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204906 sightings reported...
and growing

Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota (United States)

Sighted on Wednesday 15. June 1960
Reported on
Shape: Disc | Duration: Undisclosed
Source:

The pilot was contracted to fly alongside weather balloon launched from Northern Minnesota and flew WESTWARD towards Ellsworth AFB. This was completed multiple times without incident. On one flight, as the balloon and aircraft were nearing the "drop zone" for the instrumented package on the balloon, near the Air Force Base, the pilot notices a disk-shaped object near the balloon. He photographed the object, the balloon and the object, and the wingtip of the aircraft with the balloon and the object in the background. He radioed the sighting to the air base and asked if they saw the object on radar. The air base controller instructed the pilot to complete some maneuvers, which the pilot did. the controller stated that he did not see the object on radar. The object remained near the balloon. A moment later, when the pilot looked towards the balloon again, the object had disappeared. After the instrumented package was dropped form the balloon, the pilot circled the area until the package was picked up on the ground. Then the pilot requested permission to land at Ellsworth AFB to refuel and return to his base in Minnesota. This was the typical procedure at the end of each balloon-tracking event. However, this time the pilot was ordered to land at another airport. The pilot checked his air navigation map and discovered that the airport was shown to be closed. The pilot replied that the airport was closed. He was again instructed to land there. On the final approach to the closed airport, the pilot noted abandoned hangers with no one on the ground. Once he landed on the runway, jeeps with personnel in them came out of the abandoned hangers and blocked his Navion aircraft in front and in black of his aircraft. He was interviewed in his aircraft. His camera was taken and the film removed. His camera was given back to him, without the film. He was told that if he ever mentioned this to anyone, he would lose his contract - and more...Apparently, it was several years before he told a couple of his friends who were at the our local airport, sitting in the lobby during a blizzard outdoors. They were "hanger flying". The airport was empty, except for the four of us. I was a teenager who worked at the airport and was sweeping the lobby floor. For whatever reason, the pilot suddenly looked around, and then in a very hushed tone, began to describe the UFO event. Although there was no one else around, he talked in almost a whispered tone, and kept looking around to make sure no one else was listening. He told everyone not to mention this to anyone else. The pilot was the Manager of the our local airport, in addition to his aircraft charter service. he was also the Executive Pilot for a large company in our town which had an Aero Commander as their company plane, I viewed a "Hanger One" series last night that discussed an incident near Ellsworth AFB, which caused me to contact you. I have another second-hand account of a UFO landing on a golf course, about 1963 - 1964, which a good friend who worked at the golf course at night watering the golf course greens,told me of his experience.

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Top 100 nearest sightings ordered by sighting date (100 miles radius):

Location Sighted on Shape Duration
Location Sighted on Shape Duration
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Spearfish, South Dakota (United States) 2016-04-12 Chevron Undisclosed
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Rapid City, South Dakota (United States) 2016-01-08 Blimp 01:10:30
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Rapid City, South Dakota (United States) 2015-12-08 Star-like Undisclosed
Mount Rushmore, South Dakota (United States) 2015-10-13 Circle Undisclosed
Deadwood, South Dakota (United States) 2015-06-21 Star-like 00:05:00
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Rapid City, SD 2014-12-17 Unknown 1 hour
Rapid City, SD 2014-09-02 Formation 20 seconds
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Rapid City, SD 2014-09-02 Formation 20 seconds
Spearfish, SD 2014-09-02 Fireball 1-2 minutes
Rapid City, SD 2014-08-16 Light 10 minutes
Rapid City, SD 2014-08-16 Light 10 minutes
Rapid City, SD 2014-06-29 Light 15 minutes
Rapid City, SD 2014-06-29 Light 15 minutes
Hill City, South Dakota (United States) 2014-06-20 Sphere Undisclosed
Rapid City, South Dakota (United States) 2014-06-05 Oval 00:00:03
Box Elder, SD 2014-06-05 Light 30 seconds
Rapid City, SD 2014-06-05 Sphere 1 hour 11minutes
Box Elder, SD 2014-06-05 Light 30 seconds
Rapid City, SD 2014-06-05 Sphere 1 hour 11minutes
Spearfish, South Dakota (United States) 2014-04-20 N, A 00:20:00
Rapid City, SD 2013-12-24 Cylinder 40 minutes
Rapid City, SD 2013-11-02 Other 30+ minutes
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Spearfish, South Dakota (United States) 2013-10-01 Sphere 00:30:24
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Rapid City, South Dakota (United States) 2013-07-17 Star-like Undisclosed
Rapid City, SD 2013-07-17 Light 20 seconds
Summerset, SD 2013-07-04 Light 15 seconds
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Rapid City, South Dakota (United States) 2013-01-29 Other Undisclosed
Rapid City, SD 2012-12-22 Unknown 3 minutes
Rapid City, SD 2012-12-15 Other 5 minutes
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Rapid City, SD 2012-04-22 Other 6 OR 7 SECONDS
Rapid City, SD 2012-02-13 Triangle 1 minute
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Rapid City, SD 2011-10-26 Triangle 5seconds
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Rapid City, South Dakota (United States) 2010-07-30 Other Undisclosed
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Rapid City, SD 2009-08-22 Light 5 mins
Keystone, SD 2009-07-22 Circle 45 sec
Rapid City, SD 2009-05-25 Triangle 30 seconds
Rapid City, SD 2009-05-18 Triangle 4-5 minutes
Rapid City, SD 2009-05-17 Unknown 5 seconds
Rapid City, SD 2009-03-19 Light 20 seconds
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Rapid City, SD 2007-10-04 Cigar 15 seconds
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Rapid City, South Dakota (United States) 2005-08-20 Sphere Undisclosed
Sturgis, SD 2005-08-10 Flash 3 minutes
Rapid City, SD 2005-04-20 Triangle 1-2 min
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Sturgis, SD 2004-06-10 Unknown 15 seconds
Rapid City, SD 2004-03-15 Triangle 8min
Spearfish Canyon, SD 2004-02-24 Circle 15 SECONDS
Summerset, South Dakota (United States) 2003-09-30 Triangle Undisclosed
Rockerville, SD 2003-08-18 Triangle 5 min.
Hot Springs, SD 2003-04-25 Light 30 Min
Spearfish, SD 2002-09-06 Cigar 1-2 minutes
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