NUFORC Sighting 147401

Occurred: 1979-10-01 06:00 Local - Approximate
Reported: 2019-07-07 21:27 Pacific
Duration: 2 minutes
No of observers: 2

Location: Falls City, OR, USA

Shape: Orb
Characteristics: Lights on object, Aura or haze around object

"ENCOUNTER AT BLACK ROCK"

I have been investigating this mystery of UFO's for a few decades now, and a few things one learns is obtaining as much information from witnesses and document the facts! After almost 40 years I have enough information to finally make this encounter public. Although there will still be questions, but the most interesting thing about this case is the ongoing bizarre encounters in this area of Oregon!

"THE ENCOUNTER AT BLACK ROCK" I had taken a brief time away from the USAF and my fire protection career and was back in my hometown of Salem, Oregon. I had met up with a Navy veteran who was also a martial arts instructor. As we both loved the outdoors and hunting, one cold morning in the fall of 1979 we headed to an area I used to hunt in the early 1970's, near Falls City, Oregon...an area called 'Black Rock'. (Don't remember the exact month or day) The morning was overcast and cool, some rain off an on. I had my USAF field jacket on for warmth. We took JC's vehicle and headed towards Falls City, Oregon, then west into the hills called Black Rock, which is about just a few miles from Falls City. Not only did I know this area, I spent a few days in the summer at Camp Tapawingo in the late 1960's, part of a church camp, which was close to where we were hunting.

Driving on Black Rock Road out of Falls City, we took a forrest road and it was dark probably 6am in the morning. JC was driving and from my passenger window I could see the trees on a steep slope to the right as the sky was slowly getting lighter, but was still dark. No roads above us... then there it was ... a 'BRIGHT RED ORB' floating through the trees at a 45 degree angle from where we were! (See drawing with this report) I said to JC... "What the hell is that"? JC responded "Probably another vehicle." I responded... "There are no other roads up there!" He slowed down, I rolled the window down as this light was moving slowly above the trees, estimated distance about 100 yards or more. If I held up my thumb it was just barely cover the object. (I now estimate the object was 25-35 feet in width) The object was solid, glowing like a star and round. No other objects were seen nor aircraft in the general area.

There was no noise as it was floating in the same direction as we where driving. There was no wind that day. This was not a reflection from our vehicle off the clouds or someone else's vehicle because once we stopped, the object kept moving forward. After a couple minutes of watching it, it faded into the clouds out of sight. We were a little stunned and wondered what we just saw! We headed on to a higher elevation, slowly the morning was getting lighter. Still overcast we hunted an area going up hill, it was late morning or early afternoon. JC was below me several hundred feet and I was walking a forest road uphill until I came to a green metal gate. No signs, the gate was locked. I turn around startled because I heard a vehicle coming up the road. It got closer, a blue Dodge, it stopped and to my surprise two USAF Security Police get out of the vehicle. (See drawing with this report) The driver was a Buck Sergeant and his passenger was an Airman First Class. The A1C had an M16 and the driver had a pistol on his hip... He yelled, "YOU ARE IN A RESTRICTED AREA!" I responded, "Hey, guys, I am on your side and I have hunted this area for years... what's up with this?" He responded again, "You cannot be here its restricted!" About that time JC came walking up behind them which made both of them nervous… The sergeant had his h! and on his pistol and the airman kept watch on me! As soon as JC came up, we were told we needed to vacate the area ASAP. Now, JC was one that no one could take his weapon away from him! I had an old British Infield .303; I don't remember JC's weapon and both of us unloaded our firearms at the request of the SP's and they asked us to get into the bed of the truck and were escorted back down the road. We both sat there with wonder on our faces as the airman was with us in the bed of the truck. The sergeant came upon JC's vehicle, we got out and a few words were said but I don't remember all that conversation. They left, and JC and I looked at each other dumbfounded! Reflecting back on that day... some points to bring up... The USAF pickup was real, it had all the markings, goverment plate USAF on the doors, both airman had the correct badges, patches and dress for that period. And both were armed. So, why were they there? A few months later, I would re-enlist back into the USAF and head to Colorado, and this incident faded into my memory.

A little history of this area; Via Wikipedia... Mount Hebo Air Force Station (ADC ID: M-100, NORAD ID: Z-100) is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located 5.2 miles (8.4 km) east-southeast of Hebo, Oregon, located at the top of 3,154-foot (961 m) Mount Hebo. It was closed in 1980.

Controlled by: United States Air Force Garrison: 689th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron Built: 1957 In use: 1957-1979 The nearest USAF installation to Falls City, Oregon was Mt. Hebo which is 64 miles plus or minus NNW of Falls City, Oregon, and it was confirmed by an airman stationed there, the complex had no SECURITY POLICE on site.

Excerpts from my journal 27 May 1995; made trip to Falls City, Black Rock and Valsetz area.

"Spoke with several locals familiar with area about military vehicles, all same conclusion "some weird" stuff is going on up and around Black Rock & Valsetz as noted by a station attendant-several transport-hauling goods and equipment seen going to Black Rock last summer -Hummers and large trucks.

