The Piedmont UFO Mystery - from 1973 to present - What Is Going On?

Double post

a reply to: ConfusedBrit

Thank you.

The hunter that was interviewed alleges that he managed to get a few others out during the season and they too witnessed the ‘holographic and black-eyed’ deer. And the hydrophobic soil samples. What in heck is going on in SW Missouri?! I blame Rush Limbaugh.

I got to get to reading more about Rutledge and his study...

ETA: Has anyone attempted to ‘find’ the Project Identification book in any form? A quick google search suggests its available for a whooping ~$180. WTF!? That’s not a price reflective of market demand/supply!

At any rate, the book/study appears to be unavailable - for all intents and purposes — and I’m left with a real hankering to satiate my curiosity. Plus it’s god awful oppressively hot in the eastern US and I need something to do indoors over the next 48 hours...any help in getting the book would be much appreciated.

Cheers

originally posted by: karl 12
Also looks like John Keel claims he successfully predicted the UFO flap which 'would be concentrated in the Mississippi Valley'.

Thanks, that's a fascinating interview from October 1973, the language used still echoing down the decades:

I keep trying to outguess the phenomenon; but it is hard, because it is always one step ahead of you. On a number of occasions, when I was most active in my research, I would go to an obscure farm on an obscure back road to research a story that had never been publicized. As soon as I would walk into the house, the phone would start to go crazy. But no one would be on the other end of the line, and the farmer would be amazed because this had never happened before... This occurred several times in several different places. Someone was trying to get through to me that they knew every move I was making. They finally convinced me.

And also an interesting anecdote that brings to mind the "nuclear-powered helicopter" as described by one witness on the day the Piedmont flap started:

This summer we bad a great increase in "phantom helicopters,' which appeared in some twenty states. These are unmarked helicopters of a very large size, and are usually compared to military helicopters. They are seen hovering over farm fields, so when farmers see them they think they are cattle rustlers.

Which in turn reminds me of the UK's phantom 'copter flap of, yes, 1973, as detailed in this excellent 2013 thread by Mirageman:

www.abovetopsecret.com...

UFO Terror was the 6th episode in this new series, and probably one of the best yet in my opinion. This episode was so intense, with so much going on, I watched it twice. This concerned St. Clair Missouri resident Steve Dalling who has had many encounters with ufo's and lights over many years in the St. Clair area. This area has a history of sightings going back to the 1950's. Dalling claimed he was abducted for 2 days years ago while younger, and sees lights at night in the woods. He also said he has heard things in his house and in his basement that he can't explain.

The team went into the woods at night and were able to get some interesting and strange lights, right where Dalling said he has seen them from his house. They also set up some cameras to try to catch any activity in the area, as they found an area in the woods where there were 3 clumps of large broken down trees. High up in the trees Chuck noticed burn marks on the trees, so they set up perimeter cameras to try to capture anything. When they came back to check on the camera evidence they found the cameras had been tampered with, and some batteries taken. Chuck said somebody it seemed didn't want them to investigate this case.

While Chuck and his son were seeing strange lights in the woods, and in one instance his son saw a red light that seemed to be watching him, Heather Taddy the paranormal investigator took her equipment and went into the basement checking for any paranormal activity. A camera person said he saw a stroller move and felt an intense cold. While going over the evidence later, they got a voice response to a question Heather had posed, so clearly something is going on in/with the house, whether it's related to ufo activity is unclear.

The team also thought Dalling may benefit from hypnotherapy so he was hypnotised and he talked about seeing a spaceship, with bright lights, and occupants with big heads, long necks and large eyes. He became emotional while answering questions. Later the team asked the hypnotist about her experience, and she said she felt that Dalling clearly believed his experiences with ufo's was real. His wife, no longer was living with him in this house and was staying with relatives because she was so scared...

Clearly there are things going on here at the Dalling house. I wouldn't be at all surprised if at some point the team comes back for a followup because they got a lot of evidence, a lot of video lights in the sky evidence and a voice phenomena piece of evidence in the basement. Great episode!

originally posted by: data5091
UFO Terror was the 6th episode in this new series, and probably one of the best yet in my opinion.

Thanks for the star-worthy summary. Our opinions differ, though (which at least makes for a more interesting discussion!)

I just finished watching it and, to be honest, I think Chuck and Co were stitched up from start to finish, but had to rescue something from the material they'd filmed. Son Dan looked particularly awkward about the entire proceedings despite seeing a red light in the woods himself - which I don't think was staged, but when it comes to "staging", the very strange Steve Dalling may have a lot to answer for.

