NUFORC Sighting 66290

Occurred: 2008-03-29 22:30 Local
Reported: 2008-10-17 21:37 Pacific
Duration: 10-20 seconds
No of observers: 2

Location: Marietta, GA, USA

Shape: Rectangle
Characteristics: Lights on object

MUFON of Georgia Investigation-Massive Rectangular Craft Low Over Marietta Georgia

Contact with the witness in this case was established by this SD immediately following it's posting to CMS. Steve Bass, now SSD/FI in Cumming Georgia, was assigned to assist in the investigation.

Investigative chores and additional contact with the witness were on-going from mid-April through June and July of 2008. Various authorities and media were contacted during the administrative phase, to include; FAA; Dobbins ARB Public Affairs; Marietta Daily Journal; Atlanta Journal Constitution; NORAD Public Affairs; the Marietta Police Dept; No corroborative information was forthcoming from any of these agencies. NORAD specifically reported that no anomalies had been noted in the area in question. A FOIA against the FAA filed by FI Bass produced a letter of negative findings from the Director, ATO Eastern Service Center, FAA.

Sheets/Bass conducted an on-site interview with the witness on 20May08, as well as a site survey of the neighborhood.

Steve Bass also conducted an interview with the second witness (an across-the-street neighbor) who, unknown to the Primary Witness at the time, observed the event from outside of his home on 29March08. Please note that this event was not reported by the PW until 14 days after it's occurrence.

Interview with the Primary Witness (PW): We met the witness at his residence in Marietta, an extremely well kept home, the contents of which demonstrated superior tastes in decorating and living environment. The witness was found to possess a broad scientific background, well educated and well spoken. PW holds USAF certifications that would probably equal an Associates Degree in Electronics (radio, navigation, and radar), as well as aviation training to pilot a Cessna aircraft. Additional advanced education includes a BS in Biochemistry from Purdue and a Masters in Business, also from Purdue. He is presently retired from the largest computer firm in the world, and indicates travel to more than 40 countries during his active career. His wife of many years is still actively engaged in the business world.

These investigators found that the described event (as well as two previous encounters with unknown objects) had greatly affected the PW. He had become HIGHLY motivated to seek answers to what was observed, and began a vigorous pursuit of various areas of research immediately after 29March08. (Note-The PW has now obtained his MUFON FI's credentials and has become a valuable asset in MUFONGA operations in the area of Cobb County Georgia).

The witness recounted the facts he described in his CMS report and different areas were refined by these FIs with additional questions.

PW said that upon first observation of the lights at about 10:30PM, it was as if he was observing a 'descent'. As the event unfolded, he attempted to see beyond the lighting configuration to get the details of exactly what was over his property, but was unable to determine any actual structural detail due to the darkness and obvious dark coloration of the object itself. Gathered from this interview, it is obvious the PW seemed to have had a certain 'calling' as FI Bass describes it. A 'calling' to go out and check his mail, then something that drew his attention to the sky and the subsequent observations and hearing of the described low 'winding down', jet engine-like sound. During said observations, the PW was himself mystified by his conduct and other side issues........that the tree branches overhead in the location to which he had rushed should have been noticeable during the event, but it was if he was looking up with no branches in evidence. Thereafter he lost interest, as if it 'was over' and the lights/object began to move away, but he then became, and remains, extremely motivated to delve into this and other such mysteries. (See witness account field). PW said he determined there was no missing time related to the occurrence.

While some might not understand the 'unusual' feelings attributed to this matter, this writer (Sheets) has experienced the exact same conditions prior to a surprise observation of a major unknown aerial event. In 1997, the writer was investigating two substantial cases; one in Lagrange Georgia within Georgia's infamous 'Troup-Heard UFO Corridor'; and in south Georgia, a series of night reports from law enforcement officials in Jeff Davis County. The Lagrange investigation was arranged for a certain day, and upon grabbing my FI's kit and walking out the door, the writer felt a certain 'calling' (a VERY strong urge) to INSTANTLY and INEXPLICABLY change plans and drive 150+ miles to Jeff Davis County and work on those cases, which had actually been scheduled for the NEXT WEEK. A tense, expectant sensation pervaded the whole drive down to south Georgia........said feelings and sensations ENDING immediately after observation of a dramatic, unknown, night-time aerial display in the area of Jeff Davis County (as if "well, it's over, that's it"). Thus, a better understanding of the feelings and motivations of the PW. After reviewing all of the circumstances involved in this case, there seems to be some sort of unknown influence at work in this matter. Is this witness, as well as others, more sensitive or more attuned to anomalies in our environment? I would say yes. Do some true 'unknowns', perhaps controlled or generated by an unseen intelligence, project some sort of subtle communication that can be perceived by such sensitive individuals as our PW, or perceived by others known to this writer both within and without MUFON, and perceived by the writer himself? I would say yes. Do some unknown objects project an unusual 'zone' as they hover or move........a zone created by electromagnetic fields, ionization, propulsion, or some other mechanism......giving effects that can influence those nearby? Again I would say yes. In past years, this FI has encountered other case witnesses who have reacted in a similar way, ! some eve ntually joining MUFON and making valuable contributions to our effort, and others not joining the chapter, but remaining 'friends' of MUFON for many years. Finally, might some form of 'telepathy' also be involved in such cases? Perhaps.

On 20May08, photographs and an event-scene diagram were made, and FI Steve Bass conducted an in-depth interview with the second (separated) witness in this case at his residence across the street from the PW's home.

