In 1967, at Malmstrom Air Force Base near Great Falls, Montana, Air Force officers witnessed strange UFO lights exhibiting unusual flight patterns. On the same night, a truck driver and police officers observed a bright light landing in a ravine. The incident coincided with all missiles at Oscar Flight going off alert, prompting official reports and investigations, including involvement from the Condon Committee.
In 1967, a remarkable and unsettling event unfolded near Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana involving unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and a simultaneous missile alert. This incident was witnessed by Air Force personnel, local civilians, and law enforcement, and remains a significant case in UFO history.
The event took place on the evening of March 24, 1967. The narrator, then a lieutenant, was assigned to Oscar Flight, a missile launch control site near Roy, Montana, approximately 100 miles east of Great Falls and Malmstrom Air Force Base. He and his commander, Lieutenant Fred Maiwald, were responsible for monitoring and potentially launching missiles from the underground Launch Control Center.
Around 9:00 PM, the Flight Security Controller, a topside guard responsible for the security of the launch facility, contacted the narrator to report strange lights overhead. These lights exhibited unusual behavior:
The security officer emphasized that these were not airplanes, as no aircraft could perform such maneuvers. The narrator initially dismissed the report, suspecting the lights might be stars or other natural phenomena.
Earlier that evening, between 7:30 and 8:00 PM, a truck driver near Belt, Montana, about 35 miles southeast of Great Falls, noticed a bright white ball of light pacing his vehicle and blinking at him. Intrigued and concerned, he stopped his truck and observed the light land in a large ravine.
The truck driver approached the site and then called the Highway Patrol for assistance. The patrolman arrived, witnessed the light, which then flew off at high speed and returned while they were present. Subsequently, the County Sheriff's office was contacted. They inspected the area, finding broken branches but no definitive evidence of the object.
Due to the ongoing sightings, the Air Force was alerted. At the time, Malmstrom Air Force Base had designated a "UFO officer," Lieutenant Colonel Lewis Chase, as part of the Condon Committee's investigation into UFO phenomena. Chase, also the Base Operations Officer, responded to the reports but decided against deploying a helicopter at night due to lack of training for night operations in the area.
Meanwhile, multiple airmen at Malmstrom reported seeing bright white lights flying around the base, and radar detected unidentified objects. Chase compiled reports and sent telegrams to Air Force Headquarters and Edward Condon, the head of the Condon Committee, including statements from the truck driver and other witnesses.
During these events, a critical and alarming situation occurred: all ten missiles at Oscar Flight went off alert simultaneously. The narrator recalls being informed of the missile alert and initially doubting its possibility. Upon checking Job Control, he saw that all missiles in one flight were indeed on alert, indicated by red lights.
Security officers topside were visibly frightened, reporting a large, pulsating red-orange light approximately 40 feet long hovering near the facility. They had their weapons trained on the object but noted no engine noise. Attempts to see inside the light revealed a possible oval-shaped solid object, though the brightness made it difficult to discern details.
The Great Falls Tribune had reported on strange lights seen by farmers and citizens in the area during that week, adding to the public interest and concern. The truck driver's detailed account and the involvement of local law enforcement further heightened the significance of the sightings.
This 1967 incident near Malmstrom Air Force Base is notable for several reasons:
The incident remains a compelling case in UFO history, illustrating the intersection of unidentified aerial phenomena with critical military operations during the Cold War era.
The firsthand account from the Air Force officer provides valuable insight into the events of that night, highlighting the tension, uncertainty, and extraordinary nature of the sightings. It also underscores the challenges faced by military personnel in responding to unexplained phenomena while maintaining national security.
This case continues to be studied and discussed among UFO researchers, historians, and military experts, contributing to the broader understanding of unidentified aerial phenomena and their potential implications.
