An extraordinary close encounter near Exmouth: Sightings at US Navcommsta Harold E Holt - Part two

Hi all,

Introduction

In a previous post, I brought you two sightings from 1973 and 1981. This post presents details of what can only be described as an extraordinary close encounter, with photographs, and official intervention, near the base, at Exmouth, Western Australia, in 1992/1993.

This account, by a former Exmouth resident, is their own, first hand, written account of the incident. I have spoken to this individual by telephone; confirmed their identity, and listened to them recount their terrifying experience.

Naturally, if any blog reader can add anything further to what is given here, especially to identify the officials mentioned in this account, I would be delighted to hear from you via email to keithbasterfield@yahoo.com.au

 The event



"It was approximately end of 1992 beginning of 1993 and I was out with an American friend at the Harold  E Holt Naval Communications Base bar and grill having a few drinks. The base is about 6 kms on isolated roads from the actual town of Exmouth.

"Time got away from me and by the time, around 1.30am I left the base, Exmouth Taxi Service had stopped running for the night. At first I couldn't figure out what I was going to do and contemplated walking. Then an APS, Australian Protective Services/Federal Police Officer I knew as Brian sang out to me and offered me a ride back to Exmouth. Brian explained that him and his co-worker needed to do a security check of the surrounding area and would drop me home.

The location of the base - Courtesy Google maps



The object appears

"Brian introduced his co-worker as Kevin. All 3 of us piled into a short wheel base Toyota Land Cruiser that had a front bench seat. I was in the middle with Brian driving and Kevin in the passenger seat. We were driving along chatting for only about 1km when Brian announces "It's back Kev...Grab the camera." The whole time he is looking out the driver's window, while still driving, and straight up.

"I question what was back, as Kevin undid his seat belt and lent into the back of the car for the camera. Brian cups the back of my head and pushes me forward telling me to look up. Needless to say I did and sighted a strange looking craft following directly above the vehicle.

"It looked really close but I'm thinking it would have been 100-200 feet above the car. The craft looked diamond in shape with what I would describe as one end chopped off, very pointy front end and flat back. I could see different coloured lighting in symmetrical patterns on the underside.

"I started crying and shaking while Brian started shooting pictures of this craft. Kevin seemed just as scared as I was and just kept saying "What the hell is it?" I still kept leaning forward to see if it was there and Brian still kept shooting pictures for a matter of 2-3 minutes.

"Then all of a sudden the craft shot to the left of us at a speed faster than your eyes could move. It was lower down and keeping pace with the car. Brian was yelling at Kev to take the camera and shoot pictures but Kev was silent and seemed in shock.

"Next the craft shot up in the air, to the right of us and started to lower down to the ground in the bush. At this stage Brian had slowed the car to nearly a stop but Kevin and I were yelling at him to go.

"Brian was saying "No way we can get a good shot of this...I can get in there." I was hysterical and demanded to be dropped off. Brian sped to the edge of town and dumped me off where I high tailed it home. They turned the car around and headed back in the direction of the craft.

Map of NW Cape - courtesy Google maps

The aftermath

"I was terrified and didn't sleep all night. The next day I'm relaying the story to anyone that would hear me but everyone just laughed and asked how drunk I was, but I was not alone in what I saw, nor had I had much to drink.

"2 days after the incident I was working at a local cafe when 2 US Military Police walked up to the counter. They asked my manager if they could speak to me and then informed me I was wanted at the base. My manager looked at me and told me I better go with them. I asked what this was all about, assuming that a week before I had been out there partying and may have done something wrong, but at no stage did they actually answer me.

"When we turned into the base I just assumed we would stop at the APS building to check me in but they just waved us through like they were expecting us, not ever done as you had to produce ID to enter that base.

"We continued onto the base and then suddenly turned left into what I knew was the top secret part of the base, heavily surrounded by fencing. The gates automatically opened and we drove to the right towards a large solid looking building.

NW Cape  satellite view- courtesy Google maps

"By now I was scared and trying to figure out why the hell they would be taking me in there, still never thinking it had  to do with what we saw. We stopped at the front of the building and one of the MP's opened my door and signalled for me to get out. He then just said "Follow me maam."

"We entered a long hallway and walked about half way along when the other MP opened a door and held it for me. As I stepped into the room the first thing I saw was 3 men in black suits and about 4-5 US military men in very official looking uniforms. I also then  spotted Brian and Kevin and knew immediately what I was there for. They were sitting on chairs in the middle of the room and there was one spare between them both.

The interrogation



"The MP then told me to sit down and they left the room. I noticed that both Brian and Kevin had their heads down and looked like they had been there for a long time. One of the men in the official uniforms stepped forward and asked me if I had been in a vehicle with Brian and Kevin 2 nights prior, to which I answered yes. He then questioned me on what exactly I thought I had seen that night. I ran through the whole story with all of them just staring at me and taking notes.

"They asked me that same question several times, each time a different person asked "Are you 100% sure of what you seen that night?" I said yes. They started getting almost irate and kept saying "Well we think you saw a weather balloon and in  your head you think it was a UFO." I was getting angry and just kept saying "I was raised here, I have released weather balloon and that was no weather balloon we saw that night." But then, they would come back at me over and over telling me I didn't know what I was talking about and what I saw was indeed a weather balloon.

"I was arguing back and refusing to say that was what I saw. Brian, head still down, was quietly whispering to me to just agree with them. By this stage I was furious and turned to Brian and said "F*ck them Brian, you, Kev and I know we saw no f*cking weather balloon." Brian shut up then and I continued to argue with these officials about what I saw.

"Eventually, after a few hours it all went quiet and they whispered amongst themselves. After what seemed like forever they turned to me and said I could leave, but kept Brian and Kevin. I was then escorted back home by the same MP's who had picked me up.



Closer view of NW Cape - courtesy Google maps

Follow up with Brian

"I was furious at what had happened and just wanted to speak to Brian or Kevin as to why they didn't back me up in there. I also called my cousin who resided in Broome and told him what had happened as he was very interested in this kind of stuff. My cousin was coming down my way and asked if we could perhaps look Brian up when there as I knew Brian well but not Kevin so much. When my cousin arrived we went round to Brian's house, after I got his address from a mutual friend, and Brian came out the front to meet us.

"Brian stated that I truly needed to leave this alone or we will all be in serious trouble. He offered to tell my cousin and I what happened that day to Kev and him but asked that we come inside. He said that Kevin and him went back to the craft that night, left the vehicle and snuck up on this thing. He said they got lots of photos of it hovering a few feet above the ground. The next morning they took the pictures and got them instantly developed and started showing people. The day after they were called to the base and asked to bring the  pictures, negatives and camera with them. They were actually excited thinking they had made a major discovery. Hence they were taken into that room and drilled for hours.

"All their equipment was removed from them and they were threatened with disciplinary action if they told another person what they had seen. Right there was when Kevin evidently mentioned that I was in the car with them and they hit panic stations. They both ended up in serious trouble for taking me with them that night and it was forever banned that a civilian rode with them on security checks. Brain stated they took his pictures, negatives and even his camera. He said they were also later made to have some blood and health checks, thankfully I wasn't. He then asked me to please drop this as people can disappear for shit like this. I said to him I wouldn't promise to do that as I knew something was covered up that night."

The base - Naval Communications Station Harold E Holt - courtesy of Google maps