Rendlesham Forest UFO - the witness statements (2)

Rendlesham Forest UFO –

the witness statements (page 2)

Here are the original statements provided by five of the participants on the first night of the Rendlesham Forest UFO sighting (1980 December 26). The statements are presented in alphabetical order of the witness’s name. Click on an illustration for a larger version.

1. Statement by Lieutenant Fred A. Buran, 81st Security Police Squadron.

Typed on USAF form 1169 "Statement of Witness", dated 2 January 1981:

Note: Lt Buran was the most senior officer involved on the night in question. He was the shift commander in Central Security Control (CSC) at Bentwaters. Thinking there had been an aircraft crash, he allowed members of the security police to investigate, and ordered them back when nothing was found. Buran went on leave after the event until the New Year, but on his return he wrote out the statement above.

2. Statement and drawing by Airman First Class John Burroughs, 81st Security Police Squadron.

Hand-written and undated:

Note: The “strange noises, like a woman screaming” reported on page 2 of the above deposition were most likely caused by muntjac deer, which scream in this way when alarmed. The other noises and movement in the woods were probably also caused by these same deer. Col Halt heard similar noises during his own investigation two nights later. It’s worth noting that in an interview on The Paracast in 2009 Burroughs stated he had never been out in the woods before that night. Penniston and Cabansag were newly arrived on base and were no more familiar with the woods than he was (scroll to 08:40, 25:35 and 33:15 in the interview).

3. Statement by Airman Edward N. Cabansag, 81st Security Police Squadron.

Typed and undated:

Note: Cabansag agrees with Burroughs that they walked eastwards for two miles from their vehicle towards a “beacon” light; however, this estimate may be an exaggeration, as the difficult terrain would have made the distance feel greater than it was. Burroughs finally identified the beacon as a lighthouse.

4. Statement by Master-Sergeant J. D. Chandler, 81st Security Police Squadron.

Typed on USAF form 1169 "Statement of Witness", dated 2 January 1981:

Note: Master Sergeant Chandler was the most senior officer in the forest on the first night. He was in radio contact with Penniston throughout the incident, relaying progress back to Sergeant Coffey at Central Security Control, Bentwaters.

5. Statement and two drawings by Staff-Sergeant Jim Penniston, 81st Security Police Squadron.

Typed and undated:

Note: Penniston’s route from East Gate to the point where he and Burroughs left their vehicle and proceeded on foot is shown in his sketch above centre. I have plotted this route on an aerial photograph of the region, along with the position of the supposed landing site investigated by Col Halt two nights later. The contradiction between Penniston’s original witness statement and his current public statements claiming to have encountered a landed craft on the western side of the forest in the early hours of December 27 remains unresolved.

In the right-hand drawing, the boxy object on stilts between trees is quite different from the larger, triangular craft Penniston showed on a later drawing. The inset detail at bottom left of the page is accompanied by a question mark, perhaps betraying some uncertainty.

Content last modified 2010 May

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