in that 97 00:04:07,500 --> 00:04:12,180 neighborhood stopped directly overhead 98 00:04:09,568 --> 00:04:14,188 and sent down a concentrated beam in our 99 00:04:12,180 --> 00:04:16,530 feet it was about one foot in diameter 100 00:04:14,188 --> 00:04:19,978 the best way I can equate it as sort of 101 00:04:16,529 --> 00:04:22,138 a laser beam we stood there in awe was 102 00:04:19,978 --> 00:04:25,769 this a warning what's this an attempt to 103 00:04:22,139 --> 00:04:26,460 communicate was this a weapon or just a 104 00:04:25,769 --> 00:04:29,579 probed 105 00:04:26,459 --> 00:04:33,388 just as suddenly as it appeared click it 106 00:04:29,579 --> 00:04:36,149 disappeared we stood there ah really 107 00:04:33,389 --> 00:04:37,829 concerned about that time we noticed the 108 00:04:36,149 --> 00:04:39,870 other object to the south was centered 109 00:04:37,829 --> 00:04:42,750 on beams about a mile mile and a half 110 00:04:39,870 --> 00:04:44,370 away over Woodbridge base we had three 111 00:04:42,750 --> 00:04:46,410 different radios with us the police 112 00:04:44,370 --> 00:04:48,569 radio the security police in the radio 113 00:04:46,410 --> 00:04:50,130 and I had to come in net all three 114 00:04:48,569 --> 00:04:51,990 radios were functioning we were talking 115 00:04:50,129 --> 00:04:53,129 to control centers they were constantly 116 00:04:51,990 --> 00:04:55,228 breaking up when we had great 117 00:04:53,129 --> 00:04:57,149 difficulties communicating but we were 118 00:04:55,228 --> 00:04:58,829 able to discern that the when a police 119 00:04:57,149 --> 00:05:00,870 and security net that some of those 120 00:04:58,829 --> 00:05:02,279 beams are either falling into or near 121 00:05:00,870 --> 00:05:06,300 the weapons storage area and there's a 122 00:05:02,279 --> 00:05:09,029 great deal of concern it really bothered 123 00:05:06,300 --> 00:05:10,680 me at the time every time something of 124 00:05:09,029 --> 00:05:11,698 significance happened that night I kind 125 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:14,250 of clicked on my little tape recorder 126 00:05:11,699 --> 00:05:15,410 and recorded it so I'd have record of it 127 00:05:14,250 --> 00:05:18,478 for the next day 128 00:05:15,410 --> 00:05:20,460 unbeknownst to me a copy of that was 129 00:05:18,478 --> 00:05:22,469 released by one of my co-workers several 130 00:05:20,459 --> 00:05:26,129 years later and hence it was a lot of 131 00:05:22,470 --> 00:05:28,830 publicity my superiors at the time were 132 00:05:26,129 --> 00:05:30,899 informed what happened i briefed my boss 133 00:05:28,829 --> 00:05:33,538 I played the tape for him he listened 134 00:05:30,899 --> 00:05:35,069 intently he was aware of the incident 135 00:05:33,538 --> 00:05:36,918 cause he was monitoring the night before 136 00:05:35,069 --> 00:05:39,598 on the radio he and several others were 137 00:05:36,918 --> 00:05:41,069 he took the tape to the third Air Force 138 00:05:39,598 --> 00:05:42,598 staff meeting the following Wednesday 139 00:05:41,069 --> 00:05:44,069 3rd Air Force was the air force 140 00:05:42,598 --> 00:05:46,139 headquarters at that time in England 141 00:05:44,069 --> 00:05:50,848 played for general Baisley the commander 142 00:05:46,139 --> 00:05:52,978 and staff they all sat silently the 143 00:05:50,848 --> 00:05:54,538 decision was it happened off the base so 144 00:05:52,978 --> 00:05:56,758 it's a British affair in other words 145 00:05:54,538 --> 00:05:58,259 they were loathe to get involved so my 146 00:05:56,759 --> 00:05:59,550 boss came back and threw me the tape 147 00:05:58,259 --> 00:06:01,710 recorder and I said well what do we do 148 00:05:59,550 --> 00:06:03,419 boss he said get with Squadron Leader 149 00:06:01,709 --> 00:06:06,239 Moreland who was the British liaison 150 00:06:03,418 --> 00:06:07,668 officer and do a report it's their 151 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:10,500 problem not ours 152 00:06:07,668 --> 00:06:12,658 gosh Here I am kind of caught in the 153 00:06:10,500 --> 00:06:15,408 middle and I'm the junior guy here well 154 00:06:12,658 --> 00:06:17,370 why did I ever get involved well 155 00:06:15,408 --> 00:06:20,129 Squadron Leader Morton was on vacation 156 00:06:17,370 --> 00:06:21,449 in Wales at the time he came back and he 157 00:06:20,129 --> 00:06:23,279 was quite upset that he was in the 158 00:06:21,449 --> 00:06:23,879 middle of the thing too so he said well 159 00:06:23,279 --> 00:06:26,549 write a memo 160 00:06:23,879 --> 00:06:28,468 so I wrote a I'll show harder