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II
Soon after arriving in Point Pleasant and getting a handle on the scope of the situation； I phoned the Lockburn Air Force Base in Ohio and outlined what was happening to a Lieutenant Hoffman； the base UFO officer。 He was very polite； but he was also disinterested and it was clear the air force was not going to launch any kind of investigation。
Perhaps an investigation was already underway。 As I wandered around Main Street in early April I noticed a surprising number of strangers who just didn't seem to fit in。 They had the indelible look of federal officers 。。。 conservative ties； square clothes； recent haircuts。 There must have been fifteen or twenty of them。 I saw them in the local restaurants and drugstores； everywhere。
〃Is there a convention in town？〃 I asked Mary Hyre。
〃So you noticed them； too？〃 She smiled。 〃Everybody's been asking me about them。 But so far I haven't found out a thing。〃
I decided to trap one of them into a conversation； but they all vanished before I could do so。
One night Roger Scarberry； Steve Mallette； and myself were driving around the TNT area when we came upon a large black Cadillac parked in the shadows。 I slammed on the brakes； got out of our car； and walked over to the other vehicle。 A well…dressed； distinguished…looking man was sitting behind the wheel holding a microphone in his hand。 I tried to engage him in a conversation but he would only grunt。 Obviously he wanted to be left alone。 I never saw him again。
My days were spent tracking down witnesses and in early evening I would cruise through the TNT area before going to Five Mile Creek Road for skywatches that usually lasted until 3 or 4 A。M。 Then I would drive back to Point Pleasant； cross the rickety old Silver Bridge into Ohio； and grab a few hours sleep at the Blue Fountain。
Three or four miles south of my secret hilltop there was a heavily forested ridge。 The object with the reddish 〃window〃 which Mary and I had seen on our first night seemed to have e from there。 Each night at exactly 10 P。M。 a bright red glow would appear on that ridge； as if someone had just turned on a powerful light。 Thinking there might be a house there； or a road （and we were watching auto taillights）； I returned in daylight but found it would have been a very long hike to reach it。 No buildings were visible there。 I drove through the roads in the Chief Cornstalk Hunting Grounds； hoping to find a road up that particular ridge but apparently it was inaccessible。
On Thursday； April 6； Mrs。 Hyre acpanied me to Five Mile Creek Road and we watched as the light came on； right on schedule。 Suddenly we saw an identical…type light behind the trees north of our position in the very spot where I had seen the glowing disc descend。 I knew there were no houses or roads in that direction。 We divided our attention between the two lights。 Both seemed to be moving through the trees very slowly。 I got out of the car with my flashlight and flashed it three times in the direction of the southern ridge。 An instant later there were three extremely bright flashes。 Mary nearly jumped out of her skin。
〃They answered you！〃 she declared。
The red light rose upward until it was a hundred feet or so above the trees。 Then it went out； as if someone had turned off a switch。 Then the light in the north dipped down behind the trees and disappeared。
AFFIDAVIT
To whom it may concern：
I； Mrs。 Mary Hyre of 219…Sixth Street； Point Pleasant； W。 Va。； a reporter for the Athens （Ohio） Messenger； hereby swear that I was present at the following event and personally witnessed it as described。
On the evening of April 6； 1967； I acpanied Mr。 John A。 Keel of New York City to an isolated hilltop on Five Mile Creek Road south of Gallipolis Ferry； W。 Va。 Shortly after 11 p。m。 I observed a pale red object of undetermined size moving in a controlled manner slightly above tree…top level over a hill about 500 yards south of our position。 There are no houses or roads on that hill。 The object appeared to move cautiously and slowly through the sky to the far end of the sloping field； the light flickering on and off in an irregular pattern。
As the object drew closer； Mr。 Keel got out of the car and flashed a powerful flashlight directly at it three times。
The object immediately returned the signal by flashing a brilliant white light three times。 Then it rose upwards and the pale red light went pletely out。
This day personally appeared before me in my office； county and state； Mary Hyre； known to me personally； and acknowledged the above statement to be true and that she personally signed her signature in my presence。 Given under my hand this 21 day of June 1967。 My mission expires June 12 1977
Howard Schultz Notary Public
Mrs。 Mabel McDaniel and two other women went to the hill with me the following night。 About 10：15 the usual reddish glow appeared on the southern hill。 Then a second one popped up a short distance from the first。 I flashed my light at them but nothing happened。 So I climbed a fence and walked into a field to try to get a closer look。 The two objects slowly came together。 As I crossed the field I suddenly noticed something new 。。。 a pale bluish ball of light hovering high in the trees of an orchard behind the nearby farmhouse。 The light moved about from tree to tree as though it were following my movements。 I flashed my light at it and it flared with dazzling brilliance； dimmed； and vanished。 Simultaneously； the lights on the southern ridge grew brighter for a moment and then also went out。 I slowly made my way back across the field in the dark； climbed the fence； and returned to Mrs。 McDaniel's car。 I was surprised to find all three women in a very frightened state。
〃I think we'd better leave；〃 Mrs。 McDaniel said nervously。 They drove off quickly。
Five minutes later； as I sat alone in my car； the reddish glow flared up again on the ridge。 For the first time； it changed color from red to a glaring white and rose slowly upward； bobbing like a Yo…Yo toward the river in the west。 Apparently some boatmen on the river saw the object also； for a bright searchlight suddenly shot up from behind the hills； aimed directly at the luminous thing。 When the searchlight appeared； the object halted in midflight； dropped downward； and went out。 The searchlight continued to scan the sky。
The next day I talked with Mrs。 McDaniel and told her what I had seen。
〃Too bad you didn't stick around；〃 I remarked。
〃We were pretty scared；〃 she began。 〃We 。。。 oh； you'll probably think we were being silly。〃
〃Did that blue light frighten you？〃
〃It wasn't the light；〃 she said hesitantly。 〃We saw that。 And then we saw a tall man in the field。 We all saw him climb over the fence and cross behind our car。 We thought it was you ing back。 Then your flashlight went on way out in the field and we knew it wasn't you。 We ran the windows up and locked the doors and waited for you to e back。〃
I had certainly not seen anyone else in that