A UFO crash case that is discussed almost as much as the Roswell crash occurred at Kecksburg, Pennsylvania on December 5, 1965. Eyewitness reports coupled with radar confirmed an anomalous object moving through Canada, Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. The object appeared as a fireball to witnesses, yet it seemed to be under intelligent control. The Pennsylvania saga began with a report from Frances Kalp, who phoned in her sighting to WHJB radio station in Greensburg at about 6:30 PM.
Four Pointed Star:
Kalp stated that she saw an object which appeared to be on fire as it crashed into the woods not far from her house in Westmoreland County. She and her children had gotten to within a half-mile of the crash location. They claimed to see an object which looked like a “four-pointed star.” John Murphy, who worked at WHJB, immediately called the report in to the Pennsylvania State Police, who in turn called Kalp, and set up a meeting with her in Kecksburg.
State Police Search Woods:
Murphy followed his reporter instincts to the site, where he interviewed Kalp and her children for his report. Meanwhile, the State Police were searching the woods for the site of the crash. Murphy was anxiously awaiting a report from the Police regarding their find. Was it a plane? Or something else? When the police emerged from their search, neither Carl Metz nor Paul Shipco, the heads of the search, would reveal any details of their findings.
Military Summoned:
The only information that the Pennsylvania State Police would release was that they were calling in the U.S.
Military to take over. Dissatisfied, but now more intrigued than ever, Murphy phoned the State Police offices in Greensburg, and talked to Captain Dussia. Dussia told him he would have to actually visit the office for an “official” statement. By the time he reached their offices, the military was already present.
“Official” Statement: Nothing in the Woods:
Ironically, after finding something that was beyond the expertise or security clearance of the State Police, and calling in military forces, the official statement denied finding anything.
“The Pennsylvania State Police have made a thorough search of the woods. We are convinced that there is nothing whatsoever in the woods.”
Needless to say, Murphy was stunned. He smelled a cover-up. But, of what?
Military Makes Second Trek into Woods:
Murphy called in what news he had to his station. Then he happened to overhear one of the State Policeman who had been on the initial search mention a “pulsating blue light.” So, there was something in the forest after all. The military, along with Officer Metz was taking a second trek into the woods, even though nothing had been found, officially. Initially, Murphy was allowed to go along, but arriving at the woods edge, he was turned back.
Area Sealed Off:
At least, Murphy became an eyewitness to the area being sealed off. No one was allowed anywhere near the scene. In a very short period of time, the news of the crash had reached television and newspaper media. The area would soon fill up with people who wanted to get word of what exactly crashed in the Kecksburg woods, and why the military was keeping it to themselves.
Witnesses Describe UFO:
It soon became apparent that the State Police were not the first individuals to go into the woods, According to UFO researcher Stan Gordon, several inquisitive locals had been there before police or military had arrived. They described to Gordon a bronze-colored object, about 9-12 feet in length with a gold band surrounding its bottom part. It appeared “acorn” shaped.
An “Unsolved Mystery”:
The U.S. Air Force, after finishing their investigation, issued their “official’ version of what happened. They stated that a meteorite had been responsible for the fiery crash into the woods of Kecksburg. For the most part, this simple explanation seemed to satisfy the general public. Was this the end of the Kecksburg mystery? It might have been had it not been for the “Unsolved Mysteries” television show. The airing of the Kecksburg segment in the 1990s began an entirely new investigation into the matter.
What Happened to John Murphy?:
It seems that John Murphy, who was so eager to find the truth behind the Kecksburg crash, gave up his battle rather easily. Maybe not. After his death, his widow told a shocking story. She said that her husband was one of the first to the object, and had taken a photograph of the object. This photograph was confiscated by the military, and he was instructed to not reveal any details of what he had seen that day. Should he go against the warning, he would suffer “severe consequences.”
Interestingly, Project Blue Book’s report on the Kecksburg case does confirm that there was a photograph of the object in the woods, but they did not include it in their report, or discuss its source. There are still many unanswered questions to be answered about what crashed into the woods near Kecksburg, Pennsylvania in 1965.
Some years later, amid pressure to release the truth about the Kecksburg incident, NASA admitted that they’d examined debris from the site and found that it had been a Russian satellite. When ordered by a judge to produce the documentation of their findings, NASA seemed to have misplaced them.
The only Soviet candidate that remotely fit was Kosmos 96, an acorn-shaped satellite which wasn’t nearly as big as the Kecksburg object. Even NASA’s chief scientist for orbital debris, Nicholas L. Johnson, stated that Kosmos had nothing to do with the fireball sightings or the crash, which may still turn out to be two separate events. US Space Command also reported that Kosmos crashed in Canada 13 hours before the sightings started.
In 2003, scientists discovered topless trees leading toward the spot where the object was reportedly found.
Source UFOs-about.com, NASA, National Archives,