The Loring Air Force Base UFO Incident

In the 1970s, the Cold War was in full bloom. United States military installations that stored weapons of mass destruction pulled out all stops to hide their location from enemy spies and spy planes. Loring Air Force Base, located in the Northeastern part of Maine, fit this pattern, housing their nuclear weapons under camouflaged huts, covered with dirt. This fenced in area was under constant watch by the 42nd Security Police Squadron. At precisely 7:45 P.M. on October 27, 1975, Staff Sergeant Danny K. Lewis was performing his normal duties of keeping a watchful eye on the hidden weapons area. His attention was diverted by the sudden appearance of an unidentified flying craft at an altitude of about 300 feet. The craft was approaching from the North, with a bright red navigation light, and a white strobe light. To Lewis’ surprise, the craft entered the official airspace of Loring.

At the same time, Staff Sergeant James P. Sampley of the 2192nd Communications Squadron was on duty in the control tower of the base. Sampley received a radar return from an unidentified craft, which he calculated from his radar screen as being 10-13 miles east-northeast of the base. As per his orders, he made calls via radio through all available communication bands, both military and civilian, hailing the craft. He got no response. As he kept an alert eye on his screen, the craft began to circle the base, and finally came to within 300 yards of the highly restricted nuclear storage area. The craft’s altitude was now a mere 150 feet.

By this time, Sergeant Lewis was notifying his Command Post that the unknown craft had penetrated the perimeter of the base, and was closing in on the nuclear storage area. The base was instantaneously put on a Security 3 alert status. Security officials contacted Sampley in the Control tower to verify the sighting via radar. Making his way to the tower, Sergeant Grover K. Eggleston began studiously watching the craft on radar. It had now began circling ten miles east-northeast of the base. The base’s Wing Commander ordered a search of the grounds, and requested air support from Hancock Field, New York, and North Bay, Ontario. Neither of the bases would oblige his request at the time. The Maine State Police and airport flight services were contacted in an attempt to identify the unknown object. Again, no identification was forthcoming. The ground search also came up empty handed.

For an additional 40 minutes, the unknown craft circled in the vicinity of the base. Finally it left it’s pattern, and headed toward Grand Falls, New Brunswick. Now about 12 miles from Loring, it disappeared from the radar screen. The base was quiet for the rest of the night, but the Stage 3 alert was kept until the next morning. SAC Headquarters was notified of the details of the unknown craft. Unbelievably, the next night at exactly the same time, the craft returned. Lewis was again on duty, along with Sergeants Blakeslee and Long.

The craft was approaching Loring from the North, this time at about 3,000 feet. The craft got as near as 3 miles from the base, again showing flashing lights of orange, red, and white. All three of the men on duty witnessed the craft. Lewis reported his sighting to Command, and this time the Wing Commander came to the storage area to verify the sighting. He confirmed the findings of the three duty officers. Radar again confirmed the unknown craft.

The appearance of an other worldly craft would also be confirmed by Sergeant Steven Eickner, and others. A group of military witnesses reported an orange and red object shaped like a stretched out football, which amazingly hovered in midair! It’s lights suddenly were darkened, and then the craft reappeared over the runaway, hovering about 150 feet off the ground. They also estimated the length of the craft at about 75-80 feet, solid, with no visible doors or windows, no visible means of propulsion, and totally silent. Again the base was put on full alert, and a security detail searched the base, finding nothing. Finally, the craft turned off it’s lights, and vanished from view. Radar picked up the unknown craft heading in the direction of Grand Falls, New Brunswick. A second report was sent to SAC headquarters.

The unsettling events of October 27 and 28 would finally get the attention of military personnel who were in a position to give support to Loring. October 29 would bring a National Guard helicopter for support, just in case. Canadian authorities were given permission to cross the border if needed. Royal Canadian Mounted Police provided an officer to ride along in the helicopter. Those who waited for another visit would not be disappointed. The helicopter was called into action, and immediately responded. Accompanying the RCMP officer were Loring Air Security officers, and an officer from the Maine State Police. The chopper followed the leads sent from radar, but even when approaching within 100 yards, they could see nothing in the skies. The next night brought an Air Force helicopter, and a crew from Plattsburgh AFB. October 30 brought more sightings from the ground, and radar confirmation. There would be more ground sightings of strange lights for the remainder of 1975 in the same area, but investigations by the USA and Canada released no findings for public knowledge. The sightings at Loring Air Force Base were only a part of a full-fledged flap in the northern region of the United States, and southern area of Canada. This sighting flap holds a credible place in UFO history.