We’ve just passed the 50th anniversary of the first known and widely publicized alien abduction case. The famed case of Betty and Barney Hill took place in rural New Hampshire on the night of September 20-21, 1961. No one can say that the Hills’ strange experience that night – much of it revealed under hypnosis – was related to something they had read about. There were no such known cases prior to this one.
So why Barney and Betty Hill? Could it be that there were other abductions previous to this one that received no publicity? Such an incident would be so bizarre that most people probably would prefer to keep it quiet. That would be especially true in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
But Betty and Barney Hill were already used to controversy. After all, they were a mixed race couple in an era marked by intolerance. In an interview, Barney noted that fact. For that reason, the couple was willing to come forward and bring light to another controversial matter.
The experience altered their lives forever. Barney’s behavior changed and has been compared to someone suffering from post traumatic stress syndrome. When we met Betty Hill 25 years after the event, she was obsessed by the experience and frequently went searching for UFOs late at night. She claimed to see them frequently in the skies in a remote area of New Hampshire.
The late Berthold Schwarz, a psychiatrist who explored the UFO phenomenon, joined Betty on a couple of occasions. When we asked him about his experience with her, he confided they saw moving objects in the sky, but he wouldn’t say they were unknown. “Yes, we saw things. What they were is an open matter.” If that sounds somewhat obscure, there is good reason. By this time, Betty believed that alien vessels could disguise themselves as airplanes. Right or wrong, that belief, of course, did not convince skeptics and resulted in ridicule in a subject already strife with such reactions from disbelievers.
Here’s a well done documentary about the White Mountain case. Enjoy…and wonder.
There appears to be a possible connection between encounters/abductions and the development among experiencers of serious neurological and/or auto-immune disorders. According to Dr. John Mack, who was the Dean of Psychiatry at Harvard, the many cases in which he was personally involved were not psychos, schizophrenics, or otherwise mentally unstable people. His material demonstrates that the vast majority of his patients were ordinary folks who had no agendas, and who had nothing whatsoever to gain from allowing themselves to become part of his credible, ground-breaking studies. They simply had desperate needs to comprehend the incomprehensible, often terrifying events in their lives. Many, in fact, did not allow their true identities to become publicized, which certainly substantiates the “no claim to fame” scenario. Budd Hopkins had similar studies, and both these now-deceased investigators into this phenomenon created fail-safe means to recognize who was valid and who was not. The Betty and Barney Hill case has been argued for decades between the skeptics and the researchers, and their experience(s) more than meet the criteria for truth. There is such a plethera of sightings all over the globe these days that to deny the presence of “something”, of entities from some unknown “Elsewhere”, is ludicrous. The Hills weren’t the first, but they were the first to become widely publicized and criticized and exiled, which resulted in tens of thousands of other experiencers deciding to remain silently inside the closet. In their way, Betty and Barney were pioneers, and should be appreciated for their apparent integrity and the horrors they had to endure at the hands of authorities who should have assisted them rather than hurting them even more. Just my opinion.
I had no idea this went so far back. Last night I watched programming on the history channel. I think it was Ancient Aliens…where they were speaking of Morgellons disease…and it made me feel that the abductions are at the source of these strange diseases…are we a lab experiment? And why is the media putting this information out there at this time? They talked of intentional rocks being pelted at the earth containing strains that caused plagues and other diseases that are still with us today. There are just so man unanswered questions, and I wish that the people like the Hills and others would have been taken more seriously so we can investigate without ridicule. And then because of the uncertainty there is also the impression of the hidden…that those in charge are not telling us what we should know…and why not?
I think the Hill’s were very brave. My niece who lives in Oak Park Il…. saw a UFO, the triangular shaped one, a couple weeks ago. Early morning sighting, and she is reluctant to tell anyone about it….so we also have that scenario…those that fear telling. Yes… the Hill’s were very brave…thanks for the documentary.
Wow, the thing that sticks with me is Barney’s demise. No-one would wish PTSD on themselves, or anyone else for that matter. Those poor people were brave indeed.
I found it fascinating to watch in a gut clenching way. Thanks for always trying to raise awareness and consciousness among your readers.xx
They really were brave!
That fear thing about not telling anyone is too bad. Interesting about Morgellons….
I guess it is quite possible that there were abductions prior to this but may have been classified as something different. It’s certainly an interesting case.
I remember reading that Betty drew a map of the stars which the ‘leader’ of the aliens had shown her. A Marjorie Fish found similar positions of stars that tied in with the map. Also strange things supposedly happened to Betty at home following the abduction, especially with electrical equipment.
Interesting post. Didn’t realise it was 50 years ago.
Hard to believe it’s been 50 years!
Without going into detail, I can state with certainty that alien abductions….or whatever constitutes the reality of that phenomenon….were taking place as early as 1946 and 1949, involving both the Greys and the extremely tall, pale entities with the long blond hair. At that time there was ZERO publicity about such matters, especially for a young child who wasn’t yet able to read in 1946 and thus had no means of awareness of them. The 1946 experience was called a “nightmare” by the parents. Strangely enough, the two young sisters sharing a bedroom shared that same nightmare at the same time. What is the chance of that?? The 1949 experience was called an “ether dream”. It definitely wasn’t an ether dream. It took enormous bravery and courage for the Hills to come out about their experience and to endure the years of ridicule from so many sources. Good post, Guys.
I know that in the early sixties it was called ” that child has such a wild imagination!”
Their voices sound truthful, fascinating post.
Oh, how I recall that wild imagination line!
Always liked Betty, whom e met at the same UFO conference where we met Budd Hopkins. Brave, for sure.