I almost thought the team were going to pack up and leave after Dalling's wild assertions of "THERE IT IS! THAT'S WHAT I SAW!" - which seemed to apply to light sources of any kind, especially local houses. His whole demeanour was 'off' in terms of body language, eye contact and general trustworthiness... and there was his equally mysterious other half who seemed to just disappear with no explanation. Was his good wife the one piling up the branches and junk in the woods as if creating an amateur modern art exhibit? If so, the idiot forgot to take off her shoes while trudging through the snow to dismantle the team's monitoring equipment.

The area has a history of sightings dating back to the 1950s, but the shootin'-tootin' biker Dalling seemed to be exploiting it to the hilt rather recklessly. I laughed out loud when they queried him packing a gun as they set out together - "That's for the ones that come from above," he growled as the team eyed each other with a look of "Jeeez... WTF are we DOING here with this nut?"

Even the hypnotic regression session seemed a desperate measure on the part of Chuck & Co, and the results were as predictable as the result of another desperate measure to pad out the episode - using the Travel Channel's sister show 'Ghost Adventures' as inspiration to explore Dalling's home at night, eventually offering up a supposed EVP "voice" that wouldn't even pass muster for Zak Bagans and Co on the other show. Poor Chuck, I really felt for him. The only compensation was the video capture of a mysterious orb above their heads at the episode's end, which would benefit from closer analysis.

As it stands, this was an uneasy and somewhat last-minute blend of 'UFO Hunters' and 'Ghost Hunters' - not a route the show should take IMO. They simply need to choose their central witnesses far more carefully in future. At least the female member of Chuck's team had more to do this episode than simply look pretty and robotically say "I think they could do with our help" as they drive to their destinations.

Entertaining? Well, yes, but in all the wrong ways for me, with plenty of unintentional laughs to keep it diverting. All Seasons have 'fillers' (such as episodes 2 and 3), so maybe the next will be far more substantial.

People see UFO's all the time but think that they are satellites or some earth technology, that is why governments overstate their own technological ability.

originally posted by: ConfusedBrit


As it stands, this was an uneasy and somewhat last-minute blend of 'UFO Hunters' and 'Ghost Hunters' - not a route the show should take IMO. They simply need to choose their central witnesses far more carefully in future. At least the female member of Chuck's team had more to do this episode than simply look pretty and robotically say "I think they could do with our help" as they drive to their destinations.

Entertaining? Well, yes, but in all the wrong ways for me, with plenty of unintentional laughs to keep it diverting. All Seasons have 'fillers' (such as episodes 2 and 3), so maybe the next will be far more substantial.

This is the type of thing that bothers me with these shows. I watched that episode they done in St.Clair, MO and it really seemed to be low on the "proof" factor, and the guy that owned the place was really off.

I wish we could get a more serious approach to this, not just hype with music blaring, just stick with the facts and no props or special shoots just to make filler.

If they want to alienate the people that are really seeing these things, making the show somewhat cheesy is a good way to go about it, here you have serious witnesses with real stories and they get cast on a show that might as well be playing x-files music the whole time.


And a quick update on local activity near the Oregon county MO area, last report from my brother was it is still going strong , just saw what he called a "ship" at very close range, but I dont think they are ships, they just try to look as such.

It is honestly not very hard to find the activity, just like the Missouri Mayhem episode where they got results, they should have stuck around for a few more evenings with those lights and maybe some high powered spotlights to draw them in.

originally posted by: standingwave

This is the type of thing that bothers me with these shows. I watched that episode they done in St.Clair, MO and it really seemed to be low on the "proof" factor, and the guy that owned the place was really off.

I wish we could get a more serious approach to this, not just hype with music blaring, just stick with the facts and no props or special shoots just to make filler.

If they want to alienate the people that are really seeing these things, making the show somewhat cheesy is a good way to go about it, here you have serious witnesses with real stories and they get cast on a show that might as well be playing x-files music the whole time.

'Alien Highway' is a show that, terrible title aside, has huge potential. For my taste, there have been three duff episodes out of six; two of them excellent - which is not a bad hit rate within the wider context of these kinds of shows. All entertaining to some extent, but half of them do fall well below that aforementioned "Proof" factor.

It has the DNA of 'UFO Hunters' but doesn't have the same massive pool of UFO history to draw from (which the former managed to cover pretty comprehensively up to and around the 2008 Stephensville Lights), and can't exactly tread the same paths all over again.

