Witnesses Observe Oval-shaped craft and Occupants in Valdez, Alaska- 1976

MUFON Case Number:    29611
Date:    1976-05-01
City:    Valdez
State:    Alaska
Shape:    Oval
Vallee Index:    FB1
Summary:    Friend and I observe opaque craft-like 30' - 35' oval object as we left town in my pickup after restaurant breakfast approximately 400' away from scene.

Report:
I recall that it was a beautiful sunny morning, just a perfect temperature sort of day. We were both single men from Michigan, my buddy lived in town and, at that time, I lived at the Valdez Marine Terminal construction camp. We both had Sunday off and had decided to have a good breakfast and take a cruise up the highway. I was impressed that the day seemed very quiet and sleepy. There were few people up and about as we had breakfast.
We left pickin' our teeth and had no well-defined destination in mind so I just turned right out of "The Totem" Restaurant and Motel. It was just s relaxed and quiet Sunday morn. "The Totem" was just on the edge of this little Alaskan community and my right-hand turn points you at a tight left-hand turn in the highway only a few hundred feet away.
As we began the swing into this left-hand turn in the highway we both had our attention stolen by what abruptly entered into our field of view just off the highway to our right approximately 150' - 175' away.
It was SO bizzare that I made a conscious decision to concentrate on a couple of specific items so that I might recall those items later on.
( I FULLY realized at that moment just how UNUSUAL this was to my routine everyday sights and nothing before lent any perspective so I was just trying to instill common sense to the moments of this unique observation !!)

I state the following with great confidence:

The "craft" .... oval in shape .... approx. 30' - 35' diameter .... the exact color AND transluscence of new bubblegum ater chewing it for only a couple of minutes and then blowing a bubble, ( lotsa sugar still in it to give it that luminescence ). It was 6.5' - 8.0' in height. Around the outside perimeter was a feature that looked a LOT like lab hose, ( +- 3/4" ). I estimate the diameter of this "hose" to be three quarters of an inch, AND, individual lights revolved INSIDE the "hose" every 4' - 5', in a counter-clockwise flow. The light looked as though it expanded the "hose" as it traveled from left to right around the craft. I recall being particularly impressed by the ability for the hose which, at the same time seemed so much a part and parcel of the craft, seemed to effortlessly expand and then contract as the light coursed it's way around.
When I saw enough of the foregoing I began to catch glimpses before I drove out of view around said corner, leaving my friend to continue his observation before it went out of his view also. GLIMPSES: I'm sure that I saw a ramp dropped from the belly of this craft, approximately 4' - 5' wide and 6' - 7' long. I believe I observed two metallic extensions which comprised at least a part of the "landing gear". Last, but certainly not least, I saw two small grey-green animals, that looked like the stereo-typical description of "aliens". At this distance of 50 or sixty yards I cannot provide any specific details. They were 4' - 5' tall, seemed to be in a quandary, ( I got a very distinct feeling that they were caught with their pants down and were in much of a hurry. Then, they were out of my line of sight.
I saw my buddy turning to look out his window as I continued round the corner and, perhaps ten seconds later, sitting on the edge of the seat he turned staring vacantly out the windshield .... ( his mind was very obviously involved with what he'd just seen ). I said, "did you see what I just saw"!?! He did not answer and simply continued to look straight out the front windshield. For the third time I began to ask him that same question when he abruptly turned to me and nearly shouted, "You're ******* right I did", and immediately got that far-away look in his eyes again. I said, should we turn around and go back!?! He immediately and with emphasis replied, "NO!!" I drove as far as the "Salmon Turnaround", ( +- 2 tenths of a mile away from the corner we'd made our observations ), and turned around there and went back. It was nowhere to be seen and my friend was against going out toward the beach area where we'd seen it. I searched the skies for it or a contrail or anything that would tip off its location. I looked at the beach for skid marks, and the immediate mud-flat and water for a wake or concentric circles of it going beneath the water. NOTHING. I'll estimate that from the moment we saw the craft until we returned to the site and found it gone was less than four minutes. My friend became increasingly unwilling to discuss the event after a few months and refuses to acknowledge the entire experience these days ---"Geez, I don't remember".
Not acknowledging reality when it is imposed upon us is, I'm convinced, some of the worst of circumstances that we can impose on one another.

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Note:  Report is "as is", with no corrections- SW


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