NUFORC Sighting 09755

Occurred: 1965-06-15 20:15 Local - Approximate
Reported: 1999-09-14 00:00 Pacific
Duration: about 20 seconds
No of observers: 1

Location: St. Marys, WV, USA

Shape: Disk
Characteristics: Changed Colo

White disc-shaped object witnessed in West Virgina in mid-1960s

This is perhaps the strangest and, to this day, most troubling event from my childhood. Although I can't swear to the exact date now, I think I was about eight or nine years old at the time. Therefore it must've been the late summer or early fall of 1964 or 1965. I remember that my family and I had been sitting on the patio in our backyard and watching shooting stars because the skies were so clear. Around eight o'clock in the evening everyone else went back inside to watch a television program. I stayed outside to see a few more of the meteorites. At this point I should describe the physical location of our house and its surroundings at that time. Our house was at that time approximately two miles north of the city limits of St. Marys, WV (it is now within the city's expanded limits) on Route 2 in a rather narrow section of the Ohio River valley. From the perspective of our backyard patio, the Ohio River and the ridge of hills on the Ohio side of the river are on the left. Almost immediately to the right is the ridge of hills on the West Virginia side. And at that time the backyard faced a large cow pasture. The barbed wire fence enclosing that pasture marked the boundary of our backyard and was perhaps 15-20 feet from the back of our house. The owner of the pasture lived in a small white farmhouse a couple of hundred yards away to the north (up-river). Beyond that, the only other structure visible was the smokestack of what was then the state home for mentally retarded children (the Colin-Anderson Center). It was perhaps a half mile beyond the pasture. The pasture itself had a small pond for the cattle to drink from with a large old tree just to the left of it (from our patio's point of view). The pond was about 80 yards from the edge of the fence and our yard. Again, as I was waiting for more shooting stars, I was startled by a flash of light that lit up the pasture for an instant like the flash from a camera. I saw what seemed to be a large, white object shoot across the valley from above the ridge on my right and downward (in a slight arc)until it disappeared from sight behind the ridge of hills on the Ohio side of the valley. I remember that the object didn't shoot across the valley at a uniform speed or motion. Rather, it seemed to lurch by in a somewhat jerky motion. I thought there would be a sound of big crash but there was no sound. I remember that I was a little scared and excited too. Just as I was thinking of running into the house and telling everyone what I had just seen, I was frozen into my chair by what happened next. Suddenly, from above the ridge on the Ohio side of the river, a white disc shaped thing popped up and zipped (in an erratic, lurching movement) across the river and came to an unsteady stop (it didn't completely stop moving but seemed to keep inching forward slightly in little jerky movements as if it were a boat trying to maintain its position in a slight current) right in front of my eyes just above the top of the large tree beside the farm pond. I think I was so frightened that I couldn't move. It just floated there in the air, inching forward in little jerks, until it was above the pond. There was no sound whatsoever. The object appeared to be white or silvery but it didn't illuminate the ground. Also, as it slowed, it's brightness dimmed to a hazy gray color. I think I may have ran towards it for some reason but I can't remember now. At any rate, after what seemed only a few seconds, I recall seeing the object zip away to the north (up the valley)in an instant. Again, its motion was lurching and rather zig-zaggy as it climbed away into the sky. I remember it looked rather like a fat, white star as it became smaller and smaller. Also, I was left with the impression that it looked rather liquid and formless (like a white globule of some sort)as it zigged into the stars and appeared to disappear among them. After I came back to my senses, I remember that I became very excited and dashed back into the house and told everyone that I'd seen a big white thing zipping around outside. Nobody bothered to come outside. My mother still remembers my bursting into the house all excited about something way back then. The most troubling thing, however, is my recollection of an inexplicable feeling of dread and forboding should I ever talk about it. That feeling lasted for several years. I suppose that this event is too attenuated in time to be of much interest to anyone. Nevertheless, I think I'll feel better by letting someone know what I saw (as incredible as it sounds).

Posted 1999-10-02

© 2023 National UFO Reporting Center. All rights reserved. Use or reproduction within any application without written consent is prohibited.