"I think it's time to open the books...on the question of government investigations of UFOs. It's time to find out what the truth really is that's out there. We ought to do it, really, because it's right. We ought to do it because the American people, quite frankly, can handle the truth. And we ought to do it because it's the law."

-- former White House Chief of Staff, John Podesta

Blue fire scorched the evening sky.

The desert floor lit up like Times Square on New Year's Eve.

Bob raced to the edge of his boat, affording himself a better view of the airborne anomaly.

Something the size of a semi trailer was tearing a hole in the heavens. The object accelerated, on a collision course with Earth.

The fisherman braced for impact.

Three.

Bob covered his head.

Two.

He closed his eyes.

One.

The boat captain prepared for a blast wave the size of Hiroshima.

Silence.

A tense breath passed. And then two.

The night air carried no sound.

The fisherman opened his eyes.

May 14th, 2008. The small hours before dawn brought a mystery to the tiny town of Needles, California. On this date, witnesses claim an inexplicable object crashed to Earth slightly west of the Colorado River.

Frank Costigan, former chief of security for LAX Airport, professes to having observed the crash around 3 AM. According to Costigan, the anomaly emitted enough light to illuminate the sky. Racing from northeast to southwest, the object slowed and accelerated, as if under intelligent control. Moments later, Costigan lost sight of the enigma behind a crop of hills. Awaiting a resultant explosion, the ex-police officer was astonished when the crash generated no detectable noise.

Hours later, David Hayes, owner of local radio station KTOX, would view a procession of ominous vehicles, sporting military license plates, speeding into the desert. Having the misfortune of making eye contact with a driver in the formation, Hayes asserts one of the mysterious suburbans would later park itself outside his place of business.

A separate witness to the crash, seeking anonymity under the esoteric moniker of Bob, reported observing the fiery enigma come to Earth approximately one hundred yards west of the river. Initially, this onlooker believed whatever struck the planet was a plane. While attempting to call 911, Bob viewed a fleet of black helicopters arriving on scene no more than 20 minutes after the occurrence. Amongst the vehicles was a Skycrane, which lifted a massive, radiating object from the ground and flew off in the direction of Las Vegas.

The mystery deepened when KTOX radio received a phone call from a colleague in nearby Laughlin, Nevada, asserting the town's airport had been overrun by Janet planes on the evening of the alleged wreck. Janet aircraft are unmarked vehicles which transport employees to and from Area 51.

Shortly after the incident, the black suburbans witnessed about Needles vanished. Whatever fell from the sky also disappeared, although perhaps not without a trace.

Frank Costigan believes an object the size of a semi trailer, traveling at high velocity, should have left physical evidence upon impact. Perhaps burn marks or debris remain in the aftermath of the wreck. Since the region is far from easily traversable, it may take a team of dedicated researchers to uncover latent proof.

Game for an adventure? If so, head to Needles, California, and see what you can dig up. Be certain to arrive prepared. The area in which the mysterious craft purportedly came to rest is overgrown with scrub, making exploration arduous.

Part of San Bernardino County, Needles is located in southeastern California, abutting the state of Arizona. Access the small town via Interstate 40 or Highway 95. Route 66 also careens through the heart of the hamlet.

Hugh Mungus

© 2011. Hugh Mungus

Reference Index:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Podesta

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTAIB8Ivv_s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kFf6jinWsk&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mvn2I9XDz7A&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTZUf776bz4&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqxg0Vzmw3Q&feature=related

Randle, Kevin D. (2010). Crash: When UFOs Fall From the Sky: A History of Famous Incidents, Conspiracies, and Cover-Ups. pp. 286-289. New Page Books. ISBN: 1601631006

UFO Hunters: The Complete Season Two. Prod. John Alon Walz. Perfs. Dr. Ted Acworth, Bill Birnes, James Lurie, Pat Uskert. DVD, 2007. ISBN: 1-4229-3099-8