Ideally, if this show could limit itself to three episodes per season that are concise, comprehensive, fresh and genuinely informative, it would cut out all the excess baggage - I mean, the "Area-51 alien on the loose" episode was a good example of that baggage, even if it was an outrageously camp classic!

And the show's peculiar narrator needs to be replaced. He's our MC and, as such, holds a bit of power over our senses and expectations, so when the material is weak, he comes off even worse.

And a quick update on local activity near the Oregon county MO area, last report from my brother was it is still going strong , just saw what he called a "ship" at very close range, but I dont think they are ships, they just try to look as such.

It is honestly not very hard to find the activity, just like the Missouri Mayhem episode where they got results, they should have stuck around for a few more evenings with those lights and maybe some high powered spotlights to draw them in.

Thanks for that update. If your brother manages to capture one on film, let us know.

originally posted by: ConfusedBrit


Thanks, that's a fascinating interview from October 1973, the language used still echoing down the decades:

Yes indeedy mate, pretty darn interesting stuff -especially the part where he claims he performed a taped interview in the living room of several UFO witnesses who had seen 'remarkable things' and went back a year or two later only to discover they had absolutely no idea who he was or what they'd seen- very odd!

Also, could be nothing but did see the object involved in this 73 Piedmont case..

1973 - From a cabin on the Rothwell Ranch in Piedmont, Missouri two men watched as a bright light that had a ring around it rose from low on the ESE horizon, moved up-down, then left-right, for a distance of 15 degrees over a 30 minute period beginning at 10:30 p.m. The object silently radiated lines of concentric circles like heat waves. At one point a small light joined the first object.

(Source: MUFON database of field investigations, case file dated July 9, 1973, field investigator Dan A. Rothwell).

Rothwell Ranch, Piedmont, Missouri - 1973

UFO witness image sketch

..did look quite a bit like this one witnessed over an NSA base in October of the same year.

originally posted by: ConfusedBrit

And also an interesting anecdote that brings to mind the "nuclear-powered helicopter" as described by one witness on the day the Piedmont flap started

Good call mate, according to the Commander in Chief of NORAD there was also a huge flap in October, 1975 where 'suspicious objects' were witnessed by reliable military personnel over Loring AFB, Maine, Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan, Malmstrom AFB, Mt, Minot AFB, ND, and Canadian Forces Station, Falconbridge, Ontario, Canada (link ).

The government company line also blamed the activity on 'mystery helicopters' (although they don't sound like helicopters if you read some of the eyewitness object descriptions found in government documentation).

Cheers!

originally posted by: karl 12
... the part where he claims he performed a taped interview in the living room of several UFO witnesses who had seen 'remarkable things' and went back a year or two later only to discover they had absolutely no idea who he was or what they'd seen- very odd!

Quite extraordinary, especially the inability to recognise him, let alone remember giving their accounts. At least he had the tapes to keep himself sane! I have never heard of such examples of memory blockage before (aside from typical lost-time abductions of course) from witnesses who went on the record.


The similarities between the Rothwell Ranch sighting and the stark black object seen over the NSA base are palpable, and it is unusual how UFO researchers were freely given information about the latter that occurred in a clear sky and must have been a fairly disturbing sight. The 'rotating halo' aspects are of particular interest.

... according to the Commander in Chief of NORAD there was also a huge flap in October, 1975 where 'suspicious objects' were witnessed by reliable military personnel over Loring AFB, Maine, Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan, Malmstrom AFB, Mt, Minot AFB, ND, and Canadian Forces Station, Falconbridge, Ontario, Canada (link ).

The government company line also blamed the activity on 'mystery helicopters' (although they don't sound like helicopters if you read some of the eyewitness object descriptions found in government documentation).

Helicopters that are not quite helicopters.

Stars that are not quite stars.

And, more recently, Piedmont wildlife that is not quite wildlife.

As I mentioned earlier, this 'mimicking' aspect is the one of most intriguing and troubling details, bringing us back to the 'playfulness' and almost cheeky activities of whatever it is we are dealing with. It takes us into that misty twilight zone that juggles both the ET and inter-dimensional hypotheses, the question remaining about the extent of input the TPTB have in these incidents, or if they remain as much in the dark as everyone else.

In terms of areas of land becoming the equivalent of 'scientific laboratories', Piedmont (1973-80), Skinwalker Ranch (1996 onwards) and our old friends the Hessdalen Lights in Norway (since 1983) are the main three that spring to mind, maybe the ONLY three.

