1965.03.15
00.30c
Rancher James W Flynn of Fort Myers, Florida, was camping in the Everglades on the night of 14 March 1965 after a day spent training hunting dogs. After midnight he saw a bright light descend approximately one mile (1.6 km) away from his location and, believing it to be a plane landing in difficulties, he drove towards it in his swamp buggy, getting as close as he could. Around 1,320 feet (402 metres) from the landing site he alighted and went the rest of the way on foot.
As he approached the object he saw that it was a large conical machine hovering near the ground, some 75 feet (23 metres) wide and 30 feet (nine metres) high. Portholes were visible because of the yellow lights shining through them.
(UFOs: The Definitive Casebook, Spencer)
“The cone-shaped object appeared to be about 25 feet high and had four tiers of windows emitting a yellowish glow… [There was] a noise like a diesel generator…
(Uninvited Guests, Hall)
(temporaldoorway.com)
Flynn could see no occupants. Deciding to offer friendship, Flynn stepped near the object and raised his hand in a gesture of greeting.
(UFOs: The Definitive Casebook, Spencer)
The UFO emitted a jet-like noise and a blast of wind that knocked him off balance; as he continued to approach within a few yards, the UFO emitted a beam like a welder’s torch…
(Uninvited Guests, Hall)
(temporaldoorway.com)
[The] beam of light… struck him on the forehead and knocked him unconscious.
(UFOs: The Definitive Casebook, Spencer)
“I felt a blow like a sledgehammer…” When he awoke… his vision was seriously impaired. About 24 hours had passed… (He) required medical treatment and had a small dark spot on his forehead. He suffered impaired vision in one eye, numbness, and loss of hearing.
(temporaldoorway.com)
Flynn spent five days at Fort Myers Hospital, who confirmed that his vision and muscular reflexes were impaired… Although the object had disappeared there was a charred circular ground trace near where the object had been hovering and trees nearby were also burned.
(UFOs: The Definitive Casebook, Spencer)
Extensive physical trace evidence was found, including an area of burnt sawgrass 72 feet in diameter.
(Uninvited Guests, Hall)
(temporaldoorway.com)
Unfortunately Flynn’s encounter came at a time of maximum difficulty for the Air Force, indeed during a major flap in the locality, and they were doing their very best to play down the sighting. Attempts were made to discredit Flynn which backfired when many leading citizens, police officers and doctors vouched for him. The Air Force’s suggestion that Flynn may have hoaxed the encounter ignored the remarkable ground and tree traces and his own physical impairments which his doctor believed “could not have been faked”.
In the end the Air Force settled for the somewhat useless statement that, when questioned, they had nothing on their files concerning the Flynn incident.