From FI Bass' field notes and interview: The second witness (W2) was found to be the mature male homeowner across the street from PW. He is a former aircraft mechanic for defense contractor Lockheed of Marietta, and also a former Lockheed buyer who is ten credit hours away from his Masters in Accounting. In addition to this interview, W2 also provided a sketch of what he observed on the night of 29March08, superimposed onto a printed blow-up photo of PW's home and property. (See photo and sketch). This witness indicates in margin notes on his sketch that he is familiar (due to his past occupation) with the C-5, C-141, C-130, F-16, F-22, DC-9 and other aircraft which fly out of nearby Dobbins ARB.

W2 stated that it was a quiet night in the neighborhood with no one out and about, little traffic, no barking dogs. He stepped outside of his garage to smoke a cigarette between 9 and 10:00PM. He then looked to the east, then ESE, and observed the object in the sky blocking his vision across the street, flying slow and low, right to left, and was about 30 degrees off of the horizon, perhaps about 500 to 1000 feet above ground level. He heard no noise nor saw any lights, and indicated the duration was about 10-20 seconds. Moving at very slow speed, it disappeared to the north, finally about 10-20 degrees above the horizon of the adjacent National Forest. He is of the opinion that it looked brown to him, and as it moved off he got his only look at a more distinct outline, the portion he saw looking like a 'submarine'. W2 said he was surprised and excited and considered calling his neighbor (the PW) but did not, feeling he might already be in bed (he did not know at the time that his neighbor, the PW, had been outside and also made the observation, although from a different angle). An additional conundrum involving W2 is the fact that he was outside in order to smoke a cigarette. FI Bass determined that W2 'lit-up' IMMEDIATELY prior to seeing the object, Bass then inquiring where he was on the cigarette when the object had disappeared. W2 replied that he had finished it, which would have taken at least 5 minutes, 10 minutes max..........however W2's event duration was described as being 10-20 seconds. Is W2 just mistaken about the cigarette time sequence? Was some sort of time distortion in play i.e. the close proximity of the object projecting an influence over W2? Is this an example of missing time? This matter was not resolved........there were just no firm conclusions in this cigarette vs. time issue.

FI Bass continued his commentary regarding W2.....throughout the interview, W2 was relaxed and nonchalant and did not go for a 'more amazing story'. He sometimes searched for the correct words, speaking slowly, and did not appear confused nor did he go on tangents while talking i.e. staying on the subject at hand.

It should be noted here that W2 has been diagnosed with brain cancer, but it seemed not to have been at the stage that affected his thinking or perception very much, if at all. Upon the FIs arrival on 20May08, he was busily at work in his garage tinkering with a lawn mower on his shop bench, and thereafter conversed well with these FIs prior to his official statement to FI Bass. FI Bass' comments regarding the witness are to the effect that this condition "seems to mildly affect concentration", but W2 is still "articulate, intelligent, easily understood, relaxed demeanor, humorous and matter-of-fact".

It is obvious to these investigators that from the credibility of the two separated witnesses and all of their supportive documents and sketches, and from our investigative findings, that an object from unknown origins overflew low and slow the Marietta Georgia property of the PW on 29March08 at about 10:30PM. Said object was MASSIVE in size, with the PRECISE shape undetermined due to darkness but believed to be rectangular, and containing an array of lights as described and obviously making the bizarre low sound as heard by the PW.

From the PW and W2 sketches, photographs made on-site, and other diagrams, this writer feels that while the PRECISE shape is unknown, the size of this massive object might be as large as a football field 300'x160'. Though from W2's description of it flying away and presenting a "submarine" like appearance, it indeed could have been a geometric shape or a rectangle as seen in profile. Again, it was dark and the objects surface was also dark except for the lights observed by the PW.

Note: This event occurred about four (4) miles WNW of Dobbins Air Reserve Base, which also houses the defense contractor offices and factory of Lockheed-Martin. (The home of the PW is in a direct line almost exactly four miles WNW of the westerly end of the Dobbins main runway). Both the military and Lockheed utilize the common air facility. In recent months, MUFONGA has received some additional unsubstantiated information about 'unusual' aerial sightings in that vicinity. FI Bass, with knowledge gained from his aviation work and a review of certain public resources related to this facility, found some possible unusual features within the said compound. It has been found that the Lockheed portion of the compound is PARTICULARLY tight in it's security, which is as it should be for a defense contractor. However these other factors causes one to wonder exactly how forthright is the official response when we seek information regarding things occurring on the doorstep of Dobbins ARB and environs.

BGE; Information Quality 100%=1; Reliability 74%=0.74; Strangeness 14.286%=0.14286; Certainty Index 10.58%=0.1058.

Due to these aforementioned factors, this case is classified as an 'Unknown-UAV'.

Many photos, diagrams, sketches, maps and other official documents were generated by this investigation, too numerous for posting on CMS. The most descriptive and vital of these documents will be electronically attached and the remainder saved in the physical file.

Tom Sheets, SD MUFONGA, Fayetteville Georgia; SSD/FI Steve Bass, Cumming Georgia, 30Sept08

NUFORC Note:

We express our gratitude to Mr. Tom Sheets, Director of MUFON/Georgia, for sharing this case, and the benefit of their efforts to investigate it. Peter Davenport, Director, NUFORC.

Posted 2008-10-31