The lack of answers from Norway (below), even after 36 years of study, only emphasises the need for more funding and expertise.

a reply to: ConfusedBrit

hey, sorry this installment disappointed you so much, but with shows, it happens. I still like this series, though as I have said, not as much as " Unidentified," but its worthy of a good watch I think. I hear the next episode involves sightings in Southern California.

originally posted by: data5091
a reply to: ConfusedBrit

hey, sorry this installment disappointed you so much, but with shows, it happens. I still like this series, though as I have said, not as much as " Unidentified," but its worthy of a good watch I think. I hear the next episode involves sightings in Southern California.

No problem, data5091, differing opinions are healthy!

As I said earlier, I think the show has presented three good episodes out of six so far, one of them genuinely excellent (Piedmont) - which is a good hit-rate for any series these days.

The format is quite fresh, direct and ripe for gathering potentially great evidence. I just think they were duped in episode 6 and had to make the most of what they'd filmed - at least they captured an orb at the end rather than another house light! There is naturally some deliberate dumbing-down (eg the godawful narrator for starters) to attract viewers of all ages and interests - which is to be expected, but it all sparkles with a slick enthusiasm, and I remain a keen viewer.

After all, a classic juicy ep may be around the corner, data!


PS: One caveat, though - no more 'Ghost Hunters/Ghost Adventures'-style escapades with EVPs etc. That is sooooooo last decade, man, and alien [sic] to the format IMO.

a reply to: ConfusedBrit


Ha yes definitely seems to be some extremely cheeky antics afoot when it comes to the origins of this phenomenon mate - if pushed I'd have to go with some form of IDH or different frequency of reality (or 4th dimensional objects) but I do realise that isn't saying much - a misty twilight zone indeed.

Did see another close range description from Missouri October 1973 in the Loren Gross collection - never heard of a 'ribbed shield' before.

“The base was round, about the size of an average round dinette table.  The size is very hard to determine.  It was rounded at the bottom and had a higher domed top with sufficient height that it appeared a man could sit in it comfortably...For a minute or two it was perfectly still.  Then very slowly it started to rotate and [a] sort of ribbed shield [?] came into sight, extending about 10 inches from the side of the circular object up and slanting inward toward the translucent dome.  I took it to be a bumper or something of that nature.”  

* St. Joseph, Missouri. St. Joseph Gazette. 9 October 1973.

Some UFO Notes By Loren E Gross

Also when it comes to hotspots Yakima is worth a mention.

 The Yakima UFO Sightings

a reply to: karl 12

thanks for the topical mention about the Yakima sightings. Very interesting. Was not aware of this, and should be as I don't live to far away from there.

a reply to: ConfusedBrit

been meaning to say I apologize for high jacking your thread here and including conversations about the show " Alien Highway", instead of the specific focus on the "Piedmont Sightings " only, and I should be starting a new thread on this show alone, so again, my apologies buddy.

No problem, data - you go ahead and post whatever you like here.

originally posted by: karl 12
a reply to: ConfusedBrit


Ha yes definitely seems to be some extremely cheeky antics afoot when it comes to the origins of this phenomenon mate - if pushed I'd have to go with some form of IDH or different frequency of reality (or 4th dimensional objects) but I do realise that isn't saying much - a misty twilight zone indeed.

Dismissed by some as 'the last refuge of ufology' when all else fails, I'm open to the IDH despite realising that the absolute proof of such a hypothesis is, by its very nature, potentially unfathomable for many generations to come. Of course it also opens the door to the Occult in the meantime - which itself is an extremely unhealthy area to enter; something Dr Rutledge was probably beginning to get a taste of when his sightings got far too personal.

Creepy mind-bending sh#.

Also when it comes to hotspots Yakima is worth a mention.

 The Yakima UFO Sightings

Ta very much, I'll dig into that case now...

a reply to: ConfusedBrit

thank you very much. Check out a new post I made for another new show called "Contact" the Science Channel is putting out. Sounds/looks good from what I have seen so far. Cheers.

a reply to: ConfusedBrit

wondering if you had a chance to see the newest episode of "Alien Highway," about So. Cal. Just watched it this morning. I totally get your comparison between some episodes of "UFO Hunters", and some episodes of "Alien Highway" being alike. I thought this was a good episode, but did remind of "UFO Hunters," but like I said I thought this was rather interesting. Especially the night video object that Chuck got on camera. There was also some interesting stuff about noises heard and strange lights seen underwater when the young Zukowski went for a dive beneath the boat looking for something solid sitting on the bottom of the ocean as has been mentioned as a possible ufo base. What did you think of it?