| oward Hughes ever get a chance to view a | | | | and I want you on board,” Hughes |
| captured or crashed UFO and its occupants? I | | | | explained. That was the end of their meeting. |
| have long pondered this question and there may | | | | A few weeks later Hughes took Linda’s |
| now be an answer to it. According to a former | | | | father aside again and told him to forget about |
| employee of Hughes Aircraft, he did. The visit | | | | their previous conversation in the office. He gave |
| allegedly occurred not long after the crash of an | | | | her dad the impression that there were too many |
| alien spacecraft near Roswell, New Mexico, in | | | | hassles and not enough money for him to get |
| 1947. You may think this story belongs in the | | | | involved with that project. Her father felt it was |
| BELIEVE OR NOT file and you may be right, but I | | | | more plausible to believe that Hughes |
| feel compelled to pass it on to you anyway. | | | | wouldn’t have been able to run the show |
| Linda is a retired teacher. She taught in public and | | | | and didn’t want to get involved with |
| private schools for over thirty years and has | | | | something he couldn’t fully direct. Or, |
| emailed me an impressive array of diplomas and | | | | perhaps he knew or had learned something more |
| certifications. She also emailed a few photos and | | | | about the project that turned him off to it. |
| some paperwork that verifies the fact that her | | | | It wasn’t until many years after their |
| father probably worked for Howard Hughes. | | | | conversation in that office that Linda’s |
| Because she asked for anonymity, I cannot say | | | | father came to realize that Hughes might have |
| much more about her or divulge where she | | | | been talking about a crashed UFO and, specifically, |
| currently lives at this time. I have encouraged her | | | | one that probably crashed or was shot down |
| to come forward at some point and tell her own | | | | during the summer of 1947. Her dad had never |
| story in her own words. | | | | shown any type of interest in UFOs or Aliens. |
| Linda says that her father was involved with | | | | Linda believed he might have come across the |
| Hughes Aircraft as early as 1942, but the | | | | information about one of the UFO crashes from |
| timeframe that concerns this story is the year | | | | the tabloids that his wife read. The timing would |
| 1947. It was during the summer of that year that | | | | have been correct because I saved issues of the |
| Howard Hughes was obsessed with getting his | | | | National Enquirer and other supermarket tabloids |
| oversized wooden seaplane nicknamed the | | | | during the 1970s and recall articles about alien and |
| "Spruce Goose” ready for a test flight. | | | | military encounters and UFO crashes. |
| Officially known as the H-4 Hercules, the aircraft | | | | I asked Linda if her dad might have been kidding |
| flew only once on November 2, 1947. The | | | | her about the Hughes incident. “Oh, |
| amount of time and work that went into getting | | | | no,” she said, “Dad never told tale |
| the Hercules ready for that flight was unbelievable. | | | | tales. He had enough true stories about Hughes |
| Her father worked closely with Hughes during the | | | | and other important people he met throughout |
| Hercules project and later became a full-time | | | | the years… He didn’t need to |
| employee of Hughes Aircraft. The two men met | | | | make up stories… I am certain he was |
| after he was referred to Hughes by a mutual | | | | telling me the truth.” I also asked Linda |
| acquaintance just after the USA declared war on | | | | how many times they discussed that story after |
| the Axis powers and entered World War II. Linda | | | | he first told it to her. She replied, “Not |
| told me that Hughes used as her dad as a | | | | more than a couple of times… He |
| “problem solver.” He had a knack | | | | wasn’t interested in UFOs… He told |
| for being able to look at most any mechanical | | | | me the story on a whim because he thought it |
| problem and quickly suggest a practical solution. | | | | might give me a chuckle or two… Dad had |
| He also had the kind of temperament that allowed | | | | nothing to add to the story and I believe |
| him to work with the eccentric billionaire. | | | | that’s why we never discussed it |
| Hughes was besieged with a number of problems | | | | much.” |
| during the summer of 1947 including a U.S. Senate | | | | Unfortunately, her father passed away a few |
| inquiry into the way he had managed funds for | | | | years ago. I doubt he realized the impact that the |
| the Hercules and XF-11 Photoreconnaissance | | | | story had on his daughter. Before she heard it, |
| Aircraft projects. Linda says that shortly after he | | | | Linda barely gave the subject of UFOs a second |
| testified at the Senate hearings, Howard Hughes | | | | thought. Afterward, she slowly became fascinated |
| returned to oversee work on the Hercules and | | | | with the subject and told me, “My father |
| spoke to her father about his possible | | | | told me that what Howard said he saw sounded a |
| involvement in an important government project. | | | | lot like what the tabloids were describing as |
| According to Linda, Howard Hughes and her | | | | crashed alien spaceships… and the bodies |
| father were not friends and her dad would | | | | that he viewed fit the descriptions of |
| probably not be considered a part of | | | | aliens… I do not believe everything that |
| Hughes‘ inner circle if such a thing existed. | | | | politicians tell me, but I never saw a reason to |
| However, he did spend a lot of time with Hughes | | | | disbelieve what they were saying about UFOs. |
| during the Hercules project and the two had a | | | | What would they have to gain by lying about |
| casual working relationship as long as her father | | | | them? It wasn’t until my father told me |
| delivered the goods. She told me that her dad | | | | the story about Howard and the material that I |
| said he was busy brainstorming with some | | | | began to doubt their denials…” |
| engineers when Hughes summoned him into an | | | | Linda said that she started reading UFO articles |