cleaned up 161 00:06:26,550 --> 00:06:31,228 memo just kind of unexplained lights 162 00:06:28,468 --> 00:06:32,728 just to kind of tickle there get him to 163 00:06:31,228 --> 00:06:35,218 come out and investigate and look into 164 00:06:32,728 --> 00:06:37,079 the thing well gave it to Moreland 165 00:06:35,218 --> 00:06:39,120 unbeknownst to me Moreland sent a copy 166 00:06:37,079 --> 00:06:39,419 to his superior third Air Force I didn't 167 00:06:39,120 --> 00:06:41,819 know that 168 00:06:39,420 --> 00:06:43,980 at the time the copy demo D was 169 00:06:41,819 --> 00:06:45,509 apparently buried in the files days 170 00:06:43,980 --> 00:06:47,280 turned into weeks and weeks turned into 171 00:06:45,509 --> 00:06:51,230 months and I almost forgot about the 172 00:06:47,279 --> 00:06:53,959 incident to be honest with you gave up 173 00:06:51,230 --> 00:06:57,150 several years later one of my co-workers 174 00:06:53,959 --> 00:06:58,829 was playing a copy of my tape cocktail 175 00:06:57,149 --> 00:07:01,109 parties and caught somebody's ear 176 00:06:58,829 --> 00:07:03,539 somebody started asking questions and he 177 00:07:01,110 --> 00:07:04,770 said Oh halt wrote a memo the next thing 178 00:07:03,540 --> 00:07:06,390 we know there was a Freedom of 179 00:07:04,769 --> 00:07:08,430 Information request came in to be 180 00:07:06,389 --> 00:07:10,289 Bentwaters of course there was no 181 00:07:08,430 --> 00:07:12,329 official coffee we didn't have word 182 00:07:10,290 --> 00:07:14,129 processors in those days we use typing 183 00:07:12,329 --> 00:07:16,109 manifolds and the old typewriters we 184 00:07:14,129 --> 00:07:18,540 were just transitioning and the only 185 00:07:16,110 --> 00:07:20,520 copy was an onion skin that I had in my 186 00:07:18,540 --> 00:07:22,860 desk so my boss went back and said 187 00:07:20,519 --> 00:07:24,479 there's no official record of it well 188 00:07:22,860 --> 00:07:26,970 somebody else found out the third Air 189 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:28,470 Force had a copy well Pete bent good 190 00:07:26,970 --> 00:07:30,060 personal friend of mine was the acting 191 00:07:28,470 --> 00:07:32,250 third Air Force commander called me and 192 00:07:30,060 --> 00:07:33,959 he said hey Chuck I've got a copy this 193 00:07:32,250 --> 00:07:37,230 moment we're gonna have to release it I 194 00:07:33,959 --> 00:07:39,000 said please burn it your life and mine 195 00:07:37,230 --> 00:07:41,759 will never be the same you and I don't 196 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:44,939 need this well need i say more 197 00:07:41,759 --> 00:07:47,550 the tape came out unbeknownst to me the 198 00:07:44,939 --> 00:07:49,740 memo came out and a lot of publicity but 199 00:07:47,550 --> 00:07:51,060 the event certainly happened now some 200 00:07:49,740 --> 00:07:52,620 things have happened since then I was 201 00:07:51,060 --> 00:07:55,019 very innocent at the time and believed 202 00:07:52,620 --> 00:07:57,030 what I was told I asked the OSI if they 203 00:07:55,019 --> 00:08:01,379 had an interest and I was told no no not 204 00:07:57,029 --> 00:08:03,119 at all wrong I found out later that the 205 00:08:01,379 --> 00:08:05,279 airmen were housefly safe pretty harshly 206 00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:08,310 interrogated were involved I have never 207 00:08:05,279 --> 00:08:11,879 been debriefed I also found out later 208 00:08:08,310 --> 00:08:14,819 that the tire operator at both the tire 209 00:08:11,879 --> 00:08:16,740 operators at Bentwaters saw an object 210 00:08:14,819 --> 00:08:19,259 and picked it up on her bright to radar 211 00:08:16,740 --> 00:08:20,879 and watched it I found out that the tire 212 00:08:19,259 --> 00:08:22,980 operator and a weapons storage area 213 00:08:20,879 --> 00:08:24,959 actually saw something added a calm man 214 00:08:22,980 --> 00:08:28,050 who was working there and saw it go down 215 00:08:24,959 --> 00:08:32,309 into the forest near us and also several 216 00:08:28,050 --> 00:08:34,320 other people around the base saw it it's 217 00:08:32,309 --> 00:08:36,689 kind of interesting what do we see I 218 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:38,070 have no idea what we saw that night I do 219 00:08:36,690 --> 00:08:40,380 know it was under intelligent control 220 00:08:38,070 --> 00:08:41,520 and in my personal opinion it was either 221 00:08:40,379 --> 00:08:44,299 from another dimension or 222 00:08:41,519 --> 00:08:44,299 extraterrestrial 223 00:08:49,480 --> 00:08:51,539 you