Most locals believe there is a radar site, but with all the base closures-Mt. Hebo and other bases U.S. and worldwide, why would a small radar site remain open this long. With NORAD having advanced system that can protect our perimeter 1000 miles out from our coastlines and 15,000 up into space, it's unconceivable that a radar site would still be needed in this locale.

More from my journal 28 May 1995...

Back to Falls City to go up Black Rock Road. On 27 May went about 10 miles, road very trecherous, not for an auto, unstable at places. Unable to locate spot I was at 16 years ago when confronted by SP's.

Spoke with a local firefighter, said USAF and DOD are at radar site. Lots of road equipment and construction going on. Warned that road is unstable, and there were gates locking us out from area. Because of treacherous roads on canyons and construction going on warned not to go up there without a 4x4. Suggested getting map from BLM on hiking trails and local roads.

Conversation with 'JC' after close to 40 years after finding him on Facebook.

5 Febuary 2019 Question to JC; "It was 1980 or so... you and I went hunting near Falls City... I had my .303 WEARING my USAF field jacket... driving early up a forest service road we look to the right in a tree line and see a RED glowing ball floating. Wow... we said... maybe a tail light of another Hunter on a road above us... but no roads higher than what we were. Later in the day I come across a green metal gate... next thing I know two USAF SECURITY POLICE are drawing down on me with M16s... then you come walking up the road... Do you remember that? Your old roommate and karate student... How the hell are ya JC?" (NOTE; later during our phone conversation it is determined it was the fall of 1979) 6 Febuary 2019 Response from JC; "Hey RG I had forgotten that but I remember now it was up by Black Rock as I recall and I remember the guy that was reaching for his pistol was nervous yeah I remember that we never did figure out what that red glowing ball was." Later that week, JC called me and we spent about an hour catching up as it had been close to 40 years since we had seen oneanother. JC told me he had been battleing colon cancer the last several months… We talked more about the Black Rock encounter to fill in some gaps. I found it odd to myself, that for the last several months my old friend had been on my mind... he had been struggling to stay alive, but he beat the illness. We both vowed to stay in touch.

In March 2019 I saw a post on a Facebook Group for Cold War veterans about an individual being stationed at USAF Mt. Hebo Radar installation in Oregon. I contacted him right away. Below is our conversaton.

11 March 2019 My Question; "AK... this is a long shot question... I see you were at MT. HEBO in my home state or Oregon... fall of 1979 I was home on leave hunting and had an incident near BLACK ROCK in that vicinity. Were you in security police during your time at Hebo 1979-1980... curious, because my story is straight out of the X-Files... my career was fire protection in the USAF." 22 March, 2019 Response from AK; "No, I was in ground radio. After everyone else left the ground radio guys were all that was left. So when I left in 1980 there were only 5 left." 24 March 2019 My Question; "Thanks for getting back on this. Were there any Security Police assigned to that facility when you were there? If not, I wonder where the two we encountered at Black Rock came from. Basically what happened is that I and a Navy vet buddy encountered a large 'red glowing ball of light' hovering above the tree line early in the morning." "It was not another vehicle as there were no roads above us. We both were stunned by the object. Later while we were hunting, I came across a green metal gate and a USAF vehicle pulled up two SP's got out, one with M16 and the other hand on his pistol and my buddy was walking up the road behind them. They told us 'YOU ARE IN A RESTRICTED AREA!. I said I have hunted this area since 1972... They escorted us out of the area in the back of the pickup, ...That was it. It's been 40 years and I finally found my buddy JC who was there with me to verify the event. So my question, if these SP's were not from Hebo, where were they from, what was that red object and why was that area RESTRICTED? The plates, the SP badges everything said they were real USAF personnel. Anything you can add to this would be helpful. Thanks! 24 March 2019 Response from AK; "I wonder if this happened before I got there. I didn't get there until August of 79. I don't remember any SP's especially after most of the site closed. We moved the GATR site to one of the radar towers after they moved the radar equipment. Until I got out, for the last six months, there were only 5 of us." My response and question; "Thanks for the info. As I said, our incident was fall of 1979. So the big mystery now is where did these security police come from? Conclusion: During that fall of 1979, there were only 3 USAF installations in Oregon. Kingsley Field in Klamath Falls, Portland Air National Guard Base and the small unit at Mt. Hebo Radar Site.

So, where did these Security Police come from? Were they investigating the RED ORB we saw, or was their presence something totally different? With numerous locals there in Falls City and neighboring towns all saying that military vehicles have been seen in that general area of Falls City, Black Rock and even Valsetz (an old logging town dismantled in the mid 1980s after Boise Cascade bought the land there.) Why were military in that general area from 1979 to the time of my last visit in 1995? Again, Mt. Hebo Radar Site closed in 1980. Last, the big queston is… "What is really going on in that area of BLACK ROCK? It's a mystery, and maybe another visit is due!

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NUFORC Note:

Witness indicates that the date of the sighting is approximate. PD)

Posted 2019-07-12