| empty office. Hughes had a kind of inquisitively | | | | published in some of the mainstream newspapers |
| stern look on his face and that usually meant that | | | | and magazines. Those tidbits awakened a casual |
| he wanted some advice on how to solve a | | | | interest in learning more about the subject. |
| problem or was about to start a new project. | | | | However, after retired Colonel Jesse Marcel came |
| Howard stepped away from the door to the | | | | forward to expose the Roswell UFO cover up, |
| office, but didn’t close it. There was | | | | she went out of her way to learn as much as |
| enough noise outside of the office so that no one | | | | she could about UFO crashes and military |
| could hear their conversation anyway. Howard sat | | | | encounters. “I purchased a used copy of |
| down on a stool near the window. Linda’s | | | | a book by Donald Keyhoe and read it cover to |
| father stepped over to where he was sitting and | | | | cover,” Linda told me. “That book |
| listened intently. Hughes hated repeating himself | | | | opened my eyes… I now believe there is |
| and despised people that were not good listeners. | | | | much more to the subject than what |
| Hughes told her dad that he had been contacted | | | | we‘re being told.” |
| by a “high ranking member of the United | | | | I asked Linda why she waited so long to tell the |
| States Armed Forces” while he was in | | | | story she heard from her father about Howard |
| Washington, D.C. | | | | Hughes and the strange aircraft. “I am a |
| The billionaire was used to receiving unusual | | | | very private person… I believe in doing all I |
| requests from the military. He was known as | | | | can to promote education and to encourage |
| someone that could keep a secret and solve | | | | students to stay in school. I want them to go as |
| complicated problems. According to Linda’s | | | | far as they can in life… I do not want to |
| father, this one might have been the mother of all | | | | become the poster child for government |
| the most secret and complicated situations that | | | | conspiracies… You seem legitimately |
| the government ever faced. Hughes said that he | | | | interested in discovering the truth about UFOs and |
| visited a military base on the way back from the | | | | Aliens. I believe that if people have a chance to |
| congressional hearings. He didn’t mention | | | | learn about the story that my father told to me, |
| where it was located and provided few details | | | | they might feel compelled to come forward and |
| about what happened there. | | | | share their own experiences and information with |
| Linda’s father said that Hughes seemed | | | | you.” |
| uncomfortable talking about his visit to the base. | | | | I have a million more questions for Linda, but it is |
| He hated situations that he couldn’t | | | | obvious that her father was given little more than |
| personally control and seemed to indicate that the | | | | a thumbnail sketch about Howard Hughes |
| entire event was orchestrated and controlled by | | | | experience with a strange object and its |
| the military. With the exception of Hughes, no | | | | occupants. He was only able to tell her what |
| civilians were present. Howard said that they | | | | Hughes had told him. Not the best scenario, so I |
| showed him a new type of aircraft. Most of it | | | | cannot say for sure that this story involves a |
| was in pieces and it was obvious that the thing | | | | crashed UFO and it‘s occupants. I can say |
| had crashed or been shot down. Hughes assumed | | | | that I believe Linda’s dad heard a story |
| it might have been something that the Russians | | | | about a strange aircraft and unusually tiny |
| cooked up. | | | | crewmembers from Howard Hughes and that he |
| It wasn’t until Hughes got closer to the | | | | told it to his daughter just the way he heard it, |
| material that he noticed it was anything but | | | | straight from the horse’s mouth. |
| conventional. He didn’t pick up or touch | | | | I have been researching Linda’s story for |
| any of it, but told Linda’s father that it | | | | about a week. I have spoken with her over the |
| looked like “the damnedest stuff | | | | phone on several occasions. With her permission, I |
| I’ve ever seen.” The military | | | | recorded the calls and subjected them to a voice |
| officers present told him that despite the fact | | | | stress analysis using an inexpensive testing unit I |
| that it was in pieces, the material was extremely | | | | purchased a few years ago. If accurate, the |
| resistant to heat, cold and pressure. They also | | | | results indicate that she was not being deceptive |
| said that it was almost impossible to penetrate, | | | | during our conversation. As a experienced UFO |
| yet it might have been an implosion that caused | | | | researcher, I was pleased that she cooperated |
| the crash. Howard never said if it had any writing | | | | with various requests I had for more information. |
| on it and provided no further details about the | | | | That is almost always a good sign. |
| material or the aircraft. | | | | Linda has emailed enough documentation to make |
| Hughes told Linda’s father that the dead | | | | me believe that she is who she claims to be and |
| bodies of the crew members from the aircraft | | | | that her father was employed at Hughes Aircraft. |
| had also been recovered by the military and were | | | | The materials she provided indicate that he |
| mostly intact. He said they allowed him to view | | | | probably worked for Howard Hughes on specific |
| the bodies and described them as looking like | | | | projects as a consultant before he became a full |
| “dwarves” or “deformed | | | | time employee. Because Hughes never told him |
| midgets” wearing seamless flight suits. He | | | | that he actually saw an alien spacecraft or |
| added no details about where or how they were | | | | referred to the dead crew members as aliens, |
| being kept. Instead, he got right to the point. | | | | we have to fill in the blanks with some careful |
| “They want me to figure this thing out | | | | speculation. |